Violence in the Media

Many video games, television programs, adverts, films and 

music lyrics depict different forms of violence. Some people feel that 

there is too much violence exposed in the media. Many studies have 

made the claim that the media is responsible for much of the violence 

seen in the world we live in. However, people have choices and 

responsibilities we cannot allow ourselves to blame it on other things 

such as the media. The violence seen in our media has an impact on 

both adults and children. Since children are also exposed to various 

forms of media, there has been additional concern for how they process 

and think about the violence they see, read or hear. Excessive 

exposure to media violence can also affect people in many ways as they 

can become disturbed and develop serious fears of being victimized in 

real life. Nevertheless, the entertainment industry and those in 

favour of the media argue that censoring these images or music will 

not solve the problems of a society, which is already violent. 

Many areas of the media contain violence in different forms. There are 

four different types of violence shown throughout media-actuality, 

realistic fictional, choreographed and comic. Actuality shows the 

public images that have not been enhanced, altered or composed. These 

are mainly shown in TV news and newspapers and have stirred various 

opinions of its necessity to be shown. People feel that it is 

unacceptable to show these kinds of images, as some scenes can be of 

those in agony therefore pointing a camera on them is disrespectful. 

However some actuality images are less harmful as it may not be an 

extreme act such as tackles in football matches. Realistic fictional 

is when violence is acted out which can potentially happen in real 

life. This may be unacceptable to people as it can be influential and 

seem as exciting therefore there are temptations to copy it. 

Choreographed violence in the media are images that have been 

rehearsed and planned out, these are often found in films and cause a 

bit of debate. It may be seen as acceptable for it is just a film and 

shown for entertainment purposes but many may feel that it can be very 

influential as images like men holding a gun can seem pleasurable. 

However, these images can be acceptable up to a point and may become 

intolerable for younger audiences. Comics are images that are normally 

found in newspapers and magazines. These don’t have great influences 

on readers and is not a type of violence, which cause a lot of debate. 

It is mostly seen as entertainment and is accepted as enjoyable 

sketches for there is not much temptation to copy it because it is 

clearly shown as unrealistic. 

Media do try to have some control over what people can see. The BBFC 

is an organisation that regulates and classifies the content of the 

film, which are shown in cinemas and released in videos. It puts a 

certain age limit for the film and may ask for the film’s distributor 

to make changes in the form of cuts. This may be material considered 

to extreme for a certain age group such as sex, violence, drugs and 

swearing. The British Broadcasting of Film Classification was set up 

in 1912 and there were two rules for classifying films: no 

representations of Christ and no representations of nudity. In 1915, 

the policy of the board was summarised by T.P. O’Connor who had been 

appointed president. He laid down forty-three grounds for film 

censorship and the rules covered areas such as nudity, sex, violence 

and political issues. However society has changed and these strict, 

cautious rules were drawn from the board. Nevertheless, there are 

forms of violence that the bbfc are cautious about such as sexual 

violence, glamorisation of weapons and ill treatment of animals and 

children. They are also concerned about the emphasis of the process of 

violence and the details of criminal techniques. 

The watershed is set up to protect younger audiences from being 

influenced and it is what can legally be shown before nine o’clock on 

television. This is said to not have been doing what it is purposely 

built for as children are still up at night and are watching the 

television. However, there is only a certain amount of things that the 

media can do to help protect children from influential images 

therefore it is parents/guardians responsibility to make sure that 

they are not watching things that there are not meant to. 

Violence can be effective, harsh and disturbing. Some argue that going 

through uncomfortable, unpleasant experiences through what we see is 

how we learn to make decisions. It makes you think although it may use 

the idea of horror to make us feel lucky and appreciative. 

Violence in the media can be misinterpreted and have different effects 

on people. Moral panics occur when the media blow subjects out of 

proportion, which can create redundant commotion within the public. 

This encourages scares, which can cause the public to become fearful 

and act upon this. Showing and telling the news can be seen to be more 

horrific than the actual thing. However, some people feel that graphic 

images should be exposed. The media should not hold back as the public 

need to know what is going on. The media is the one that give us the 

truth. 

There have been many studies conducted on the effects of violence on 

the society. The effects theory suggests that people’s characteristics 

and background will determine how they interpret the violence shown in 

the media. It suggests that children are more fragile towards the 

violence they are exposed to because of their young age. Violence in 

the media excites children but the more they see, the more they need 

to excite them. This results in them being less shocked by real life 

violence as violent behaviour soon becomes to be seen as normal on 

screen. However, violence in the media can sensitise people to the 

effects of violence for these images can be so shocking that it can 

put people off violence and make them more aware of its consequences. 

Media violence can be used as way to release tension and desires 

through identification with fictional characteristics and events. 

According to the catharsis theory, watching violence is healthy 

because it allows viewers to drain their anger and aggressive impulses 

into harmless channels. It can reduce subsequent aggression as it 

leaves the viewers uplifted and less likely to act violently among 

themselves. 

The TV news has been in many debates as some argue that they show too 

much graphic images. An example of this is the recent incident in 

Beslan, which had caused a lot of controversy as people had strong 

feelings of what was appropriate to have shown and what had stepped 

over the line. Many images of young children, bleeding in agony and 

crying out for help had been covered in the news. This had stirred 

strong emotions as people had thought it was disrespectful and its not 

any of the publics businesses to be looking at these images. Having a 

camera pointed at someone after going through something extremely 

traumatizing and being at a low point leaves the victim with no 

dignity and their moral rights are taken away. However, these were 

providing visual knowledge to people about what is going on in the 

world. The constant reports from the TV news not only affect victims 

but the hostage takers. Media were helping the hostage takers to 

publicise their cause and they became dependant on them to make their 

cause known. Rolling news is a source of rawness and provides a window 

on the real world that other media are unable to match. On the other 

hand, it can be seem as deceiving and unnecessary. Footages of the 

same thing are shown over and over again and it can become unreliable 

to some viewers as wrong, limited information is transmitted in a 

cycle. Reporters become too caught up in their work and don’t think 

about what they are doing. Many reporters and photographers are more 

concerned about their job status than the moral rights involved. 

During the happenings in Beslan, reporters began to reflect on the 

effects of rolling news. Peter Conrad argued against rolling news and 

the amount of graphic images shown. Nick Pollard wrote an argument 

responding against Conrad’s views. Peter Conrad has said it is “not to 

be trusted” as it crates emotions for us “rather than transmitting 

facts.” Nick Pollard thought that Conrad has “rubbished the whole idea 

of live news”. 

Advertisements depict forms of violence to help publicise products, 

issues and artists. The media uses violence in advertising to attract 

male audiences. Companies such as Siemens, Addidas and Mitsubishi all 

use various types of violence such as the cave man mentality, the new 

warriors and heroic masculinity, to sell their product. The cave man 

mentality use male icons from well-known history, e.g. ancient 

warriors which represents masculinity in advertisement. These show 

that being aggressive is part if their nature, therefore the 

advertisements associates and fulfils these needs of being brutal 

which presumably existed throughout time. These advertisements 

influence the idea of male dominance as a biological fact. Another 

type of violence used in advertising is the use of military or sports 

figures to make the product look more masculine. This is aimed at 

young boys and adolescent males and portrays an image that violence is 

suave and tolerable. These images are generally shown in adverts for 

common male products such as deodorant, trainers and hats and become 

presented to consumers with aggressive and violent images of manhood. 

Playing violent video games like manhunt can increase a person’s 

aggressive, thoughts, feelings and behaviour in actual life. Excessive 

display of violence can influence a more destructive approach to 

others and will encourage people with the tendencies to violent 

behaviour to take that extra step. However, although video games can 

be extremely violent, it can be hard to connect this violence in 

reality. The content of various video games may offend many people but 

the violence shown is of a negative light. Video games do not show 

violence to be acceptable or enjoyable. Nevertheless, video games can 

still urge people to become aggressive due it violent scenes and 

therefore there should be stricter censorship to protect influential 

children. However, it is argued that most violent games are rated 18, 

it is up to parents under the age of 18 to make sure that they are not 

getting hold of these games. Violence can not only be blamed on video 

games, it is also lack of parenting, if it wasn’t for video games 

there will be something else to blame. 

Song Lyrics are known to promote violence. Many artists use ideas of 

violence and use aggressive tones in their songs. Bands such as black 

eyed peas have demonstrated their opinions about this, and they have 

expressed it through the song, ‘Where is the love?’ as its lyrics say, 

‘wrong information always shown by the media, infecting the young 

minds faster than bacteria.’ 

Media surrounds us and has an impact on everyone’s lives in different, 

big or small ways. The violence it contains still and may always be a 

big topic of debate. It is difficult to have the right amount of 

violence shown for everyone as each person has different points of 

where the line should be drawn.