Communication
This study argues that there is a little difference between news and entertainment in the present television shows. This has led to variation in the roles of television in homes over the recent past. Television function has therefore evolved from the qualitative to the quantitative role. Revolution in the roles of television has brought little difference between news and entertainment. Emphasis is made on “The daily Show” program. Television has been a device, which has connected families and communities in the past through information and the activities aired on television. Presently, the qualitative role of television has been diluted by the increased quantitative broadcast within. In order to understand the changes in TV, the study will highlight “The daily Show” program.
“The daily Show” program is one of the shows, which have been categorized as counterfeit news (Baym, 2005). This is due to the variation of the context and the approach being aired to viewers. The program has been airing news in an informal manner. In addition, the information relayed in the program has been more of political propaganda than news. This approach is perceived to be a popular culture. TV shows have reflected the ideology of the family in the past (Hartigan, 2005). This has been through the provision of social and personal solutions. In reference to this, most shows have been incorporating a family-based theme seeking to offer advice and provide information regarding everyday family life issues. It has in addition represented the reality of the capitalist ideologies. These ideologies have been significant in appreciating economic activities. The ideologies have assisted in resolving consumer problems within the consumer framework (Hill, 2004). Personal happiness in relation to material wealth has been celebrated through television shows.
However, the “Daily Show” has been more of entertaining than informative. There have been addition of the social issues and the daily politics in the show. This has assumed the position of original news where the public was informed of the daily happenings. The viewers have also been educated on social issues such as technological advancement. The changes have been attributed to diversity in perceptions of shows aired. There have been documentaries, which have been educative in the past. These have been replaced with shows such as the controversial ‘Wife Swap’. Other shows such as ‘Men’s Soaps’ have come up to replace the educative channels. Reality shows such as ‘wife swap’ have been complicated and irrational. In addition to this, they have been against the simple and the middle class perception of family (Lyle, 2008). This is due to the transgender and individualism themes, which mostly come up.
Furthermore, the news sessions have been more of entertainment than the expected family news time. Mainly the little division between public issues and the popular culture attributes this (Paletz, 2002). The main purported objective for the change of these programs is to improve the TV presentations. This has however not gone well with the cultural deterioration as the effect of these changes. The symbolic unity within the families and the society has been watered down. More of the entertainment is being featured than the family shows. The economic capitalism on the other hand has not been spared either. Most of the shows highlight the high class, which is clearly beyond the reach of the average viewer. The result has been change of the perception and lack of self-investment.
The result of this development from quality to quantitative shows is the development of shows such as comedy news, counterfeit news, and political propaganda during news time (Paletz, 2002). Other than technological advancements, there is discursive integration, which has led to the introduction of quantitative shows than qualitative presentation. In the end, it is challenging to differentiate between original and counterfeit shows. As there is an increasing demand of reality shows, real conditions have been replaced by ideologies. Hence, documentaries and other educative shows are slowly losing impact in TV.
References
Lyle, S. (2008). (Mis) recognition and the Middle-class/bourgeois gaze: A case study of wife swap. Critical Discourse Studies 5(4), 319–330.
Hartigan J. (2005). Odd Tribes: Toward a Cultural Analysis of White People. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
Hill, M. (2004). After Whiteness: Unmaking an American Majority. New York: New York University Press.
Paletz, D. (2002). The media in American politics: Contents and consequences. New York: Longman.
Baym, G. (2005). “The Daily Show: Discursive Integration and the Reinvention of Political Journalism.”Political Communication. 22:259-276