Media Questionnaire for my Coursework...

I didn't really know where to put this, so moderator's feel free to move it.

I'm taking sociology, and as part of my coursework I'm studying how the media has affected out society; as part of my research I've devised a questionnaire. If any ATS members could fill it in it would be most appreciated!

How has media affected our society in the last 50 years?

(Comments appreciated along with a yes/no. Also if you don�t mind, please state your nationality and age)

Questionnaire A, for those over 20

1. Do you think media has changed our society from what it was when you were a child?

2. Which newspaper (if any) do you regularly read?

3. Films and television programmes are a lot more graphic then say, what they were a decade ago, do you agree with this?

4. Do you think parental attitudes have changed because of the media in the past fifty years?

5. Have you ever conformed to what the media has said? If so, can you give an example?

6. If you work in the media, or know someone that does, what do you think on this subject?

Finally�

7. Do you think the media has changed society in the last fifty years? If so, for the good or bad?


Questionnaire B. for those under 20

1.Do you think that movie guidance ratings are used properly in today�s Western society? For example, in the UK, the �12� rating (for those 12+) has recently been changed to a �12A� meaning that those between 8-11 can see the movie if accompanied by an adult.

2.Can you remember a time when you saw something in a/on magazine/newspaper/television that you thought was inappropriate for who its target audience was? If so, please explain.

3.Have you ever conformed (changed your opinion to �fit in� and go with the majority) because of the media? If so, could you give an example?

4.From what you have seen in the media, what is your take on the war in Iraq?

Finally�

5.Do you think the media has changed society in the last fifty years? If so, for the good or bad?


Thank you for your time, all Questionnaires� will be anonymous.

Questionnaire A, for those over 20

1. Do you think media has changed our society from what it was when you were a child?

Yes. In good and bad ways. But in the past decade in particular, it's effect has been more negative than positive.

2. Which newspaper (if any) do you regularly read?

Other than online newspapers, I don't. Online papers I read regularly are: Dallas Morning News, New York Times, Washington Post, Jerusalem Post, Daily Oklahoman

3. Films and television programmes are a lot more graphic then say, what they were a decade ago, do you agree with this?

No. I don't agree with this. If you had said more graphic than 20 years ago I might have had to have agreed with you. An interesting "cycle" occurred in the past decade in that we actually moved away from gore and extremely nonsensical levels of foul language. We'll probably head back that way soon, but just to get the picture straight - the late 80's to early 90's were the worst so far.

4. Do you think parental attitudes have changed because of the media in the past fifty years?

Yes. Unfortunately.

5. Have you ever conformed to what the media has said? If so, can you give an example?

Not that I know of.

6. If you work in the media, or know someone that does, what do you think on this subject?

N/A

Finally�

7. Do you think the media has changed society in the last fifty years? If so, for the good or bad?

Yes. And I believe that if the tallies were struck, it would land on the negative side overall.

Thanks for answering Vahall!

Originally posted by LadyCool21

18, Canadian (su-prise!)

Questionnaire B. for those under 20

1.Do you think that movie guidance ratings are used properly in today�s Western society? For example, in the UK, the �12� rating (for those 12+) has recently been changed to a �12A� meaning that those between 8-11 can see the movie if accompanied by an adult.

No, they're vague, and they overlap a lot. Some are absolutely ludacris. In any case, they don't work most of the time.

2.Can you remember a time when you saw something in a/on magazine/newspaper/television that you thought was inappropriate for who its target audience was? If so, please explain.

No.

3.Have you ever conformed (changed your opinion to �fit in� and go with the majority) because of the media? If so, could you give an example?

Yes. After the Queen's Park incident, I lost my faith in organized, peaceful protest. It cannot be done...there will always be a troublemaking element who brings the bronze down on everyone.

4.From what you have seen in the media, what is your take on the war in Iraq?

It is an unneccessarily heavy-handed (and as such, typical American) approach to a problem that had nothign to do with the Unted States. If they had wanted, Special Operations could have swept clean the corrupt leaders in a month. Instead, they start a second Vietnam.

Finally�

5.Do you think the media has changed society in the last fifty years? If so, for the good or bad?

The media has gone from an important part of where everyone gets their information to a lot of scandalmongers and attention whores who pervert the facts. A single, unremarkable incident halfway aroudn the world becomes a crisis, etc.

*tips hat* I'm a sociology student too. ENjoy.

DE

[Edited on 28-3-2004 by DeusEx]

Originally posted by LadyCool21
I didn't really know where to put this, so moderator's feel free to move it.

I'm taking sociology, and as part of my coursework I'm studying how the media has affected out society; as part of my research I've devised a questionnaire. If any ATS members could fill it in it would be most appreciated!

How has media affected our society in the last 50 years?

(Comments appreciated along with a yes/no. Also if you don�t mind, please state your nationality and age)

Born and live in Oz...age 42

Questionnaire A, for those over 20

1. Do you think media has changed our society from what it was when you were a child?
Yes.

2. Which newspaper (if any) do you regularly read?
Herald Sun...Melbourne,Oz.

3. Films and television programmes are a lot more graphic then say, what they were a decade ago, do you agree with this?
Yes.

4. Do you think parental attitudes have changed because of the media in the past fifty years?
Yes.

5. Have you ever conformed to what the media has said? If so, can you give an example?
Yes. Feb16, 1983. The 'Ash Wednesday' bushfires. We evacuated to
a designated shelter faster than 'speedy gonzales'.

6. If you work in the media, or know someone that does, what do you think on this subject?
N/A
Finally�

7. Do you think the media has changed society in the last fifty years? If so, for the good or bad?
Yes, leaning on the wrong side of 50/50.

Thank you for your time, all Questionnaires� will be anonymous.

S.

[Edited on 28-3-2004 by sanctum]

[Edited on 28-3-2004 by sanctum]

Some great answers, I'll be sure to get a decent mark at this rate! (Writing my methodolgy up now, boooring, but Amy Winehouse is making it easier!)

Originally posted by LadyCool21

AGE: 29 Nationality: OTHER

Questionnaire A, for those over 20

1. Do you think media has changed our society from what it was when you were a child?
YES

2. Which newspaper (if any) do you regularly read?
Sun Sentinel, Miami Heralds, NY Daily News, NY Post, NY Times (online Washington Post and a variety of others)

3. Films and television programmes are a lot more graphic then say, what they were a decade ago, do you agree with this?
Not Necessarily, every decade we push the envelope as to what is shown on tv.

4. Do you think parental attitudes have changed because of the media in the past fifty years?
YES

5. Have you ever conformed to what the media has said? If so, can you give an example?
I guess Yes, I had totally bought into the idea that Iraq had WMD's and that our soldiers were going to be attacked by them because of how the media ran with the story.

6. If you work in the media, or know someone that does, what do you think on this subject?
N/A

Finally�

7. Do you think the media has changed society in the last fifty years? If so, for the good or bad?
Good and Bad...(sorry) Good in that the world is now a much smaller place...bad because of the same reasons and that things that were once taboo and no longer considered such.

1. Do you think media has changed our society from what it was when you were a child?
Yes. More people are being manipulated in a more negative way. Current events are no longer issues, but rather which actor/actress are dating or even what the latest trend is.

2. Which newspaper (if any) do you regularly read?
Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Boston Globe, and Honolulu Star Bulletin.

3. Films and television programmes are a lot more graphic then say, what they were a decade ago, do you agree with this? Maybe. I believe to a certain extent that programs are more violent. Films are more violent from a decade ago, then again, parents allow their 10 year old children to watch R rated movies. As for TV programs, I think children are more able to connect with violence in realtime rather than animation, but I don't really sure too much violence on tv, except the news.

4. Do you think parental attitudes have changed because of the media in the past fifty years? Yes. I don't think parents have stopped caring of how they raise their child, but I believe that they overall, very lenient. Maybe because they were able to spank their children, without the threat of a jail term. It seems that parents are restricted to power, as to how their children are raised.

5. Have you ever conformed to what the media has said? If so, can you give an example? I probably have someway and form, as for examples, I have none at the time.

6. If you work in the media, or know someone that does, what do you think on this subject? I don't really have a thought on this. I know several people that work in the media, and to me they're just doing their jobs. They're not able to make decisions, of issues. That decision is made by the heads of the company.

Finally�

7. Do you think the media has changed society in the last fifty years? If so, for the good or bad? Yes. I think it's been changed for the worst. Most people don't know what's going on in the world, but they know which celebrity is single or recently broke up. It's quite sad, that they refuse to know what's going on around them. Society no longer cares about what benefits humanity, but rather themselves. Media is too filtered, for people to understand the truth.

Thanks for all your answers, some interesting stuff, all I have to do now is try and track down a journalist/journalism student and interview them (all else fails I'll go down to the offices of our local paper and kidnap one )

I'm over 20, for the record.

1. Do you think media has changed our society from what it was when you were a child?

Yes, they have become much more sensationalistic.

2. Which newspaper (if any) do you regularly read?

None.

3. Films and television programmes are a lot more graphic then say, what they were a decade ago, do you agree with this?

Yes. Although the real change has come from the internet and the severe lack of constraints involved.

4. Do you think parental attitudes have changed because of the media in the past fifty years?

Yes. Although I would say that it is not as big an influence as some others. The feel good "reason with your child" additude was pushed by the media, as is all the "anti-bully" sentiment.

5. Have you ever conformed to what the media has said? If so, can you give an example?

NO NO and NO. They have and will forever, barring some serious overhaul in America, provide a false idea of life and local atmosphere.

6. If you work in the media, or know someone that does, what do you think on this subject?

Don't work in the media

Finally�

7. Do you think the media has changed society in the last fifty years? If so, for the good or bad?

Yes. Bad, example one - Y2K. Fear and consumption are the main points. News used to be for information, now it is used as a platform to bring in viewers to buy the products put forth in the commertial space.

Originally posted by LadyCool21

Questionnaire A, for those over 20

1. Do you think media has changed our society from what it was when you were a child?

Yes.

2. Which newspaper (if any) do you regularly read?

CNN.COM and Yahoo.com

3. Films and television programmes are a lot more graphic then say, what they were a decade ago, do you agree with this?

No (not if you're talking a single decade)


4. Do you think parental attitudes have changed because of the media in the past fifty years?

No.
(I do think that SOCIETY has changed and this impacts childrearing.)

5. Have you ever conformed to what the media has said? If so, can you give an example?

No.

6. If you work in the media, or know someone that does, what do you think on this subject?

Finally�

7. Do you think the media has changed society in the last fifty years? If so, for the good or bad?

Yes. For the good (if you need examples, a lot of issues like women's rights and civil rights and a thousand other things were brought into focus by the media. Without that attention, a lot of folks would have voted as their spouses told them or their parents or their churches... and have no contrarian information on which to make decisions (or reject decisions)