VIOLENCE AND SEX IN TELEVISION, VIDEO GAMES AND FILMS: IMAGES THAT SELL AND THE PLACE OF MEDIA LITERACY

Allen Nnanwuba Adum, Uchenna Patricia Ekwugha, Ojinime Ebelechukwu Ojiakor, Uche Victor Ebeze

Abstract


The media, no doubt has tremendous power in the area of socialization, cultivation and modeling of behaviour. The media is used for escape and withdrawal by the audience. The media has a world called media reality, whereas the audience lives in a real world called social reality. Media reality is replete with violence and sex, whether we talk about television, films or even video games The question now is, why does media fare contain a high dosage of violence and sex? Who is served by these? Are they necessary? Are the audience fooled and influenced by these? Many times what people get from the media, for instance TV, is what they tend to believe. And if what they are fed is falsehood, one can imagine the level of harm that could be done. So, there is the need for people to understand the media and how to use media content. Against this backdrop, this paper gives a general overview of the vexed issues of violence and sex and the necessity of media literacy as a way of helping the media audience to sift the wheat from the chaff.


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References


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