Ethical Media Recommendation
Evan Kramer

When we think of something or someone being ethical in 21st century America images of smiling faces and long strands of different coloured hands clasped together with words like peace and love plastered near by come to mind for the most ideal of thinkers. But how is one supposed to represent real life, or something close to reality, while remaining ethical in the peace, love, and harmony sense of the word? Because we all know that life is not always harmonious and is, as the movie says, a battle between love and hate. Life is perpetually filled with things that are unethical (racism, violence, etc.), but it is not unethical to examine such issues in a society through storytelling and the use of the media. Case in point, Spike Lee’s 1989 film Do The Right Thing.
The movie tells the story of a young pizza delivery worker, Mookie (Spike Lee), who works for a Sal’s Pizzeria, an Italian family owned restaurant which is across the street from a Korean family owned corner store, all on a predominantly African American and Puerto Rican street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. There is a multitude of characters varying races and ethnicities, and on one sweltering summer day racial tensions and internal bigotries explode in conflict. And while there are aspects of Do The Right Thing that are not ethical, because Lee is using the media of film to tell a story that presents the audience with an honest, intentional examination of society the movie is ethical.

What should we be watching?

There are many people that believe that videogames teach bad behavior to our society, and I do agree that some do. But there are exceptions that are completely ethical and ok for anyone to play. The most popular game that fits this category would have to be the Madden NFL Football franchise. This game does not create or promote the use of any stereotypes that are used in our society. It simply promotes the NFL teams, players, and organizations, and does not encourage any violence off the football field. Madden Football shows the realism of the contact that takes place in football but at the same time demonstrates the rules and guidelines that are necessary to participate in sports and society.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air is a sitcom television show about a boy (Will Smith) that is from a low-income part of West Philadelphia, and moved to Bel-Air California and lived with his rich uncle and his family. Through out his time in Bel-Air he gets into a fair share of trouble, which never makes his uncle happy with him.
The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air shows ethical behavior and choices in every episode. In all of the episodes it shows Will getting into harmless trouble with his uncle and going against his rules. But when Will gets caught his uncle always gives him the correct punishment for his actions. He always learns from his actions and does not repeat the same one twice. In the end of the show it always shows the family coming together in the end. The show helps show teens that you need to learn from your punishments and come together and be with your family in the end.

Ethical Media

Ethical TV show

The television show that I think is ethical is Two And A Half Men. I think it is ethical because it shows how a brother takes in his brother and his son when there are going through hard times with the divorce. He also takes in his brother Alan’s son Jake. Which they are tying to adjust when the brother Charlie is a higher class resident of California and he lives on the beach and drives a jaguar. He is trying to help his brother Alan get a new girlfriend so that they can move out and start over.
The television shows how a family member can help out another family member that is going through hard times. It also shows how your family will always be there for you when you are in hard times. The brothers also illustrate how you should help out people because they may return the favor.


http://www.tv.com/two-and-a-half-men/show/17206/summary.html

Parental Guidelines

1. Make sure to keep more gruesome aspects of media from children, such as in movies or games. These can have harmful effects on child development. (Do not buy Gears of War).

2. As kids mature, make efforts to befriend them and learn what types of media they like to use on a regular basis. With this knowledge you can better monitor their media activities.

3. Older kids or young adults should not be subject to as much restrictions. Specifically, ages 15 and up should very few restrictions on media use. For internet, however, make sure to emphasize the lack of privacy and the dangers inherent in online activity to them.

4. Make some effort to reduce the passive media consumption of kids, as it can reduce their productivity and academic effort. (Possibly limit to 2.5 hrs a day). Do not be a tyrant, though, as it can breed resentment and rebellion.

By: Dan, James, and Yuanchao

Ethical Media Representation – U2

U2 is a band that started out in Dublin, Ireland in 1976, when its members were just teenagers. Over its many year career, the band campaigned vigorously for civil rights and humanitarian aid for the less fortunate. Examples of this are its advocacy in Live Aid, Amnesty International, and the ONE Campaign.

These ideals are epitomized in one of their latest albums, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, an album which I actually own. In it, the songs “Miracle Drug”, “Love and Peace or Else”, and “Sometimes You Can’t Make it On Your Own” all serve to further their efforts for social justice and human rights. Because of this, I believe that this album is a great example of an ethical aspect of the media, as it gives a great criticism of modern rights violations and oppressions. If societies all grew up to respond to these criticisms, then the whole world would be a better place.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U2

Media Recommendation: This American Life

This American Life is a public radio show from Chicago Public Radio and is nationally syndicated by Public Radio International (PRI). The show has earned multiple awards, perhaps most notably the Peabody Award in both 1996 and 2006. The television adaptation of the show, which airs on Showtime, has earned five Emmy nominations; and the free podcast of the show is consistently rated either first or second in weekly downloads on iTunes. Each journalistic, non-fiction program features a central theme explored in multiple acts. An act is usually a first-person narrative that may feature essays, memoirs, and field recordings, among others, that tell the story of ordinary people. Each act often offers a fresh perspective on current events or important issues in American society. The show tells stories that illustrate how decisions on every level—personal, local, national, international, etc.—affect people in the most basic ways. These intriguing portrayals frequently raise ethical and moral questions within the listener that makes one consider the ethical impact of their actions.
This American Life
This American Life on Showtime

If I picked an ethical TV show in the media, I would pick Extreme Makeover Home Edition. The producers pick families in need that don’t have the money or time to improve their houses the way they need to function. Some people have run down houses, or health problems that keep them from doing the things they want. The workers include men, women and many races to show equality. It shows that not just one type of person can build a house.
This reveals how not to take things for granted because other people might have things worse off than you. It encourages teamwork because without it they couldn’t build a house in 7 days. But I think the main thing it shows is how volunteering your time and talents can give someone a better life.
http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/index?pn=index