Alex Moore

Podcast Assignment
3/7/2015
Informative Podcast on the Mass Media Influence on the Youth
I. Introduction
A. Background Information

they

1. Media has an influence on how teenagers act and behave through the television
and movies they watch, the video games they play and the advertisements
see.
2. Nearly half of nine to twelve year old girls said they wanted to be thinner and
had either been on a diet or were of the concept of dieting.
B. Thesis Statement
The media can have both positive and negative impacts on teenagers which can
result on how they behave and act in particular situations.

I will now transition into my first point of how media can have an effect on someones body
image.
BODY
II. Body Image
A. Body dissatisfaction is not only a problem among girls but also among boys
too.
1. Marketers are aware that girls who are insecure about their bodies will be more
likely to buy beauty products, new clothes, and diet supplements.
2. Boys have also been known to be dissatisfied by how they dont compare to
others in the media and the idealized images of women.
B. Having been through my teenager years I can understand the need to feel perfect.

to fit

1. Having grown up as a teenager I can understand how teenagers feel as they are
fed information daily with the pressure to change their appearance in order
in.
2. Both boys and girls can be diagnosed with eating disorders after feeling the
need to lose weight when they see others on TV or in magazines.

I will know transition into talking about stereotypes in the media.

III. Stereotypes

A. Mass media has played a role in the way Americans perceive African Americans.
1. The media has stereotypes young African American males involved in crime,
drug use, and gang violence.
2. African American youths having any thought of proper employment for the
future is seen as not happening for the future because of the way they are
seen.
B. The media can have an effect on how law enforcement does their job.
1. It is now very common for police officers to stop young African Americans due
to the stereotype they are doing something wrong by the way they are portrayed in
the media.
2. One teenager that was stopped was Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri
which sparked national attention when a white police officer shot Brown,
unarmed teenager.

the

3. Media reports on the news but often miss the underlying problem of why there
is controversy that led to the live story.
I will now transition to my final point that explains the positive points of media.
IV. Positive Aspects from the Media
A. Teenagers can improve their social interactions through the media.
1. Teenagers can learn to enhance their social interactions through the media they
share every day.

they share

2. By the youth watching the same type of TV shows and films weekly they can
develop confidence and fluency by speaking to one another about what
in common.
3. When teenagers show similarities such as the same TV shows and movies they
see they can have conversations and debate.

I will now transition into my conclusion where I will sum up all of my points.
V. Conclusion
A. Today I have explained both the positives and negatives in an informative podcast.
1. First, I explained the negative impact the media has on the youth.

African

2. Second I explained how the media can portray stereotypes aimed at African
American which can lead many youth to believe untrue statements about
Americans.

3. Finally I explained the positive aspects when teenagers consume media and are
able to have conversations with one another.
Bibliography
Balkaran, Stephen. "Mass Media and Racism." Mass Media and Racism. Yale Political
Quarterly, 1999. Web. 07 Mar. 2015.
<http://www.yale.edu/ypq/articles/oct99/oct99b.html>.
"Body Image Girls." Body Image Girls. Media Smarts, n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2015.
<http://mediasmarts.ca/body-image/body-image-girls>.
"Body Image." Body Image. Media Smarts, n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2015.
<http://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy/media-issues/body-image>.
Mokeyane, K. Nola. "Media's Positive & Negative Influence on Teenagers." Media's Positive &
Negative Influence on Teenagers. Global Post, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.
<http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/medias-positive-negative-influence-teenagers10506.html>.