Psychological Analysis: Presentation of Media
by
J. Carroll

The Question

What are the differences between the way in which media is presented in the UK than in the US ? What are the different kinds of extremes each country displays?

Methods/Results

A very broad analysis of the differences in media presentations between the UK and the US was found by looking at a vast array of mediums.

The specific mediums used to gather information for the following chart was:

Newspapers (A random sample)

UK: The Guardian, The Independent, and The Herald International

US: New York Times, USA Today, and Philadelphia Inquirer

Television (A random sample)

UK: BBC1 & 2 News and Channel 5 News. TV shows on channels 1,2,3,4 & 5.

US: Channel 3 & 6 News. TV shows on basic channels 3, 6, 29 & 57.

Radio (A very random sample of both UK and US stations)

In general, British Media presentations were more raw, sexual and explicit both in visual and verbal effects than the US. Most of these extremes were seen in politics in relation to the news (radio, newspapers and television), television shows, commercials and advertisements.

POLITICS AND NEWS

The UK overall had a larger coverage of local and international politics. News-wise the coverage of politics was much more serious and focused then that in the US. Newspapers, Television and Radio dedicated a large sum of time and space to covering government and politics in both the US and the UK. The subject and angle in which Britain takes was more focused on the issues and not the trivial nuisances surrounding them. For example, the major US news stations and newspapers spend large sums of money broadcasting and printing stories about President Clinton and his dog Socks than they do about the new government policy proposals. The consequence of the US media focusing on matters of unimportance is a lack of education involving their own system of government and international policies among its viewers and country as a whole. Viewers who are use to being entertained most of the time tend to have a lower attention span to sit and watch/read the news and other issues pertaining to government and worldly affairs. Britain spends more time on the real issues at stake by treating them as serious matters and devoting enough time to international issues. By cutting out the fluff that the US news programs thrive on and glamorizing the broadcasters themselves, Britain, as a result has made its viewers/society adept to programming which gives a clear, concise version of the news. As a result, the people of Britain on the whole are more worldly and knowledgeable of international affairs.

TELEVISION SHOWS

Television shows in the US were highly glamorized representing unrealistic settings and unrealistic ideals. The US tends to glamorize everything to an extreme. Many Soap Opera’s/TV Shows are set in Beverly Hills, Miami, etc. which involve an outrageous story line that the audience cannot associate with. The UK, on the other hand, was more downplayed. Soap Opera’s and TV shows were more realistic. Game Shows focus more on intellect and strategy than on large screaming audiences and contestants winning large sums of money. As a result, US audiences get an unrealistic perspective of life and the UK can relate to shows that they watch with a realistic perspective. Britain is famous for its humor, especially that which involves Political Satire. Comedy shows such as The 11:00 Show and Brenner, Bird and Fortune consists of humor based on the idiosyncrasies of politics, political figures and government policy. US comedy shows like The Saturday Night Live, Conan O’Brien and The Tom Green Show may have touched upon these topics, but were built more upon violence, vulgarity and obscenities. It is a commonly held belief that Americans do not get British humor because it is so intellectually motivated. This may not be completely true, but it does say something about the difference in humor between the two countries.

The United States is known for its portrayal of violence on television. Partially, as a result of this, the US has a high rate of crime involving violent acts. Britain is known for its display of sexuality on television. A positive result of this is would be that sexuality is something openly discussed and not seen as bad and hushed among children and young adults. Coincidentally, with British media displaying such large amounts of sexual activity it fails to equally advertise awareness for the use of contraceptives, sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy, while the American media spends huge amounts of space in various mediums advertising just those things.

Commercials and advertisements in the UK use a mixture of extreme weirdness and sexuality in the majority of their ads, especially in magazines and television commercials, to catch the eye of their audience. As a result British products have a better chance at influencing its target audiences then the US does. The US tends to be more serious with their ads and commercials. Although the UK displays more creativity in ads/commercials, the US has a much bigger market for touching upon serious issues in their ads/commercial. Some of these issues involving: drugs, abuse, racism, and sexually transmitted diseases. As mentioned before, the UK does very little in promotion and awareness in these areas while displaying large amounts of sex in advertisements. This may give its audience and young viewers the wrong message as a whole by not showing the consequence of their sexual ads.

Conclusion

As a result of the differences in media presentations for the UK and US, there are two completely different societies formed. Each society holding different views, morals and social standards and acceptances. The media as a whole has a lot to say about the country, society and government to which it is targeting. Media and mediums through which it is displayed will always to be susceptible to change through its audience and/or the government that regulates it.