The following study explored the structures and themes found in a few episodes of a popular TV sitcom ("Friends"). Drawing on James Gee's ideas about critical discourse analysis as the main analytical lens for this study, this study discussed the language found in a sitcom and analyzed the complexity of structures and vocabulary in the…

American (and English language) television has gradually become a more influential factor in the way people are learning English overseas, as access to cable programming has widely spread across cities, regardless of socio-cultural backgrounds. What students watch on TV affects not only how they are learning the language, but also their cultural…

Television plays a monumentally large role in U.S. society; no one is immune from its effects. The government does not control television, but it is not far from the truth to say that television controls the political life of this country. This paper analyzes the democratic objectives and effects of television in the United States. A brief history…

Summarizes a wealth of evidence establishing a causal relationship between television viewing and violence. Outlines a series of corrective measures available within the fields of media literacy, public policy, and education. Briefly discusses related issues such as government versus self-regulation, and First Amendment protections. (MJP)

Contemporary society is an "information society" where much of the information has a visual nature. This text uses semiotic and psychological concepts to help students gain understanding of how meaning is found in visual phenomena and how minds process images. Focus is upon mass media and popular culture. Theoretical discussions are…

Provides background information and learning activities for six areas of inquiry concerning media literacy and violence. These are (1) "Monitoring 'Action' in TV Cartoons"; (2) "To Market, To Market (Share)"; (3) "What's 'Educational' Anyway"; (4) "Rating the TV Rating System"; (5) "Nine Risks of TV Violence"; and (6) "Teenagers in the News." (MJP)