When one watches two newscasts that
cover the same news, but are broadcasted from different cultures, many
questions are raised. How are the cultural norms and perceptions reflected? Who
influences who? Does culture influence the newscast or is it the other way
around? And is this news an accepted representation of the culture from which
it was birthed?
The two
broadcasting stations under analysis are the Tageschau from Germay and the
nightly news from NBC. Similarities and differences will be examined through
the scope of the above questions. Some may seem obvious while others may
surprise the reader because once revealed, the channels through which the
newscasters frame their news will become apparent.
To
tackle the question of how cultural norms and perceptions are domestically
reflected in news, one must first understand the cultural norms under analysis.
In America, television must hold the viewer’s attention because we yearn for
entertainment. The newscasters understand this and give a brief overview of
what the program will offer the viewer. Additionally, background music and
flashy special effects are incorporated to create an aesthetically pleasing
setting. If something does not hold our interest, we will move on to the next more interesting thing. On the other
hand, the Tageschau does nothing of this nature. The German people have a very
straight forward culture and the news they are presented with is a visual cyberchild
of their way of life and the world around them. When the Tageshau comes on, the
news immediately starts and there is sternness to the speaker’s demeanor,
complementing the cultural norms of the German people.
Similarly,
influence between newscasts and its cultural counterpart work hand in hand for
the end result of how the news is framed. Germans are known to be an efficient
people. The news from Germany’s end is influenced by this cultural
understanding of efficiency and the news plays to that ideal. The flashiness
and special effects are unnecessary in German news as it is in American news.
Newscasters understand this psychological principle and implement this tactic
to maintain a high viewer rating. If the way in which news was aired did not complement
its domestic culture, the mass public would not take to what they are being
presented.
Though
newscasters frame the news to complement the culture in which it is
broadcasted, a question can be raised as to whether the news is a realistic
representation of the culture. From an American’s subjective point of view the
cultural framing used in the Tageschau appears to be a valid representation of
the German culture. The news is straight to the point, serious, slightly grim,
and even the tone of voice with which the speaker presents the information
flows within a uniform tone of monotony.
On the other end of the spectrum,
American news can also be a decent representation of its culture. The mood of
the news is different than that of the Germans. Emotions are being infiltrated
and a response, especially from the uneducated, is given with blind eyes. In
America we sometimes worry about inconsequential things. For example,
pertaining to the NBC news, a piece about a zoo keeper scaring a baby panda onto
its back was thrown randomly into the program. Why was this? Some form of
entertainment? A tactic to ease the viewer’s mind after a grim presentation of
something happening in the world or even on our own soil? Perhaps it was just a
cultural thing.
Ultimately, news is framed by the
culture in which it comes from. German news must complement German culture as
it is the same anywhere else in the world. If this was not done, the potential
response from the viewer would not be nearly as well received. Looking back through
this short writing I noticed that I implemented the American style into the
introduction and also throughout the entire paper. Giving an overview and
attempting to create interest to the reader before they got into the body of
the writing. Additionally, writing in a certain way, being creative in the way
I expressed ideas, similar to the special effects in the American news. I did
not even notice I was doing this until half way through writing. I wonder…
could this writing style be traced back to my culture?
Your comment about the panda being scared did the same thing to me, an American reader, as it would have done to an American viewer of the newscast!
ReplyDeleteVery perceptive Thaanimal.
On a different-but-similar note, what do you think about the Western culture's need for immediate entertainment? Why do you think we view life that way?
It makes things more interesting for us. We're consumers. I don't know man, what do you think?
ReplyDeleteI think it is unsustainable. It babies us and makes us numb to the real world. I think our culture is convinced that they deserve to be entertained at all times, and it is something that is unthinkable in the rest of the world. Eventually, it seems like this sort of lifestyle will not be available to the West, and I don't think people will be able to handle it.
ReplyDeleteInteresting! And well written... I agree, the driving motivation behind any broadcasting network, at least in America, is to maintain viewership, and they do so by feeding into this need we have for constant entertainment. Same goes for how news is distributed through other outlets. You can't read through news on the internet without shuffling past several articles about pop culture and "baby panda" type stories. I for one am not complaining though, these are for the most part, all of the articles I read... Check out this video of a baby panda sneezing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzRH3iTQPrk
ReplyDeleteNice plug, Avnet ha ha You never cease to humor me
DeleteI think that if our generation remembered that it knew how to read, and there were these things called books, the media would be very different. There might be a better appreciation for truths. The more we choose to educate ourselves, the more we are able to understand the why and how of what they're selling us, and at what costs, and the more we can make better informed decisions about what we choose to consume, be it television, food, pharmaceuticals, vacations, whatever. I find that my friends who don't seem to buy into the flashy facade our media tends to offer are also avid readers. I don't think it's a coincidence. They also tend to not be afraid to spend the night outside in the dirt, underneath the stars.
ReplyDeleteIt's not just our generation. We are just continuing what the previous generation handed us, so we're even more submerged in it. I'm really hoping more people get back to basics and choose a simpler lifestyle very soon. I see a lot of unhappiness when I look around and I think people are just unfulfilled. Or maybe that's just the world through my lens. Loved your observations!