The Media Research Center’s Culture and Media Institute (CMI) is releasing an analysis showing how significant numbers of Americans blame the mass media for degrading the country’s moral values. The report, based on a poll of 2000 adults conducted exclusively for CMI last December, also found that those who say they spend the most time watching television are somewhat more likely to eschew traditional values.
You can read the whole report here (be warned, however, it is a very large 13.7MB PDF file). Among the key findings:
Nearly three-fourths of the public (73%) says the entertainment industry has a negative effect on moral values, and more than half (54%) say the news media is also helping to erode traditional values.
Story Continues Below Ad ↓Those who say they watch the most television (more than four hours per evening) are the least likely to make charitable contributions or volunteer their time; are the most likely to believe the government should be responsible for providing for their retirement; and are the most likely to say they would skip out on a restaurant bill.
Those who watch the least television (one hour or less per evening) are the most likely to participate in charitable causes; more likely to condemn divorce, homosexuality and sex between unmarried adults; and most likely to see the media as a destructive force.
“Beyond the overt moral issues,” the CMI report concludes, “the media appear to be adversely affecting American attitudes toward the deeper questions of character. Greater exposure to the media correlates to erosion in personal responsibility as measured by commitment to self-reliance, charity and honesty.
“The great majority of Americans perceive a decline in the nation’s moral values. This is another way of saying Americans perceive an erosion in the personal responsibility, honor and integrity of their fellow citizens. They also see a decline in sexual mores, and the nation’s commitment to religious values and practice: the very areas apparently being undermined by the media.”
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Or it also could be said the
June 6, 2007 - 09:32 ET by dscottOr it also could be said the cause and effect are reversed. Those with low or indifferent moral values are more likely to watch 4 plus hours of TV and hence are not likely to be involved in the community and expect the government to do everything. One thing is for certain, the declining viewership of the MSM who caters to the lowest common denominator will be left with only those who are corrupted morally and thus a vicious cycle of corruption will eventually lead most of the people to stop watching them. In the end, the advertisers will have two sets of demographics, those who excessively watch MSM branded TV and those who don't. They are already complaining about cable TV programming fragmenting the market to the point of specialized niches.
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius
It's also true that those of
June 6, 2007 - 12:57 ET by mattmIt's also true that those of low or indifferent moral values are more likely to work in the media field - specifically, the entertainment media.
It's natural, and not necessarily a bad thing, for the ET industry to push the boundaries, but the problem is they don't just push the boundaries, they eliminate, or seek to eliminate them.
Great post Rich. I never th
June 6, 2007 - 10:51 ET by CapitalismRulesGreat post Rich. I never thought about it like that- people who watch TV so much want to hear these stupid things coming out of cable news, so in a way they are just catering to their viewers, at least the ones who watch them most.
This may be true as far as
June 6, 2007 - 11:00 ET by Right2thePointThis may be true as far as the data breaks down, however more needs to be examined such as how many are already predisposed to the opinion due to other factors in their life besides the media. For example school and college.
Possibly the actual issue here is that the industry recognized the trends that other sources had created and are really to some extent catering to the existing market.
The real issue is are the contributing to the decay or following it.
public blames media
June 6, 2007 - 11:05 ET by oorampI think the left in television knows that it is pushing for more childhood sex because they know this will in turn lead to more abortions, more girls & children on welfare, more poor people morally & financially, and most importantly more democrat votes.
'06 Democrats just surrendered, vote republican in '08.
Gosh you've seen right thro
June 6, 2007 - 11:13 ET by balboaGosh you've seen right through our master plan...
And I'm absolutely SHOCKED that a study by a division of MRC reveals just the kind of results they'd love to have. SHOCKED.
Almost as shocked (sorry, sho
June 6, 2007 - 11:22 ET by CapitalismRulesAlmost as shocked (sorry, should have used all caps) as Media Matters putting out a report detailing the exact opposite results?
Absolutely. I'm an equal-op
June 6, 2007 - 11:24 ET by balboaAbsolutely. I'm an equal-opportunity shockee.
Not that I'm suspicious, or
June 6, 2007 - 11:33 ET by sarcasmoNot that I'm suspicious, or anything, but I'd want to see the text of the questions to see if they differentiate between the effects of big government & big media, as enlarging government is a reliable indicator of moral decline...
JMR
This is just another example of passing the buck
June 6, 2007 - 11:49 ET by DervinIt's so much easier to place the blame on the Government, hollywood, news media, video games, athletes, immigrants instead of placing the blame on the people most responsible for this Parents. This has got to be the worst generation of kids in the history of civilization.
Kids today are stupid, self-absorbed egomaniacs a deadlier combination doesn't exist. They expect quick rewards with no work. In ten years we'll be begging Washington to open the immigration floodgates to let smart, humble hard working Jose & Paresh into our country to do the jobs our kids are too stupid to do.
Dervin, while I agree, up to
June 6, 2007 - 12:00 ET by bassndudeDervin, while I agree, up to a point, one cannot over see the entire life of their kids. You cant tell me that 10 to 13 YO's are not watching porn videos and reading such publications. Without parental supervision. Theaters allow underage kids in to see R rated movies, this results in some behavior problems. If you take a belt to the back side of one of your kids today, you wind up in jail or at least child services on your back. Goverment has become so invasive in ones life, these days that the goverment has set themselves up as the sole administrators of discipline. If I were to spank one of my kids today, DHS has an 800 # for them to call. Fortunately, they are all grown.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
I could not disagree more, ki
June 6, 2007 - 13:13 ET by general companyI could not disagree more, kids today have way more on their plate the we did in the 70's-80's. My kids and their friends are consumed with school, sports, and other extra curricular items, that it makes my head spin just trying to keep up with it. Plus they are better informed and better people then we (me and my friends) were.
Just because you see those dopes on TV, please do not associate them with most kids. The one's I know cant relate with them either. My son watches and understands the news, world and local events and cares about them, when I was his age I never did.
I absolutely think the world of the kid in our area, could not be prouder of them!!! I could give hundreds of exsamples from honesty to lending a hand to understanding their fellow man. The kids here know what is going on and are willing to do the right things.