Popular Culture on Media - Essay Example

s School Topic War on Terrorism & Popular Culture on Media Debates over popular culture on media have been ongoing for decades now.For the most part, journalism has been focused on the issues about how media affects the mass culture. However, another perspective suggests that the world events and cultural movements give rise to a mass media culture. There have been many instances reflecting this proposition in the past, however to get a better understanding of this perspective war on terrorism can be taken as an example. The aftereffects of the war on terrorism over the media, print as well as the television media, have been overwhelming. Various media platforms have been exploded with context more or less associated with the war on terrorism, 9/11 incident giving an added hype to the issue. Also, owing much to the hype about war on terrorism, Middle East has become the interest of many authors and producers alike to engage the audience into unveiling perspectives of terrorism, generating interest of the people into the media products. The paper aims at discussing various media forums, i.e. books, TV (Prime time) and even Hollywood to analyze the popular culture on media in the aftermath of 9/11 attacks and in the wake on the war on terrorism. Prior to the extensive engagements of the great powers of the world into war against terrorism, the media platforms depicted a completely distinct picture of the world around us. The cold war period for instance contributed towards the popularity of media products revolving around this subject, also pop culture hit the media platforms back in 1960`s. However, once terrorism became the most pressing issue of the time, media products started focusing on these aspects as the audience was looking for answers to their queries regarding the subjects. A lot of contradictions and conspiracy theories surrounded mass audience due to which the media products focusing on the war on terrorism gained immense popularity, and the companies conceiving such products generated high amounts of revenues (Birkenstein, Anna & Karen 2010). Thus, to come up with valid conclusions it is crucial to analyze all mediums one-by-one and comment on them separately to draw pattern regarding media popular culture in reference to the war on terrorism. Starting off with the discussion over the influence of the war on terrorism over literature, the books are filled with various perspectives over the war on terrorism. In addition to the various textbooks, other social sciences literature was also focused immensely on this topic, relating terrorism to social aspects of life, journalism, anthropological accounts etc. The research over politics was also merely driven by the war on terrorism, as every student of politics was interested in studying about the impact of the war over politics. Since religion was associated with terrorism, books after books started being published on Islam, for instance “Suicide Bombers: Allah`s new Martyrs” by Farhad was one of the bestsellers of that time (Birkenstein, Anna & Karen 2010).. Similarly, other similar texts include Fundamentalism: the search of its meanings, Bad Faith: The Danger of Religious Extremism etc. Samuel P. Huntington`s clash of civilizations was however the most impactful publication which went viral throughout the world. The war on terrorism which led towards further segregation of the civilization owing to the cultures and religions was reflected in this publication circulated worldwide. Also, since Middle East became the subject of sole significance especially after the Iraq war, most of the literature was now focusing on this region. Since the impact of publications is restricted and the influence is not as widespread as that of broadcast media, the focus should now be shifted towards television. The prime time television also saw a shift towards content regarding the war on terrorism (Birkenstein, Anna & Karen 2010).. For instance, the first impact of the declaration of war on terrorism required loyalty and high regard for American Patriotism, thus TV shows reflecting the opposing views like Bill Maher, Phil Donahe and Dixie Chicks were being restricted1. On one hand where the right wingers in an attempt to promote the America`s New Century project were influencing the media to a large extent in the U.S, at the same time the media was itself being adjusted to the change in values and perceptions of the mass audience as the prime time also started depicting the negative effects of the war on terrorism. The Britain media, along with other media channels throughout the world also started broadcasting content regarding the war on terrorism to adapt the changes of the time, also to keep up with the ongoing competition. The document series, “the power on nightmares” is an example of the influence which war on terrorism left on the media cultures as well. Other similar documentaries which were made in response to the new developments in the wake of the war on terrorism are Curtis, Pandora`s box, The Mayfair set and the Century of the self. Also, television series undertook a drastic change as many TV programs are still being broadcasted throughout the world indicating various perspectives regarding the war on terrorism. Lynn Spiggel (2004) comments on the media boom exhibiting content related to the war on terrorism, that in the new age the nature of the media coverage regarding disasters or serious issues has changed from serious coverage to undertaking entertainment as a supplementary genre to illustrate these events. This stands true in context of the emergence of themes related to terrorism and fundamentalism in the TV shows broadcasted during the prime time. Various seasons especially in the US were now focusing on relations with the Middle East, counter-terrorist operations and the like. Two of the most striking shows in this regard are NBC`s The West Wing and “24” which was broadcasted over the Fox News (Prince 2009). To further elaborate on the point, an episode of West Wing depicted a bomb threat in school due to which it was evacuated; also a speech was replicated in an episode where a Senator gives a speech to the students regarding relations with the Middle East. 24 however was one of the controversial ones as it illustrated the violence and brutal torture which the victims had to face. Furthermore, Hollywood also saw a reaction to the ongoing war on terrorism where various productions based on the war on terrorism was produced, focusing on different themes on the same subject. The Hollywood movies produced on the subject are uncountable, and almost every subject has been touched to some extent so far. For example, “Redacted” solely depicted war, while “The Bourne Ultimatum” was another movie which focused on the strategies regarding surveillance. Syriana was an action thriller which touched multiple subjects like the politics over oil and other post war issues. Similarly, The Dark Knight presents more of a historical account of the issue and Iron Man was another thriller focusing on the weapons of mass destruction (Prince 2009). Thus, owing much to the interest of the mass audience all over the world on the subject of the war on terrorism, the Hollywood industry was roaring with the content production associated with the event. Some of the movies released else were also quite controversial in nature (Birkenstein, Anna & Karen 2010).. For instance, Valleys of the Wolves released in Turkey in 2006 focusing the role of Turkey over the war on terrorism was very controversial in nature. James Bond who was associated with cold war conspiracies also appeared in Casino Royale, a film depicting transnational terrorism, thus indicating a shift towards new subject leading towards evolution in mass media. Thus, to draw a general pattern, comparisons can be made between the pre-war period and the phases revolving war on terrorism. Prior to the war on terrorism, the most dominant strategy to approach national issues or even the most sensitive issues of international importance was to report these incidents in a plain manner. However, with progression in the journalistic practices also the evolution in broadcast media, every aspect is now approached via adding an entertainment lens to the sensitivity of the issue. By analyzing the different mediums for this reason, it has been clarified that with the shift of the interest of the mass audience in the issues surrounding war on terrorism, the media also had to oversee a shift after which it adjusted to the changing needs of the time. Various documentaries, TV shows and even movies were produced shedding light on different aspects of war on terrorism. A high range of revenues were generated in the wake of the products focusing on the issue. Thus, major events leave a lasting impact on the media broadcasting as indicated by the shifts in the perspectives over the war on terrorism. This is why as time passed, more and more controversial content started broadcasting as new aspects started revealing and more and more leaks were exposed. Also, predictions can be made regarding the influence of the cultures over the media practices which indicates that as new trends will emerge for instance the after effects of the Arab Spring will now influence the media content and focus will shift from the war on terrorism to the revolutionary movements in the aftermath of Arab Spring. Therefore, culture definitely affects the media practices in every way possible. References: Spigel, Lynn. "Entertainment Wars: Television Culture After 9/11." American Quarterly. 56.2 (2004): 235-270. Print. Birkenstein, Jeff, Anna Froula, and Karen Randell.Reframing 9/11: Film, Popular Culture and the "war on Terror". New York: Continuum, 2010. Print. Prince, Stephen. Firestorm: American Film in the Age of Terrorism. New York: Columbia University Press, 2009. Print. "Tony Nadler on Popular Culture." Politics and Culture. Web. 03 May 2012. . Beckett, Andy. "The Making of the Terror Myth." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 14 Oct. 2004. Web. 03 May 2012. . Read More