Discourses of Attention

In the article Discourses of Attention by Michael Newman, he discusses how popular discourse in relation to American Media is aimed at young people.  This article considers the position of the Media threat. The media has a large influence on young people. Reading popular discourse (such as newspapers, magazines, and books aimed at the general reader) is a way – however indirect – of accessing popular understandings of media and their social significance, as exemplified by the work of cultural media historians such as Lynn Spigel (1992) (Newman, 2010). In other word the media targets young people with its discourses. Young people are more influential and easier to persuade.  Newman recognizes the media’s position and fears of the affects the media may have on our young people.

I feel like other advertising and persuasion techniques this is another unethical technique to satisfy the media. The media is already influential on adults, and technology is already replacing humans. The advancement of the media is more influential than many may think. I agree that the affects of the media are harmful for young children and that the media should be ethical when selecting targets. Young innocent children are not mature enough to make many decisions, therefore should not be targets of anything. 

This article is quite interesting and I feel this is a subject that should be made aware to other individuals, also that the media needs to be more ethical when choosing target.

Works Cited

Newman, M. (2010). Discourses of Attention. Media, Culture & Society , 32(A).