History and theory of the media

Essay plan:
Question: Does media technology help or hinder our understanding of historical events? Discuss with close reference to 1 technology.

• Television is the chosen techonology
• Asking questions about what history is, how is it represented in the media, which historical events are represented in the media and why in this way, can what we see in the media have any thruth to historical events authentically?
• Television is a multinational medium watched by billions around the world. One of the most influential sources of information and communication can easily have great effect on a passive audience, however the pluralistic society we live in today can balance out many of the misrepresentations.
• The way television helps our understanding of historical events is through: documentaries, news reports (live occasionally), the cult status of certain people to influence others through presenting (such as the use of celebrities in documentary shows (get examples).
• Because technology is an enormous part of today's society and lifestyle we tend to believe what we're told because we dont have any other sources to go from.
• The fact that we as individuals could go out into the world to find answers for ourselves is very possible, the fact also remains that in this fast-paced society we're just to busy or posibly to lazy to look up what has gone on in the past or history. Technology such as television saves us time and energy in finding out things for ourselves and gives it to us in the comfort of our own living areas.
• The 'cult of celebrity' is a factor in television programmes that influence fanatics into believing the story of a historical event being dramatised because their idols are playing the roles is a possiblity.
• Political, economical and social consequences of the 'wrong' sort of information getting out may help or hinder the way we work in the world depending on who it could effect. Censoring certain information may make things better or worse for people. It's debatable.

• Key words to use: mis-representations, conspiracy theories, public service broadcasters, cult of celebrity, exaggerations, dramatisations, selective, reconstructed, discrimination.

References:

• Morley and Robins (1996)
• Bourdieu and Efebure
• Marshal McLucan
• Simon Schama http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/1390893.stm
• David Starkey http://www.goodqueenbess.com/
• Fred Dibnah
• Keith Jenkins http://www.galilean-library.org/jenkins.html
  
• Technologies of Seeing http://www.amazon.co.uk/Technologies-Seeing-Photography-Cinematography-Television/dp/0851706029/sr=8-2/qid=1160937867/ref=sr_1_2/202-4085877-8470240?ie=UTF8&s=books
• Celebrity presenters http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/archive.shtml
• Celebrity http://www.dispatch.co.za/1999/05/17/features/CELEBRIT.HTM

• The idea that history effects everything we do and believe in today may be fake and how political, economical and social decisions have been made due to historical events e.g. the equal rights act of 1964 following the civil rights movement.