MTV’s Influence on Teens

888 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The Effects of MTV on American Culture Essay

Many people find themselves thinking “what did they just say” or “That is so inappropriate” when watching TV. Especially when watching shows on MTV. There’s a controversy about whether shows on MTV such as “16 and Pregnant”, “Teen Mom”, and “Jersey Shore” glamorize or prevent destructive behaviors in teens.
These shows make millionaires out of people who become famous for all the wrong reasons. Being selfish and dysfunctional seems to be the criteria for being on these shows. Watching these people get rewarded for bad behavior sends the viewer the wrong message. MTV promotes teen pregnancy on TV by making it look like a good and fun thing. As reported by Doctor Logan Levkoff, a teen development expert, although MTV portrays the consequences of teen pregnancy, “They are on the cover of magazines, getting paid, getting endorsement deals, and becoming calendar models. Even if MTV shows all the hardships, they’re still being supported in so many ways. The way we bring people into fame for really not doing anything has created a culture where it is exciting to be a pregnant teen and the fact of the matter is that most teens who are pregnant do not have the same experience that the girls on those shows have” (cite 1) MTV sends a positive message and makes teens believe that high risk behaviors as a teen are not only tolerable, but the gateway to fame. Some teens might even think that girls could get pregnant purposely just for the publicity and money. There are also other shows, for instance “Jersey Shore” and “Real World”. On these shows, you see attractive young men and women going to bars, partying till they can’t even walk, picking up strangers and taking them home and sleeping with them and all these behaviors are shown without co...

... middle of paper ...

...l Jessica Worley)
Just like everything in life there is good and bad in everything it just depends on how people look at it. This is the same with all reality Television. But as previously seen there are positives and negatives in MTV’s shows. So before parents let their teens watch MTV’s shows they should ponder on if MTV is condoning or preventing high risk behaviors in Teenagers.

Works Cited

#1 “Is 16 and pregnant really a bad influence?” What is the Media really doing. Web. 17 Mar. 2014

#2 Dinh, James. “MTV's '16 And Pregnant' Credited For Decline In Teen Pregnancy Rates.” MTV.com. 22 Dec. 2010. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.

#3 Matheson, Meghan. “Here’s the Situation…” bestessay26011. Nov. 2011. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

#4 Henson, Melissa. “MTV's 'Teen Mom' glamorizes getting pregnant” CNN.com. 4 May 2011. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

#5 Facebook poll issued on 15 Mar. 2014

Show More
Related

  • 16 & Pregnant- MTV Show

    1583 Words  | 4 Pages

    16 & Pregnant is a TV show aired on MTV that as the name suggests, focuses on the lives of various teens who are pregnant whilst still in high school; each tells a different story. In these episodes, viewers are able to observe the struggles these teens face as a result of pregnancy during pubescent development. Controversy has been made as a result of the release of this show; this left viewers torn between whether 16 & Pregnant discourages teen pregnancy or shrouds it within curiosity. There is more than sufficient evidence to say that 16 & Pregnant, does in fact discourage teen pregnancy for various reasons. According to the New York Times report, the National Bureau of Economic Research compared Nielsen television ratings to birth records, and concluded that in areas where teens viewed MTV more after the debut of 16 & Pregnant, there was a rapid decline of teen pregnancy rates when compared to other areas that viewed it less frequently although some believe the show glamorizes the subject matter. Some also believe that it encourages the teens to disrespect their parents in every way possible; quite to the contrary, watching 16 & Pregnant is very beneficial to discouraging teen pregnancy and family problems by displaying the hardships these teens face, teaching the importance of completing high school and encouraging viewers to use various contraceptives methods or practice abstinence.

    Read More

  • Mary Piphers Analysis

    1155 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...he realization of having sex to young and getting pregnant. Even though these shows reveal some struggle that these young girls have being pregnant and having to raise a child at a young age, I also believe it shows the fascination of it, young girls are impressionable and they only see the families helping these girls, the fun to play dress up and buy nice things for a baby. To a girl that may just want to feel loved or have something to love these shows may give the wrong impression of the way to receive it. I do not believe any show of this nature can help the generation of the girls today. I believe any television show or music that exploits sex, nudity, or body image should be banned or never published to save this generation. Social media needs to have stricter bans with signing up to their sites to try and eliminate under age children to experience it.

    Read More

  • A Brave New World: Was Aldous Huxley Correct?

    1442 Words  | 3 Pages

    "Teen Sexuality and Pregnancy." Growing Up: Issues Affecting America's Youth. Melissa J. Doak. 2007 ed. Detroit: Gale, 2007. Information Plus Reference Series. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 24 Jan. 2011.

    Read More

  • The Stress Caused by Nanny 911

    1065 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...sold worldwide. This makes teenagers and other young adults do unruly things to try and gain their own spot in the limelight. Even though reality television is supposed to be this great source of entertainment and may make us happy at the moment, if not watched carefully and really thought about it could ruin someone’s life with its negative values.

    Read More

  • The MTV Series 16 And Pregnant

    1987 Words  | 4 Pages

    Maci, who did not, is now the mother of a five year old son. Nevertheless, she proactively speaks out about teen pregnancy prevention to help other young girls. Yet some of the girls who come from the show do not always leave with the best intentions or become great role models. Like Ferrah, who used the show to skyrocket herself to fame. The show also caused conflict due to the fact that a majority of the series is faked or reenacted and edited to appear real. Be that as it may, teen pregnancies in the US have been progressively dropping in recent years and continue to drop, although no one can identify whether that is causation or a correlation. Even so one thing remains, 16 & Pregnant to this day still one of MTV most controversial TV

    Read More

  • Honey Boo Boo: The Dark Side of Reality TV

    938 Words  | 2 Pages

    American actress, Lisa Bonet, once said, “What saddens me is the corruption of youth and beauty, and the loss of soul, which is only replaced by money.” Today’s television shows are decaying into more polluted and inappropriate ideas, which are then presented worldwide. This is a negative influence on not only young people, but also society as a whole. How can it be expected of youth today to be appropriate role models to future generations with such corrupt influences? With the filth, dishonesty, and abuse of freedom of speech, reality television ultimately does more harm on today’s society than good.

    Read More

  • Identifying with Romance-Based Reality Show Characters

    2048 Words  | 5 Pages

    Sipple, L. (2011). The appeal of reality television for teen and pre-teen audiences. Journal of

    Read More

  • The Decrease of Teen Pregnancy in America

    781 Words  | 2 Pages

    Studies show that within the last seven years there has been a dramatic drop in the number of teen pregnancies. Teen pregnancy is best known as, the act of getting pregnant between the ages of fifteen and nineteen. Teen pregnancy does not come with much of a history. In the past, (mostly in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s) it was common for girls to be married between the ages of fourteen and sixteen and give birth not long after. Some girls were having babies as young as thirteen and fourteen years old! During the times that young girls would bear children and be married so young, college and education was not an important factor. As a young girl you learned how to take care of your house, farm, laundry, crops, animals, husband, and children. The father was your main source of income. Obviously things in our time are very different. Over the years a growing importance for education and making a living on your own has become crucial to many women. It was no longer important to have children so soon, but to learn to be a strong, educated, and independent woman. Even now as time has gone by, the image of being a pregnant teenage girl has been glorified solely by media. It becomes less important to get an education so you can get a good job and be able to raise a child and give them a good life, and more important to get pregnant and get a chance to be worshiped nationally on t.v. for being pregnant and making all of your money through fame.

    Read More

  • Sexuality in TV SHOWS

    968 Words  | 2 Pages

    There is no doubt that the modern television shows have too much sexual content, which could have bad influence on youngsters. There is no way that the sexual content could be removed or reduced, but with providing more health information it could help many young people make the right choice, which in some case may be life-saving.

    Read More

  • A License Should Be Required To Be A Parent

    1059 Words  | 3 Pages

    2. "Trends in Teen Pregnancy and Childbearing." U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Office of Adolescent Health, 20 Sept. 2013. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. .

    Read More

  • The Effects of Online Media on Adolescents

    1470 Words  | 3 Pages

    This world has become immersed in online media from socializing on networking sites to seeking information on search engines. People of all ages have become reliant on online media, but the most engaged users are the younger, more easily impacted generations. Although there are many positive uses for online media, there are many negative uses as well. Unfortunately, it is all too easy for these negative effects to impede upon the perceptions of adolescents. Some countries have been trying to reduce this effect by expelling the inappropriate content of online media ("Influence on Children Media...”). However, in the United States, children are thrown in the waves, expected to stay afloat in this massive sea, but many are being dragged under the surface by the nefarious temptations media creates. Content that is not appropriate for the young, growing minds of children are easily accessible; a myriad of devices may be used to access this material, all at the click of a button. Without adult content filters on online media, adolescents of various ages are exposed to dangerous conceptions. A world of pornography, violence, and public humiliation lay in the user’s fingertips.

    Read More

  • The Social Issue Of Teen Pregnancy

    1506 Words  | 4 Pages

    The media is one contributor to teen pregnancy. The star of Zoey 101, Jamie Lynn Spears, became pregnant when she was only 16. Parents were shocked to find out that the girl they once thought was a good role model for their young teens was actually not (Teen Pregnancy). Singers like Rihanna, and rappers like Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj sing about extreme sexual acts, and parents allow their teens to listen to the music. Some stars who have been known to dress and dance promiscuously have supported abstinence such as, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, and Jordan Sparks (Teen Pregnancy). The Jonas Brothers even took virginity pledges in their teens, but with these celebrities promiscuous ways it often contradicts their support (Teen

    Read More

  • Impact of MTV on Today's Youth

    973 Words  | 2 Pages

    To say this is bad, I cannot, because I also grew up in this generation watching MTV and VH1. The way in which MTV brings cultural values worldwide is fascinating. With MTV’s brand being worldwide, it has created an identity where we globally share some of the same values. We tend to wear items we see other celebrities wearing, drink what we see celebrities drink, and wear T-shirt with logos on them just to express we are part of this MTV culture. For making such a difference globally, we are thankful to music television. For some inapt reason, this MTV generation believes by being freer and better, we are different from our parents. Although we share a common language that being commercial in nature, there still are the prejudices of society, issues of gender, and issues of race that we still share with our parents.

    Read More

  • Media Influence of Teenage Pregnancy

    1460 Words  | 3 Pages

    Kearney, Melissa S., and Phillip B. Levine. "Media Influences on Social Outcomes: The Impact of MTV's 16 and Pregnant on Teen Childbearing." NBER. Jan. 2014. Web. 24 Jan. 2014.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Speech Outline On Teenage Pregnancy

    1378 Words  | 3 Pages

    Attention Getter: Nowadays, no one is astonished by the presence of pregnant or parenting teenagers. In fact we have a fascination with pregnant adolescents which is evident in the creation of “16 and Pregnant,” a MTV series that follows the real-life stories of American youth who have engaged in sexual activity and who have realized that reproduction system works because they are or will be parents to a cute baby boy or girl. We watch this series in anticipation of the child’s birth and to witness how the teen parents cope.

    Read More

More about MTV’s Influence on Teens

Open Document