Media Debate: “Without promotion something terrible happens… Nothing!” ― P.T. Barnum

To start the debate i have taken these wise words, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” ― P.T. Barnum. This as a moto illustrates the modern television and promotional devices of TV down to a tee. The argument that has been made time and time again is, ‘Is television just a readily available device of mind control’, the simple answer in my opinion is; Yes, yes it is. The idea that when watching television you are slowly convinced that the subject matter is not just a fictional portrayal of real life, it is real life. For instance when watching the programme Dr who enough, the protagonist will be looking for blue police telephone boxes appearing from the ephor and a man with poor dress sense and a show girl on one are to amble out of the doors with a flashing philips screwdriver and a fez. Or is it as simple as that. The contour argument would be, The majority of the time no. The argument could also be made you have to have a juvenile and closed mind to be taken in by you’re personal viewing of television. Violent television is usually used as a prime example. ‘Young people who violent television are more likely to show violent tendencies’. This is usually suggested to be though constant paranoia of attack, as seen on the television programme.