Mark Stankiewicz

Policy Speech Outline

Hillary Jones

 

Violence in all forms of media is disrupting the way children think and act.

 

Introduction

I. Attention Getter: By a show of hands, how many of you have ever seen somebody stabbed, shot, beat to death or killed by a more gruesome act?

            The reason for this is due to the fact that there aren’t many forms of media outside of the church channel that doesn’t have violence portrayed in it. The problem is not only television, but all forms of media.

 

II. Audience Adaptation: We all like common television shows like South Park and Family Guy. I myself am a huge fan of both of these shows. However, what kind of image have they been imprinting in our minds, and how could it be affecting younger generations?

 

III. Credibility Statement: Through a large amount of research, I have discovered many shocking facts and outlooks on the situation which I will share with you.

 

IV. Thesis: The images the media is implanting in the children in our country, and the world is becoming harmful and causing a drastic change in the way kids act and think.

 

V. Overview of Main Points:

            1. Facts-First, I will explain to you what has caused me to believe media violence needs to be stopped.

            2. Cause-Next, I will explain what has caused this problem and in what ways it is a problem.

            3. Solution- Third, I will explain to you all how this problem could be stopped

            4. Finale- Lastly, I will tell you about the benefits of curing this problem.

 

Transition- So what caused me to believe this was an issue?

 

Body

I. Main Point #1-  The media has played a large role in making all of us as well as children younger than us believe that it is alright to imitate the things we see in the media and hurt people.

            A.  It is not just one specific portion of the media that is causing this evil to be enshrined into the heads of little kids.

                        1.  All forms of media from television, to movies, to music, to even some magazines involve violence that young kids shouldn’t be seeing.

                        2. The rating system doesn’t stop the kids from seeing the media which is causing them mental damage.

                        3. In the New York Times, Jeffrey Macintyre states that the “evidence is overwhelming” and that “to argue that violence in the media doesn’t affect kids is like arguing gravity.”

            B. There are many shocking facts which prove that the violence in the media should be contained and observed to improve the quality of the things we are all seeing.

                        1. According to the factsheet on mediafamily.org, by the time a child is eighteen years old, he or she will witness on television 200,000 acts of violence including 40,000 murders.

                        2. Since the 1950s, more than 1,000 studies have been done on the effects of violence in television and movies. The majority of these studies conclude that: children who watch significant amounts of television and movie violence are more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior, attitudes and values.

 

            C. There is no certain organization who has researched this issue.

                        1. Studies have been done by the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

                        2. Violence (homicide, suicide, and trauma) is a leading cause of death for children, adolescents and young adults, more prevalent than disease, cancer or congenital disorders, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

                        3. Most violence shows no blood or harm done to the character, and approximately 25% of violence in the media involves a gun according to Ed Donnerstein, a University of Arizona graduate.

                        4. Younger children who watch too much violence in the media:

-are more easily impressionable

-have a harder time distinguishing between fantasy and reality

-cannot easily discern motives for violence

-learn by observing and imitating.

                       

Transition into visual aid: We all know children watch cartoons, but what are the cartoons showing the kids?

Clip from youtube.com

 

                        5. Showing these things to kids makes them laugh and think that because their cartoon heroes are doing it, that makes it alright for them to do it.

 

            D. There have been many incidents where media violence caused kids to go crazy according to media-awareness.com.

                        1. In Nevada, one teen-aged boy was killed and two others seriously injured while lying down along the centerline of a highway. The boys admitted that they were imitating a scene from the Touchstone movie, “The Program”.

                        2. In Ontario, a five year-old boy set his house on fire, killing his younger sister. The boy’s mother blamed his actions on the MTV show “Beavis and Butthead”.

                        3. Two young boys aged 11 and 13 killed four schoolgirls and a teacher with guns in Arkansas.

           

            Transition: But what can we do to stop the violence in the media?

 

 

 

II. Main Point #2- Plan/Policy: The solution to this problem could be found no further than your parents looking in the mirror.

            A. As explained on the American Academy of Family Physicians website, the main target we should set our sights on should be the parents. My plan will be based solely around education not only for parents, but for physicians as well.

1.  Physicians could help by learning about the potential health risks of media consumption. By doing this, they will better understand the risks themselves.

2.  They could also question patients about excessive exposure to media violence to better understand what they are working with.

3. Physicians will incorporate warnings about the health risks of violent media consumption into their preventative services to help the patients.

                        4. The last thing the physicians will do affects us all. We all watch television in the waiting room in what can sometimes be very extensive waits. The amount of media shown here will be drastically decreased.

 

            B. Parents will also play a large role in cutting down on media violence.

                        1. According to aafp.org, for children ages 2 and under, it is a necessary time to develop the human brain by interaction. For this reason, media should be cut off to these children.

                        2. Parents should monitor the types of media their children are taking in including television, movies, music videos, video games and the internet. This could include sitting with your children and watching television with them. During this, the parents could explain why they see violence and what it all means.

 

            Transition: But parents aren’t the only people who will take charge in this.

 

            C. The head figures and government will also take a severe course of action for my plan.

                        1. Media education programs will be set up and implemented into major television stations to teach children about violence.

                        2. Federal, state and local restrictions on media violence will be increased and physicians will meet with them to discuss which types of violence won’t hurt the child as much.

                         

Transition: Now that we know what my policy will be, how can we expect things to change?

 

III. Main Point #3- How will this all help us?

 

            A. By using my policy, it will keep kids outside playing or inside watching television shows that won’t cause another Columbine like Matt said yesterday.

            B. Children will eventually be smarter and have better developed brains when they grow up.

 

Conclusion

 

Restate Thesis- The images the media is implanting in the children in our country, and the world is becoming harmful and causing a drastic change in the way kids act and think.

 

If we don’t watch what the kids in our country are watching, our country could be in a large state of chaos before we know it. If we don’t subdue this issue, things look very grim for the future. I stress to you all the importance of contacting the major figures in media and asking them to make some moves to change what children in our country can see. Who knows, maybe your letter could be the one to change everything.

 

 

 

 

Bibliography:

 

American Academy of Family Physicians. Retrieved August 8, 2007, from Policy and Advocacy Web site: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/policy/policies/v/violencemedia.html

 

National Institute of the Media on Family. From Media Wise Web site: http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_vlent.shtml

 

Donnerstein, Ed University of Arizona Viewpoint. Retrieved August 8, 2007, Web site: http://www.uagrad.org/Alumnus/Fall04/violence.html

 

Baby Bag. Retrieved August 8, 2007, from Fact Sheet Web site: http://www.babybag.com/articles/amaviol.htm

               

Media Awareness Network. Retrieved August 8, 2007, from Media Education and Media Violence Web site: http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/violence/role_media_education.cfm

 

Mifflin, Lawrie (May 9, 1999). Many Researchers Say Link Is Already Clear on Media and Youth Violence. The New York Times, from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=6&did=41212173&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1186518479&clientId=9874

 

 

 

 

 

Name: Aimee

Comments: I like youre attention getter Mark, & your solution is pretty good. I'm sure your delivery will be lovely. haha

 

Name:Kelsie

Comments:Good job today I really liked how you started off with a good hook and getting us to interact.  I also thought that your visual aid went really well with your speech as well as really funny:).  The only thing that you should work on for next time is you eye contact.  But in all i really enjoyed your speech today!

 

Name: Ryan S

Comments: Good job on your speech today.  You were very loud and clear.  I was dying at the visual aid that was hilarious.  Only thing that maybe could have improved was your eye contact.  Also, I thot you were doing coolhunting? whatever. Great job.

 

Name: Matt

Comments: Very good attention getter.  Great way to get the audience involved.  Very good visual it really got the audience aware of all the violence that is actually in cartoons and it really helped you prove your point.

 

Name: Joe

Comments: You did well grabbing the attention of the audience by asking an obvious question. The video also complimented the speech well. Well done.

 

Name: Lisa

COmments: Mark, you had good knowledge of your facts and a nice speaking voice throughout. Your visual was perfect for your topic and was really funny, good job!