Tamar Brill
Superficiality in the media
I. Intro
A. Hook: I visited a children day camp for children ages 5 to 10 in Harrisburg, PA last week. 22 out of the 35 girls, which equal about 63 percent, answered that they would want to be Lindsay Lohan OR Hillary Duff if they could be anyone in the world.
1. When society views Lindsay Lohan as a role model to juvenile girls, it is a problem.
B. Superficiality in the media highlights negative values in society.
C. Creditability statement: I have conducted valuable research to prove that the amount of superficial news stories in the media is inappropriate in our society.
1. Above all else, a moral person values education, religion, family and friends not the newest celebrity engagement, or celebrity engagement.
2. Most of us overlook the impact superficial news has on celebrities.
a. Childhood celebrities such as, Lindsay Lohan, have been corrupted by the media because of their overexposure as childhood superstars.
D. Thesis: I will explain how Superficiality in the media can lead to an uninformed society with insufficient role models. This can be solved through the support and passing of a dual-purposed bill. The bill will protect the childhood stars and promotion of notable news stories.
II. Body
Transition: In order for you to understand the negatives of superficial news, allow me to emphasize why you should care about this issue.
A. Many of you have emphasized your disgust for Abercrombie & Fitch which promotes superficiality though in-store advertisements.
1. This evidences your understanding of superficiality.
B. So, what makes a news story superficial?
C. Superficiality is defined on dictionary dot com, as “insubstantial or insignificant, shallow; not profound”
1. Therefore superficial news stories in the media are those that offer no value to viewers and promote insignificant issues.
D. On a prominent news station, Fox, there is a long period of time devoted to exploring superficial news.
1.On last night’s TV broadcast, I counted that Fox dedicated 1/3 of their air time period to present shallow news stories. Fox news reaches 85 million households in the United States and internationally, as noted by Wikipedia.
2. The pathetic amount of time devoted to superficial news is inappropriate in a society that promotes moral behavior and education.
E. Audience Participation: Raise your hand if you think more people voted for the American Idol Final or the 2004 Presidential Election?
American Idol:
Presidential Election:
1. Well those who voted for American Idol would be correct!
Based on demographics from Fact Check Forum, 74% cast votes for the American Idol Season 1 Finale compared to the Presidential Election.
2. In addition, 59% of the American population can name the three stooges but only 17% of the United States’ population can name the Supreme Court justices as mentioned by the TV Free America think tank.
3.Does it surprise you how many people can identify the entertainment news facts as opposed to facts that EVERY American in this country should know.
4.The media is responsible for this national disaster.
5. Although we are informed adults, we can do better!
6. We need to demand a higher quality of entertainment featuring solid news stories and not just entertainment or sports news.
III. Problem 2-
Transition: Superficial entertainment frequently exploits the lives of celebrities.
- Overexposure to childhood celebrities has caused celebrities to ruin their lives.
B. Celebrities like Lindsay, in addition to the never-ending list of dysfunctional red carpet disasters, serve as inappropriate role models for children.
1.Here are pictures of several examples of childhood celebrities who have suffered from media overexposure:
2. Power point: First, Lindsay Lohan: She got her brake by starring in Parent Trap but is currently in re-re-rehab (that’s right THREE TIMES!)
3. Second, Brittney Spears: She became a huge pop icon at the age of 16 but is now a single mom. Her shaven head serves as her public outcry for attention.
4. Next is Michael Jackson who was admired as a child musician for his high pitched voice. Although not convicted, Jackson had several charges against him for sexual assault.
5. And Lastly, Mary Kate Olsen who starred on Full House as a toddler. She has admitted to having an eating disorder and using coke.
a. These childhood celebrities who grew up under the spotlight are not people who we want the next generation to admire.
b.As mentioned by Alessandra Stanely of the New York Times, "Television shows today are making teenage role models of characters played by actresses like Lindsay Lohan, and Jessic Simpson."
6. In the past when the media refrained from overexposing the lives of childhood stars, the childhood stars were more likely to lead healthy lives.
D. A deserving role model of the past who shared a similar successful childhood to Lindsay and Michael is Shirley Temple.
a.. Shirley Temple started performing at the age of three.
b. In her adult years, Shirley Temple proved her intelligence by becoming the U.S. Ambassador for Ghana as mentioned on the biography channel’s website.
E. America needs to revert back to the former media exposure to childhood stars.
III. Solution
Transition: We need to promote more appropriate news stories and role models to prevent the next generation from thinking that behavior like Lindsay Lohan’s is acceptable.
B. The law and lobbying firm Patton Bogg will encourage congress to present a bill titled “Superficial Media Limits.”
1. The objective of the bill is to restrict the media from over exposing childhood stars who under the age of 18 and limit superficial news on TV.
a. The bill establishes a federally funded committee/organization known as the “Young Super Star Safety Committee” to protect children in the media.
1. The committee will determine an appropriate amount of time for children to be exposed in the media.
2. A child’s exposure in the media includes contact with newspapers, news stations, and radio.
3. Special event exposure such as for the Emmy’s or Oscars will also be determined by the committee.
4. Funding for this will stem from 10 percent of taxes raised to protect children from child abuse services.
- The second part of the bill allots 10 percent of air time to devote to highlight superficial news stories.
1. This will improve America’s reputation of media coverage and cause the American public to focus on more notable news stories.
- This bill is perfectly within America’s limitations of censorship because it is not asking to eliminate superficial media content.
- It simply sets restrictions to improve the quality of news.
- Specialized news shows such as ET tonight and ESPN do not have to abide by the second section of the bill if it is passed.
- They WILL have to abide by the first section of the bill which requires them to respect the rights of childhood stars.
IV. Closing
A. Transition: In order for the Patton Boggs law and lobbying firm to be successful in passing this bill in congress, they need your support!
a. I urge you all to write letters to congress emphasizing the injustice in childhood stars’ overexposure and the abundance of superficial news stories.
B. America’s media can be improved and America’s media will be recognized as notable and accurate once again! Contact Pennsylvania’s Senators, Bob Casey and Arlen Spector, by sending a letter or email of dissatisfaction. Contact information can be found on the senate’s website, senate.gov.
C. The future generation of children are at risk of quality role models.
D. The “Superficial Media Limits” bill prevents future childhood superstars from following the same path as Lindsay.
E. I’ve described the negative effects of superficial media and highlighted examples of overexposed childhood celebrities.
F. As Lindsay Lohan emphasizes her frustration with the media in her song called “Rumors,” from the Lets Sing It website, she states, “I've gotta say respectfully, I would love it if you would take the cameras off of me, Cause I just want a little room to breathe, Can you please respect my privacy.”
Works Cited
Citation Station: george bush vs. kelly clarkson. (2006, April 18). Retrieved August 6, 2007, from
Fact Check Web site:
http://factcheck.gullible.info/discussion/101/
george-bush-vs-kelly-clarkson/
Fox News Channel. (2007, August 6). Retrieved August 6, 2007, from Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia Web
site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_News
Lindsay Lohan Rumors Lyrics. (2007). Retrieved August 6, 2007, from
Lets Sing It Web site:
http://artists.letssingit.com/lindsay-lohan-rumors-rf4b1qv
Shirley Temple. (n.d.). Retrieved August 4, 2007, from The Biography Channel Web site:
http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/270:783/1/Shirley_Temple.htm
Stanely, A. (2004, June 3). When Creators of 'Quality Television' Try the Opposite. Retrieved August
6, 2007, from The New York Times Web site: http://proquest.umi.com/
pqdweb?RQT=305&querySyntax=PQ&searchInter>
&clientId=9874&JSEnabled=1&SQ=Lohan+and+Paris+Hilton&DBId=6861&onDate=&beforeDate=&fromDate=&toDate=&
FT=1&AT=any&author=&sortby=CHRON
3 results for: Superficiality. (2007). Retrieved August 4, 2007, from Dictionary.com Web site:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Superficiality
TV Free America. (n.d.). Television & Health. Retrieved August 6, 2007, from The Sourcebook for
Teaching Science Web site: http://www.csun.edu/science/health/docs/tv&health.html
United States Senate. (2007). Retrieved August 6, 2007, from United States Senate Web site:
http://www.senate.gov
This outline is looking awesome Tamar. Watch you timre tomorrow though. You'll do fine, I gaurantee it! The closing line is really good. I'm looking forward to seeing your presentation. Have fun with this.
Tamar! great job! your vocal level was perfect and your VA was extremely smooth. i'd say try to be alittle more conversational but AMAZING JOB!!! i really enjoyed it, nice tie in with out other class :)- Kara
Tamar! Your speech was great today! Your volume was at a much better level than last time. You seemed really passionate about your topic. I especially liked how you conducted your own research at the day camp...that really made it personal and awesome. The only thing that I would watch next time is your breathing...it was a bit choppy at times, but fine overall. Great job!-Katie
TST (lol) your speech was good today! I think you proved yourself as a credible speaker on the topic, and your VA was very relavent to it as well..! I would agree with Kara about being a bit more conversational, by just simply talking more like a normal convo but it was still good. -- Aimee
Tamar! You have improved a lot from your last speech in the volume department. I was impressed with some fo the sources that you used too- they were very effective. I agree, the research at the day camp was awesome to hear, you really took this to heart. I thought your visual aids were clear and very nicely done. Great job!! - Alan
Hey Tamar! I was very impressed with your speech. Incredible improvement with the volume, but try to sound more natural next time, you seemed a little tense. Other than that, I liked your topic, I thought you did a good job of relating to the audience and you seemed very credible and knowledgable. <3 Chelsea
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