Question 2 - Entertainment Media

Throughout the centuries, entertainment media has became a great achievement of human development. It reflects, carries on, and influences our culture, social value, and even political ideals. In the Elizabethan Age, the theatre was the entertainment media; now, entertainment media has all kinds of forms, such as TV, books, drama, and films. Though it is very different from the Elizabethan Age, but it still functions the same.

Humans are interesting creatures, they are easily affected by the surrounding people’s saying, but they do not admit it. When they see political campaigning advertisement, they are aware of the message it is trying to deliver. But when they are watching iCarly or American Idol, they have no caution of the delivering message. So are the people in the Elizabethan Age!

In the Elizabethan Age, the theatre take a great part in spreading new ideas. They influence culture, social value and political ideals. Geoffrey Trease’s historic fiction novel Cue for Treason lively reflects theatre’s influence based on Shakespeare’s life experience, through a boy named Peter‘s eyes. In the age of Renaissance, many new ideas start to spread through the media of theatre. Shakespeare, as a humanist, put many humanist ideas into his play. For example, Romeo and Juliet, which focuses more on the relationship between people and people, such as Love and Hatred. It is totally the opposite of the Roman Catholic Church’s idea, which emphasizes the relationship between human and god. They weaken the authority of the Catholic Church. Shakespeare’s theatre plays also bring a revolutionary change to the English language. More vocabulary, phrases, jokes are made. We are still using some of them in the modern days.

Now, with more advanced technology, entertainment media can reach all kinds of people. Many political parties have noticed its power and influences. During the 2011 federal election of Canada, the New Democratic Party wisely uses this “ancient media”. Political campaigns are made into cartoons, instead of a real Stephan Harper, the NDP uses “Tiny Stephan”! And, these cartoon advertisement are often played after American Idol, and they are everywhere on YouTube and Facebook, which doubles the effect. It is hard for people to refuse its message. We all know the result of the election, the NDP triples its seats in the House of Commons and becomes the Official Opposition. More people’s voice can be heard in Ottawa. The NDP would not make this achievement without the entertainment media.

Now, humans are in their twenty-first century, but they are still such interesting creature. They develop entertainment media to influence themselves. Who knows if it is wise or not? But one thing that we are sure of is, entertainment media influences culture, social value, and even political ideals.