Television effects

MEDIA AND FEAR OF CRIME

The mass media constantly surrounds us, frequently informs us and just as well misinforms us and mainstreams us into a common reality (Gerbner, 1976). With newspapers and magazines, the mass media entered our homes. With radios and television, the mass media became accessible from cradle to grave. With VCRs, cable, and satellite access, the sheer volume of programming available at any one time exploded. The real world increase in the occurrence of stranger crimes and mass attacks could make the media image even more potent because of the prevalence of random crimes reported by the media. This paper looks at mass media research and it’s effects on perception of crime danger, personal fear of crime, and reactions to crime risk. Sections describing the effects of television, newspapers, and the new technologies on fear of crime are all covered.
TELEVISION EFFECTS
From the earliest days of television there has been concern about the depiction of c...