How conscious are you of how people respond to a show?

Do you ever make

adjustments based on that? Do you feel like there's a relationship between
viewership and the creative team on a show?
JS: I used to be a lot more hypersensitive to it. I used to spend an unhealthy
amount of time during the O.C. era on message boards. Which is sort of the
most direct way to get feedback. And you know, you can worry about it too
much, you could over-correct, you can start writing for the message board
instead of what's necessary for the show. But that being said, audience
reaction, fan reaction, is critically important, because that's who you're doing
the show for. So I always like to try to stay connected to that to a degree, and
feel like, "Is this working for the audience? What are they responding to?" You
always want to give people more of something that they love. And if there's
something that feels like a larger number of people are bumpy on, then you
want to be able to go make an adjustment there. So I try to spend what I now
feel like is a healthy amount of time worrying about that. But it's absolutely a
critical component. I mean, we're not making the show just for ourselves.
We're making it also, hopefully, for an audience.

Alcohol

This program discusses the effects and consequences of alcohol use. It

outlines the effects that alcohol consumption has on the body and
describes some of the health risks of short and long term use. The
program also summarizes the reasons why teens choose to drink and the
organizations to help with substance abuse. After completing the
program, students will have a better understanding of alcohol, its effect
on the body, what alcohol dependency is and why a teen may choose to
use alcohol. 20 minutes.

Subjects covered include

the effects of alcohol
the risks involved with alcohol
alcohol use and peer pressure
the long term health risks involved with alcohol
the parts of the body responsible for breaking down alcohol
alcohol abuse and dependency
the warning signs of alcohol dependency
organizations to help with alcohol abuse and dependency
 Peer Pressure

This program discusses peer pressure and its effect on teens. It is

designed to help teens feel comfortable discussing issues and the
positive and negative effects of peer pressure. After completing the
program, students will have a better understanding of peer pressure and
its effects. 21 minutes.

Subjects covered include

the positive effects of peer pressure
the negative effects of peer pressure
how to avoid negative peer pressure
where do most peer pressure situations occur
where to turn to for help

Drugs

This program discusses the effects and repercussions of drug use

physically and mentally and educates teens on the dangers of drug use
and addiction. After completing the program, students will have a better
understanding of drugs, the effect on the body, the long and short-term
health risks and the addictive qualities of drugs. 24 minutes.

Subjects covered include

the dangers of drug use
peer pressure and drug use
stimulant drugs and depressant drugs
addiction
physical and mental addiction
prescription drugs
the side effects of dangerous drugs
where to turn for help for drug addiction

Teens & the Law

This program discusses the relationship of Teens and the Law. It informs
teens of the role of school resource officers on campus and how the
police can be of help. Using interviews with officers and teens, students
will gain a broad understanding of laws, why they exist and how they are
enforced. Learn the common laws teens violate, ways to interact with
police, what to do and what not to do and the role of juvenile courts and
the justice system. 24 minutes.
Subjects covered include
students rights on and off campus
the school resource officer
how to avoid trouble with the law
local and federal laws
common punishments for braking the law
juvenile hall
the role of the police
probation

Weapons & Violence

This program discusses the effects and repercussions of weapons and

violence on campus. Learn the methods to control anger and where to
get help when the pressures of being a teen become overwhelming. This
video details the punishments most schools have in effect to curb
fighting on campus. It includes interviews with school officials on the
dangers and punishments involved with bringing a weapon on to
campus. 22 minutes.

Subjects covered include

weapons on campus
a safe learning environment at school
does fighting at school carry penalties
anger and violence
how to avoid a fight
where to turn for help if threatened
punishment for weapons on campus
punishment for fighting on campus
anger management and peer-counseling
where to turn for help with an anger issue
the programs available to help teens

Racial Tension on Campus

This program gives an important overview of racism today in high

schools and why racism can be insidious and destructive in a teen's life.
Students learn about racial tension and how it can lead to problems in
every aspect of high school life. Suggestions and techniques for diffusing
racial tension are presented in a practical and useful style. Students learn
how to open up their mind to the differences between races on campus,
along with the common occurrence of racial cliques and why they can
lead to racism. 20 minutes.

Subjects covered include

racial cliques
racism on campus
how to diffuse racial tension on campus
the advantages to avoiding racism in life
how to open up to other languages
the importance of honesty
why some teens become racist

Lessons of Love

Teens live in a complex world, balancing social and school life. This
program helps teens cope with the experiences and complex lessons of
early dating and opens up the definition of teen dating to match the
reality teen's face today. It gives practical advice for getting through the
first date and encourages teens to be open-minded on who they choose
to date. With emphasizes on personal values and how a student can use
these to make wise choices, this program identifies some of the common
lessons of teen dating and how to make smart, healthy and positive
choices. 21 minutes

Subjects covered include

how to define a "date"
choosing who to date
what to do before the first date
dating outside of one's social clique
emotions and dating
the first date
sexual intimacy
dating options
safety and dating
dating and life lessons

Dark Side of Dating

Dating is a major part of high school social life. It should be a positive

and enriching experience that will prepare teens for real life. However,
too often dating has a darker side. This program covers the dangers and
potential negative aspects of dating. Students learn about the harm
caused from gossip along with some of the pressure students face on and
off a date. The program emphasizes the importance of standing up for
yourself in high school. It shows why "no" means "no!" and how to make
your desires clear. The program also covers the danger and risks of drugs
and alcohol on a date, and why these substances can ruin a teen's life.
Finally, the program discusses the issue of teen intimacy and sex and
how viewers can make the right choices for their own morality. This
program is an essential survival guide for today's teens. 19 minutes

Subjects covered include

why gossip is a problem
refusal skills and dating
respect and relationships
the risks of sexual intimacy
the dangers of drugs and alcohol
date-rape drugs
how to make dating a positive, safe experience

Teen Depression

Depression can be a devastating condition for teens. It can interfere with

school, social life, family life and virtually every aspect of a teen's life.
Unfortunately, teen depression is common and can often be dangerous
and debilitating. In this program, teens learn about the real risks of teen
depression, how to identify depression and why depression interferes
with a teen's life. Students learn about self-medication and the dangers
of trying to solve chemical imbalances themselves along with the
warning signs of depression and why it's important to seek help. This
program also covers the tragedy of teen suicide and what to do if you or
a friend needs help. This is real advice for a dangerous and wide-spread
condition among today's teens. 22 minutes.

Subjects covered include

defining depression
the warning signs of depression
identifying the roots of depression
depression and home life
self-medication
self-destructive choices
getting help
teen suicide

Teen Anger

Anger is often the most powerful emotion for teens, but it can reveal a
deep assortment of underlying emotions. At school campuses
everywhere, anger is a growing problem for students. This program
covers teen anger and why anger can be the tip of an emotional iceberg.
Students discover methods for recognizing anger in all its forms and how
to cope with it. Teens learn what leads up to anger and how to diffuse
angry or violent situations. They'll also learn about anger and home life,
why covering up anger is dangerous, how to maintain positive attitudes
and how to deal with this negative emotion in a positive way. 20 minutes

Subjects covered include

identifying anger
why anger can be destructive
common sources of anger in teens
how to let out anger
anger and home life
anger on campus
violence and anger
expressing emotions in a positive way

Stress

Many teens are under stress: school, dating, home life, social stress, it
can be overwhelming! Too much stress can get in the way of enjoying
life, being productive and making good choices. It's well known that
stress can lead to health problems and psychological harm. This
important episode of Real Life Teens is designed to help teens through
the big issue of stress. The program covers common areas of stress in a
teen's life: academic stress, social stress and stress from home life. Real
teens give real solutions to this important subject. 20 minutes

Subjects covered include

sources of stress
what a teen can do to reduce academic stress
why procrastination can cause stress
pressure to "fit in"
why it's important to accept yourself
how to reduce dating stress
what to do if there is a serious problem at home
solutions to stress

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are a growing concern amongst teens. Appearance is

important in today's world. However, too often teens put appearance
above all else with devastating results. Eating disorders in a teen's life is
a complex subject with physical, psychological and emotional roots.
Viewers will learn the difference between anorexia and bulimia and why
becoming obsessed with weight can reveal serious underlying issues.
Students will learn some causes of eating disorders and the underlying
desire for control. They'll see that both sexes can be affected and that
getting help is the answer. Eating disorders are complex, self-destructive
and dangerous. In this program teens discuss the problems and solutions
of this important topic. 22 minutes.

Subjects covered include

why appearance is important
the difference between anorexia and bulimia
why eating disorders are dangerous
what to do if you suspect an eating disorder
why diet pills and fads are dangerous
good nutrition for teens
where to turn for help with eating disorders

Media - Its Impact & Influences

This program discusses the effects of the media on teens. It is designed

to help teens feel comfortable discussing these issues as well as the
positive and negative effects of the media. It reviews the pros and cons
of all media, from television to magazines to music. 22 minutes.

Subjects covered include

music
television
movies
positive and negative effects of the media
self-esteem
getting advice and help

Preparing for College

This program looks at the problems faced by teenagers dealing with

college preparation and shows the importance of preparing for college.
20 minutes.

Subjects covered include

ways to prepare to college
the importance of graduating from high school
SAT's and their importance
the importance of choosing the right college
developing good study habits
where to ask for help with college preparation
future careers
 Teen Driving

This program discusses teen driving and its effects on teens. It is

designed to help teens feel comfortable discussing the positive and
negative aspects of driving. 22 minutes.

Subjects covered include

getting a driver's license
drinking and driving
how driving can be beneficial
being a defensive driver
driving distractions
cell phones
how driving can be detrimental
how to be a responsible driver

Teens & Money

Teens often have trouble making mature decisions about money. They
need to learn how to be responsible with money and the complex world
of consumer finance they are about to enter. 21 minutes.
Subjects covered include
how does money affect a young person
what is the difference between money and credit
the negative aspects of credit
the importance of financial responsibility
getting advice about money
jobs and teens

Self Destruction

Teens may experience painful feelings of their own or may be exposed to

a teen or friend who needs real help. Helping someone who is self
destructive can be a problem not easily solved. This program discusses
possible causes and solutions to self destruction in adolescents. 18
minutes.
Subjects covered include
what is self destruction
what kinds of problems can lead to self destruction
how to express negative feelings in a positive manner
alternatives to self destuction
positive ways of expression
how to know if you or a friend needs help
where to turn to for help.

Deep Depression and Suicide

Deep depression can affect teens where they believe that suicide is the
only solution. If a teen commits suicide, everyone is affected. Sometimes
even those who barely knew the teen develop feelings of guilt, confusion,
and the sense they could have done something themselves to prevent
suicide. 18 minutes.
Subjects covered include
what is deep depression
how deep depression is recognized
attempted suicide
substance abuse
warning signs
coping with teen problems
where to turn to if you or a friend needs help

Sexual Responsibility

Today's inadequate sexual knowledge is one of the major reasons teens

engage in sexual activity without fully understanding the consequences
of this behavior and the impact of poor decision making where sexual
matters are concerned. Teens are often too motivated by curiosity and
the pressure to perform sexually as expressed by friends, love and the
media. Teens need to learn how to control sexuality and be able to select
a partner who will respect them and avoid unwanted sexual outcomes.
18 minutes.
Subjects covered include
teens and STD's
how STD's spread
sexual activity at a teen age
unprotected sex
many sex partners and its consequences
teens and HIV
what is Syphilis and how is it spread
effects of Syphilis as an adult
the emotional and monetary effects of teen pregnancy

The Glamorization of Hollywood has a negative toll on both celebrities and the
ordinary citizens of America. From shooting a movie to winning the covenant
Oscar there are many stresses in a celebrities life (except getting papered at
every whim). One might agree that after reading the latest issue of 'Peoples
Magazine' that the stars of Hollywood are over expressed in the appalling
collage of what America looks up to. For every 'well-behaved, fun loving,
violence abstaining' star there are at least three counter-parts. Lindsey Lohan
at twenty has been in rehabilitation twice; Jamie Lynn Spears has already
given birth at sixteen, and at twenty- six Paris Hilton is behind bars. What kind
of message does this send to the younger generation of America or needless to
say, the whole world. It is what some might refer to as 'the good life'. Why
must a 'good life' be full of booze, going to jail and making a substandard
statement?

As America turns on the television to the news channels, there are many
journalists that are always talking about Hollywood. Every action a celebrity
makes is broadcasted to the wide world, good or bad. If an ordinary citizen
that goes to work, cooks their own meals, and even rubs their own feet, were
to kiss someone not a single soul would know about most likely. But if a
panjandrum where to kiss another person it would make headline news. What
kind of influence does this have on a six year old? Quite frankly, it influences
them to start negative habits from a younger age. This lucid media informs the
younger generation that it IS okay to go and get pregnant at the age of
sixteen, and go illegally drink under the age of twenty-one. As the younger
generation grows into their teen years all of this news will agglomerate into
their minds, molding a series of teens that will indeed be a negative influence.
This is an alarming subject that needs to be altered, fast.

According to Audrey Tautou, 'In France, we have a law which doesn't allow the
press to publish a photo that you didn't approve. It lets the paparazzi take the
picture, but if they publish this picture, you have the choice to sue the
newspaper. So me, I always sued them.' This law would be a superlative way
to reduce the influence of Hollywood. Unfortunately, it would contradict our
first amendment right of the 'Freedom of Press'. It is that very concept that
allows America to be influenced by actions of others but yet is a way to teach
people about others.

There are many things that influence people: The news, parents, and other
things that people look up to. Why not take a stride to make America a less
influential country? It would be worth the while and it is our younger
generation that will be controlling our 'Land of the Free' when we grow older.
So turn off the television and the other sources of negative influence and try to
sculpt a more perfect society.

: How does the media effect body image in teens?

Answer: Advertising on television typically glamorizes skinny models who do
not resemble the average woman. In fact, today's models generally weight
23% less then the average woman. Considering the average person in the
United States sees approximately 3,000 ads in magazines, billboards, and
television every day, your teenager is getting the wrong message about body
image much too often.
Media targeting teenage girls are emphasizing the ideal of thinness as beauty.
When you stop and think about the fact that the average height and weight for
a model is 5'10" and 110 lbs, and the height and weight for the average
woman is 5'4" and 145 lbs, it's easy to see why this creates a tremendous
health risk for young girls.
You can help your daughter minimize the media's impact on her body image
by:
Limit your teen daughter from this type of advertising. This doesn't mean that
you need to take away all teen magazines, just be aware of which ones
take this teen issue into consideration. Check them out at the store
before purchasing a subscription.
Start an advertising awareness program in her school.
Talk to her about the health risks of being so thin.
Talk to her about how photos of models are altered and airbrushed.

People all over the world use the media everyday. Whether it's using a
computer, watching TV, reading a newspaper, talking on the phone or listening
to the radio, media is a way to communicate. Through the media, you can find
out about important news, listen to your favorite music or watch your favorite
TV show. But there are also negative sides of the media that can be
especially harmful to teens like you.Listed below are some of the ways that
certain types of media can negatively affect your life.

School
According to Common Sense Media, kids who watch a lot of TV have smaller
vocabularies and lower test scores in school. Also, these kids do not read as
well as kids who watch less TV. Another study shows that the people with the
highest degrees watched less TV as kids and teenagers. A third study shows
that different forms of media affect schoolwork differently:

Third-graders who had TVs in their bedrooms did worse on their schoolwork
than their peers who did not have TVs in their bedroom.

Third graders with computers in their bedrooms did better than their
peers without computers in their bedrooms.

The results apply to older kids as well.

Back to top
Obesity
Did you know that if you watch more than two hours of TV each day, you
have a higher chance of being obese when you grow up? If you are
sitting in front of the TV or computer, you are probably not exercising. Getting
enough exercise is key to staying healthy and preventing obesity. In general,
people also tend to eat more when watching TV than sitting at the dinner table
because the TV distracts them. People may be full but not realize it, or they
might unconsciously eat more when they see a commercial for something that
looks appetizing.Back to top

Advertising and Commercials

Advertisements are everywhere — TV commercials, pop-up ads on the
computer, magazines ads and billboards — and they have a huge impact on
what people buy. Even though it is mostly adults who spend the money,
commercials are often aimed at kids. If the advertising for a product is
successful, kids will ask their parents to buy the product. Marketers have
obviously found success in advertising to kids: children ages 12 and under
convince their parents to spend more than $500 million a year. Some
teens are able to buy the products they see advertised on their own. Back to
top

Stereotypes
Unfortunately, most of the media you are exposed to do not show people in a
realistic way. Characters on TV are often shown with unrealistic
"perfect" bodies. Women are shown as too thin and men are shown with
larger-than-life muscles. Photographs in magazines or billboards are edited on
the computer to erase flaws and imperfections. Even if you know that what you
see is not normal or not real, it can still impact you. Many teens want to be like
the characters they see on TV. Also, some forms of media do not show the real
diversity of the world. According to Common Sense Media, 74 percent of the
characters on TV are Caucasian, and 64 percent of video game characters are
males.

Violence
The media teaches kids that violence is acceptable. In video games, the way to
beat an opponent is to punch, kick or knock him out. In some video games, you
might even kill your opponent. In movies, the good guy wins when he violently
defeats his enemy. A study showed that 4-year olds have a greater chance
of being bullies when they are older if they watch a lot of violent TV.
Seeing violent behavior on TV or through other forms of media can also make
teens act more violently.

Sex
A study done by the RAND Corporation shows that teens are twice as likely
to have sex or engage in sexual acts if they see similar sexual
behavior in the media. Many objects in the media that involve sex target
teens. Reality TV shows and teen dramas often portray the "cool kids" as the
ones who are having sex.

Tips on Using Media Safely

After reading all this, you might think that the media is scary. Your job is to
learn how to safely use the media.Here are some tips to help you do that:

Separate media from meals. Do not eat in front of the TV. Turn the TV off and
focus on the people around you.

Do not watch TV while doing homework.

Set aside a part of your day for noneducational media, such as TV, and keep
the rest of your day separate. Do not go over your limit. Common Sense
Media suggests that you do not spend more than one or two hours in
front of a screen — TV, computer and movies — each day.

Limit media in your room. Keep TVs and computers in common spaces, such as
the family room or den.

Make sure visitors are aware of your family's media rules. For example, the
babysitter should know when you and your siblings can use media.

Once your media limit is up, find an activity that excercises your brain or body.
Spend one minute doing something mentally or physically active
for each minute you are exposed to the media.

When you see an advertisement, think about whom it is targeting, whether it is

realistic, and what makes it appealing.

Be able to separate fiction from reality in the media and use your judgment.

You have been around the media your entire life. You’ve had more media
exposure than your parents had when they were growing up. Hopefully, after
reading this article, you are more educated about how the media can affect
your life. Use this knowledge to stay safe and healthy. Remember: Just because
you are growing up in a world run by media does not mean you have to be one
of the media’s statistics!

Media is an inseparable part of life for most of the teenagers. There are
different types of mass media that are inherently a part of the routine life
of teenagers – for example television, computer, mobile phone or a
music player. Considering the current influence of media, we need to
agree on the fact that media plays an important role in shaping up
opinions of teenagers. Media is a double-edged sword and hence there
are positive effects of media as well as negative influences of media.

Positive Media Effects on Teenagers

One of the most positive effects of media today is the ease with which
teenagers have learned to embrace technology – be it the computers,
Internet or the ipods. The teenagers have no phobia for technology.
Media has also contributed to increase the overall awareness of
teenagers about their surroundings. In addition to this, media has also
resulted in enhanced overall knowledge and understanding of curriculum
subjects owing to the vast information resources that the media has to
offer. If managed properly, media can be effectively used to generate
awareness amongst teenagers about issues like sex, sexually transmitted
diseases, pregnancy, drugs, alcohol and smoking.

Negative Media Effects on Teenagers

There are several negative media effects on teenagers as well. Media is

responsible for creating ideals about body image, owing to which several
teenagers (especially girls) suffer from inferiority complex and resort to
unhealthy practices to lose weight and get skinny. The amount of
excessive violence in media – be it the television, movies or the video
games, tends to increase aggressive tendencies in teenagers. The
amount of celebrity hype created by the media causes many children to
make irrational demands for designer clothing, accessories and other
perks of the celebrity life that they are exposed to. Glorification of
unhealthy habits like smoking, drug abuse, unprotected sex and alcohol
can encourage these habits in teenagers, which can permanently scar
their lives.

Statistics:
http://www.ced.appstate.edu/departments/ci/programs/edmedia/medialit/ml_adolescents3.html

Media's Effect on Body Image

The popular media (television, movies, magazines, etc.) have, since World War
II, increasingly held up a thinner and thinner body (and now ever more
physically fit) image as the ideal for women. The ideal man is also presented as
trim, but muscular.
Rumble, Cash, and Nashville (2000; cited in Klein & Shiffman, 2006) found that
the schematic association of attractiveness and thinness with goodness
was present in over 100 female characters appearing in 23 Walt Disney
animated films (cel cartoons) produced over a 60-year period.
Fouts and Burggraf (1999, 2000) observed that thin female characters in
television situation comedies were more likely than heavier female
characters to be praised by male characters, and less likely to be insulted
by male characters in ways deliberately tied to evocation of “canned”
and supportive audience laughter.
Since the 1980s magazines have increasingly depicted the male body in a state
of objectified undress, such that a significant focus for the camera and
viewer is raw, exposed (“chiseled” or “ripped”) muscularity (Halliwell,
Dittmar, & Orsborn, 2007; Pope et al., 2000).
Field et al. (1999) reported that the majority of nearly 550 working class
adolescent girls were dissatisfied with their weight and shape. Almost
70% of the sample stated that pictures in magazines influence their
conception of the “perfect” body shape, and over 45% indicated that
those images motivated them to lose weight. Further, adolescent girls
who were more frequent readers of women’s magazines were more likely
to report being influenced to think about the perfect body, to be
dissatisfied with their own body, to want to lose weight, and to diet.
Teen-age girls who viewed commercials depicting women who modeled the
unrealistically thin-ideal type of beauty caused adolescent girls to feel
less confident, more angry and more dissatisfied with their weight and
appearance (Hargreaves, 2002).
In a study on fifth graders, 10 year old girls and boys told researchers they
were dissatisfied with their own bodies after watching a music video by
Britney Spears or a clip from the TV show "Friends" (Mundell, 2002).
In another recent study on media's impact on adolescent body dissatisfaction,
two researchers found that:
Teens who watched soaps and TV shows that emphasized the ideal body typed
reported higher sense of body dissatisfaction. This was also true for
girls who watched music videos.
Reading magazines for teen girls or women also correlated with body
dissatisfaction for girls.
Identification with television stars (for girls and boys), and models (girls) or
athletes (boys), positively correlated with body dissatisfaction (Hofschire &
Greenberg, 2002).

Body Image
No one in high school can deny that how you look has much to do with your
popularity status. While parents often reject that looks matter, their teen
children know the score. No one wants to be known as the teen that has a
great personality, as those are often the keywords to describe someone who is
unattractive.

How did the media gain such control over our lives? Perhaps it began during
Hollywood’s glamour years when the public yearned to look as beautiful as the
pin up girls and as handsome as the leading men on the silver screen. Today,
the magazines that line the shelves of our book and retail stores speak to our
infatuation of looking like Hollywood actors and actresses. Maxim, Interview,
Elle and Cosmopolitan all feature young and beautiful people from the big
screen. It is no wonder that teens who consume these magazines try to strive
for this type of fleeting beauty. They believe that the key to success is looking
beautiful on the outside.
Bulemia and Anorexia
Bulemia and anorexia are two diseases that have plagued young people for
decades. Each year thousands of impressionable teens, both girls and boys, fall
victim to these eating disorders, and many die from them. In some people, the
desire to have the perfect body is so strong that they are willing to trade their
health in exchange for fitting into size zero jeans. Many teens are unaware of
the long-term health issues caused by these diseases. Tooth and hair loss,
cancer of the stomach and esophagus, heart problems and even death can
result.
The Effects Media has on Teenagers Body Image
Today, the effect media has on teenagers' body image is mostly negative. The
constant parade of beautiful people on television and in print has fostered
negative body images for teens. Unless we look like those actors and actresses
we admire, we just aren’t living up to society's standards. What can teens do?

If you are a teen and are struggling with your own body image, take heart. The
modeling industry has even begun to wake up to the fact that waif thin models
are usually ill=> lead to modelling body time in tv and magazine. This past
year, runway models had to meet certain weight standards in order to be
allowed to model in European fashion shows. More actresses are looking like
real people do (fact: the average woman in the United States is a size 16), such
as America Ferrera and Drew Barrymore.