Seminar feedback_The media/television

Topic : The media/television
Friday 25 July 2008 : 12.00-12.40 pm

Written seminar report by Siri

The seminar was about the media/television was held on Friday .Perhaps the aim of this session would like to give the seminar experience for pre-sessional students,thinking ,speaking and express opinion skills, that found very useful for Master degree which seminars will be arranged often.

The seminar was devided by three parts.Firstly, the seminar addressed about television viewing habits around the world and moved to television images and finally mentioned the future for television and television viewers.The number of attendees were 6 people from China,Thailand,Japan,Taiwan and Bangladesh.

The majoritry of attendees agreed that the television viewing habits was an interesting point.Surprisingly,Chinese attendees state that more than 200 million chinese people have been spending time watching television everyday as specially housewives,like watching soap operas, and childrend has spent more time with cartoon networks or playing computer game.While Janpan is the country where the people have spent more time,four to five hours,for watching TV programmes such as comedy.Conversaly, Bangladeshi has spent just a fews hours for watching TV but, Taiwanese and Thai had a similar hours,three to four,watching chat or game show or soap opers during weekday.

Most attendees saw the same point as TV viewing habits have changed in the last twenty years and the number of viewers have been declining in the future.This might possibly that people more knowledgeable or other accessible such as internet and mobile phone.However, all attendees agreed that TV has had a positive effects as a news channels ,documentary or entertainment programmes which is cheaper than going out but, some programmes contained with violence,sexuality,not useful or inappropriate information that may cause negative effect on society,children have developed violent behaviour.

Regarding the television images ,almost five in six of attendees saw the same points that only one in five of the programmes in their countries have been showing the real things.Interestingly, young generation in Janpan ,Bangladesh and Taiwan were influenced by media or celebrities while the Bangladeshi government has set up censorship of the press and has been using for political purpose but, other countries the government has not much involved especially Janpan ,the law said that the government not be able to embroil with the press or media.As expected,over four in six agreed that stereotypes,both men and women,have been influenced by television images,normally with the children and teenager but, some of attendees have seen difference points about stereotypes and also stated that stereotypes on TV can be avoided by increasing awareness of media companies.

Unsurprisingly, the media literacy is the most important issues for all attendees and they all agreed that media literacy should be taught in school in order to making people to understand ,identify,critical media and increasing awareness of how they will be influenced by the media.Interestingly, Japan and Taiwan have already established a media literacy in school programmes while Thailand ,Bangladesh and China have not yet developed it.

Feedback for seminar : Siri's opinion

Seminar day,I felt very good when I was attending the seminar ,perhaps because of I did preparation before I was there and knew about topic ,background from my country and UK,the links that was given in the green book was very useful. After I finished the seminar I think my strong point about leadership was useful for the seminar group that need some one to led the topic and encouraged all attendees to paticipate in the seminar and be a good listener while others were speaking and write down the key agreement and disagreement but ,I still considered for my weak point about grammatical accuracy ,pronounciation and some new vocabularies that I searched before but not be able to use as much as I thought .I hope next time I will improve my weak point and share my strong point with others again.