In this article we will be discussing
the media panicking over video
games and other media platforms
that feature violent images and
stimulations creating the concept of
a violent life style.
An example of media placing blame
on video games because of a
graphic event is the shooting that
took place inside of a cinema while
an audience was spectating The
Dark Knight Rises. In July 2012
James Holmes entered a movie
theatre in Aurora, Colorado, where
he shot and killed 12 innocent
movie-goer he also critically injured
70 other people in the cinema.
Evidence shows he was influenced
through violent media such as films
and video games as authorities
released information regarding the
murders appearance when the
shooting took place. Police told the
public he was wearing a gas mark
and body armour as well as dying
his hair red to resemble the Joker,
a character portrayed in the famous
Batman series.
It came to the medias attention
that the murderer was potentially
influenced through video games
such as The World of Warcraft as
well as the criminal being addicted
to role-playing games. It was also
shown through his appearance-
he could of also been influenced
through the Batman movies
themselves.
Some people believe the criminal
was so easily influenced by media
because of the hypodermic needle
theory.
The hypodermic needle theory
is a theory that implies that
mass media has an incredibly
powerful effect on its audience.
This theory consists of people
believing that media is a
commanding influence on the
publics behaviour. There are
several aspects of media that
has demanded this theory such
as the growth of radio and
television. It also interacts with
the fact that Hitler used media
propaganda in order to
influence people to join the
Nazi party during World War 1.
In 2005 a teenager shot dead nine
people in his school. The mass
murderer entered Red Lake High
School. It was also released he
killed his grandfather and his
grandfathers girlfriend before
entering the school grounds and
killing his peers. Reports suggest
he injured 15 people as well as
taking 9 innocent lives.
People believed that this young
childs obsession with violent
media influenced this graphic and
horrifying event.
Reception theory is when
creators of media such as a
director or producer creates a
text with a hidden message
that the creator would like to
covey across to the audience.
The purpose of this is to try
and understand if the audience
has a full understanding of the
media platform. If done
correctly the audience should
pick up on the message almost Jeff Weise
straight away however
throughout the film the
message will be
repeated/reminded to the
audience.
Moral panic is also involved when
James Holmes
the media presents issues and
murders such as the ones
featured in this article. Moral
panic is when a feeling of fear
overtakes a vast number of
people. It is usually spread
through the media as their articles
and productions make people
more aware of issues causing a
moral panic.