Government Regulation of the Radio During the "Roaring 1920's"

Regulation and government intervention had a major impact of the radio industry in the 1920’s in the sense that they controlled almost everything.

Regulation of the radio industry began during World War I, when the government felt that their control over the radio industry was crucial for military purposes. In 1926 the Radio Cooperation of America was created to regulate U.S radio transmissions. The U.S Navy had temporary control over the radio and its purpose was to use it for government operations. Regulation of the radio was needed to insure that the radio was being used in a productive way that benefited the government. This is the sole reason why the government took control of the radio in the first place.

The development of the U.S radio system was dependent on regulation by the government in the 1920’s. The government was the sole decision in what was put on the air and what wasn’t. Government intervention shaped the radio industry during this time period. An example is when the RCA was created in order to further develop business in the U.S. Companies like AT&T, RCA. And GE took over the radio industry as a result of government regulation in the 1920’s.

            

The Cultivation Theory of Women

The cultivation theory helps me to better understand the idea that what people view on television effects their actions in everyday life and how the media influences the general publics views on what is considered “normal”.

What you view on TV or hear from the radio effects how you view certain things. The cultivation theory argues that exposure to mass media cultivates the actions of people. When a child plays video games that are violent, the media is cultivating their mind to believe that violence is okay. The media presents an idea to the public and they then decide if it is something normal. If the people believe it is normal than the cultivation theory was successful.

An example of the cultivation theory would be in the film Killing Us Softly when they discuss the way woman are displayed in the media. The idea that women are supposed to be sexy and promiscuous was created by the media. The cultivation theory was then put into place and people began to think that a beautiful woman was a size zero and perfect in every way possible. The media’s portrayal of a “sexy” woman is one of the main reasons why young girls are so worried about what they look like. They have been taught by outside sources that they must be thin in order to be beautiful. The awkward, self-conscience young teenage girl is a result of the cultivation theory.

Masculine Hegemony Through Gatorade

The idea of hegemony helps me to better understand the message exhibited in this commercial given by Gatorade by showing what a man is “supposed” to act like and his role in society over the ages.

Hegemony is the power that one powerful group holds over another. It is the concept that if someone in charge proposes a new idea, people in the society will follow it and make it into something that is seen as normal. Hegemony is all about gaining power and then using it to promote a belief or idea. In the United States people fall victim to hegemony almost everyday. The best part about it is that most people don’t know that things they use and buy everyday are a result of a higher power using hegemony.

Men in the United States are known as being masculine, strong, and fearless. Society believes that they should be able to conquer anything and should not be emotional or sensitive. In the Gatorade evolved commercial men are shown playing sports over time and are seen as being stronger and tougher as a result of drinking Gatorade. The makers of Gatorade have shown their product in a way that if a man or boy wants to grow stronger and have more energy he must drink their energy drink like the athletic men in the commercial. This example helps me to understand the concept of hegemony by displaying men in a way that society created. It shows that men who do not fit the sporty, tough guy mold are not normal. Gatorade has used hegemony to show what it thinks a “real man” should look like and most would agree that their approach is working.

Link to the evolve Gatorade commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWAjioAfDW0