Monk and the Portrayal of Mental Disorders in Television and Film
The USA Network aired Monk, the television detective series based in San Francisco for eight seasons. Created by David Hoberman, Adrian Monk is a detective who suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD) and is loosely based on Hoberman’s own battle with OCD(Behavioral Health). The goal of this work is to synthesize the context of the many social dimensions, concerning mental illness and psychological disorders that are representative in today’s television and film industry.
Adrian Monk is a fictional character since most patients who suffer from psychological disorders can’t function in society as well as he. Monk lives in an upper middle class Victorian flat in San Francisco. He has a private secretary who dotes over him and a therapist, who seems remarkably available considering Monk’s unreliable payment history. He is appreciated by the San Francisco Police Department for his Sherlock Holmes ability to solve murder cases.
In keeping with his OCD, his dress is always the same: sports coat, shirt starched and the top shirt button fastened. Monk is not like the men and women with physiological disorders who are untreated by today’s health system and who wonder the streets of San Francisco, looking like zombies from a George A. Romero film; dirty, smelly, unshaven, disoriented and uninsured (Romero).
Monk was very popular when it premiered on the USA Network on July 12, 2002. The series currently holds the record for the most-watched scripted drama episode in cable television history. Italso set the record with Mr. Monk and the End – Part II, its series finale, with 9.4 million viewers; 3.2 million of them in the 18–49 demographic (Kung).
Mental Illness and Psychological Disorders have become an integral part of the media mainstream, including popular films as Rain Man (1988), The Fisher King (1991) and Forrest Gump (1994) (Smith).
There is also a precedent for films about mental illness and genius. Ron Howard’s film, A Beautiful Mind chronicles the life of John Forbes Nash Jr., a brilliant mathematician from Princeton who suffered from delusions, hallucinations and paranoid schizophrenia. Nash was saved from homelessness by his ex-wife and a small number of mathematical associates. At age 66 Nash had a remission from his mental illness and was nominated for a Noble prize in economics (Levinson). Similarly, Monk’s psychological issues do not hinder his crime solving abilities. His OCD flares up when he is shopping, dining and house cleaning. Clearly, this is not an honest view of mental illness, turning off and on your psychosis at will as is portrayed in Monk.
In Steve Lopez’s novel and major motion picture The Soloist: A Lost Dream, and Unlikely Friendship, Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless but once gifted Julliard cellist finds his home in a shopping cart, fighting off demons in downtown Los Angeles tunnels. Ayers lives in Skid Row and travels to Persian Square to pay homage to a statue of Ludwig van Beethoven. Ayer’s does not have a personal secretary and is a real life victim of schizophrenia (Lopez). But he does have a champion in Steve Lopez, a newspaper columnist who chronicles Ayer’s life in the Los Angeles Times.
According to Alicia Marie Oostdyk of Kent State University, mental illness is represented in today’s media as negative and violent (Oostdyk). This fits with Lopez’s portrayal of Ayers who does suffer from a severe case of mental illness. But Monk departs from the stereotype again since he’s clean, brilliant and dysfunctional in a non- threatening productive manner.
Current and past television programs have sent mixed messages concerning mental illness issues. Jamie Farr’s character in MASH, Max Klinger is a cross dresses with a fake case of mental illness. Klinger goes about his business in a number of stylish dresses so he can be discharged from the military on a Section 8. Section 8 referrers to a category of discharge from the United States military for reason of being mentally unfit for service. But the ongoing joke is that because he is able to fake his mental illness, than clearly he is not.
Law & Order, the NBC legal drama produced by Dick Wolf has produced a of number mental illness episodes in its 20 seasons. The story lines are “ripped from the headlines” and represent cases that may seem believable (Sassone). Kimberly Tyler of AnxietyConnection.com applauds Law & Order frankness in addressing the national debate on the treatment of mentally ill criminals in today’s criminal justice system. Should mentally ill patients be responsible for their actions and be sentenced to prisons to serve hard time or be rehabilitated in mental institutions (Tyler)? Tyler also suffers from depression and lists the medication she is prescribed on her website. Monk’s treatment for his mental afflictions does not include medication. If Monk was treated with Lorazepam or Prozac, his personality maybe more believable, but his character development may suffer under medication.
As an educational tool, episodic television maybe very helpful in explaining mental illness treatment. Glenn Gabbard, MD of Baylor College of Medicine and author of The Sopranos, believe Tony Soprano treatment for panic attacks in the Sopranos provided one of the best depictions of psychotherapy to ever appear on television (Kaplan). In someone ways Tony Soprano’s psychotherapy educated the public and desensitized the stereotypes of mental illness treatment.Dr. Charles Kroger, Monk’s psychiatrist for six season treats Monk in a causal style, talking, listening, offering advice and engaging in Adrian’s’ frustrating banter concerning the progress his is making in his therapy session. Monk’s sessions can be tiresome and rarely fit the realism that you find in Law & Order or the Sopranos.
The popularity of Monk maybe warranted by the acceptance of psychological disorders in today’s society. According to the Institute of Health a whopping 19 percent of the adult U.S. population has a mental disorder (NIH). This may have given Monk a bump in ratings, as the affected relate to the OCD detective. As David Hoberman the executive show producer explains it, “The idea was that a brilliant detective has severe OCD and phobias. That was the pitch. Without Monk’s OCD, there would be no show (Brink).
Citing
Brink, Susan. "Mental illness sans clichés". Los Angeles Times November 13, 2006:
"Epidemiology of Mental Illness". National Institute of Health. May, 15, 2010 .
Levinson, Martin. "Reviews the book `A Beautiful Mind,' by Sylvia Nasar.". ETC: A Review of General Semantics; Fall98: p358-p359.
Lopez, Steve. The Soloist: A Lost Dream, and Unlikely Friendship. Putnam Adult, April 17, 2008.
"Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: On-Screen and Off". Behavioral Health. May, 13, 2010 .
Osstdyk, Alica. Portrayalof Mental Illness on Television A Review of the Literature. Pittsburg: University of Pittsburgh, 2008.
Smith, Claude J., Jr.. "Finding a Warm Place for Someone We Know: The Cultural Appeal of Recent Mental Patient and Asylum Films". Journal of Popular Film and TelevisionSpring 1999: p40-p46.
Sossone, Bob. "Tonight's Law and Order: ripped from the headlines". AOL Inc.. May 20, 2010 .
Tyler, Kimberly. "Law & Order: SVU" Addresses the Stigma of Mental Illness". The HealthCentral Network, Inc.. May, 5, 2010 .
At the 1985 World Science Expo in Tsukuba Science City, Japan, Sony Corporation exhibited the world’s largest television screen, the Jumbotron: Jumbo for big and tron for Sony’s Trinitron television line. This massive vacuum fluorescent display reached a height of 92 feet and could be seen as far as the surrounding country side (McGill). The introduction of the Jumbotron and other big screen displays has dramatically changed the way live events are watched including events as diverse as sporting events, presidential inaugural speeches and papal sermons. Does this oversized cathode ray tube enhance or hinder audience’s experiences at large gatherings? Does the gazing spectator expect to see every image magnified so their myopic lens can absorb and interpret the stream of real time imagery?
Description
Jerry Jones, the Texas Billionaire and owner of the Dallas Cowboys built a $1.2 billion dollar stadium (Lacayo). Included in this coliseum has been a 600-ton colossus Jumbotron. Why would Jerry Jones invest millions of dollars on a 160 ft. television screen, when the Dallas Cowboys has a franchise player like Tony Romo who every season as quarterback dazzles the spectators with sensational scrimmages? The fans want to see the real Tony Romo, not a blown up digitized image of Tony on the playing field. Some diehard fans go to football games to see football, not orchestrated, commercials, sponsors logos and public service announcements, they want to see the grid iron action, not marketing efforts by the national advertising agencies.
At St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City Pope Benedict XVI’s spoke to thousands of parishioners. As the Pope addressed the papal flock, two massive Jumbotrons beamed colorful images of the Pope from his summer residency 17 miles away (Kuhner). Does this modern day electronic technology beaming papal telecasts seem rather out of place and garish amongst the beautiful colonnades and 4000-year old obelisk at St. Peter’s Basilica? Is the Pope’s spiritual message being conveyed properly and with dignity at the holy shrine in Vatican City?
January 21, 2009 an historic event took place at our nation’s Capitol. Thousands of men and women from all races and creeds jammed the Mall to see the 44th President of the United States sworn into office. And like all huge public events, the Jumbotrons were present, beaming there LED glow across a sea of humanity, echoing “Yes We Can”. This Orwellian sensation was overwhelming. Is this the image the Obama administration wanted to convey -- Big Brother imagery of Barak Obama casting the newly elected presidential shadow over thousands of onlookers?
Rationale
This undertaking is to explain influences and ramifications that are behind large screen projection systems. What aspiring political figure or recording artist would not want their image plastered on a two story visual aid, with fans and political devotes swooning at every word and lyric amplified and enlarged to gigantic proportions?
Why is there an intrinsic need for audiences at public gatherings to be inundated by large television screens? Demophobia, the fear of crowds may be one reason. The reassuring projected images of presidents, rock stars and sports figures at public venues may calm the afflicted thru colorful two-dimensional visuals.
In general people may be freed from their own general anxiety, when exposed to gigantic glaring images of overpowering television screens. In the1939 version of the Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland’s character, Dorothy travels the yellow book road to ask the Wizard for passage back to Kansas. When Dorothy finally meets the Wizard, he is an oversized projection spewing smoke and steam. Suggesting that such a large and powerful image would grant Dorothy passage back to Kansas.
Other assumptions for large video displays are not deeply rooted in the psyche, but are purely monetary. The NHL and NBA charge between $25,000 to $75,000 a season for media packages (Catto).
Media professionals have a responsibility at these large events. What images does the director choose?Close-ups of people smiling? Women in low cut outfits? Two guys fighting over a beer? The kiss Cam? Media accountability is required to sustain crowd control and to pacify the audience into an alpha state of calm.
Sony Corporation has installed several Jumbotron systems around the country at universities and sport arenas. I have been hired as a consultant to help plan and execute training at these institutions and it was apparent at each installation there were power struggles and creative disagreements within the departments that were managing these venues.
Literature Review
In existing work, research is not available for in-depth documentation on audience’s perceptions, feelings, behaviors and expectations on Jumbotron viewing at sporting events and public places. Opinions were expressed concerning stadium experiences with and without the Jumbotrons, but there was an absence of concrete information and quantifiable research on the subject matter of the big screens influence on audiences and pedestrians.
Jumbotron At Wrigley? Don’t Bother.
In this jewel of an article, the Chicagoist spells out exactly why high-definition screens are not needed. Wrigley field has been host to baseball since 1916 and has done quite well without the behemoth video-screen. The fans don’t miss the Kiss Cam, instant replays and marriage proposals (Zaslow). The Jumbotron in this historic stadium would feel gaudy and out of place. Babe Ruth’s memory would be stained with the shadow of this LED behemoth lurking over right field. Baseball at Wrigley field is different since it regards the sport as more than an entrainment experience, but as a living history of an American pastime.
Communicating Love: Friendship in the Technological Age
DeSales University sponsored a writing contest promoting new technologies, relationships and respect. Matthew Kuhner, an honors student and philosophy major, won the “best student essay” of 2009. Kuhner’s article emphasizes the Vatican’s understanding of technology in evangelism and finding fresh ways to fulfill Christ’s mission (Kuhner). Kuhner understands to help spread the gospel and the Pope’s message at St. Peter’s Basilica they needed two gigantic Jumbotrons to accomplish that. The church accepts that they are not a perfect aesthetic fit at St. Peter Square, but the Jumbotrons communicate the Pope’s message in a grand visual style, which brings comfort to his flock.
Troops Bid Bush Farwell at Andrews Air Force Base
The Jumbotron was strategically placed in the hanger at Andrews Air Force base where 4,000 service man and women watched the inaugural ceremonies of President Barak Obama being sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. Then through the lens of network news cameras, George W. Bush lifted of the Capitol grounds aboard the Marine Corps VH-60 helicopter (Agency Group 9). The crowd cheered as the former president entered the hanger at Andrews Air Force base. Children climbed on parents’ shoulders to catch a better glimpse of the outgoing president (Agency Group 9). In this article by the Regulatory Intelligence Database, the crowd was not entirely enthusiastic when President Obama was sworn into office, but when Mr. Bush arrived the mood of the audience drastically changed to yips and yelps. The Jumbotron impact at this event was a reflection of the crowd’s mood and temperament toward the incoming president and the author’s bias for the Bush Administration.
George W. Bush’s Sci-Fi Disaster
14 blocks from the Nations Capitol Robert Parry and his son Jeff watched the inaugural proceedings on one of the many Jumbotrons set up around the white marble buildings surrounding the Capitol. The mood at this big screen viewing was festive and mocking of the Bush Administration, one group started singing, “Hit the road, Jack” when Dick Cheney was wheeled into the television cameras view (Parry). Parry felt at this viewing there was more joy and cheering when President Obama was sworn into office than the January 20th 2001 swearing in of President Bush.
1.8 million people braved the cold that wintery morning, without a single inaugural police-related arrest. There were cheers of yips and yelps, at the Jumbotron, but this time for the incoming president, not the outgoing one.
Robert Parry is an award winning recipient of the George Polk Award, of the Iran-Contra affair. Parry has also written several books criticizing the George W. Bush administration.
Jumbo Dreams
Jack Jones a writer for Sports Illustrated examines the history and popularity of the Jumbotron (The Jumbotron is a generic term for large video screen installations).
According to Jones, the first giant glittering scoreboard can be traced to the Diamond Vision system by Mitsubishi installed at Dodger Stadium in 1980. Now virtually every pro and college athletic venue has bowed to the consumer demand for the big screen (Jones). Jones feels the Jumbotron is made for football, with its hail Mary passes, high fives, cheer leaders and Roman pageantry. Even the players use the giant screen to their advantage, checking where potential opponents are located on the playing field. The players also use the Jumbotron as the 13th man says New York Giants center Shaun O’Hara, pumping us up during the game.
There are rules using the Jumbotron, for instance “the home team must use discretion in showing replays that could cause strong fan reaction” as stated in the NFL game operations manual. The video director of the large screen television feed cannot show the referees missed the penalty of the opposing team over and over again.
Jones recognizes Jumbotron viewing is a technology in flux, the new video apparatus may be 3-D LED screens or portable hand held devices that allow the spectator to choose the video feeds from the stadium (Anadpura). As the former Dallas Cowboys president Tex Schramm as quoted as saying, “We are not selling football games, we are selling events, we have to have pageantry, excitement and crowds.”
From Tiles to Pixels: Media and the City
Roy Stickland writes a Blade Runneresque narrative of public spaces blitzkrieg by PC screens to Jumbotrons and a never ending stream of words, images and sounds challenges of place (Strickland). Shinjuku, Japan or Times Square in New York City are examples of artificial environments that distract from the natural order. Strickland believes the cacophony and collision of media in Times Square are just options for creative expressions, learning and commercialism. The “cool media” environment helps to shape the Jumbotron experience, but Times Square may overwhelm the messages from the latest Jumbotron commercial, drowning out the video at theNew York Times Building. In the ancient port city of Ostia, near Rome, mosaics lined the city walls and floors. These mosaics were forms of advertisements, advertising services, merchants and local restaurants. With hundreds of pedestrians strolling the ancient streets of Ostia, those Romans probably felt the discord and tension staring at the garish mosaic advertisements, similar to the feelings that arise from tourist from Kansas, who are visiting Time Square for the first time.
Methodology / Research
The consortium of research will focus on extensive interviews, examining cost benefit analysis, return on investment and quantifiable objectives of the social impact of the big screen. Extensive phone and in person interviews with associated research and analysis will focus on the impact of the Jumbotron, on the game, the players and the fans. In public spaces interviews will be conducted with pedestrians, social and public art activists, city officials, advertisers and marketing officials.
Informal conversational interviews and general interview guide approach will be used to collect data on Jumbotron viewing. Types of questions to be asked will need to be analyzed for effectiveness. Behaviors, opinions, feelings and knowledge need to be taken into account before samples questions are used.Standardized, open-ended interview and closed, fixed-response interview techniques will be used to assure accuracy in sampling (Shrivastava/Valenzuela).
Interviews with respondents will be audio taped to insure accuracy. Questions will be asked one at a time, interviewers will remain neutral. (Shrivastava/Valenzuela).
These are some examples of questions to be asked.
Do you see the benefit of the Jumbotron screen in this stadium?
Do you find the Jumbotron screen a distraction watching this event?
Do you find you watch the Jumbotron screen more than the playing field?
Do you pay attention to the commercials on the Jumbotron screen?
When you do watch the Jumbotron screen, what do you find yourself watching?
Do you always watch the replays on the Jumbotron screen?
As a player do you watch the Jumbotron screen?
As a player, do you think about doing something fancy on the playing field to be shown later on a highlight reel on the Jumbotron?
As a coach do you watch in Jumbotron screen?
The interview process would include the following subjects and locations:
1.Location: University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona. Wildcats (Football)
Respondents: Athletic Director, Marketing Managers, Advertising Agencies, University President, Ticket Holders, Television Production Crew, Team Clubs, Advertisers, Team Sponsors, Coaches and Players.
Respondents: General Manager, Marketing Managers, Advertising Agencies, Ticket Holders, Television Production Crew, Advertisers, Team Sponsors, Coaches and Players.
3.Location: The Northern Liberties Jumbotron, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
4.Location: Daktronics, Brookings, South Dakota, Manufacture.
Respondents: President, Marketing Manager.
After the interview process is completed interpreting the data will become an important factor in the accuracy of the information received. Respondent’s answers will need to be transcribed from previous audio recordings. The information will be codified and collated and arguments will be explored and researched against existing material.
Bibliography
Agency Group 09, "Troops Bid Bush Farewell at Andrews Air Force Base". FDCH Regulatory Intelligence Database. April, 24, 2010 .
Anandpura , Atul. "Video Display Device and Method for Video Display From Multiple Angles Each Relevant To the Real Time Position Of A User". United States Patent Application Publication Feb, 14, 2008: p1-p5.
McGill, Peter. "A high-tech world of wonders in Japan". Maclean's March 18, 1985: p40-p41.
Parry, Robert. "George W. Bush’s Sci-Fi Disaster". consortiumnews.com. April 15, 2010 .
Popik, Barry. "Jumbotron". The Big Apple. April, 21, 2010 .
Robles, Erica Ann. "Exurban Sublime: The Crystal Cathedral of Orange County". Department of Communication Stanford University p50-p54.
Stanley, Alessandra. "A Day Best Captured By Image, Not Narrative". The New York Times January 21, 2009: Pg.6.
Stirckland, Roy. "From Tiles to Pixels: Media and the City". Places 12-31-2006: p4-p5.
"Twins Rally". TV Technology. 4/19/2010 .
Valenzuela, Dapzury. Shrivastava, Pallavi "Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research". Arizona State University. May, 4, 2010 .
Zaslow, Jeffrey. "Moving On: Love and the Jumbotron: Why Men Turn Marriage Proposals Into Public Events". The Wall Street Journal August 4, 2005: pg. D.1.
A 52-year-old woman wakes up one morning and feels a lump.Days go by and her anxiety rises so she schedules an appointment with her doctor, who, in turn, orders a biopsy. The doctor tries to assure her that it’s probably nothing but it’s necessary to check. Check for what? Malignancy? Life Expectancy? Surgical Options?Chemotherapy?The search begins: the internet, television, radio, newspapers, blogs, governments, pharmaceuticals conglomerates, libraries and oncologists – all of whom have answers.Within ten minutes the internet alone can yield five medical journals, three cancer self help sites and seven New York Times articles on cancer.
In 2008, 7.9% of the population in the United States was diagnosed with cancer with approximatley1500 deaths per day (Cancer.about). It is the second principal cause of death in this country. (CDC). So it is not surprising that thousands of bits and pieces of cancer metadata are distributed each day by the media. A simple internet search of “cancer” will reveal 42 million internet findings in .27 seconds.
Some of the information is relevant to cancer patients, but there is contradictory or supplementary information that may be confusing and even, at times, harmful. Does the media facilitate or damage cancer research and patient treatments? How does an individual distinguish reality and illusion through the tsunami of information from the media? Does media coverage of cancer pay too little on prevention or down play cancer treatments and does it paint an overly optimistic picture of recovery from cancer?
The Cure for Cancer: Can the Media Report the Hope Without the Hype?
Christopher K. Daugherty from the University of Chicago writes a zealous and appealing editorial on media hype and its effects on cancer research and funding. Daugherty’s voice is sympathetic and thoughtful. His historical references to secret cancer clinical trials in the 1940s are direct and educational.As an oncologist, Daugherty has written numerous works on ethical issues concerning informed consent and how physicians discuss prognosis with terminally ill cancer patients.
As a writer and representative of the American Medical Association, Daugherty has a complicated obligation representing himself as a journalist. He does not mince words pertaining to the media and takes aim at Gina Kolata of the New York Times for her article on May 3, 1998 which claimed “within a year, if all goes well, the first cancer patient will be injected with two new drugs that can eradicate any type of cancer”. Obviously, this wildly optimistic quote was to excite the public about cancer treatments and well as sell newspapers for the New York Times. Also, when Daugherty attacks the tell-all television talk shows and celebrity cancer patient’s narratives he exposes an unwillingness to bend his Hippocratic Oath (Daugherty). His medical journal narrative is well written and informative as is his contribution in exposing media propaganda concerning cancer treatment, research and funding.
A Cancer Patient's Social-Media Crusade
Allison Fine and her podcasts with The Chronicleof Philanthropy magnify the need for an authentic social conscious. As a concerned social media tactician, Fine interviews Drew Olanoff, of the Blame Drew’s Cancer campaign. Olanoff has cancer and is encouraging people to use Twitter to blame his cancer for their troubled lives (Fine). Fine is an advocate for this kind of communal media technology, subsequently Olanoff’s personal journey fits well into her social media construct.
It’s problematic that Fine can have a balanced view of her social change podcasts. Like other cancer survivors and cancer advocates, she has an agenda to communicate her social ideals and principles.
Through Olanoff’s voice, one can hear the angst of his cancer battle. It’s a crusade for fighting cancer with one tweet at a time.Fine assists in the battle with her intuitive questioning and concerns in the podcast narrative. As an interviewer and commentator Fine enables Olanoff to tell his story without the usual talk show banter and commercial interruptions.
Fine makes a convincing case with Olanoff’s Blame Drew’s Cancer campaign and through this she spreads her idealism, blind faith and social conscious.These social networks are bringing people together and also are a significant factor in raising money for philanthropy and other social causes.
Breast Cancer Sells
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Lucinda Marshall is a feminist author who delivers passionate pink punches at Madison Avenue in the October issue of AltNet. Marshall unleashes a torrent of facts deriding women’s magazines for their misleading information concerning this disease. In some ways, her voice is unsophisticated and unsympathetic, but Marshall is unrelenting in her tirade at Good Housekeeping and Woman’s Day for erroneous information concerning mammogram screening and offering overly simplistic information about breast cancer risk factors and tips for preventing it in the United States is distressing (Marshall). The attack on Vogue and Ralph Lauren’s T shirts with bull’s eyes above the breasts as sponsors of Cancer Awareness Month demonstrates Marshall’s irritation at vapid symbols and lack of medical substance.
Marshall’s work on breast cancer awareness voices alarm for women magazines, their publishers and commercial sponsors for irresponsible information regarding breast cancer and treatment.
Media Feeds Frenzy Over Shark Cartilage As Cancer Treatment
A group of scientists in Cuba have studied the effects of shark bone as a cancer treatment. James Mathew’s article in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute identified several prominent reports by 60 Minutes and Bill Moyers television series that publicize the use of shark cartilage as a promising cancer treatment. This is not the first time 60 Minutes has been involved in controversial cancer reporting. In 1994, the late Ed Bradley produced a segment about damizozide which was a suspected cancer causing agent sprayed on apples. The 60 Minutes report was challenged in court by apple growers in Washington State. The case was dismissed in the Ninth Circuit court in 1995 (scholar). It may be argued that both of these media titans, 60 Minutes and BillMoyers should have been more responsible in their reporting. This kind of sensational cancer journalism has become common in today’s media. Mathew’s article is balanced as he presents pros and cons of this issue. This article is funded by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Save the Boobs
Aliya Jasmine Sovani, a VJ for MTV Canada produced, directed and starred in this public service announcement during breast cancer awareness month. Aliya bounces across the screen, watched predominately by a male audience, in a white bikini, with close ups of her breasts bouncing in slow motion, inner cut with the words, “You Know, You Like Them, Now It’s Time, To Save The Boobs”. Granted this video was watched over 150,000 times on YouTube and viewed 420,000 times on break.com (tvzone). The question is who is watching? I suspect it wasn’t females over 50 who would be most likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer. If the PSA was useful, doctors and clinics would have seen an increase of mammograms tests in Canada. Sovani’s PSA was convincing only in that as it pertains to her sexuality and future diva status at MTV, but the way it was produced, it did little to increase breast cancer awareness.
Media Downplay Failings of Cancer Treatments
The underreported bad news about cancer is John Gever’s focus in this MedPageToday article. In analyzing more than 400 articles about cancer, investigators found that palliative care was never the main focus (Gever). In another startling research project Gever discovered the studious New York Times distorted the risks and benefits of cancer treatment, along with Newsweek,People and Time magazines. Patients need to be informed about the trade-offs amid cures and end of life decisions brought about by cancer. This distorted view of cancer is brought to life in his article. Media reporting relating to cancer should show a balanced outlook reporting the bad news and as well as the good news as Gever’s has pointed out.
Whale boosts paddleboarder's charity ride
Lee Cowan, NBC’s roving human interest reporter, sets his gaze on Jodie Nelson who is a professional surfer from California. Cowan on a Southern California beach, begins his “standup” describing Nelson’s journey from the California Coast to Catalina Island as “inspirational” and “magical”. The 40-mile sea journey is to raise money for Keep a Breast Foundation, a non- profit foundation whose mission is to help eradicate breast cancer by exposing young people to methods of prevention, early detection and support (Keep-a-Breast).
During the nine-hour sea journey Nelson is visited by a Minke whale she nicknames “Larry”. Larry is “magical”. Apparently, he is also a cash cow. The viral social breast cancer networks find out about Larry following Nelson and a tidal wave of donations roll in, $122,500 as of April 5, 2010. The message is that the whale, the 30-foot leviathan answered the prayers of Keep a Breast Foundation and attracted NBC News, Grind TV and the Huffington Post. Without the whale, the foundation was expecting to raise $6,000. Money was raised, but the spotlight was on Larry. I believe we might remember the whale, but not the original message. But at least Nelson was able to help her cause through this significant fund-raising event.
Effects of News Events on Response to a Breast Cancer Screening Program
It seems like ancient history now, but it’s important to remember that both wives of President Ford and Vice-President Rockefeller had breast cancer. In this Public Health Report of 1978, the breast cancer surgery of Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Rockefeller removed some of the obstacles to open the discussion of breast cancer and the value of mammograms. This well disciplined study thoroughly analyzes the media effect of cancer news and the increase of mammogram screening and examinations during Ford’s presidential term. There was an overall increase of cancer awareness that cut across all aspects of the female population in this study. Remarkably the nine percent spike in mammogram examinations was due to reality journalism of two high profile political personalities. Similarly, in 1989 when Nancy Reagan suffered from breast cancer, there was a six to eight percent increase of mammogram examinations (Lane). Interesting enough the rise of breast examinations and awareness was not due to social networks, advertising or brilliant marketing campaigns of Tommy Hilfiger, Birkenstock or Susan G. Koemen, but was spread through the “Neanderthal” news media outlets of the 1970’s.
Media Coverage of Breast Cancer Focuses Too Little On Prevention, Study Suggests
In 2008, media coverage of breast cancer prevention was a missing factor in major media outlets including the Los Angeles Times, NBC Nightly News and U.S. News and WorldReport, according to Science Daily .The report based on the research paper “A Comprehensive Analysis of Breast Cancer News Coverage in Leading Media Outlets Focusing on Environmental Risks and Prevention” by the National Cancer Institute. Over a two year period only 18 percent of media reporting focused on prevention rather than treatment. Lacking were stories on prevention, such as eating right, diet, exercising and avoiding substances that are known to contribute to breast cancer. Cancer narratives reported in the media mostly focused on personal stories and treatment rather than on prevention. While heredity can lead to breast cancer there are never the less steps to reduce one risk to reduce the metastasizing spread.In the battle against breast cancer the voices on prevention need to be heard especially because some studies suggest that the media, along with friends and family members, are more influential than physicians.
Living Can Be Hazardous to your Health: How the News Media Cover Cancer Risks
Cristine Russell writes an irrefutable review that summarizes three decades of media missed coverage of the health risks of cancer. The 30-year war on cancer has created confusion and anxiety among the consumers of print, electronic and web media. This onslaught of cancer good- news / bad- news has desensitized the media consuming public.They are bewildered, not knowing whom to trust or whom to believe. The media consumers are not the only victims; researchers, scientists and politicians have also fallen prey to the misinformation. This uncertainty might be called the National Academy of Science syndrome because so many reports end with a caveat that more research is needed (Russell).
On another striking issue is that once we declare war and this goes for cancer, drugs, poverty or terrorism, it becomes unwinnable in the public eye.
Russell also created guide lines that reporters should keep in mind to improve the coverage of cancer reporting. It’s a level headed approach to a complicated narrative with contextual principles.
Media raise cancer fears
In this BBC health article, the media is lambasted for its misleading reports on cancer. Celebrity cancer in the U.K. amounted to 200 articles a week, suggesting cancer can be glamorous. The paparazzi reporting also included thirty-seven cancer preventive poultices including chocolate, arsenic and mud (BBC). The media was also blamed for its use of the word “cancer” when it described Bill Clinton, Saddam Hussein and Serbs as cancers. This kind of rhetoric only serves to confuse patients. The BBC points out the war imagery of cancer, battle, fight and victim intones a negative connotation. Nicholas Young the chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Relief suggests the language of cancer is inaccurate, confusing and frightening.
Aspirin and Breast Cancer: The Media Does It Again!
Aspirin and Breast Cancer: The Media Does It Again, summarizes the paradoxical circumstances medical journalists find themselves in. Michelle D. Holmes, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, released vital information in the Journal of Clinical Oncology concerning an observational study of aspirins effect on breast cancer. The finding suggested taking aspirin might prevent further recurrences of breast cancer. Bonnie Reichman M.D., a Clinical Associate Professor at Cornell University, who wrote this article, finds these results, alarming and startling. In Reichman’s conservative view, chemotherapy and anti-estrogens have decreased the mortality rate of breast cancer. We also know that lifestyle changes including a low fat diet, exercise and maintaining a healthy weight my decrease breast cancer occurrence. As a neophyte in medical idioms I have become a statistic in this health cat fight. Whom do I believe? Cornell or Harvard? Whom do I trust?The Journal of Clinical Oncology or Women’s Voice for Change?
Conclusion
It’s a decision many will have to face. How to treat cancer? Your doctor and oncologist are trained to treat this disease. The media is also filled with helpful but sometimes contradictory information, sometimes overly optimistic other times dramatically pessimistic.
For one’s own well being it is vital to be informed and knowledgeable of cancer treatments. Before the internet and accessible medical journals, most were in the dark and depended largely on the word of experts. As the research suggests, the media coverage of cancer is complex and confusing. Noteworthy though, the media have recognized their own information as problematic and divided. As noted, palliative care in scarcely mentioned and preventative care is also lacking in cancer journalism. Bizarre treatments for cancer are represented as factual and social networks and some sponsors are more concerned with their image rather than increasing mammogram awareness. As Cristine Russell points out reporters should adhere to guidelines to improve the coverage of cancer, so that it is balanced and represents the whole spectrum of cancer treatments available at this time.
Works Cited
"Auvil v. CBS 60 Mintues, 67 F. 3d 816-Court". Court of Appeals, 9th Circut Court. 04/01/2101 .
Daugherty, Christopher K.. "The "Cure" for Cancer: Can the Media Report the Hope Without the Hype? ". Journal of Clinical Oncology,. 3/26/2010 .
Fine, Allison. "A Cancer Patient's Social-Media Crusade". The Chronicle of Philanthropy. 3/25/10 .
Fink, R. Roeser, R. Vene, W. Strax, P. Venet. L. and Lacher, M. "Effects of news events on response to a breast cancer screening program.". Public Health Reports . 4/02/2010 .
Gever, John. "Media Downplay Failing of Cancer Treatments". medpagetoday. 4/1/10 .
"How Many People Die of Cancer Each Day?". About.com:Cancer. 4/03/2010 .
Lane, D S. "The impact of media coverage of Nancy Reagan's experience on breast cancer screening". American Public Health Association. 4/4/2010 .
"Leading Causes of Death". National Center for Health Statistics. 4/04/2010 .
Mathews, James. "News". U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 4/02/2010 .
Media Coverage Of Breast Cancer Focuses Too Little On Prevention, Study Suggests". ScienceDaily LLC . 03/29/2010 .
"Media raise cancer fears". BBC NEWS. 3/30/10 .
"MTV News host Aliya-Jasmine Sovani Busts Out The Bikini In Support of Breast Cancer Awareness". ChannelCanada.com. 4/02/2010 .
Reichman, M.D., Bonnie. “Aspirin and Breast Cancer: The Media Does It Again!". Women’s Voices for Change, Inc.. 4/04/2010 .
Russell, Cristine. "Living Can Be Hazardous to your Health: How the News Media Cover Cancer Risks". Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs. 4/02/2010 .
Sovani, Aliya-Jasmine. "Save the Boobs". ReThink. 04/01/2010 .
The Fair Use Doctrine and Cases of He Who Must Not be Plagiarized Since March of 2000, the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling has been embroiled in several high profile plagiarism cases. The litigations include a Pennsylvanian author, a 50-year- old publication in Virginia and a Michigan librarian. At issue is the Fair Use Doctrine which permits a limited amount of copyrighted material to be used in other works. Generally a Fair Use case is analyzed, guided or decided on any one of the four following criteria. 1) The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes. 2) The nature of the copyrighted work. 3) The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole. 4) The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work (107). J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers demand complete control of the Harry Potter image. Any likeness of Harry Potter not vetted by the Christopher Little Literary Agency is usually dealt with severity. For example, A United States Army material command periodical published a cartoon that featured a boy with black hair and round glasses, called Topper who attended the Mogmarts School of Magic. Attorneys for J.K. Rowling investigated the publishers at Fort Belvoir, Virginia for likely copyright violation. After some deliberation, the Army decided not to use the likeness of Harry Potter in future publications (Alvarez 2). In a court room case, J.K. Rowling was accused of plagiarism by Nancy Stouffer, a writer from Pennsylvania. Stouffer had published The Legend of Rah and The Muggles and Larry Potter and His Best Friend Lilly. Stouffer sued J.K. Rowling, Time Warner and Scholastic Inc. for intellectual property rights violation, contending that she owned the trademark on Muggles and nimbus. In U.S. District Court, J.K. Rowling, Scholastic and Warner Brothers countered sued stating that there was no breach of copyright or trademark. In 2002, the Southern District of New York ruled that Stouffer lied to the court and tainted her documents to support her copyright claim. She was fined $30,000 and ordered to pay part of the plaintiff’s costs (BBC News). A more recent case involved a librarian, Steven Vander Ark, who is a passionate Harry Potter devotee and created a website called The Harry Potter Lexicon, an online encyclopedia and reference guide to the novels. In 2007, an independent book publisher RDR Books in Muskegon, Michigan contacted Ark about the possibility of publishing a Harry Potter encyclopedia based on some of the materials from The Harry Potter Lexicon website. Ark agreed after he was assured by RDR Books he would not violate any copyright laws (Siskind 291). Rowling and Time Warner Inc.’s Warner Brothers became concerned about the upcoming undertaking by RDR Books and sued for copyright violation. It was a complicated decision by Judge Robert P. Patterson Jr. that came five months after the trial. The 68- page ruling in the Federal District Court of Manhattan blocked the publication of The Harry Potter Lexicon by RDR Books. The court ordered RDR Books to pay $6,750 in damages to the plaintiffs (Eligon). These significant Fair Use altercations with the J.K. Rowling’s empire are not unexpected. She has toiled at her craft for 17 years and is expected to protect her creative and intellectual property. Also it’s predictable that Rowling’s legal team would engage in these judicial activities since they have a billion dollar investment to defend. But why did Rowling use The Harry Potter Lexicon for her research and award The Harry Potter Lexicon in 2004 a fan site award (Rich)? The online Lexicon used extensive portions of Harry Potter novels without permission from Warner Brother or Rowling, and yet these corporations permitted The Harry Potter Lexicon to continue. This is most likely because of the 1.5- million to 2- million readers a month benefiting her indirectly and shutting it down would have alienated readers. The Rowling empire did not become alarmed until RDR Books proceeded to move forward in publishing The Harry Potter Lexicon for $24.95 and financial panic invaded the halls of Warner Brothers (Hartocollis). In the Nancy Stouffer case, J.K. Rowling won the legal argument, however Rowling was handed an academic rebuke by Dr. Graeme Morton, of Edinburg University describing Rowling’s work as very minor instances of inadvertent plagiarism (Johnston 1). And in the U.S. Army case, it seems plausible that the monthly magazine would have passed the Four Factor Test of the Fair Use Doctrine, but they lacked the time or courage to tangle with Rowling’s legal squadron. The J.K. Rowling cases are important. They send multi level tremors through the legal, academic and creative disciples. Anthony Falzone of the Fair Use Project felt that RDR vs. Rowling was so important that he filed a brief defending RDR Books. Mr. Falzone of Stanford University is following the lead of Lawrence Lessig, the founder of the Fair Use Project, who fought the Mickey Mouse Preservation Act, which benefited the corporate copyright holders, preserving billons dollars of profits for the Walt Disney Company (Nocera C1), As a committed media professional, I have always abided by copyright laws and The Fair Use Doctrine. It is essential that we respect each other’s works and seek permission to obtain rights of usage. But it is worrisome is that the small publisher, author or journalist must create novels, scripts and journals without the protection of the well heeled copyright lawyers. The conundrum is while there is a desire to defend the writer J.K. Rowling even while she represents a multinational conglomerate keen on protecting profits at the expense of others. Rowling should continue to write and her millions of fans want to read her wonderful books and yet, while she claims to have been distraught over the publishing of The Harry Potter Lexicon saying “you lose the threads, you worry if you’ll ever be able to pick them up again”(Hartocollis), she also seemed to demonstrate hypocrisy by allowing an online lexicon to continue and yet engage in copyright confrontation with the same author when real money was at stake.
Works Cited Alvarez , Lizette. "Arts, Briefly; Harry Potter Crosses Wands WIth the U.S. Army". The New York Times. 3/15/10 . Eligon, John. "Rowlings Wins Lawsuit Against Potter Lexicon". The New York Times. 3/13/2010 . Hartocollis, Anemona. "Rowling Testifies Against Lexicon Author". The New York Times. 3/12/10 . Johnston, Ian. "Harry's Off The Hook". Evening News, Edinburgh April 13, 2000: 1. Nocera, Joe. "A Tight Grip Can Choke Creativity". The New York Times Feb 9, 2008: C1. RIch, Motoko. "Rowling To Testify In Trail Over Potter Lexicon". The New York Times. 3/13/2010 . "Rowling wins Potter plagiarism case". BBC News. 3/15/10 . Siskind, Shira. "CROSSING THE FAIR USE LINE: THE DEMISE AND REVIAL OF THE HARRY POTTER LEXICON AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FAIR USE DOCTRINE IN THE REAL WORLD ON THE INTERNET". Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal 27 no1 2009: 291-311. "107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use". Cornell University Law School. 3/21/10 .
Paul Ryan, at first reading, I was surprised where we were going, video tai chi with a camera on his head. Video meditation, alpha states with his negative videos, feeling the Bush administration vibrations on the eve of the Iraq invasion, thru motion of tidal waves or ducks feeding one another, with philosophical overtones. Working with Marshall McLuhan must have been a wonderful opportunity, a once in a life time opportunity. Clearly Ryan’s monastic training in the seminary introduced him to the alpha state of conscience and meditation. In today’s climate I am not sure how many of our fellow graduates have explored T.M., Sufism or other types of alpha soothing techniques. Again this type of viewing takes many years of practice to really see what you are looking for. Or what you are not looking, you are ready to receive a message or lack of or absence of a message to achieve the alpha state. Ryan’s work at Savannah College was inspiring. The sustainability concept in communication and political theatre may be an important tool, to break down the pieces of these modular predictable political encampments. To see what is behind the message, to dice it and quarter it, to look underneath it, to realize it. Paul approach to Semiotics of signs and signals, again is a study in it self. I believe it would take a dear long time to really see, what is there and maybe why it is there.
