In this blog I will look at social action and community media production and the effects is has on its target audience. I will look at the purpose and impact of these campaigns looking at specific examples and looking at how relevant social action and community media is in today's society.
Social action looks at the reactions of an individual, social action related films are designed to evoke a response, anti-smoking videos for example are designed to stop people from smoking. Social action and community media productions can affect three different areas, locally, nationally and globally
Purpose
Social action and community media is designed to change peoples perspectives and thoughts about a specific issue, these range from child abuse to anti-drug campaigns. These are often hard hitting and difficult to watch particularly to those involved in the issues. The intended purpose of the production depends on the issue present. An anti-smoking campaigns purpose is to stop people from smoking who already smoke and those who may be thinking of starting. Anti-smoking videos for example are aimed at people who are likely to smoke and those who already smoke depending on the advert types, those aimed at people already addicted tend to show the long term effects smoking causes. Anti-smoking videos can have a varied level of impact, from local to global depending on their effectiveness.
This anti-smoking video is aimed at people who already smoke as it shows the long term damage caused by smoking, this type of ad wouldn't work for young smokers as young smokers don't care about whats going to happen to them in 30+ years time, they care about the effects that are going to affect them in the near future such as hair loss, stained fingers etc. This anti-smoking videos purpose is to stop people who don't smoke from starting and to persuade those who do smoke to quit. This anti-smoking video is one of a collection of 'tips from former smokers' which features former smokers which have been affected by smoking, this is a very dark and hard hitting anti-smoking ad
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Do anti-smoking videos work?
According to research there are more smokers now than there were 30 years ago, however a lower percent of the population are now smokers, this is due to an increase in population over the years. Surveys for smoking began in 1948 and these surveys found that 82% of men smoked compared to 21% in 2010, the most dramatic reduction in the percent of smokers was between 1970 and the mid 1990s, the first anti-smoking ad was released in 1976 there is a clear relationship between the release of the anti-smoking campaign and the reduction in the number of smokers. The huge reduction in smoker numbers may also be due to the lack of knowledge of the effects of smoking and so it wasn't seen as being a bad thing.
Impact
To see the impact of social action films we just need to look at the changes brought on with these films/campaigns. There has been a dramatic change in the number of smokers since 1970 to the mid 1990s, this however isn't as rel event today, anti-smoking videos are seen almost everyday on the TV and people have become de-sensitised and aren't affected as much by them even though there is more information available.
Social action films have had a huge impact on the smoking population but have become irrelevant in the last few years, the public are exposed to horrific images of lung cancer, heart disease etc everyday which has caused people to become de-sensitised. In order to continue with the positive influence on smokers social action films will have to be changed to be effective once again.
My thoughts
I believe that anti-smoking videos have had a very positive effect on the smoking population but if this is to continue film makers are going to have to think outside of the box, being shown the long term effects of smoking doesn't affect anyone anymore as we see it everyday, especially those who smoke as they see the pictures on the cigarette box. In order for social action films to be effective again film makers are going to have to focus on other effects of smoking other than damage to the smoker themselves.
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