Kevin Prince-Boateng, bear the Ghanaian brunt!

This is a piece I did last year, October 2010.

"They are at it again. The armchair doom-mongers who glance at a decision, without seeing its coherent reasoning, and make a snap judgement about a person's choice. The locals are again hauling over coals on another character. Kevin-Prince Boateng is the latest to bear the harsh and often punitive brunt of the Ghanaian populace.

Having being injured playing for Milan, he sent an email to the Ghana Football Association to seek a no-appearance for Ghana’s date with Sudan at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi. Then the doubters rose from toe to top their flags waving that the young chap was taking us for a cheap ride. Some have been quick in jumping to the gun: 'when he wanted to show up at the World Cup after Germany rejected him, he quickly accepted an invitation to play for us. Now that his market value has skyrocketed for excellent showing at the mundial, he’s now trying to play “hanky-panky” games with us."

These fans are a fervent lot and seem more comfortable when consumed with a player’s pledge to the country, rather than euphoria sometimes. All they want is for a player to lace his boots with pride and play with sheer passion even through the pain barrier. Put your egos and medical concerns aside and play to their glare. You’ll hit an instant hero status if such is done. One wrong turn with your commitment though and you keep your eyes peeled for some fireworks. Or get ready to be shoved into the soccer-version of the Chile mines.

From casual football watchers to the most passionate of soccer devotees, Ghanaians have descended on Kevin’s actions and questioned his commitment to the national cause. They did same with Michael Essien when he decided to be relieved off his duties for the Black Stars albeit temporarily due to injuries yet met the ridicule and scorn of the soccer-loving fan. They simply take not even precious berries compared to your commitment level. For now, you might want to suggest that Kevin understands the drive that comes with playing for Ghana. The locals take nothing to showing pride in the national colours and being committed.

So here’s to those who questioned his commitment. And slapped him with the avaricious tag. 'There was no misunderstanding (with the Ghana FA). After the league game I felt a bit of pain on my hamstring” Boateng said. “So I decided not to go (for the game against Sudan) because I was not 100 percent fit. “For me there was no misunderstanding. There was an email to the Ghana Football Association that I can’t travel and I can’t play. “So for me it was clear and I stayed in Milan and I trained.”

Emphatic enough answer for me. We don’t need another one of our star players stressing their muscles in light of longevity for Ghana, especially when they are not fully fit. It was reverent enough of him to inform the GFA of his problem avoiding the shameful egregious snobbish stunt. I am sure if fully fit he’d have played against Sudan in Kumasi. For now, let’s spare him all the blatant, inane and inconsiderate insults. Really, we don’t want another Essien vacation; we can’t just meet the expense of it. "




And tis piece above was preceded by:



"The World Cup- arguably the greatest theatre of the game- has a colonnade of debates surrounding its neck like an albatross when its date draws close. The discussions and debates, which already are raging on with a few months to go, have players switching nationality as one of its loudest cries. The issue has hit elevated heights on the pages of newspapers, been on the mouthing radars of sports connoisseurs and to a larger picture caused a chit-chat on the literal liaison between the Ghana Football Association and FIFA. The question of chauvinism or opportunism, on a player’s intent to switch countries, has come under the limelight yet again this week for World Cup reasons.

Here, Africa Sports’ Isaac Koufie-Amartey looks at the infamous cases of Portsmouth’s Kevin-Boateng and Adam Kwarasey, the former Norwegian Under-21 goalie who, for want of switch of nationalities, have become talked-about items.
On the surface, only 32 nations would be represented at the FIFA World Cup mundial in South Africa, bringing with them their swarming fans, their raucous chants, their beautiful colours and their indigenous rhythms to liven up the streets of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Soweto and too many a city. But in a world where borders have less and a lesser amount of significance and people move around more without stinting than ever, this is by no means the whole story. A nippy scratch of the surface reveals a veritable mélange of nationalities and backgrounds at the finals. Ghana being one large inclusion!

Just another admirable addition to the Black Stars over-flowing abundance in midfield won’t hurt if that lad had shown promise and the muscles, vigor and affirmative ego to play at the top level. Even if it means backing on the heels of Sepp Blatter for months to sign the dotted lines of paperwork geared to see a certain Boateng pull on a Black Star shirt! Kevin-Prince Boateng has pulled up some stirring, heartening performances for a Portsmouth side that looks certain to have a bite of a Championship cherry next season. He’s proved his “ghetto” upbringing looks the exact opposite of his unsurpassed soccer skill and a passion and zeal to crack up standing ovation-like outings. Aside this show of promise and looking a fine count for team selection, his involvement in the national team set-up has taken a plunge. He would bend his knees, a lot would suggest, having his files signed, stamped and given clearance to feature for his new “countryside”. But that doesn’t sound cheap a talk! And that hasn’t left him of criticisms as well.

The playmaker almost certainly innate his talent: talk of a Ghanaian touch, his uncle was a Ghanaian international, and his grandfather is a cousin of legendary Germany star Helmut Rahn, scorer of the winning goal in the 1954 FIFA World Cup Final. Talk of talent, Boateng boasts exceptional ability, refined technique and a range of ball-juggling tricks. His skill and pace are complemented by advanced tactical awareness and a powerful physique. But all of these show of class doesn’t become a Ghanaian reality if a few situations stalls and stay the same.
Keeping clean sheets have somewhat looked the bane and blight of the Black Stars. A goalkeeper, to put a challenge on the justified first team place for Wigan’s Richard Kingston, would be welcomed in purely footballing terms. Starring for Stromgodset in the Norwegian top flight league, Adam Kwarasey, who’s played for the Under-21 side of his adopted country, has also seen stiff situations in his quest to play for Ghana. At 6ft 4in, Kwarasey is literally head and shoulders above Black Stars regulars Richard Kingston and Philemon McCarthy, who average 5ft 8in. He could well prove a proficient assistant for Kingston and just maybe pick up that solo slot to man the posts.

One issue that’s been stuck on the fronts of these two players is whether they coming with warm, earnest interests or with egotistic reasons. Kevin-Prince has been spat on with accusations that he is only an opportunist as he spurned the chance of playing for Ghana at the FIFA World Cup in Ghana waiting on a call-up by the German national team. Kwarasey also has had his share of the spoils by hands accusing him of not opening up to the Black Stars cause a long while ago and only doing so at this time for selfish reason.
Is their new theme-song to play for Ghana because of higher chances of playing at the championship in South Africa or a desire to share in the passion of a certain 23-million inhabitants? It’s an issue that never seems to be far away, and never fails to polarize public opinion. Your guess is worth an ear!"

Now you judge, if Kevin Prince Boateng has taken us for a ride!!

Glo 'Primary' League

Glo 'Primary' League!
Article by Koufie-Amartey Isaac

Like an incurable disease, our local premier league is still blighted with the dark-aged horror events of yesteryear's thus bringing to the fore it’s stinking, sinking reputation. Our version of the saint-like game (soccer) has been drawn from the English Premier League which has been branded the best soccer league in the world. But there is no jot of doubt that before earning this priceless accolade, certain things were done right to make it attractive in terms of packaging and lucrative in associating with it.

The English Premiership has the best sponsorship and marketing deals football can be associated with in the world. Partners and sponsors like Barclaycard and Sky TV (until recently being joined by Setanta Sports and eventually leaving the scene) have invested huge sums in broadcast rights and other marketing initiatives that have made England home to the best brand of football. What do we see in Ghana? Optimum Media Prime (OMP) is coughing up over two (2) million Ghana cedis into the league and yet nothing has changed in terms of professionalism and positioning.

The management of Ghana football has become a scarecrow to many an interested sponsor who would not want to associate themselves with the uncertainty and unfairness that surrounds our league. Until the court cases and board room wranglings which end up giving points to some clubs to change the order of individual club standings on the league table cease (Tema Youth, a distinctive example), many prospective sponsors will continue to hang on to their money bags.

The impunity with which some companies have resorted to ambush marketing and the glee with which they advertise their products and services at match venues against the ethics of modern day marketing is mind-blogging. As to whether they have the blessing of the powers that be, only the heavens know.

The English Premier League, again my reference point, would continue to the world's finest since its helmsmen have stuck religiously to the principles of marketing and advertising, syndication and production in order not to deny the competition's sponsors their due. The players are well-paid to contribute to the respective clubs in a spirit of competitiveness and backed by a rare sense of professionalism. Club owners over there are fully aware that soccer has shifted camps from being a passion of the nation to being the most sought-after profession with the highest returns and opportunities for personal improvement in the world.

In a country where superstition enjoys the pride of place in football, several reasons can be attributed to Ghana's inability to hold down our own against the other leagues in Africa but I believe poor organization, wrong decisions on the part of the top officials, unfaithfulness to signed-up contracts and poor sporting facilities have played a major role in this mess.

It behooves on the officials of our game to take advantage of the effervescent media landscape to hype our own version of the premier league to ensure that Ghana becomes an enviable brand of the game. The predilection for everything foreign soccer is also not helping matters and it is about time our sports journalist took a second look at the tilt in their reportage. Front pages, editorials and news items of most of the newspapers are exotic and issues bothering Europe play center-stage on our radio and TV stations at the expense of our local league.

Even after the then Onetouch Premier League found some space on Gateway Broadcasting Services (GBS); it still didn’t registered its presence on the minds of Ghanaians not to even talk about those in other countries. The ferocious attacking prowess of Alex Asamoah, sublime skills of Tawrick Jibril and intelligent pass-like-Scholes' attitude of Daniel Yeboah in the Glo Premier League last two year still remain in oblivion denying some of the good players the right exposure to play in the big wig leagues.

It’s been virtually the same this year with good players like John Bissah of Sekondi Hassacas, and Hearts of Oak's duo of Edwin Osei Pele Mahatma Otoo amongst others have been stabbed in the dark with virtually no one getting to know how good they are. Unlike fans of other leagues in Africa who abandon league centers in the midst of ostensible difficulties, our own Glo Premier League continues to enjoy the unflinching support of their followers even in the face of telling challenges. But is the religious support to blame for the seeming apathy on the part of the officials? I doubt such. It a pure, unadulterated case of neglect on the role of the fans.


But one thing that remains preposterous is the fact that the TV rights of our own league has been sold to a foreign company which operates a pay-per-view TV service when most of our local networks are free-to air. I sure am not against the fact that TV stations that get such rights should make the most of their investment but that should not override the desire of the people to enjoy their local leagues.

Our league is shown across Europe ( on BEN TV, a subsidiary of Sky TV) and on DStv and plans are far advanced to penetrate into the US soccer market by the start of next season in 2010 yet not a quip of news on our local stations come to mind. But I don’t blame the TV right owners that much. Some of the local stations have also developed the predilection for airing foreign matches and competitions without making any attempt to get the opportunity to telecast our version on what obtains elsewhere which they continue to make fetish of. The obvious lapse in the agenda setting role of the media needs a second look.

Until the football authorities make right all the dirty wrongs right with respect to sponsorship and TV rights, club officials pay player bonuses and seek lucrative insurance and health policies for its players', management don’t improvise on player welfare, airwaves are awashed with sports programmes around our leagues and soccer fans throng faithfully into stadiums, our league would always be pummeled to a pulp always by the pace-setters.

Bra.Kevin Beatz is a Free Mason?

Bra Kevin’s 3 headed beast freestyle video was the 'illest' thing to it showbiz this year with over 15000 views on YouTube alone. The title of the song is weird. We're wondering what symbolisms the title bears with the song. Creatures like that take fame in Greek mythology and the book of Revelation. More controversy arose when Bra Kevin bespoke 74x9 which are factors for 666, a mythological number identified with the anti-Christ or Lucifer. As if that was not enough Bra Kevin made a hand gesture which is usually identified within the free mason / illuminati circles. The first question that hit me was "does this kid know what he's doing ?" at first I thought it was just me and that I was taking my interpretation of the song to far till someone I discuss music with raised the same issue. We already got Kyeiwa and Akrobetu as witch and vampire already, we don't need another jay-z or Kanye West in our showbiz industry. As artists some of like to create buzzes by pulling all kinds of stunts. These stunts may either make or break your career or influence on the public. However, things seemed to have worked quite well for bra Kevin, mostly due to the fact that the average Ghanaian is ignorant about these things. In the western music industry particularly in America and in hip-hop and R&B circles the free mason movement has been known to take credence among certain big showbiz names. It'll be absolute madness if we copy blindly in the name of fashion because the free masons have been met with a lot of skeptism about their business that is their beliefs and practices especially in the Christian circles. It is said and I quote that they seem to be connected to Satanism and promotion of the reign of the anti-Christ as prophesized by the apostle john in the book of revelation compiled in the latter part of the new testaments of Christian bible. I am open to corrections if I seem to have veered off the path of objectivity in posting this article.

Credit: Osborne, my little cousin..

Agenda-Setting Theory of Maxwell McCombs & Donald Shaw

The power of the press in America is a primordial one. It sets the agenda of public discussion; and this sweeping political power is unrestrained by any law. It determines what people will talk and think about – an authority that in other nations is reserved for tyrants, priests, parties, and mandarins - Theodore White

Mass media has great effect on people’s life. Every day a lot of people read thousands of newspapers, listen to the various radio stations and watch a lot of TV. Say, you are sitting at home, listening to the radio and drinking coffee in the morning. Suddenly your favorite host on the radio says: “Call us now! We are talking about problems of elementary education in the schools. Your opinion is extremely important to us.” Before these words you thought about something else, but after this you begin to think about elementary education. You realize that you have some useful thoughts and opinions about this and pick up the phone to call them. Who knows, maybe your ideas will help somebody to solve the following problem. Before you pick up the phone – think what make you do that. People on the radio decided for you what they are going to discuss today and you became their “prisoner” for the moment. It even made you do something about that (in this case – make a call.) As you can see media has the greatest impact on our lives. We discuss what we saw on TV last night or talk about the latest news we read in the newspapers. Usually we do not even think deeply why we do that. Maybe we should…

This is just what agenda-setting theory is telling about. Agenda – setting theory has been developed by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Show and it gives the opinion that no matter what you think, but matters what you think about. It is very important to realize the meaning of the word “about” in this case. The agenda-setting shows indirect, cognitive effects of mass media. The following theory boasted two attractive features: it reaffirmed the power of the press while still maintaining that individuals were free to choose.

For the first time this agenda – setting theory was mentioned by the University of Wisconsin political scientist Bernard Cohen. Actually Cohen made just a statement that “the news media may not directly affect how the public thinks about political matters, but it does affect what subjects people think about.” Then the theory was discovered by a number of scientists. They demonstrated that the power of media effects goes beyond agenda setting. The scientists Iyengar, Peters, and Kinder in 1982 first identified that people do not have to elaborate the knowledge; they should consider what more readily comes to mind. As you can see this statement somehow eases the work of people’s brain. The media is responsible for the message itself and for the importance of that message. Counting that agenda – setting theory influences individuals indirectly, the agenda of these messages should be set very carefully.

The most important and interesting aspect in agenda setting theory is framing. James Tankard, one of the leading writers on mass communication theory, defines a media frame as “the central organizing idea for news content that supplies a context and suggests what the issue is through the use of selection, emphasis, exclusion and elaboration.” Robert Entman also describes in his article clarifying the concept:

To frame is to select some aspects of a percieved reality and make them more salient in a communication text, in such a way as to promote a paricular problem definition, causual interpretation, moral evaluation and/or treatment recommendation for the item described.

Thus we can see that framing is the reporter’s perception of the problem and how he/she presents it in the newspaper. The popularity of framing as a construct in media studies has resulted in diverse and perhaps contradictory use of the term.

Obviously, news does not select itself. So who sets the agenda for the agenda setters? One view regards a handful of news editors as the guardians, or “gate-keepers”, of political dialogue. Nothing gets put on the political agenda without the concurrence of eight men – the operation chiefs of Associated Press, the New Yourk Times, the Washington Post, Time, Newsweek, ABC, NBC, and CBS. Although there is no evidence to support right-wing conservative charges that the editors are part of a liberal, eastern-establishment conspiracy, these key decision makers are undeniably part of a media elite that does not represent a cross-section of US citizens. The media elite consists of of middle-aged Caucasian males who attend the same conferences, banquets, and parties. When one of them “puffs” a story, the rest of the nation’s media climb aboard.

Some of the examples of agenda-setting theory and how it influences people show that this theory is extremely important in communication and especially while studying media literacy. Chronic social issues are much more dependent on media coverage to raise public consciousness and conscience. For example, journalist C. J. Bosso found that news organizations were slow to react to famine in Ethiopia in the 1980s. But when the press and the television finally picked up the story, everybody began to talk about it. When the media later abandoned the issue, people concluded that the crisis was over and shifted their attention elsewhere. This study illustrates the consistent finding that most people can only concentrate on three to five new topics at a time. If the media bring a new issue to the fore, another topic will recede in the public’s consciousness. The media seem particularly effective in creating public interest in political candidates and campaign strategy. By January 1992, news commentators had decided that Bill Clinton was the leader for the Democratic presidential nomination. “Before a vote was cast, and even though polls showed that more than half of all rank-and-file Democrats did not even know who he was, Clinton was hailed on the covers of Time, The New Republic, and New York magazine.”

Most of us know that sad example of agenda–theory happened in 1930’s when one radio station was translating “The War of the Worlds” by G. Wells. Some people really thought that the beasts from Mars invaded the Earth. One lady even committed a suicide. From this example you can see how easy some people are influenced by mass media.

So who are the people most affected by the media agenda? Now some scientists concluded that they are the people who have a willingness to let the media shape their thinking have a high need for orientation. Others refer to it as an index of curiosity. Need for orientation arises from high relevance and uncertainty. Because I am a dog and cat owner, any story about cruelty to animals always catches my attention (high uncertainty). According to McCombs and Shaw, this combination would make me a likely cnadidate to be influenced by media stories about vivisection. If the news editors of Time and ABC thisnk it is important, I probably will too.

Agenda – setting theory has strong and weak points, as every other theory. It is pretty simple and it works usually in advertisements. When you see the commercial, you hear the information about certain product. But this information not necessarily can be true. You just absorb the story it tells in order to buy the product advertised. Thus the theory usually affects weak people and those who cannot decide what to think by themselves. The theory is not working for everyone. Some people just think what they think and do not pay attention to anything they are told. Only people who want to be influenced by somebody or something can actually be influenced.

McCombs and Shaw have established a plausible case that some people look to print and broadcast news for guidance on which issues are really important. Agenda-setting theory also provides a needed reminder that news stories are just that – stories. The message always requires interpretation. For these reasons, McCombs and Shaw have accomplished the function they ascribe to media. Agenda-setting theory has a priority place on the mass communication agenda.
credit: http://www.lnu.edu.ua/mediaeco/zurnal/N3/kravchenko-engl.htm

The Uses and Gratifications Model of the Media

One influential tradition in media research is referred to as 'uses and gratifications' (occasionally 'needs and gratifications'). This approach focuses on why people use particular media rather than on content. In contrast to the concern of the 'media effects' tradition with 'what media do to people' (which assumes a homogeneous mass audience and a 'hypodermic' view of media), U & G can be seen as part of a broader trend amongst media researchers which is more concerned with 'what people do with media', allowing for a variety of responses and interpretations. However, some commentators have argued that gratifications could also be seen as effects: e.g. thrillers are likely to generate very similar responses amongst most viewers. And who could say that they never watch more TV than they had intended to? Watching TV helps to shape audience needs and expectations.

U & G arose originally in the 1940s and underwent a revival in the 1970s amd 1980s. The approach springs from a functionalist paradigm in the social sciences. It presents the use of media in terms of the gratification of social or psychological needs of the individual (Blumler & Katz 1974). The mass media compete with other sources of gratification, but gratifications can be obtained from a medium's content (e.g. watching a specific programme), from familiarity with a genre within the medium (e.g. watching soap operas), from general exposure to the medium (e.g. watching TV), and from the social context in which it is used (e.g. watching TV with the family). U & G theorists argue that people's needs influence how they use and respond to a medium. Zillmann (cited by McQuail 1987: 236) has shown the influence of mood on media choice: boredom encourages the choice of exciting content and stress encourages a choice of relaxing content. The same TV programme may gratify different needs for different individuals. Different needs are associated with individual personalities, stages of maturation, backgrounds and social roles. Developmental factors seem to be related to some motives for purposeful viewing: e.g. Judith van Evra argues that young children may be particularly likely to watch TV in search of information and hence more susceptible to influence (Evra 1990: 177, 179).

An empirical study in the U & G tradition might typically involve audience members completing a questionnaire about why they watch a TV programme. Denis McQuail offers (McQuail 1987: 73) the following typology of common reasons for media use:

Information

* finding out about relevant events and conditions in immediate surroundings, society and the world
* seeking advice on practical matters or opinion and decision choices
* satisfying curiosity and general interest
* learning; self-education
* gaining a sense of security through knowledge

Personal Identity

* finding reinforcement for personal values
* finding models of behaviour
* identifying with valued other (in the media)
* gaining insight into one's self

Integration and Social Interaction

* gaining insight into circumstances of others; social empathy
* identifying with others and gaining a sense of belonging
* finding a basis for conversation and social interaction
* having a substitute for real-life companionship
* helping to carry out social roles
* enabling one to connect with family, friends and society

Entertainment

* escaping, or being diverted, from problems
* relaxing
* getting intrinsic cultural or aesthetic enjoyment
* filling time
* emotional release
* sexual arousal

Blumler & Katz (1974) argued that audience needs have social and psychological origins which generate certain expectations about the mass media, leading to differential patterns of media exposure which result in both the gratification of needs and in other (often unintended) consequences. This does assume an active audience making motivated choices. However, McQuail suggests that the dominant stance of recent researchers in this tradition is now that:

Personal social circumstances and psychological dispositions together influence both... general habits of media use and also... beliefs and expectations about the benefits offered by the media, which shape... specific acts of media choice and consumption, followed by.... assessments of the value of the experience (with consequences for further media use) and, possibly... applications of benefits acquired in other areas of experience and social activity. (ibid: 235).

James Lull (1990: 35-46) offers a typology of the social uses of television based on ethnographic research.

Social Uses of Television

Structural

* Environmental: background noise; companionship; entertainment
* Regulative: punctuation of time and activity; talk patterns

Relational

* Communication Facilitation: Experience illustration; common ground; conversational entrance; anxiety reduction; agenda for talk; value clarification
* Affiliation/Avoidance: Physical, verbal contact/neglect; family solidarity; family relaxant; conflict reduction; relationhip maintenance
* Social Learning: Decision-making; behaviour modelling; problem-solving; value transmission; legitimization; information dissemination; substitute schooling
* Competence/Dominance: Role enactment; role reinforcement; substitute role portrayal; intellectual validation; authority exercise; gatekeeping; argument facilitation

(Lull 1990: 36)


Watching TV Soap Operas

A major focus for research into why and how people watch TV has been the genre of soap opera. Adopting a U & G perspective, Richard Kilborn (1992: 75-84) offers the following common reasons for watching soaps:

* regular part of domestic routine and entertaining reward for work
* launchpad for social and personal interaction
* fulfilling individual needs: a way of choosing to be alone or of enduring enforced loneliness
* identification and involvement with characters (perhaps cathartic)
* escapist fantasy (American supersoaps more fantastical)
* focus of debate on topical issues
* a kind of critical game involving knowledge of the rules and conventions of the genre


Watching TV Quiz Programmes

McQuail, Blumler and Brown (1972) offered the following summary of clusters of 'uses' that people made of TV quizzes:

Gratifications of TV Quiz Shows: Selected Responses

Self-Rating Appeal

* I can compare myself with the experts
* I like to imagine that I am on the programme and doing well
* I feel pleased that the side I favour has actually won
* I am reminded of when I was in school
* I laugh at the contestants’ mistakes

Basis for Social Interaction

* I look forward to talking about it with others
* I like competing with other people watching with me
* I like working together with the family on the answers
* The children get a lot out of it
* It brings the family together sharing the same interest
* It is a topic of conversation afterwards

Excitement Appeal

* I like the excitement of a close finish
* I like to forget my worries for a while
* I like trying to guess the winner
* Having got the answer right I feel really good
* I get involved in the competition

Educational Appeal

* I find I know more than I thought
* I find I have improved myself
* I feel respect for the people on the programme
* I think over some of the questions afterwards
* It’s educational

(McQuail, Blumler & Brown 1972)

Social class seemed to be related to gratifications here. McQuail et al. noted that most of those who watched quiz programmes for 'self-rating' gratifications lived in council houses and were working-class. 'Excitement' was most commonly reported as a gratification by working-class viewers who were not very sociable. And those who reported 'educational appeal' as the major gratification were those who had left school at the minimum age. John Fiske suggests that these could be seen as compensatory uses of the media 'to gratify needs that the rest of social life frustrates' (Fiske 1982: 136). In contrast, people who reported having many acquaintances in their neighbourhood tended to see the quizzes as a basis for social interaction.


Criticisms of ‘Uses and Gratifications’

The use of retrospective 'self-reports' has several limitations. Viewers may not know why they chose to watch what they did, or may not be able to explain fully. The reasons which can be articulated may be the least important. People may simply offers reasons which they have heard others mention. More promising might be the study of people's engagement with media as it happens.

Some degree of selectivity of media and content is clearly exercised by audiences (e.g. choice or avoidance of TV soap operas. However, instrumental (goal-directed) accounts assume a rational choice of appropriate media for predetermined purposes. Such accounts over-emphasize informational purposes and ignore a great deal in people's engagement with media: TV viewing can be an end in itself. There is evidence that media use is often habitual, ritualistic and unselective (Barwise & Ehrenberg 1988). But more positively, TV viewing can sometimes be seen as aesthetic experience in which intrinsic motivation is involved.

The U & G approach has been criticized as 'vulgar gratificationism'. It is individualistic and psychologistic, tending to ignore the socio-cultural context. As a theoretical stance it foregrounds individual psychological and personality factors and backgrounds sociological interpretations. For instance, David Morley (1992) acknowledges that individual differences in interpretation do exist, but he stresses the importance of subcultural socio-economic differences in shaping the ways in which people interpret their experiences with TV (via shared 'cultural codes'). U & G theorists tend to exaggerate active and conscious choice, whereas media can be forced on some people rather than freely chosen. The stance can also lead to the exaggeration of openness of interpretation, implying that audiences may obtain almost any kind of gratification regardless of content or of 'preferred readings'. Its functionalist emphasis is politically conservative: if we insist that people will always find some gratifications from any use of media, we may adopt a complacently uncritical stance towards what the mass media currently offer.

U & G research has been concerned with why people use media. Whilst this approach sprang from 'mainstream' research in social science, an interpretive tradition has arisen primarily from the more arts-oriented 'cultural (and 'critical') studies'. The approach sometimes referred to as reception theory (or reception analysis) focuses on what people see in the media, on the meanings which people produce when they interpret media 'texts' (e.g. Hobson 1982, Ang 1985, Seiter, Borchers, Kreutzner & Warth 1989). This perspective tends to be associated with the use of interviews rather than questionnaires. Such interviews are often with small groups (e.g. with friends who watch the same TV programmes). The emphasis is on specific content (e.g. a particular soap opera) and on specific social contexts (e.g. a particular group of working-class women viewers).

credit: http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/short/usegrat.html

Hypodermic Needle Theory

Communication is an immeasurable concept which has been naturally coupled with human. In its plain definition, it means the process of transforming a message and information from the source to the receiver or its better to define it as “the process of creating shared meaning.” (J.Baran, Introduction to Mass Communication). With technological growth, many media inventions have been founded and as such have pushed media practitioners and researchers to find another term for this process which is “mass media”. Mass communication, thus, is the “process of transforming a message created by a person in a group to large audience or market through a transforming device which is the medium”. Mass media, as you would expect, has become an ingredient of human life and is sturdily affecting it. As a result, there are numerous theories and approaches done by researchers to understand and describe these effects. The Hypodermic Needle Theory of Media Influence is one of these theories. This theory suggests simple concepts about media and audiences and I will illustrate these suggestions and apply it on news.

In adding up, if we want to discuss a media theory, we at the outset have to begin with the core point of media studies tasks which is the audience/addresses. Audiences are “the receivers of the message and also they are responders of it”. It’s very imperative for media producers to comprehend the process of receiving the message by the audiences and how those audiences act in response to that message. Actually, they have to understand what is happening in the audience’s minds when they receive the message. Media producers should also be sentient of their audience’s ages, classes, sex and social location. Understanding these elements leads for improved responding and outcomes. Following the demographic method in studying audience, makes media producers able to outline their messages to appeal to their audiences. They will be able to know what kind of message will be more effective for those audiences. Through the time, media researchers have developed several effects models. They found explanations for media influence on people and how they respond to the messages. They analysed how these dissimilar messages effects the behavior of the audience. They came out with many theories about this field which are still ardently researched and debated.

The hypodermic needle theory is one of the most famed and well-known theories that analyses the correlation between an audience and the media. This theory was urbanized in the early 1920s with the commencement of mass media, radio and movies (movies). In its plain description, this theory suggests that mass media can easily persuade a large group of people without any resistance and challenge from those people. “It views audience as the passive receptors of virulent viruses produce by the media” (Starker, Evil Influences: Crusades against the Mass Media). In reality, it suggests that mass media instill messages and information unswervingly and unvaryingly into audiences’ minds who without delay will be influenced. This theory did not agree with those who are say “the audiences are using their experience, intelligence and opinion to analyze the message”. Therefore, media creators and producers can control the audience and inject the information and messages that they want. According to this theory, if one watches a violent movie, he\she will do violence. Although it doesn't take any account of people's individualism, it still is very accepted
The governments understood the clout of this theory. They used it to influence people and pass their decisions which their community might not be fond of and support. The magic is done by news. Media producers know that people spend most of their time using the media where they receive their information. By applying the hypodermic needle theory and controlling the content of the news, manipulating people will be simple. The most efficient, common and effective medium to deliver this kind of messages is TV, the main supply of news. As for the theory, whatever kind of news content is shown on TV, it will be injected on people’s minds and it will influence them. They will not face up to it because there is no other source. They will accept it and believe it specially if it came from famous media such as TV3, GTV, Metro TV and even the Daily Graphic. An excellent example of the power of news is the “War of the Worlds”. On the eve of Halloween (a festive October season in the States), there was breaking news on radio that Martians (people from Mars) had begun an invasion of Earth in a place called Grover's Mill, New Jersey. About one million out of 12 millions in the US who heard this news really believed it. “A wave of mass hysteria disrupted households, interrupted religious services, caused traffic jams and clogged communication systems.” This example is a good one about the power of news and it proved the theory.

All in all, the hypodermic needle theory is still fervently debated while many related theories keep showing up. All of these theories are focusing on the effects of mass media on the audiences.

Pure Nationalism or Selfish Opportunism?

The World Cup- arguably the greatest theatre of the game- has a colonnade of debates surrounding its neck like an albatross when its date draws close. The discussions and debates, which already are raging on with a few months to go, have players switching nationality as one of its loudest cries. The issue has hit elevated heights on the pages of newspapers, been on the mouthing radars of sports connoisseurs and to a larger picture caused a chit-chat on the literal liaison between the Ghana Football Association and FIFA. The question of chauvinism or opportunism, on a player’s intent to switch countries, has come under the limelight yet again this week for World Cup reasons.
Here, Africa Sports’ Isaac Koufie-Amartey looks at the infamous cases of Portsmouth’s Kevin-Boateng and Adam Kwarasey, the former Norwegian Under-21 goalie who, for want of switch of nationalities, have become talked-about items.
On the surface, only 32 nations would be represented at the FIFA World Cup mundial in South Africa, bringing with them their swarming fans, their raucous chants, their beautiful colours and their indigenous rhythms to liven up the streets of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Soweto and too many a city. But in a world where borders have less and a lesser amount of significance and people move around more without stinting than ever, this is by no means the whole story. A nippy scratch of the surface reveals a veritable mélange of nationalities and backgrounds at the finals. Ghana being one large inclusion!
Just another admirable addition to the Black Stars over-flowing abundance in midfield won’t hurt if that lad had shown promise and the muscles, vigor and affirmative ego to play at the top level. Even if it means backing on the heels of Sepp Blatter for months to sign the dotted lines of paperwork geared to see a certain Boateng pull on a Black Star shirt! Kevin-Prince Boateng has pulled up some stirring, heartening performances for a Portsmouth side that looks certain to have a bite of a Championship cherry next season. He’s proved his “ghetto” upbringing looks the exact opposite of his unsurpassed soccer skill and a passion and zeal to crack up standing ovation-like outings. Aside this show of promise and looking a fine count for team selection, his involvement in the national team set-up has taken a plunge. He would bend his knees, a lot would suggest, having his files signed, stamped and given clearance to feature for his new “countryside”. But that doesn’t sound cheap a talk! And that hasn’t left him of criticisms as well.
The playmaker almost certainly innate his talent: talk of a Ghanaian touch, his uncle was a Ghanaian international, and his grandfather is a cousin of legendary Germany star Helmut Rahn, scorer of the winning goal in the 1954 FIFA World Cup Final. Talk of talent, Boateng boasts exceptional ability, refined technique and a range of ball-juggling tricks. His skill and pace are complemented by advanced tactical awareness and a powerful physique. But all of these show of class doesn’t become a Ghanaian reality if a few situations stalls and stay the same.
Keeping clean sheets have somewhat looked the bane and blight of the Black Stars. A goalkeeper, to put a challenge on the justified first team place for Wigan’s Richard Kingston, would be welcomed in purely footballing terms. Starring for Stromgodset in the Norwegian top flight league, Adam Kwarasey, who’s played for the Under-21 side of his adopted country, has also seen stiff situations in his quest to play for Ghana. At 6ft 4in, Kwarasey is literally head and shoulders above Black Stars regulars Richard Kingston and Philemon McCarthy, who average 5ft 8in. He could well prove a proficient assistant for Kingston and just maybe pick up that solo slot to man the posts.
One issue that’s been stuck on the fronts of these two players is whether they coming with warm, earnest interests or with egotistic reasons. Kevin-Prince has been spat on with accusations that he is only an opportunist as he spurned the chance of playing for Ghana at the FIFA World Cup in Ghana waiting on a call-up by the German national team. Kwarasey also has had his share of the spoils by hands accusing him of not opening up to the Black Stars cause a long while ago and only doing so at this time for selfish reason.
Is their new theme-song to play for Ghana because of higher chances of playing at the championship in South Africa or a desire to share in the passion of a certain 23-million inhabitants? It’s an issue that never seems to be far away, and never fails to polarize public opinion. Your guess is worth an ear!