User:Jesswalther

Jess Walther
My name is Jess, and I'm a Drake University TV producing student working on a class project via Wikipedia. The course is called Global Youth Studies with Professor Darcie Vandegrift, and our goal as a class is to add quality information with a global approach to youth studies in a variety of subjects. My major is Radio-Television Producing, and I'm using my particular interest to examine the way youth engage with new media, particularly reality television.

Research Proposal
For my project, I plan to research reality television as it relates to adolescents all over the world. I will be adding a "Youth audience" sub-genre section to the already developed Reality television page.

Similar to the way we format our brief assignments for class, I will open up the article with a foundational overview of reality television as a youth-oriented media, then follow with small sections of information from a variety of countries around the world, highlighting some of the more popular programs offered in each region. This should provide a well-rounded article with a global perspective.

Update
After checking in with Professor Vandegrift, my next step in the process is to expand my introductory paragraph of my article, focusing on some of the theoretical debate surrounding youth media consumption practices. This research will frame the global examples I provide within a context of global youth studies, as well as contribute to the analysis portion of the article. I'd also like to continue looking for more programming, particularly in the Middle East, a region I haven't really looked into yet.

I'm also starting the peer review process, which I really look forward to. It's awesome to see how these projects are coming along!

Draft: Youth audience
See my Sandbox for the latest revisions to my article.

According to Neilson Media Research for 2006, four of the ten most popular programs among viewers under 17 were reality shows. Furthermore, studies show that young people even emulate the behavior displayed on these programs, gathering much of their knowledge of the social world from television. This knowledge relates particularly to consumer practices, which is significant, given that the youth demographic accounts for over $20 billion of annual spending in the United States alone. Research also shows that young people frequently multitask while watching television, engaging in social media and text messaging. This allows advertisers and programmers to access youth from a variety of media at the same time, capitalizing on this lucrative demographic market. The strategic targeting of specific audiences involves an assessment of common values, and those common values for youth include popularity/belonging, achievement/self-fulfillment, and excitement/enjoyment. Programmers can appeal to these values by involving celebrities, competition and high-drama situations. Reality television blurs the line between celebrity and ordinary, making the media an increasingly accessible and flexible entity for youth to engage with.

China
In China, under-30-year-olds make up roughly 40% of the 1.3 billion people in the country, which accounts for about one fifth of the world population. In a bustling post-Maoist economy and increasingly competitive job market, Chinese youth are constantly striving to rise to an inflated standard, which is communicated to them through media, including reality television. Reality shows grew significantly with the launch of MTV China, which localized content to appeal specifically to Chinese youth.

The program, "Super Girls' Voice," which first aired in 2005, exemplifies the way new media has captured the values of Chinese youth and built a commodity. Not only was the show immensely popular among young viewers, but the program allowed the audience to participate in the judgment and reward of each contestant on the show by voting via text message. Some critics believed that this format held cultural, social and political significance, as young people in China were more or less able to control the content of television programming, rather than succumb to government-approved programs. At the same time, some critics argued that "Super Girls' Voice" perpetuated a stereotypical image of the impossible ideal, and was overall harmful to Chinese youth.

India
The most successful reality television program in India, "Indian Idol," is expanding its franchise, launching "Indian Idol Junior." Indian Idol was an instant hit, and though the show has run seven seasons, it holds its place as the most popular television program in India. In the summer of 2007, coverage of the third season focused on the breaking down of cultural and socioeconomic barriers as the public rallied around the show's top two contestants, showing how participatory media can mobilize the public and transcend ethnic and religious boundaries. The new "Indian Idol Junior" may offer the same cultural significance for youth as they participate in this high-profile competition. Panel judge and music director Shekhar Ravjiani said that the children "may need to be corrected in a subtle way and nurtured properly," suggesting that the program will be constructive to the participating youth. Producers hope the show will offer a fresh perspective of young talent in India.

Africa
Africa has a population of 1 billion, with half of those people under 35. In the past few years, new television programs have launched all across Africa to engage this large group of youth with the surrounding world.

In 2011, MTV Base "Meets" was released in Africa, and in August of 2012, the second season was exclusively broadcast in Ghana by ViaSat-1. "Meets" is a multimedia youth empowerment program that motivates teens by introducing them to prominent role models in the African community--leaders, public figures, etc. The initiative allows youth to meet face-to-face with these global icons and ask questions as a panel. Featured guests on the program have included Sir Richard Branson, Alicia Keys, Aliko Dangote, President Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, Ben Murray-Bruce, Julius Malema, President Paul Kagame and Hugh Masekela. Senior Vice President and Managing Director of MTV Networks Africa, Alex Okosi, commended the participants: They are fearless and have attitude. Their no-holds-barred approach will make for exciting television viewing as they fire big questions to the influential people whose actions and opinions have a direct impact on their lives." In a September 2012 episode, panelists met with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, South African peace activist and Nobel Prize winner. The panelists were university students from all across Africa, and they discussed issues of activism, tolerance and faith. By the end of the interview, the Archbishop said he felt inspired and impressed by the students that showed him how the young generation in Africa is going to positively impact the world.

"30 Minitz" is another reality show released in 2012 that showcases local and international musical talent, revealing how the creative process unfolds and results in a completed song and music video.

Indonesia
With the younger generations gaining more influence over mainstream media, reality television shows have surpassed soap operas in Indonesia as the most-watched programs on the air. One popular program that appeals to and involves young people is called "Termehek-Mehek," which translates roughly to "Sobbing." The series follows young, middle-class people as they are temporarily placed into lower-class life, where they learn to appreciate their lives back home by experiencing what the less fortunate experience in their daily lives. Critics have claimed that this particular program reinforces the ideals of American and British lifestyles, which place significant importance on consumer practices.

5/1/2013 reviews
Content: Great job acquiring information from lots of different areas; I think it would make sense to also find some information for Europe unless there is a specific reason that you did not look at Europe. The information you found was really interesting and it covered a lot of ground too which is good.

WP community standards: You cited correctly and you used a lot of sources, great job! Your information is straight facts which is Wikipedia appropriate.

Structure of article: I cannot tell if you merged your information with the page you are editing. If you haven't done this I would say that is your next step. You have an introductory paragraph which is good and it makes sense. The facts appear in logical places/headings. I would say maybe try to integrate an image if at all possible; this may help to add more interest to your page.

Writing Style: Your information is concise and easy to understand. Your tone is also formal; although there are some statements within your writing that you could elaborate more on to give your article more depth. You have a lot of good hyperlinks and not too many.

I think that overall this information looks great, nice job! Melholle (talk) 12:36, 30 April 2013 (UTC)