Rhetorical Analysis Essay:

The Necessity of Television

Introduction

Have you ever visited the home of a friend, neighbor, or relative and not seen a television on display in at least one room. What is it that most Americans do with their free time? There is a reason that the answers to these questions are obvious, and that is because watching television is a hegemonic ideology in American culture. It isn’t necessarily related to some more common ideologies that exist in the world such as religious, racial, or governmental form of ideology, but watching TV has definitely become a major part of life that trumps many other hobbies and extracurricular activities. One is easily a part of the minority if you do not own a TV, want a larger one, or more channels to watch on it.

Artifact

The artifact that will be used for criticism is an advertisement from 1965 for one of the first color televisions. It was produced by RCA (http://www.tvhistory.tv/255ka25a6.jpg) and features an elegantly dressed couple around their new color TV. They are in a white room that looks like it would be in a wealthy person home. The TV is the focal point of the room. The man and woman are both very happy and seem very satisfied with their new television. The woman in particular seems to be taking great care and being almost delicate with her new possession as she turns the channel. 

The other part of the ad is the write up and description of it. I will write it out here because it can be difficult to see looking at the picture I have of the ad. It says:

“ Your guests arrive. One of them notices your handsome new TV set. You turn it on, not saying a word.

Then...’Oh, it’s Color TV!’ someone exclaims.

Listen to their excited comments. How big the picture is! How true the colors are!

Then you tell them about the wonders you watch in brilliant color. Spectaculars...stirring plays...college football.”

There are other parts of the text that show the prices and some of the other specs for the TV as well, but the part I goes along with my analysis is the text I wrote out above.

Hegemonic Ideology

Having looked at and examined the artifact, I will now explain what an ideology is and how something can be hegemonic. “An ideology is a pattern of beliefs that determines a group’s interpretations of some aspect of the world” (Foss 2009, p. 209). That leaves the door open for what that aspect is. In the case of this artifact the ideology would be in a way about entertainment in America, but it goes beyond just entertainment, it is also about getting information, learning, and many other aspects that TV falls under. 

The way that an Ideology becomes hegemonic is when that ideology overpowers all of the other options related to it. For example the American public as a whole aren’t flocking to subscribe to satellite radio, rent books from the library or download them on a tablet to read. Sure these are still popular forms of entertainment, but nothing compared to television. Everything happens through television, the news, sports, presidential speeches, movies, cooking, shopping, games, and just about everything you can think of. It is advertised in every way, and because it has access to so much it has become almost a necessity and a part of the normal way of life, just imagine your life without it.

Findings

With the artifact and description of the lens being used for criticism in place, It is time to explain my analysis and findings. At the point in time of this advertisement, the 1960’s, I wouldn’t say that watching television was quite the hegemony that it has become today, but it was part of the early stages, and ads such as this one were a small part of creating the ideology that a person needs TV. 

The painting of the couple surrounding the almost gold looking TV, that sits in the middle of their fancy living room almost like an altar or shrine is part of the way this artifact portrays the necessity and prestige of having a TV. It is the center of attention and showpiece of the home for guests and the family that resides there. The text portion of the artifact depicts the three parts of the television ideology that I mentioned in the introduction to this analysis. First is that the first thing the guests notice is the person’s TV. Second is that they also are concerned about the size and quality of the television. Third it was important to put in the options or type of programing you can watch with it. 

Television controls the lifestyle of so many, though size, quality and what is actually viewed on the TV varies between every home, it is the fact that there is one in nearly every home and that it is such a focus that is somewhat startling if you step outside the box for a moment. Isn’t it odd that we let an electronic device consume so much of our attention. TV’s are fascinating and are the means of a lot of great information and entertainment, but it is something that didn’t exist for thousands of years of human existence and suddenly it is a hegemony that doesn’t seem to be going out of style at any future point.

Insight

I hadn’t really thought about how much people are attached to TV and why. In my line of work I try to sell people phone, television service, and internet. I speak with about 40 people a day from all around the country, and they come from all walks of life. I have worked in this position for about one year and I have not spoke with anyone that did not not use some sort of television in their home. Sometime people will not have computers or need a home phone, but everyone has a TV. It is one of those things that it just a part of your life and you don’t think about. 

I don’t think that television is bad. It has a lot of great qualities, but after analyzing it under the lens of it being a hegemonic ideology, I wish that everyone could see some of its aspects in a different light. I didn’t get into much detail about it above, but TV wastes so much time, and people spend so much money on programing and bigger, nicer screens. That time and money could go to more productive areas, such as recreation or limitless other things. So in that sense I believe the analysis opens up the thought of what we could be doing and focusing on as a society if television wasn’t such a hegemony today.

Sources:

Foss, S. K. (2009). Rhetorical criticism: Exploration and practice. Long Grove, Ill: Waveland Press.