Post Class 11/7

After talking in class, I was able to make many connections with Bourdieu's text on television. Bourdieu's concept of TV news was something that really stood out to me. He wrote, "TV News suits everybody because it confirms what they already know and, above all, leaves their mental structures intact"(254). Bourdieu argues that TV News is produced for entertainment. There are sets of top headlines, which can be found on all the major television networks. As viewers, we like the production and therefore accept this. Barthes idea of “pleasure of the text” can explain this argument as well. If we think about a reporting of a crime on a television news program, there is a consistent set up of production. The news anchors and reporters are actors as they navigate the viewer through a story with little substance. The viewer is shown the crime scene from a far distance, with the cops circling the same spot and no real footage being shown. It is staged in order to intrigue the viewer and tell whatever specific story the news program wants to relay. Bourdieu also argues that while printed press is still alive, they may raise an issue or scandal, but it does not grab a large audiences attention until television takes it and gives it full orchestration. This is the exact reason why television is about to manipulate a news story however they would like it to be perceived by the viewers.