Abstract This paper discusses the good and bad sides of censorship and points out the need for a balance. The paper focuses on three types of censorship: military censorship, censorship of pornography and violence, and ideological censorship. The paper contains an annotated bibliography.
From the Paper "The concept of censorship is relatively simple: material that is harmful to people in some way should not be allowed to circulate where they can see, hear or be influenced by it. Material that incites people to commit acts of violence..."
Abstract The topic of censorship is usually applied to less-developed countries, but it is crucial to remember that censorship is found in varying aspects in all countries. This paper addresses England as a country that promotes censorship as both a mechanism for civil defense and a means of ensuring the welfare of their citizens.
Abstract The focus of this paper is to discuss the censorship of a Newberry Medal children's book, "The Highest Power of Lucky," by Susan Patron. More specifically, the writer questions whether the word "scrotum" should cause a Newberry Medal children's book to be banned from libraries. The writer also discusses whether librarians have the right to ban a book because it has a word or phrase that relates to sex. The writer maintains that the censorship of books is wrong, especially when the book is being banned due to one word or phrase.
Outline:
Looking at the Book, "The Highest Power of Lucy"
Why the Author Used the Word
Censoring Children's Books
Censorship Creating Problems with Educational Staff
The Problems with Censorship
From the Paper "Only at the end of the book does Lucky trust her guardian to ask the meaning of the word. Lucky is similar to many students today who have single parents in their lives. Lucky can also be compared to many latchkey children who fend for themselves while their parents are at work. Many of these children learn words and actions that are not appropriate, but it is a part of their every day life. Reading about Lucky will not reveal words that these children know anyway."
"When deciding to ban a book, the librarian should consider the purpose of the book. Why has the author created this book? What is the main purpose of the book? These questions should be considered before deciding whether the book is inappropriate. The themes of the book center on Lucky becoming a grown-up who needs to learn about language and body parts. If Lucky does not learn the meaning of words from her guardian, then more than likely she will learn about different words from her peers. Children will learn the definitions to different words whether they do it through parents, friends, or peers. Would it be better to learn different words from parents or peers?"
Abstract This is a persuasive paper that analyzes the proponents of censorship. In recent years, the American entertainment industry has undergone vast changes in aspects such as music, television and Internet, and what began as innocent entertainment is no longer. Censorship is emerging into the limelight once again, as children are immensely affected by what they see, and their intentions of repeating what they see makes censorship ever more important today. The amount of violence in all forms of entertainment must somehow be regulated or censored in some way to protect the innocent youth of today.
From the Paper "Please note the following: ?Where Them Ho's At;? ?Tits;? and ?Simple Instructions for Assembling a Bomb with Household Materials.? The title of a song, a word used in a TV drama, and something easily accessible from the Internet. What might these three things have in common? They are all salient factors in the corruption of today's youth. These are not the types of programs and songs our country's future leaders should have access to. "Entertainment" such as this has been proven to cause aggression in young children, causing them to be more prone to use violence to settle disputes. It also exposes children to adult situations they are not yet suited to understand, which in turn confuses them. More stringent laws must be passed for the sake of our nation's impressionable, innocent young children."
Abstract A paper which explains how the American Congress has interpreted the First Amendment when deciding on levels of censorship. The paper explores the different issues of what is and what is not defined as freedom of speech. Examples of what is not covered by the First Amendment may be obscenity, "fighting words" and incitement. The paper also discusses how, with the growth of the Internet, the laws should grow with technology and adapt themselves accordingly.
From the Paper "An area which is not yet completely clear is the subject of Commercial Speech. Deceptive commercial speech can be banned by government, but further regulation of corporations must be taken on a case by case basis. The government can also control speech that is intended and likely to incite lawless action. This also applies in a situation where the speech poses a clear and present danger to the nations security. This is known as "incitement" and was decided in the case of Brandenburg v. Ohio."
Based on the premise that the media dictates our body images, this paper asserts that the judicious use of censorship could help combat eating disorders.
It is a simple fact that 15-year old, rail-thin girls are modeling clothes targeted at the 20-35
900 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 2 sources, 2002, $ 35.95
Abstract There is a clear and identifiable link of causation between the media and the engaging in self-destructive behaviors by consumers that could be easily broken with judicious use of censorship. Overwhelmingly, research demonstrates that there are direct links between images seen on television and in magazines and perceptions of the self among consumers of those images. It is the purpose of this paper to demonstrate that through a conscientious censorship effort we can effectively end the epidemic of body image and related eating-disorder problems that has been wracking our culture for generations.
This paper illustrates the effects of censorship in the film industry as depicted in the documentary film "Hollywood Censored: Movies, Morality and the Production Code."
Abstract This paper focuses on the documentary "Hollywood Censored: Movies, Morality and the Production Code" which illustrates the effects of censorship in the film industry. This paper examines the religious condemnation, societal expectations and financial insecurity that have plagued Hollywood and the film industry since the early 1900s. This paper discusses the profound effect the Catholic church had on Hollywood. The Legion of Decency was created in order to clean up to films that were being shown to society. The hold of the Catholic church in the major cities was massive and as long as Hollywood produced films the religious authorities felt were morally harmful to society, priests and parishioners would continue to ban films. The writer also examines the events that led up to the film industry being granted 1st amendment protection in 1952, in which films were finally viewed as an art form.
From the Paper "In 1952 movies were granted First Amendment protection and films were finally seen as an art form. This came about after the studios were deemed monopolies and forced to give up their movie palaces. Theaters were now free to show any type of film they pleased and were not held liable to the production code. This allowed directors and producers a freedom they had not seen in many years. Breen's theories and strict regulations became obsolete. The control Hollywood and the courts had given him had been relinquished. As the freedom of the theaters grew, the power of the production code fell and in 1962 the production code was officially done away with and replaced with the ratings systems we now have. One producer in the documentary quotes Robert Graves by saying that "It's impossible for any artist not to be a part of his society even if he is against it" (Hollywood). Simply put, this means that as an artist, producer or director, it would be impossible, whether intended or not, to not mirror the society from which the art was created."
Tags: film, hollywood, industry, monopoly, censorship, religion, catholic, church
Abstract This paper takes a look at the concept of freedom of speech and the history of free speech and censorship in the USA. According to this paper, the American public also need to understand that if there is not equal protection for the rights of everyone then society will never truly be free. This paper questions that perhaps the answer exists in learning from a multitude of voices about both the subjects that inspire us and the subjects that remind us of the type of people that Americans will never want to be.
From the Paper "America is considered the freest society in the world. Here people are free to make choices about their lives that deal with education, shelter, political affiliations, and government support. This free choice often leads Americans to believe that they have the largest voice of any citizenry, and a constitution that will support their ability to be heard. Yet, within the country there are issues of free speech and censorship that continue to be debated in the judicial system, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Supreme Court of the United States. Therefore, although the country has made great strides in defining what is considered free speech and what is illegal censorship throughout the decades, it is apparent that this concern will always have a new focus of consideration because American citizens will never stop fighting for their freedoms."
Abstract The paper discusses the mass proliferation of information on the Internet and highlights the issue of ownership, accuracy and privacy. The paper relates that the supporters of censorship argue that it is in the best interest of the public to protect them from deceitful or harmful information, however the central argument made in this investigation is that the Internet should not be censored. The paper considers these issues and provides a balanced overview.
Outline:
Introduction
Literature Review
Synthesis of the Data
Conclusion
From the Paper "Although support for internet censorship demonstrates a clear need to protect users from questionable and offensive content, Kreimer (2006) reports that the decision to implement internet censorship will serve as a slippery slope for the degradation of the freedom of speech. As reported by this author, supporters of internet censorship have argued that this process is necessary to protect individuals from harm. However, Kreimer argues that when making these claims, scholars do not provide any justification for what content should be censored and by whom. As the realm of "questionable" contend expands, internet users will witness a reduction in their ability to access information and to share information. Over the long-term, Kreimer asserts, this will erode basic free speech rights."
This paper presents a detailed examination of censorship. The writer explores the reasons that the first amendment should not always be followed and how censorship in some cases may be the best course of action.
Abstract An opinion paper about how there are times that censorship should be instituted. The writer argues that in most cases the attempt to censor or the act of censorship is something that should be fought at all costs, however there are occasional times when censorship would be beneficial. It explains why the nation should follow the constitutional first amendment in most instances but in light of recent historical events it is time to rethink the 100 percent rule. The use of censorship for the protection of millions is something that needs to be revisited, and embraced.
From the Paper "On 9-11-2003 the nation watched in terror as the towers came down. Until then the nation's residents had lived in the secure belief that they were untouchable and that the strength of the United States constitution and all of its amendments were a brick wall surrounding the country from harm(Page pg L15). The rights and protections of the first amendment have been challenged periodically throughout the nation's history but after the terrorist attacks it has become evident that there needs to be some flexibility when it comes to the issue of censorship with regards to first amendment rights. In a recent survey more than half of those participants who took it believed that the time has come to provide some flexibility in the first amendment and that some forms of censorship are positive actions for the emotional, physical and collateral safety of those who live here. In the 2002 survey, nearly half of those questioned said they believe the First Amendment goes way overboard in guaranteeing rights to Americans? though many politicians spoke out in favor of the amendment(Page pg L15). "
Abstract In this paper the author examines the changes in television censorship that have occurred over the past 50 years. He looks at how censorship has developed in relation to the development of the television itself. He examines that with the technological advancement of television there have also been technological advances in censorship such as the violence chip, more commonly known as the V-chip. The author describes how the V-chip was developed as an aid for parents to screen out certain programs that have been rated for violent content. The author discusses the laws that have been introduced to help television censorship and how they have been accepted by the general public. In conclusion the author reminds us that censorship is not enough and the viewing time of our impressionable youth also needs to be reduced.
From the Paper "These changes from television's inception are clearly not positive. Both underage smoking and the burden of dealing with the lessons children learn from violence in the media has been placed on parents; it has not been seen as a responsibility of the masses. However, lessons surrounding both topics are played out every day in the classroom, schoolyard, home, and wider community. Moreover, both issues have become public health issues that affect all of us. As such, it may seem plausible that censorship is indeed the answer. However, the true issue is personal responsibility, since consenting adults should have the right to buy legal products and should also have the right to advertising to determine which brand they should buy. Instead of censorship, it is time to work together to reduce the problems created by smoking and violence for our children."
Abstract This paper discusses the topic of censorship in American music and, specifically, it names some groups or bands that were subject to censorship during their careers and the ways were they censored. It also looks at song lyrics that were "bleeped out" or otherwise edited and warning labels on recordings. It explores how American music has existed since the 19th century and has grown tremendously since the advent of rap, hip-hop, and rock and roll, and how censorship may seem logical because of the escalating number of violent and hateful lyrics in popular music. It also debates whether this kind of censorship makes a mockery of our Constitution, which guarantees our right to free speech and our right to disagree.
From the Paper "Music censorship is an ongoing trial for musicians and composers in America, partly because music is such an integral part of our lives. As one expert wrote, "Music, patterns of organized sound and silence in time, is important to people, evidenced by the presence of some form of music in virtually every culture. Not every person cares about any one particular piece of music, but almost every person cares about something musical" (Bindas xi). While much attention has been given to the censorship of music in the past decade, in fact, musical censorship has a long history in America."
Abstract Censorship in media is the management and control of the ideas and information circulated surrounded by a society. This paper examines how, in contemporary times, censorship denotes the assessment of media including periodicals, books, motion pictures, plays, and television as well as radio programs, for the purpose of suppressing or altering parts thought to be distasteful. The paper examines the censorship process on the media.
Paper Outline
Introduction
Censorship of Media
Books/Printed Materials
Films
Music
Corporate Media
Advertising
References
From the Paper "Corporate media is a term of mockery used by media critics in American political conversation, particularly by progressives and leftists, to entail that the mainstream media is maneuvered by large multinational companies. The critics mention that the major nationwide networks, CBS, NBC, and ABC, and most if not all of the smaller cable channels, are in possession of large corporations: CBS Corporation, General Electric, and Disney correspondingly that they say control and clean out news that does not fit their business schema. They also dispute that the programming on Fox News Channel plainly reflects the traditional perspectives of Rupert Murdoch, who owns and heads FOX parent company News Corp., over and above Roger Ailes, the CEO of FOX News itself."
Abstract The paper claims that censorship on the Internet represents one of the greatest threats to the integrity and usefulness of the Internet as a medium for the exchange of information. The paper argues against totalitarian and repressive regimes controlling their citizenry by means of censorship. It further argues against those that wish to foist their own morals on others by limiting the access individuals have to pornographic material. The paper asserts that censorship is a practice that is exacted by the powerful upon the weak to forward some agenda. The paper contends that as a practice, censorship should be eliminated on the Internet or, at the very least, reduced at every opportunity.
From the Paper "The growing ubiquity of the Internet means that new issues, once confined to the "real" world, have spilled over into cyberspace. Censorship in particular has been a significant concern ever since the Internet grew into a popular medium of communication. Now, unfortunately, censorship is no longer a concern; instead, it is a reality on the Internet and one that seems to be ever-increasing. Censorship on the Internet represents one of the greatest threats to the integrity and usefulness of the Internet as a medium for the exchange of information."
