"The media (books, film, music, television, for example) tend to create rather than reflect the values of a society."

　　The media does tend to create rather than reflect the values of a society.

　　One example of this observation is the fact that the media is owned, controlled and used my a segment of the population that is usually out of touch with the realities of groups within the society it covers. . . For example, the gangster rappers have gained a reputation for being women hating, anti-authority, and violent. Before, the MTV and V-H1 and CNN provided coverage to these groups, theyre were limited to street sales and specific areas that w ere not mainstream. Thanks to national coverage in print and broadcast, these groups becaome more popular because it was "different" and taboo. The lyrics, dances, and fashion statements portrayed became big money items and surburbanited people were intrigued withe this counter-culture. They began to act, talk and behave like the lyrics espressed. Continued media fenzy contributed to kids wanting to become more familiar with this culture, thereby creating an atmosphere or arena for this counter-culturre to legitimate. The media created these values but these vlaues of the gangster rapeer do not reflect the actual values of the society.

　　Another example of the media creating the values of a society is the coverage of the modeling industry. Clearly, most women neither want to or can look like Kate Moss. The typical Calvin Klein male models do not appear the way most men are naturally. This look is both unhealthy and atypical of most humans. Nevertheless, thanks to the media's coverage, including magazine advocating, newspapers ads, and commercials to sell products, a large portion of this society has done everything from liposuction to becoming bullimic to attain a supermodel look. If the media does not cover the indutrsy in such a manner, a growing number of people would not care about the skeletal look of kate Moss or any other unrealistic physical attrubutes that are usually genetically or surgically produced. The media creates this image of how men and women should look thereby creating the values of this society. These values would be totally different without the media's negative influence.

　　Lastly, when the media chooses to focus on pervers and negative, and unhealthy aspects of a society, then that part of society becomes the "values' of that society. Gangster rap or anorexic models could not possibly have made it without the media's concentrated coverage of either.

　　Comments:

　　This response presents an adequate discussion of the topic. After a succinct announcement of the writer's position on the issue, the paper develops two relevant examples: musicians ("gangster rappers") who have negatively influenced people's behavior and superstar models who have negatively influenced people's self-image.

　　Although the examples are well chosen and support the writer抯 position, they are not always clearly explained. For example, the writer claims that "most women neither want to nor can look like Kate Moss" but then contradicts that claim by explaining that "a large portion of this society has done everything from liposuction to becoming bullimic to attain a supermodel look."

　　In general, the vocabulary is clear, but not particularly precise. Sentences are formed correctly, but they lack effective variety. Grammatical and mechanical errors occur, but they do not seriously interfere with meaning. In almost every way, this is an adequate response and earns a score of 4.