Language Review

Language is an amazing way to communicate but one must be
careful to form your own opinion and not take words for face value. The main claim about today’s news cast is
that you cannot believe what you hear because the way reporters describe the
events are interpretive. “It means that the viewer must never assume
that the words spoken on television news show are exactly what happened. Since there are so many alternative ways of
describing what happened, the viewer must be on guard against assuming that he
or she has heard “the absolute truth”.
(Post, Powers, 2008, p.483) Post and Powers discuss how the readers need
to evaluate and research what they are being told. Realize that the reporters are putting their
spin on the report and whether they mean to or not, their opinion comes through. “Nothing could be healthier for the sanity
and well-being of our nation than to have ninety million viewers talking back
to their television news shows every night and twice on Sunday.” (Post, Powers,
2208, p. 485) Postman and Powers claim
that a stationary picture “cannot portray temporal dimensions with any
precision.” (Post, Powers, 2008, p. 486).
A photograph might need something in the picture to show the date and
time of the photo to give it value.
Moving pictures along with music and language tells a story and at times
allows the viewer to come to their own conclusion. I love movies that take me into the story and
make me feel so much emotion that I actually laugh out loud or cry. It is amazing how artist are able to bring
such strong emotion out of people. The
reason that Powers and Postman must discuss the still pictures and videos to
prove their point about language is this argument gives more depth to what they
are saying. Post and Powers described
that when a viewer actually sees the earthquake and watches the buildings sway
and fall they are more connected to the situation no matter where the
earthquake occurs. I agree with Post and
Powers that, “the viewer must come with a prepared mind-information, opinions,
a sense of proportion, and articulate value system.” The viewer must have the responsibility to
form their own conclusions and read between the lines. All too often viewers watch the news
and believe what they see and hear.