Violence in Mass Media

The paper is dealing with the problem of violent behaviour in the reality show "Couples", which is broadcasted on Happy TV, a commercial television with a national frequency in Serbia. Based on the idea that the conditions in reality shows are conducive to violence due to a large amount of character interaction and little plot and guided by the results of the research that studied violent behaviours in reality shows in the UK, our research aimed to determine which forms of violent behaviour are most prevalent in this reality show, in what situations and under what circumstances violent behaviours mostly occur, as well as who commits violence most often. The results showed that the most common forms of violence were direct emotional/psychological violence, that the most frequent and diverse violent behaviour was expressed by the Production and TV hosts, that nearly all the violent behaviour of participants were a reaction to the Production‘s and hosts’ provocation and manipulation, as well as that individuals, who have a history of violent behaviour, most often behaved violently during the show. The obtained results proved that the Production of this reality show intends to provoke conflicts and violent behaviours, to compensate for the lack of story.

Keywords: television, reality show, violent behaviour, provocation, manipulation

This article is a theoretical examination of the applicability of Nils
Christie’s criminological notion of the ‘ideal victim’ in cases of
mass violence and scenarios of mass victimisation. The article
documents Christie’s theoretical constellation and valid criticisms
towards victim status and reviews modern academic discourses
influenced by Christie’s original theorisation which further
illustrate the intricacies and complexities that arise regarding victim
identity. After analysing the ways under which structural forces,
such as the mass-media and politics, influence the process of
victimhood, the article continues by focusing on the intertwined
relationship between victim identity and institutionalised
mechanisms of victimisation. Furthermore, the article documents
the ways under which Christie’s notion of the ‘ideal victim’ has
been adapted in order to be incorporated in the criminological
research of mass-violence. At last, by transitioning from instances
of micro-level victimisation to theatres of mass-violence the article
theoretically tests the applicability of ‘ideal victim’ theory in cases
of extensive victimisation. The article concludes that the integration
of concepts such as Christie’s ‘ideal victim’ is quintessential for a
criminology of mass-violence which aspires to be both theoretically
informed and practically engaged with the issue of victimisation.

Paul Levinson goes at it with Jack Thompson about whether violence in video games causes violence in the real world. Thompson ignores evidence -- such as decreasing crime rates in the last decade - that video games have no such ill-effect, and mis-cites psychological studies.

Der Aufsatz thematisiert einige wiederkehrende Muster der deutschen Gesellschaft in ihrer Auseinandersetzung mit vermeintlich gewalthaltigen und brutalisierenden medialen Darstellungen zwischen 1900 und 2000. Er fragt, ob diese Muster als Ritual zu verstehen sind und wie die soziale Funktion eines solchen mimetischen Rituals zu interpretieren ist.