Making Social Change Using the Media Against Itself

Small scale, sporadic boycotts and protest against social injustices and unwanted government decisions are simply not enough to make serious change in this country. If U.S. citizens really want to change things for the better and in their favor, there is only one way to do it; Go Mainstream Media.

It seems Americans are star struck by Hollywood celebrities. And mainstream media, via television marketing, newspaper and magazine ads, and now even cable news networks, exploit the public and persuade them by using celebrities. Although most people have minds of their own, television propaganda is used against the public to convince them otherwise. We all know the mainstream media is notorious for milking a story for days at a time.

For example, issues such as gas prices, healthcare, and crooked corporations that strip America of its jobs are issues that the people want changed for the benefit of their future and their children’s future, but it seems Congress and large corporations simply ignore the people’s wishes. Meanwhile, to pacify the public, the media constantly tells the people that their vote counts toward change. This is a lie.

Voting is not solving the problems, if it did, the country would not be in the shape it is in today. The will of the people have been stripped from them and the direction of the country is in the hands of an incompetent, sold out government and big business. If the people want change, the people should use celebrities against the gatekeepers instead of the other way around.

If Black America wants exploitive and degrading Rap music to stop influencing our children, they should recruit mainstream actors and cultural icons to address the issue using streaming and television. A two hour program sponsored by various businesses at prime time hours that ask the public not to purchase certain Rap CD’s for the next month would bring about a serious change. Day-to-day follow-up by public service ads and commercials, community flyers, radio stations and other media grassroots campaigns could follow the broadcast reminding consumers not to buy.

In addition, if celebrities broadcasted a prime time show that ask television viewers to turn off the stereotypical reality shows for the next 30 minutes and watch the ratings drop like a cold thermometer, this would send a serious wake up call to any network or negative entity the people oppose at the time. If this tactic was used again and again against various issues and certain companies, the people could regain and retain power.

If major celebrities did a marathon for 3 days on three different television networks asking the public not to buy gas from certain gas stations (and name those gas stations), or for a certain length of time from any gas station, there would be should a cry out from oil companies that the news media would have to report and tell the world what is happening, and change would have to come.

The people have to think and fight social injustice using the same avenues that are being used against them; mainstream media, which reaches out to millions of people every single day. Many issues could be addressed and many changes would be made when the people are come together on a mass scale. And evidence shows that the public are struck by celebrity influence, because this is how the media have conditioned them.

To date, if activist celebs televised for three days an opposition to certain political candidates, revealing their voting records and their stance on certain issues, the public would be more aware as to whom to cast their vote for. The same can be used for social issues such as health care, poverty, racism, and unjust legal practices.

This strategy is one that would revolutionize how the people of America are treated by businesses and the government; how laws are made, what laws are passed, and who represent the people in Congress and Whitehouse. The people must think of ways to fight back and using the tactics used against them would quickly turn the tables.