Post Modernism and Television

Presented to: Mr Inamurahman

Presented by: M Zamir Asadi

MS 1 Fall Semester 2014

International Islamic University Islamabad

Postmodernism is a late-20th-century

movement in the arts, architecture, and

criticism that was a departure from modernism

Postmodernism includes skeptical

interpretations of culture, literature, art,

philosophy, history, economics, architecture,

fiction, and literary criticism.

It is often associated with deconstruction and

post-structuralism because its usage as a term

gained significant popularity at the same time

as twentieth-century post-structural thought.

The term postmodern was first used around the

1870s

John Watkins Chapman suggested "a Postmodern

style of painting" as a way to move beyond French

Impressionism

J. M. Thompson, in his 1914 article in The Hibbert

Journal, used it to describe changes in attitudes

and beliefs in the critique of religion

In 1921 and 1925, postmodernism had been used

to describe new forms of art and music

Rejection of Grand Meta Narratives

These are large-scale theories and philosophies of

the world, such as the progress of history, the

know ability of everything by science , and the

possibility of absolute freedom

Therefore all grand narratives should be viewed

There is no longer a distinction between reality

and its representing image or simulacrum

Hyper reality- There is only surface meaning :

there is no longer any original thing for the sign to

represent: the sign is the meaning

Post modernism is a development of modernism

Post modernism works are often characterized by

lack of depth, which has been replaced by surfeit

of surface

Jameson catalogs key features of postmodern

culture, as self referentiality , irony, pastiche and

parody

Post modern media rejects the idea that any media

product or text is of any greater value than other.

Anything can be art , anything can deserve to reach

the audience and culture “eat itself” as there is no

longer anything new to produce and distribute

The distinction between media and reality has

collapsed, and we now live in a reality defined by

images and representations

TV is one of the wonders of the age of technology

Concorde, Alpha Romeo, Mobile, windows,

computers and TV

Under the dominion of those who promote post

modern culture and especially under the influence

of Gays

Entertainment industry spreads post modernism

philosophy into every home

Violence, murder, obscenity, adultery, blasphemy,

mockery of Christ and form of sexual perversion is

depicted without restraint

Absolutes have been stripped away

TV producers promote sexual scenes explicitly

Modesty is abandoned

With TV there is no sense of shame

Sadly restraint comes only after disaster

Competitive Industry

Moral and spiritual values are decayed by TV

Apart from news, most of what we see is not

anchored in real world as this world is not like Hollywood

From Oprah to Jerrry Springer show the range of

topics for discussion were broadcasted featuring from

alien abduction to teenage pregnancy, racism to

vampirism

Airing out dirty laundry on national TV has enormously

become popular

Post modernism states that great imperative in TV is

incessant entertainment

We think that images of TV and rest of mass

media is reality

Soap Operas simulate real life while real life

people create themselves by identifying with

celebrity

Individuals consumes life style commodities

that are commensurate with the identification

The Simpsons

Futurama

Family Guy

Charmed

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Xena: Warrior Princess

Dark Angel

Drawn Together

Reno 911

The Real World

Cops

Survivor

Married with Children

The Tom Green Show

South Park

Family Guy

MTV Jackass

Seinfeld

The Office

Extras

Health TV

Sports TV

Religious Channels

Food TV

Entertainment TV

News TV

Women oriented channels

Kids TV

Cartoon channels

Youth channels

Pastiche: Tongue-in-cheek rehashes and tributes to classic pop culture

Spectacle: In the ever competitive battle for viewers, television caters to the basest and shallowest impulses to get attention

Faux TV: Self-referential documentaries, shows about shows, and fake news

Mystery: Bizarre, eclectic searches for theunknown involving spirituality, philosophy andtechnology

The Anti-Hero: Postmodern realities blur the linesbetween good and evil, black and white, for bothcharacters and viewers

Pakistani TV is also moving towards Post

Modernism

TV dramas are showing popular culture of west

The social and cultural values are ending in

Pakistani society

No difference in gender prevails in Pakistani TV

Pakistani TV managers can use the post modern

concept in a healthy way

TV must not detract from the core societal values

TV must be the source of infotainment instead of

only entertainment and hype