Uploaded September 2010 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Now Available on DVD @ mediaed.org
The Mean World Syndrome
Media Violence & the Cultivation of Fear
A new film based on the late George Gerbner's groundbreaking analysis of media influence and media violence.
Featuring George Gerbner and Michael Morgan
For years, debates have raged among scholars, politicians, and concerned parents about the effects of media violence on viewers. Too often these debates have descended into simplistic battles between those who claim that media messages directly cause violence and those who argue that activists exaggerate the impact of media exposure altogether. The Mean World Syndrome, based on the groundbreaking work of media scholar George Gerbner, urges us to think about media effects in more nuanced ways. Ranging from Hollywood movies and prime-time dramas to reality programming and the local news, the film examines how media violence forms a pervasive cultural environment that cultivates in heavy viewers, especially, a heightened state of insecurity, exaggerated perceptions of risk and danger, and a fear-driven propensity for hard-line political solutions to social problems. A provocative and accessible introduction to cultivation analysis, media effects research, and the subject of media influence and media violence more generally.
Now Available on DVD @ mediaed.org
The Mean World Syndrome
Media Violence & the Cultivation of Fear
A new film based on the late George Gerbner's groundbreaking analysis of media influence and media violence.
Featuring George Gerbner and Michael Morgan
For years, debates have raged among scholars, politicians, and concerned parents about the effects of media violence on viewers. Too often these debates have descended into simplistic battles between those who claim that media messages directly cause violence and those who argue that activists exaggerate the impact of media exposure altogether. The Mean World Syndrome, based on the groundbreaking work of media scholar George Gerbner, urges us to think about media effects in more nuanced ways. Ranging from Hollywood movies and prime-time dramas to reality programming and the local news, the film examines how media violence forms a pervasive cultural environment that cultivates in heavy viewers, especially, a heightened state of insecurity, exaggerated perceptions of risk and danger, and a fear-driven propensity for hard-line political solutions to social problems. A provocative and accessible introduction to cultivation analysis, media effects research, and the subject of media influence and media violence more generally.
![Five Friends [Trailer]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yFA6g9ZsoHg/mqdefault.jpg "Five Friends [Trailer]
Now Available on DVD
http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=245
American philosopher Elbert Hubbard was fond of quoting his father on friendship. When you die, his father would tell him, if youve got five real friends, youve had a great life. Five Friends, written and directed by Erik Santiago, is the story of how one man sought to live that life. Beautifully shot, from the mountains of Southern California to the New England coastline, the film follows a 65-year-old man and his five closest friends as they navigate and reflect on success, conflict, marriage, divorce, fatherhood, children, and dying. From touching moments and humor to horrific tragedy and darkness, Five Friends offers a breathtaking exploration of the emotional lives of men, and a deeply moving portrait of what men are capable of when they dare to open up with one another. Features commentary from experts including bestselling author and renowned sociologist Michael Kimmel. A ManTiago Films/Captive Pictures Production.
Written, Produced & Directed by Erik Santiago
Producer & Collaborator: Hank Mandel
Co-producer: Ken Stewart
Director of Photography: Sean Conaty
Editor: Kyle Gilbertson")
![The Gloucester 18 [Trailer] - Available on DVD](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/za9T4kc4AlE/mqdefault.jpg "The Gloucester 18 [Trailer] - Available on DVD
http://www.mediaed.org
The Gloucester 18
The Realities of Teen Pregnancy
In 2008, eighteen high school girls from Gloucester, Massachusetts, were accused of making a pact to become pregnant. The mainstream media perpetuated and sensationalized the story, with reporters flying in from as far away as Australia, the UK, and Brazil. The Gloucester 18 looks behind all the headlines and hype to tell the real stories of these girls, and in the process puts a human face on a startling statistic: that the United States has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the developed world. The filmmakers draw on interviews with the girls, their families, high school counselors, physicians, and media personalities to unpack what really happened, and explore the complicated emotional and practical challenges faced by teens on the brink of motherhood. An excellent resource for high school health classes, teen pregnancy prevention programs, and courses in psychology, adolescent development, public health, and education.
Directed by John Michael Williams")
