The TV Series Gossip Girl - Dissertation Example

? [Topic Introduction This literature review will cover the problem components related to the compelling issue under consideration, that is, the negative influence of Gossip Girl on the lifestyles of young women in America. American TV Series and sitcoms play a crucial role in the development and shaping up of the opinions, choices, and ideals of teenage girls. Gossip Girl is an American teenage drama TV series based on the popular young adult book series titled the same, written by Cecily Von Ziegesar. The television series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage and was first premiered on The CW in late September, 2007 (Spalding, M., 2010, p.3-67). The series is based on the life and lies of Manhattan's Upper Side's elite young adults. The main theme of Gossip Girl revolves around the love life, relationships, rivalry, and drama involving the main characters of the series. While awareness against these issues can be created by the facilitation of media, previous literature and experts agree on the fact that Gossip Girl is doing the opposite. Literature Review One of the main reasons why TV series can affect one’s life so profoundly is the fact that young girls start considering the media figures and main actors involved as their fictive peers. These fictive peers are followed even more precisely than the actual peers and start taking a form of role models for young female audience. According to Spalding (2010, p.3-67), this consideration leads to the belief that the audience is connected to their fictive role models; this connection results in the extension of the viewing experience by the adoration and imitation of these media figures or characters by the viewers to the extent that teenagers eat macaroon towers when they are down and are moving to New York city for recreation and education as Gossip Girl is set there. The framework of the show is based on the use and abuse of new media as the unseen character of Gossip Girl who narrates the show, mirrors the prevalent mediated communication in today's world and addresses the fans on a closer level. Thus, Gossip Girl encourages engagement with the consumption of media and the show, resulting in being a big influence in shaping the lives of the audience. It is also debated that Gossip Girl also exemplifies and emphasizes on the power of interactive media and telecommunication. Teenagers can learn from the events of this show occurred due to the spread of gossip through blogging (Bolter, 2000, p.62-71). As common amongst other teenage drama series, Gossip Girl emphasizes strongly on branded clothes and expensive wardrobes. It also depicts the established fact in upper societies and high schools that the “It Girls” have to be beautiful and trendy with model thin figures. Eric Damam, who is known for styling in “Sex in the City” is the stylist of the show which leaves no question in our minds when we hear and see the characters of Gossip Girl clad in designer wear (Romeo, 2009, p.2-13). This strong focus on the wardrobe of the show and the ever increasing glamour and innovation amongst the ensemble cast is translating negatively on the audience. Experts have called Gossip Girl the biggest youth culture market and a fashion marketing vehicle. This shows that costuming has a direct impact on the fashion choices of the young female audience. What is now to be considered is if this fashion trends a healthy practice or if this style imitation leads to a lot of critical issues. The economy blackout has affected all households; estimates show that only 10% of the US population is now middle class and most of the families have lost their previous affluence due to economic depressions and job losses. With these conditions, the growing fashion industry is proving to have a disastrous effect as the young girls want to follow the trends set by Gossip Girl and other teenage drama series. When interviewed, an avid Gossip Girl viewer, Molly, replied that she wants to buy a Christian Louboutin’s bag worn by Blair which costs $900. On the other hand, this could also serve as a boost for the retail economy as young girls who cannot afford designer wear worn by the characters in the show, turn towards their replicas made by more affordable retail brands like H&M and Urban Outfitters (Romeo, 2009, p.2-13). Similarly young girls all over the country are obsessing to imitate their favourite characters in the show. Some want to follow the fashion trends of Serena with her bright tee shirts, boots and by chunky jewellery; others want to imitate Blair by buying headbands, bags, and high heels while another group is interested in copying the hipster persona of Jenny (Pierce, 2011, p.1-6). These are couture quality products which cannot be afforded by the teenagers of average American households, but their obsession with Gossip Girl has led them to follow these trends on any means. As a show which illustrates and emphasizes on clothes, glamour and social image, Gossip Girl's viewers spend every cent they own, or even go to the verge of borrowing money from others, to look like their favourite stars, or imitate the character of Blair or Serena by looking beautiful and chic, equipped by the latest fashion products. This stress on fashion and social standards is portraying warped values and constricting the boundaries of achievement for young girls by setting just around outer beauty and fashion trends. Gossip Girl is also popular for its cast of thin, tall leading girls, with willowy figures like Leighton Meester, Blake Lively, and Taylor Momsen (Spalding, 2010, p.3-67). In America, where obesity amongst the adolescents is the biggest health problem, keeping a model thin figure is becoming a social obligation in high schools and social gatherings of young cliques. Girls who are inspired by the characters of Gossip Girl teenage girls are taking drastic measures to lose weight and attain their ideal physique, indulging in practices like crash dieting, self-induced vomiting, yo-yo dieting, detox and extreme exercises to reduce weight (Caloriecontrol.org, 2011). The rate of eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia has also increased due to image consciousness spread amongst young girls. Taylor Momsen who plays Jenny on the show has been suspected of Anorexia as she supports a 0 sized rake (Lange, 2012, p.1-17). Gossip Girl is set on the issues of drugs, sex, steroids, and vindictive rivalry amongst adolescents. The affairs and sexual lives of the characters are taken as examples by the young viewers, and they are following in the footsteps of their fictive peers and role models. This type of content is inappropriate for teenage audiences as they are rapidly adopting the same practices without questioning their morality. A pat of the Gossip Girl script includes that Blair and her friends could drink whatever they wanted as long as they kept appearances, and this goes the same for drugs and sex (Spalding, 2010, p.3-67). This message portrays a negative role of absentee parents who are allowing their children to indulge in such practices. Rebellious teenagers are bound to stand up to their parents to allow them the same activities after watching this show. This show openly promotes and glamorizes pre-marital sex and as a result, teenagers are indulging in promiscuous activities and find it hard to distinguish real life from fantasy. In 2003, 62% of a group of 12-17 year old girls said that sex on TV shows like Gossip Girl influences kids to have sex when they are too young. Similarly, a study of 1,792 children aged 12-17, showed that children who watch sex on TV are influenced to have sex as teenagers (Blog.ml-implode.com, 2012). On the other hand, a research conducted by Strong and DeVault (2010) shows that only 6% of teenagers believe that their sexual behaviour was influenced by the content they saw on television, but 75% of them believed that other teens were influenced by it (p. 183). Most literary evidences do not support this hypothesis and most experts agree that the information teenage girls receive through television regarding sex greatly influences and impacts their formulation of sexual identities. These unsafe practices lead to STDs amongst teenagers and it is also another leading cause of teenage pregnancy (Pierce, 2011, p.1-6). Research shows that adolescents with “high levels of exposure” to television shows containing “sexual content” were twice as likely to be “involved in a pregnancy” as compared to those with less exposure. A significant rise in the number of young people who are moving to New York after watching Gossip Girl has also been noted. New York is a hub for different cultures and is the home of various excellent fashion universities. Viewers have been known to fall in love with the city which never sleeps after watching Gossip Girl, and have settled in New York to experience that life to the fullest. This has proved beneficial for the tourism industry and overall economy of the United States (Weare, 2012, p.46-47). Another aspect promoted in Gossip Girl is cheating and infidelity. Dishonesty in relationships is being glamorized and sugar coated so that teenagers are translating these acts in their personal lives without thinking of moral values and ethics. Social discrimination in high schools is also a result of this TV series as it is encouraging peer pressure, division of student bodies into popular and non-popular entities, and focus on shallow motives and goals. The rivalry shown in Gossip Girl is manifesting in real lives of teenagers and they see their personal lives like TV shows as well. They take actual measures to make “frenemies” to be talked about as Gossip Girl has promoted the fact that you are nobody if you are not talked about. The vindictive and scheming characters of Serena and Blair are affecting the attitudes of young viewer's widely (Romeo, 2009, p.2-13). Another infamous controversy which raised protests amongst parents was a threesome physical affair which was featured in an episode. A popular belief amongst the show viewers is that they watch Gossip Girl only because it is a good form of entertainment. Others are of the opinion that the show has a lot of potential for serving as a guideline for teenagers as it depicts what drugs and immoral activities can do to your life. Gossip Girl star Blake Lively also agrees to this point and says that the series is cautionary rather than inflammatory as it advises the young population to learn from the mistakes of the characters in the show (Lange, 2012, p.1-17). Research Plan Keywords: Gossip Girl, CW, teen television drama, Cecily Von Ziegesar, Survey, High Schools, Impacts of Media It has been established through literature that television holds a crucial position as an outlet to influence teenagers and their decisions. TV series especially teenage drama programs can have an astounding impact on the lives of adolescents nowadays. This study will explore and identify the impact of Gossip Girl on the physical appearance, fashion choices, and behaviour of young female viewers in the United Kingdom. Research Rationale – Purpose of this Study: The influence of modern media and TV has been the focus of many research studies, but the emphasis on any specific show is lacking. This research is being conducted because there is no sufficient research done on this topic, especially with respect to Gossip Girl. This impact has been surveyed in many other regions but no research has been conducted on the teenage audience of London, UK. Therefore, this research aims to address the young female viewers of Gossip Girl living in London, and identify the effects on their lives. Problem statement: To analyse the impact of CW television series Gossip Girl on the lives of young female audience in UK. Research Significance and Intellectual Merit: As previously stated, no appropriate research has been done in this area specifically taking the young female residents of London as a focus group. So, this research will be potentially Transformative as a milestone in this subject, and will pave way for future research and surveys on this critical issue. It will be an important contribution to the existing literature. Television holds a crucial position as an outlet to influence teenagers and their decisions regarding the role of media in shaping the lives of adolescents, and the detrimental effects of teenage dramas broadcast today. It will be emphasized on how Gossip Girl influences the physical attributes, and fashion choices of the young girls in London; how their social image is affected by these aspects and how this television series is playing a part in shaping their behaviour and forming their attitude regarding their ideals, choices, and decisions. Research Questions: The following research questions will be addressed in this study: How does Gossip Girl influence the physical appearances of the young viewers? How does Gossip Girl influence the fashion choices of the young viewers? How does Gossip Girl influence the behaviour of the young viewers? Research Methodology: Data Collection Technique: The main goal of this research is to discover how Gossip Girl has a negative effect on the lives of the viewers. The empirical research in this study will be conducted by using quantitative methods, particularly surveys. Audience study will be carried out by live interviews of devout viewers of the show. Quantitative research analysis is useful to describe the results in an objective and systematic manner. The relevant information needed for this research will be obtained by surveying in the Greater London area of London, UK. The best method for data collection would be in-depth interviewing since it allows for a deeper and thorough understanding of the subject’s opinions and thoughts. Sample: The sample in this study will be high school students between the ages of 15-18. As this research is being conducted to study the effects on the female teen population, girls-only high schools of London will be taken as focus samples. This survey will be conducted in two high schools of London, namely Putney High School and Ursuline High School. These high schools are specifically selected as they are convenient from travelling to and from perspective. Surveys can be conducted in these institutes by utilizing less transportation resources. The rough sample is 200-300 students. 50 subjects out of the total number will be interviewed thoroughly on different aspects of the show and the differences in the subject's physical appearance, fashion choices, sense of style, and group of friends, social image, ideals, choices, romantic relationships, sexual practices, and general behaviour before and after starting to watch Gossip Girl will be analysed. This will help to determine the effects of Gossip Girl on the attitude and decisions of young girls. Each interview will be of 30 minutes in order to gain a clear perspective on this issue. If the answers of the subjects are inclined negatively, it can be established that the show is influencing its young viewers badly as suggested by the hypothetical assumption. Time line: As summers are approaching in the area of focus in the research, i.e. London, the sample high schools taken will be closing down for summer holidays. The subjects will be involved in different activities like attending summer camps, going on holidays etc. Conducting a research in those circumstances would be impossible, so it will be more feasible to conduct the survey in the month of May. Three days will be set aside for each high school so that the process of distinguishing viewers of Gossip Girl and then interviewing them can go smoothly. Furthermore, one day will be required to analyse and assess the data collected in an organized manner. Accurate result can be concluded after the systematization of the collected data. So, approximately one week will be required to complete the whole research including conduction of surveys, data collection and systematization. Compliance and Ethical Considerations: While conducting this research, certain ethical considerations should be kept in mind as this survey will target a young audience. Subjects might not be comfortable with answering some questions; such topics and issues should be avoided. Asserting our opinion on the subjects or asking them to stop viewing the show due to its assumed impacts should be avoided. Resources: As this empirical study is conducted by the means of a survey involving interviews no lab equipment and advanced supplies are required. The only resources involved are the transportation services required to visit the high schools in order to conduct the survey. Assurance of Reliability: Detailed and thorough interviewing session of 30 minutes is an important measure to ensure the validity and reliability of the research as it will eliminate the risks of faulty or unauthentic information. Limitations: In case of potential barriers like lack of legal support from the selected high schools to conduct the research, or unexpected result outcomes, a contingency plan will be followed. The survey will be conducted in some other high school in the same vicinity of London if the selected high schools did not permit the research in their institutes. Furthermore, if there is a deviation from the expected results, a wider survey will be conducted, involving more samples and subjects. Anticipated Results and Findings: It can be anticipated that the research outcomes will indicate that Gossip Girl has some positive impacts, but mainly, a negative influence on its viewers residing in London regarding their apparel, physical demeanour, and behaviour issues like attitude towards sexual relationships, drug use, moral values etc. will be proven. This assertion is further validated by the literature review and previous research done in this area. Broader Impacts: This research will not only serve as a pioneer in this subject under the UK context, as well as a literary guide to those who want to further research and analyse this issue, but will also highlight the moral issues related to modern television shows. This study sheds light on this crucial issue as sufficient research has not been done previously to make the public aware of its importance. This will help the parents tremendously in realizing what their children are viewing and how these teen drama shows are influencing their lives. Parents can keep a check on what their children have access to so that they don’t fall into bad practices. They can protest and raise their voice against controversial issues in Gossip Girl, like use of drugs and steroids, cheating in relationships, and physical relationships involving three people etc. to stop the glamorization and promotion of these morally and ethically inappropriate practices (Lange, E., 2012, p.1-17). References: Blog.ml-implode.com, 2012. Only 10% of U.S. Population Now ‘Middle-Class’: The Implode-O-Meter Blog. Accessed 7 May 2012 from: Bolter, J., 2000. Remediation and the Desire for Immediacy. 6 (1), p.62-71. Caloriecontrol.org, 2011. Obesity Overtakes Smoking as America's Biggest Health Problem | The Calorie Control Council. Accessed 7 May 2012 from: Lange, E., 2012. “We are all Gossip Girl”: Gossip Girl and the Promise of Interactive Television, Previously on, Volume 16, Number 8:1-17. Pierce, L., 2011. Sexual representations in gossip girl and one tree hill: A textual analysis. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, Volume 1, Number 3:1-6. Romeo, M., 2009. Television Study: “Gossip Girl” and its Effects on Viewer’s Fashion. The McMaster Journal of Communication, Volume 5 Number 1:2-13. Spalding, M., 2010. Consumption, Gossip and Power: An in-depth analysis of the female characters in Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth and Cecily von Ziegesar’s Gossip Girl series, Lund University Publications, Volume 7, number 4:3-67. Strong, B. et al., 2010. The Marriage and Family Experience: Intimate Relationships in a Changing Society. 11th ed. New York: Cengage Publishers, p.183. Weare, A., 2012. "Thin is what we're supposed to be, not what we're supposed to talk about": A Qualitative Study of Pro-eating Disorder Blogging Communities. Mass Communication Journals , 7 (2), p.46-47. Read More