The Role of Television in Promoting Popular Culture Among the Youth Case Study: Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture And Technology (Jkuat) And Tangaza College
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Date
2011
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Tangaza University College
Abstract
In a world where technology is taking toll in every society, different cultures are easily
spread from one continent to another. Integration of certain cultures has become a daily
occurrence and it is affecting everyone and especially the youth. Assimilation of these dominant
cultures especially the Western cultures has eroded the importance and the values of our own
cultures in the African setting. This culture is mostly incorporated among the youth, hence
leading to the increase of the popular culture. Western culture is dominating the television
industry, and the most intriguing truth is that most of the programs in the television target the
• youth.
The youth are a big business and everyone coming up with programs is struggling to get
the attention of the youth. Hence in this paper, my major concern is to not only look at television
as a communication tool but looking keenly at the content in it, the messages disseminated
through television.
The youth cling together and are tied by the same commonalities. They perceive
themselves as belonging to one culture, popular culture. "Popular culture is the culture of our
lives, it is the things we do, the things we like, the things we believe in and the things we learn
especial7 from media, in this regard, the television. It gives us identity as to who we
• are."(Shirley Fedorak, 2009). Popular culture is a contemporary trend that is gradually growing and its effect is here
with us. Television is promoting popular culture in many different kinds and forms through the
programs. These programs vary in their categories and they hold great significance in promoting
•
popular culture. Popular culture in this research work is highlighted in four major elements
namely music, fashion, foods and language. Music has dominated youths' space and life, and
they have devoted themselves to listening, watching and dancing to the styles they see on
television. Most of the kinds of music that we see in local mainstream television stations in
Kenya are not local but form the West. They have different messages from a different context
and which are not coherent with the African context.
Hence the Kenyan youths in their search for identity, they end up aping the musical
content form the West, dancing styles and even the language used in the music videos mostly
'slang language or American accent.
In fashion, the youth spends lots of money purchasing flamboyant fashions clothes they
see on television. In the music videos and fashion shows showcased in television, they have
youths as participants. They have skimpy outfits which are indecent and not fit in the African
context.
Television has also promoted Western foods like chips, hamburgers, pizzas and a variety
of junk food. The medium has programs whereby youths in different contexts meet at their
'known joints', and they cling together. In terms of language, the use of slang language especially `sheng', a mixer of two or
more languages and the end product is the informal language or slang, is highly used by the
youth. Youths use slang language for various reasons, one being that they like disconnecting
unwanted persons in their 'private' talks. Some of these persons may be parents, lecturers or any
superior person that is not needed to comprehend whatever the youth talk about.
Television is a socializing agent. It has more subtle and indirect effect that is affected on
the audience through more exposure. By this it shapes our opinion and perception of things
hence leading us to forming certain attitudes and ultimately cultures.
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Keywords
Role of Television, Popular Culture, Youth