Media Literacy of Children and Youth Under the Beauty Discourse of Television Advertising

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to study the meaning and meaning of the beauty discourse, and media literacy of girls and young women as recipients of the beautiful television advertising. This research is a qualitative research with an analysis of the advertising with the following features: (1) to advertise products, services or products in terms of whiteness, thinness and youthfulness. (2) It is broadcast on channel 3,5,7,9 most airing during June to December 2012. Focus group interview with 48 girls and young women between 12-18, August to November 2013 in 4 regions of Thailand. The study found that (1) The constructing of the meaning of the beauty discourse in advertising is a reproduction area of beautify discourse that sets a pretty standard of white, skinny and youthful. In addition, the mainstream beauty discourse still presses and blocks the other beauty. (2) Most children define the beauty as well as the presentation of the advertising. While the beauty definition of youth is different from the mainstream beauty in the advertising. The media literacy found that children and youth have access to substances no different and they have the ability to analyze substances identity the elements of the media in the presentation of the media format, content, target audience and presentation techniques. It can also evaluate the credibility of the advertising. The recommendation is to encourage children and youth to have knowledge and skills in media literacy and the ability to create the discourse in society through develop a media literacy curriculum or program based on the age range of each type of media.