Abstract
Violence shown in the media, and especially in television programs, manifests itself as an alarming narrative element. Establishing a narrative through violence is an important marketing tool for the television industry with its language that appeals to the general public. In television broadcasts, and especially in television dramas, violence is treated as a profitable theme for the broadcaster. Since violent programs are a subject that attracts viewers, television organizations also increase the dose of violence in their broadcasts. Along with the increase in violence in society, the role of the media's narrative of violence in directing the audience is starting to be discussed. At this point, the presentation of violence within the framework of the post-truth approach of the violence narrative presented in television series gains importance. In this context, the chapter examines how the presentation of violence through television series is blurred and affects the public opinion by highlighting emotions and various interests within the framework of the post-truth approach.
TopThe Development Of Violence Narrative And Its Place In Visual Narratives
Television viewers are constantly faced with different types of violence in their daily lives. At the same time, the audience relaxes with the fictional violence presentation on the screens full of fear and horror, and television is used as a means of purification. As a result of this situation, the adoption and approval of violence and crime and the tendency towards violence are increasing day by day (Çakır, 2008, p. 167). The audience, who is constantly exposed to the narrative of visual violence, confuses the real and fictional narrative after a while and experiences the illusion of reality. After a while, the narrative of violence is either quickly forgotten or accepted as normal. The violence narrative, which is fictionalized through television series, leads to the approval of violence through the use of bad characters after a while.
“Aggression is a strong, violent, effective action, act, action with the aim of dominating, defeating, directing: a behavior that has a hostile, injuring, abusive or destructive purpose against disrupting, hindering, nullifying a business.” (Erten & Ardalı, 1996, p. 143). Throughout the history of humanity, violence has never been absent from the agenda of humanity. While sometimes using violence as a means to solve problems, sometimes it is focused on ways to remove violence from society. It is a fact that developments at the global level have effects and reflections on our society as well. In addition, just like every human and social event, the causes and determinants of violence are numerous (Fromm, 1984). Despite all these processes, violence is destructive and harmful to societies. Raising healthy generations and establishing a good future is possible by staying away from violence and its effects.
Key Terms in this Chapter
TV Series: It presents people's emotions to the audience within the framework of curiosity, as a television version of the stories told by storytellers in traditional times. Dramas that reveal the modern interpretation of traditional stories by exaggerating and sometimes exploiting people's thousands of years of experience and their networks of relationships with each other are called television series.
Depersonalization: The most important effect of violence in television broadcasts that creates an anesthetic effect on individuals is “depersonalization”. The intense display of violence in the media and the constant exposure to media violence cause depersonalization of individuals' natural emotional and physical reactions. In fact, scenes of violence warn individuals less over time, and in summary, the violence watched in the media reduces the physical reactions to violence in the real world.
Narrative: An all-encompassing meaning that tells or presents a story. Whether it is a picture, written text, moving image, or a combination of all these, the narrative is revealed. Television series are also known as storytelling tools with text and visuals.
Post-Truth: Post-truth, chosen as the word of the year in 2016, is defined as the determination of public opinion by personal feelings and beliefs rather than objective facts. Most of the academic studies are on the negativity of populist discourse overcoming “reality” and thus finding more supporters of the irrational than the rational.
Violence: Violence is defined as harsh and painful behavior directed from outside against the bodily integrity of people. Television fills people with hatred, grudge, and greed. News, reality shows, movies, TV series and even cartoons are marketing the biggest truth of life, death, to people. In order to increase interest and eliminate commercial concerns, television programs sometimes broadcast negative role models in which the element of curiosity takes place more. Violence is one of the most important areas in this regard.