The Relationship Between Television and Culture
Television Reflects Changing Cultural Values Janet Street-Porter, an English broadcaster, journalist, writer, and media personality, once said, “Television reflects our society in a more accurate way than at any time in the past.” Her statement could not be more true than today, with diversity of race, gender, and sexuality and sexual orientation being presented on our TV screens everyday through a cable broadcast, or a streaming service, like Netflix or Hulu. Television not reflects our society, but it also reflects our changing cultural values. While some viewers may change the channel or spun hatred on Twitter when a LGBTQ+ character is introduced on a mainstream show, others welcome the sight of representation and wish for more diversity on our screens in our movies, TV shows, and even our commercials. But television hasn't always been this welcoming to new faces, and plotlines. Most programs in the 1950s favored family-friendly domestic comedies and avoided political an...
