The influence of American TV series on Chinese adolescents

高雅

【Abstract】American TV series are becoming more and more popular，it has seriously influenced on value and life style of Chinese adolescents due to the culture difference between eastern and western countries and values its spreading.The essay shows how American TV series made influence on Chinese adolescents by analyzing popularity situation and target group of American TV series.

【Key words】American TV series； Chinese adolescents； target group and influence

【摘要】在美剧不断火热的同时，由于中西文化差异较大、美劇自身的特点和其传播的价值观念等方面的原因，其对中国的青少年在价值观和生活方式等方面产生了重大的影响。本文将试图通过对美剧流行的现状和受众分析出发，将对关于美剧对青少年价值观和生活方式影响方面的文献做一简单整理归纳。

【关键词】美剧 中国青少年 目标群体和影响力

The current situation of American TV series

Nowadays，with economy getting more and more globalized，the reinforcement of international intercommunication has become more and more distinct.American products can be found anywhere in China，one of which is American TV series，which have made big influence via its wide spread.As one of TV products，American TV series own royal target group of 80s and 90s by multiple themes，flexible broadcasting method and narrative structure.In a survey of more than 1000 netizens initiated by The Garden of Eden BBS revealed that 75% netizens are between age 14 to 35，71% to 85% netizens got education degrees from high school to college.Thus，the main target group of American TV series is Chinese youth，which includes educated high school students，college students and young company staff with open mind and English basis，and they are representatives of trend of culture.

Since Prison Break which was famous of its suspenseful content and breathtaking details been put on TV screen at the end of 2006，download of American TV series has erupted unprecedented upsurge among Chinese netizens.The popularity of Prison Break represents that American TV series in China has stepped into a new era.

How American TV series influence Chinese adolescents？

American TV series has the best operation and developed mode in global TV industry.It can be divided into themes in compliance with various target groups，for example： House of cards fits the senior and matured men； Gossip girl is suitable for girls who pursue fashion and popular life style； The big bang theory is a mixture of academic knowledge and humor.American TV series are broadcasted by seasons and separated from filming，which provided audience more time to feedback and comment，increasing more expectation on future episodes with high qualification as core.As global popularity TV products，American TV series are highly welcomed by Chinese adolescents for their fast acceptance of new things and sensitiveness of popular elements.So，how it will influence on Chinese adolescents as an emerging culture and entertainment？

1.Enrich knowledge，extend horizon of thinking and update values.One thing undeniable is one can improve English and practice listening when watching American TV series.Using English as first language，one may feel living in foreign country，learning American accent as well as slang.Like whats in Chinese TV show，some American TV series use real life as background，in which audience can know more about American culture to enrich knowledge and accept new value and theory such as democracy or liberty that wont be learnt from traditional Chinese schools sometimes.Chinese exchange students can fully immersed in American culture and get used to western life.Under globalization background，culture exchange is a necessity for boosting communication between nations，in which American TV series make great effort.

2.Promote concept of equality，freedom and democracy.Equality，democracy and freedom which always be expressed in American TV series are main themes and play an important role on core value.The concept that Americans pursue personality can also be found in cultural products，which largely impact on Chinese adolescents who receive traditional education.Equality has deeply rooted in American families，whether in schools or daily lives everyone is equally treated，people focus more on ability rather than family background.For parents，they talk with or see children like adults，fully respect their personalities and let them made decisions by themselves.So honesty，frankness，self-help and self-fulfillment are well formed to shape youth with spirit of innovation.

3.Advocate social responsibility and moral education.Many American TV series get involvement of responsibility，family，and justice，which have invisible educational effort to Chinese adolescents.Social responsibilities have been stressed.For example， Desperate wives showed harmony between neighbors； The day after tomorrow focused on the impact of environmental protection，A Mighty Heart paid attention on 911 and counter-terrorism.Adolescents can be aware of relationship between self，society and nature.

Like everything in the world，American TV series is a double-edged sword，the defects are not able to be denied as merits are very obvious.Individualism and heroism are over-advocated when preaching democracy and freedom.Personality is worth encouraging rather than evolving into individualism and egoism which is ubiquitous in Hollywood movies as well as American TV series in contrast to Chinese ideological and political education of collectivism.In addition，American TV series is a cultural product manufactured by film companies，the nature of which is on basis of economic interest.According to market demand，a host of TV series with high rating was produced seem to be an appearance of materialism，which resulting in negative impact on Chinese adolescents.Furthermore，violence combined with sex and drug details on TV also made bad efforts to Chinese adolescents.

How to use the advantage to guide Chinese adolescents？

Adolescent is a key phrase in ones growth with strong knowledge desire and plasticity，given right guidance，they can get abundant various knowledge for study，save energy for future development.In contrary，troubles will be hidden in growing trace without right directions.How should Chinese adolescents see American TV series and how we use this two-edged sword as an effective guidance？ First of all，English should be adopted as a scientific tool； the aim is exchange to make a better circumstance for English study.Lots of schools have English course of listening and speaking practice in which selected films or TV series using as teaching materials are original English version.Good American TV series can be used as ideal tool to express life and culture related information compared with big movies.Secondly，leading overweighs interception for emerging culture.Audience begins to actively get information needed instead of being accepted from public media.The Desperate wives wasnt so popular after being introduced in China market due to being unsynchronized，missing culture in process of translation，abridged content and non-ideal dubbing.So，the government should introduce more original TV series with bilingual subtitles to meet China adolescents need while taking account of demand from other potential audience.Perusing American TV series is seen as a way of being fashionable，it is very necessary to bring them into market through proper channel and breach mystique and superiority from web transmission.Last，we need to take control of inappropriate culture submission，improve relative legislation，and gradually build a protection system for Chinese adolescents from public media，especially take great effort on evaluation of TV series and movies.Reinforcing monitor on popular culture，standardizing media language to guide Chinese adolescents distinguish the reality both in mass media and society.

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