Media

The media appear to be controlling culture. They dominate it. The media here means the mass-media, such as radio, television, newspapers, magazines, music, and video. The mass-media constantly breathe their message of religious amorphousness and superficiality. They are the trendsetters of the ‘I-era’, the New Age (the core of that is ‘to feel good’) (whereas the Christian culture is one of ‘mercy’ and serving others). It is significant that Sky Channel/Super Channel (MTV-programmes without content) are at the top of popular rankings. The media appear to be working like a lens: they concentrate and focus the ‘rays’, the message that is going through the lens, reinforcing it. What role can the Christian media play in this? Can they use this lensing effect in a positive sense? Can they help to bring about a breakthrough? The media are not isolated. They amplify and magnify something - a message - that is already there. The media are influenced by art in a general sense. Art determines the direction and the message of the media. Nothing is without art or a kind of applied art: a program, the set, fashion, way of interpretation, lay-out of magazines, colours, philosophy behind the shots, way of presenting, hair fashion, furnishing of houses, architecture, colour of cars, choice of programs, etc. Everything appears to be subject to (artistic) trends.