Teen Pregnancy and the Media; First Research Assignment

1. "Preface to 'Is Teenage Pregnancy a Serious Problem?'." This article is very interesting. It first introduces us to some teenage-pregnancy statistics, including stating that births to teens dropped by 18 percent from 1991 through 1998. This article then explains why people believe this is such is such a serious problem, and then argues that some people may say that the media exaggerates the extent of the teen pregnancy problem. What I find interesting about this article is that it introduces us to two different perspectives, rather than being narrow-minded on a single opinion. It is a good introductory article because it causes its readers to understand both perspectives of the teenage pregnancy problem in a non-biased way. This informative article is both interesting and informative, and gives the reader an open-minded opinion of teenage pregnancy.
2. "Understanding TEEN Pregnancy." This article is very helpful in providing us with a bit of background information about teen pregnancy before we get too deep into the research. It is extremely important to know a subject well before you pick a focus point- like understanding teen pregnancy before focusing on it in the media- which is why I chose to site this article. What I found interesting about this was that it especially focuses on the dangers of teenage pregnancy, including medical challenges and physical, social, and emotional problems. This article gives me a perspective of not one, but most of the dangers that could result from a teenage pregnancy, and helps me understand why people have so many different views on what is "right" and what isn't. This article, like the one above it, is a great starting point for me in understanding my topic well (since it is such a controversial one).
3. "A Force behind the Lower Teen Birthrate: MTV's '16 and Pregnant'." This article provided the viewpoint that MTV's show, 16 and pregnant (which first aired in 2009), is one of the contributing forces that has lowered teen birthrates. This article argues that 82 percent of teens say that this show helps them understand the challenges of having a baby at a young age and why they should avoid it. This article is incredibly interesting because it provides us with a new viewpoint- that these teen reality shows aren't necessarily bad. Some may say that it glamorizes the life of a pregnant teen or a young mother, but in reality, it can be a force for good by showing the hardships of teen parenthood. I was also very interested when I read that the awkward "sex talks" between a parent and child aren't always necessary with shows like "Teen Mom" and "16 and pregnant," because these shows can serve as a "neutral bouncing-board for families to talk about issues related to sex and early pregnancy."
4. "Born to Consume: For MTV, Teen Pregnancy Is Big Business." This article argues exactly the opposite of the one prior to it. This article states that even though these young and vulnerable women are having a tough time raising their children, these T.V. networks are "minimizing it" and "romanticizing"  their situation. It explains that MTV is reinforcing low expectations and showing its viewers that "inadequate education, abusive parents, endless disappointment--and most importantly, dependence--is normal, if not inevitable." Although I do agree that sometimes the show makes these "mom's" unsettling situations seem normal, I think that this article is a bit extreme. I think that this show can both highlight the high points and the low points of teenage pregnancy, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing- it's reality. And reality is the point of shows like "Teen Mom" and "16 and Pregnant." I can understand the perspective of the author of this article, but I can't say I agree with him in his viewpoint.
5. "The Juno Effect- The Media, Teens, and Pregnancy." This article is especially interesting because it provides a psychological perspective of Teenage Pregnancy in the media. It explains that the reason most people are enchanted by movies like "Juno" is because it not only glamorizes sex but it also comes along with a happy ending. However, reality shows like "16 and Pregnant" expose its viewers to the consequences of teenage pregnancies. I completely agree with this article. I think that airing T.V. shows and movies about sex or teenage pregnancies is only a threat if the viewers are exposed to somewhat of a "reality." Of course the viewers who watch things related to glamorizing sex and pregnancy have a correlation to more teen pregnancies. I think that if the viewer is able to see the not only good parts of being a young mother but also the consequences, the media is not a threat.
6. “Solving Teen Pregnancies.” This website provides its readers with some important statistics about teen pregnancy and explains the options a teen mother has when she gets pregnant early on. This is a good website to get some facts about teen pregnancy and to get a good understanding of the ways a teen can approach a situation like this. It is a good basis for my project because it explains where and why these situations are common. In terms of agreeing or disagreeing with this article, I am pretty indifferent because it is pretty unbiased.
7. "Teenage Pregnancy and the Media's Influence on Today's Youth." This article is very informative. It looks back on history and relates that to why teens think that it is somewhat acceptable to have a baby early in their life. It also explains the shows that chronicle the lives of expecting teen mothers and the struggles they face. I like this article because it provides the reader with two different perspectives on why these shows are both good and bad for teenagers (who can be easily influenced by the media, as the article explains.) This article is interesting because it suggests that even though teen pregnancy is a trend and that may not be a good thing, it could benefit the public by raising awareness. I completely agree with this idea. I think that these shows may influence some teens, but for the most part, this could be used as a good thing.
8. "Is Media Glamorizing Teen Pregnancy?" This article takes a biased view on teen pregnancy and the media. It argues that although teen pregnancy has gathered significant attention to new television shows and magazines, new research suggests that it does not glamorize teen pregnancy. This article says that among the people who have watched “16 and Pregnant,” 82% think that the show has helped them get a better understanding of the challenges that these young moms go through, and helped them to avoid being a young mother themselves. This article makes a lot of sense to me and provides a lot of information on the media’s influence on teen moms.
9. "Teen Moms Are Taking over Reality TV. Is That a Good Thing?" This article explains that teen mom shows are taking over reality TV and that these programs have over 3 million viewers each week. It also explains that teen pregnancy rates have declined over the past couple of years, and that this could be due to the TV shows and the awareness they are raising. It also is the only article to bring in the point that although these shows chronicle the lives of mostly white girls, unplanned pregnancies affect African-American and Hispanic girls at nearly three times the rate of whites. This is because these shows wanted to target “middle class girls through church and parenting organizations.” This makes a lot of sense but I also do think that the girls this show follows should be diverse, so that it relates to more of the public than just the “middle class.”
10. "Are We Glamorizing Teen Pregnancy?" This article provides us with a couple different way society influences teen pregnancy, not just the media. It explains that clothing stores, specifically “Forever 21” have begun releasing a “maternity wear” line. This could cause teenagers to believe they are obligated to get pregnant because it could make them think it is the new norm in their culture/society. This article does agree, however, that the teen pregnancy television shows act as a catalyst for both discussion and action.