Teenagers in the Media

While the family representation has changed over the course of television history, none can deny the pivotal changes that have been made when it comes to the representation of teenagers. Early in television, teenagers were seen as morally sound and well behaved. Over time however, more risks have been taken when it comes to their representation in prime time. The adage of “sex sells” has come into play and viewers enjoy watching their favorite characters take part in situations that are deemed “unsavory” by criticisms of the time.
Television began moving away from the portrayal of innocent teenagers starting more in the 1970’s. Shows such as ‘One Day at a Time’ dealt with issues of birth control and pre marital sex with the teenage girl Julie Cooper- far from the representation the Brady kids were giving off during the same decade. These were issues that teens were actually dealing with and that is what gave the ratings such a good boost, even if critics were not always counted as fans.
In the 1990’s, teenage television essentially got its own network with the formation of ‘The WB’. Every night there was a lineup of at least two shows that revolved around teenagers. ‘Dawson’s Creek’, ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, ‘Roswell’, ‘7th Heaven’, among many others, consumed the teenage television market. Least not forget the ever popular ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ which was aired for ten years before its cancellation. Whatever the premise of the show, they all touched base on issues that people could relate to. Pregnancy scares, love triangles, fights, parties, all became a part of the sensationalism that became teenage life. Some wondered if people actually lived this way, some did, others didn’t, but no one could escape the popularity their story lines captured.
Currently, one of the most watched shows among teenage girls would be ‘Gossip Girl’. A show about Upper East Side teens, the main characters are often seen scheming to bring others misery while simultaneously trying to balance friendship and their love lives. This group of teenagers is a stark difference to how teenagers were portrayed when television started to become popular and mainstream.
Has television gone too far in their portrayal of teenage debauchery? –Has it become more sensationalized over time, breaking too far away from reality?
Why do you think that teens gained such a popular role in television? What, overtime, has allowed for the change to occur?
What show did you feel growing up captured the true essence of teenagers?