Influence on outdoor adventure: media manipulation table

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Outdoor Education - Influence on outdoor adventure: media manipulation
table

Media manipulation table

Some good examples of how the media manipulates the images of people
involved in the outdoors.

Section of the media
Typical image
Effect of images

News and current affairs
Sensationalised reports of
misadventure;
sensationalised reports of
professional adventurers.Makes adventure look like it is
always exciting;
encourages the importance of
danger;
discourages the quiet, less glossy
type of adventuring.

Lifestyle programs
Glamorised descriptions of
adventure;
raises the notion of travel as an
adventure;
adventure is a young, handsome
person's activity.Promotes adventure amongst the
middle class;
promotes the use of impressive
looking clothing and gear, such
as 4WDs.

Advertisements and commercials
Images that create fashions by
identifying products with
the careful manipulation of values
of sub-cultures;
makes adventure look exciting,
sexy and important in order to
maintain a healthy lifestyle.Promotes consumption of
products - either equipment or experiences;
promotes adventure as a lifestyle
of the young and beautiful.

Outdoor magazines
Images which convey a male,
youth-dominant activity;
images that promote large-scale
adventure;
images that promote the
commercialisation of adventure.Informs and inspires people;
makes adventure look very
exciting;
encourages more people to have
a go.

Historical accounts of adventures
Images which focus on epic
battles with nature and encourages
the notion of heroes (mainly male).Inspires and excites people;
people can learn from the past.

Contemporary accounts and
documentariesImages of 'against all odds';
images of triumphs;
images of the wilderness and its
importance to the world;
images of beauty.Informs and inspires people to
have a go;
makes money;
promotes environmental
thinking.

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