The Power of Media: Interview with Micheal Flaherty

Here's an interesting interview with Micheal Flaherty, the president and co-founder of Walden Media which is bringing The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe to the big screen this December. I find the following quote from the interview particularly interesting:

I was thoroughly depressed after Columbine, but I started to get encouraged when I read about how strong some of the young victims' faith was, particularly Cassie Bernall and Rachel Scott. One thing I found interesting was that these kids loved films. Cassie's favorite movie was Braveheart, and I think Rachel's was as well. In contrast, the killers' favorite films were reportedly things like Natural Born Killers.

I decided I would like to find a way to make more great, inspiring films that can lift people up and encourage them, particularly for this age group. So I called my old roommate from college, Cary Granat, who at the time was president of Dimension Films. Cary also wanted to do something more inspirational for the family. So that was the origin of it, acknowledging that media really does have a role in influencing hearts and minds. And finding a way, rather than just to curse the darkness, to light a few candles and get more great films out there.

Particularly interesting to me is Flaherty's acknowledgement that the "media really does have a role in influencing heart and minds." It is refreshing to hear someone in the media say this. It seems to me that whenever concerns are voiced about the media and how it depicts violence, sexuality, religion, etc...that those voices are drowned out by others crying for free speech and seeking to argue that the media does very little to shape people's hearts and minds.

Watching my children grow has only made me more aware of the power of the media to shape hearts and minds. Last night we were reading from Laura and Mr. Edwards a Little House on the Prairie chapter book. In this book, Laura Ingalls describes winter on the prairie and how the girls passed the time. Listen to her description:

Now that winter had arrived on the Kansas prairie, the days were short and very cold. The wind howled and a hard rain fell. But there was no snow. Laura and Mary stayed inside, close by the fire. They listened to the wind and the wet sound of rain as they sewed on their quilts and cut paper dolls from scraps of wrapping paper.

Can you imagine kids today being content doing these things? I know my kids wouldn't be! They have been so shaped by the media that they believe they must always be entertained. Commercials on TV are particularly powerful to a 5 year old! I can sit and watch as their little eyes grow bigger and bigger as their excitement concerning a toy or a snack food increases. Then when the commercial is over they turn to me and say, "I want that! Can we go get that now? Can I have that for my birthday? I want that for Christmas!" The power of the media to shape the heart and mind. I believe it's very real.

What do you think?