Sociological Theory Of Soap Opera

Soap Opera is a movie serial that is shown through electronic media. It is known as soap opera or called as telenovela in Spanish (known as sinteron in Indonesian). The movie serial typically deals with daily events in the lives of of the same group. In general, soap opera typically revolves in a circle of conflicted teenagers, which are usually about triangular love plots, forbidden love, friendship drama, or it even sometimes tackles the supernatural aspects. Soap opera has the intention of delivering a message or moral in which sometimes audience miss-concepts it. In Indonesia, soap opera is one of the most famous forms of entertainment, yet very un-educating. It creates addiction towards viewers and specifically aimed to the teenagers.

Gerbner states that “every impression broadcast in the television can affect the audience. Besides affecting an individual cognitive and affective, it affects a person behavioural aspect as well. Another sociologist perspective that I will use is Emile Durkheim’s functionalism (manifest, latent, and dysfunction). The manifest or main aim of creating and broadcasting soap opera is to entertain viewers. The latent or unintentional aims includes product promotions, and to bring an individual’s name to fame. The dysfunctions of soap operas are obvious, soap operas contains un-educating morals, these morals will affect audience’s behaviours and perspective as these soap operas creates instant addition to the

Mass media has massive results on our attitudes and habits which makes it an predominant contributor to the socialization system. In step with the internet site “Socialization” it says “Mass media also has an giant have an effect on on young minds. With the appearance of the web, television now has a partner within the position of visual stimulant of younger minds. The tradition portrayed by way of the mass media emphasizes glamour, sexual delight and promiscuity, comedic vulgarity, violence, and on the spot gratification of wants”. Although the negative impacts of soap operas are obvious, there are still optimistic aspects that can be found. It is spreading and showing ethical values. Performing some educational values through a pleasing form of entertainment is one of an effective ways for media to build a good society. In conclusion, soap operas have both positive and negative impacts, although the bad are dominant. It delivers values which sometimes rejects the normative aspects of society. Based on my opinion, it is okay to broadcast soap operas in television, but in order to keep the environment and citizen’s development stable, government should make a more affective age restrictions and boundaries for soap operas audiences. Producers of soap operas can make Indonesian soap operas as an agent to spread knowledge and educate the youths by inserting valuable moral messages in their shows and