MTV has always been the popular source of drama when it comes to television. Teens turn to MTV to hear the latest celebrity gossip and learn about the newest tunes. Other than keeping up with the 411, what else is MTV useful for?
Learning about teen pregnancy.
16 & Pregnant, a recent hit series on MTV, stars pregnant teenagers and shows the burdens that are put on these adolescents. The show became outrageously popular, having approximately 2.1 million viewers. Soon after, MTV decided to produce a second show called Teen Mom, which follows four mothers from the original season of 16 & Pregnant and focuses on their stories of life after their child is born. This series was even more popular than 16 & Pregnant, having approximately 3.4 million viewers. These teen mothers are everywhere; covers of tabloids, talk shows and radios. Some say that these teen mothers are being embellished, but let’s look at the facts.
Over half of the scenes in MTV’s two series are negative. Every episode contains a combination of violence, tears and stress. From broken hearts to custody battles, these teens don’t have it easy and MTV makes certain that the viewer understands that. Adolescents watching the show are learning just how strenuous it is to raise a child. Viewers enjoy seeing these real-life consequences because it teaches them to learn from others’ mistakes and allows them to observe reality’s challenges. Through these episodes, young people are taught exactly how not to act, and parents are able to use the show as a gateway to talking about sex with their children. According to Teen Mom and 16 & Pregnant, the life of a teenage parent is not appealing.
We’ve all heard about Juno, the award-winning film starring a sarcastic sixteen year-old girl. Juno had it easy; no job with supportive friends and family. This film does the opposite of what MTV’s series’ do. Juno paints a picture of how life might be for a lucky pregnant teenager. She gives her baby up for adoption, which according to a study done by The National Campaign for Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, less than two percent of young parents give their babies up. Juno is a faulty example for young teens, showing basically the opposite of what might happen in most situations. The other two shows are totally different; they show real-life circumstances that are relatable to many viewers. A recent survey showed that eighty-two percent of the teens who watch 16 & Pregnant say the show helps them better understand the challenges of teen pregnancy and parenthood – and why they should avoid it. When teenagers view these struggles on television, the response is different than an adult’s response. When a teenager watches the shows, empathy kicks in. They feel for the parents, and also think to themselves, “I’m glad it’s not me”. Whereas some adults watching the show are more likely to think, “They shouldn’t have had sex”. The two dissimilar responses are what cause so much controversy on this topic. Younger generations are more adapted to change than older generations; they understand the message that MTV is attempting to get through to the viewers.
Since these shows have been on television, the United States teen birthrate fell dramatically in 2009 after a five percent increase from 2005 to 2007. The network’s 16 & Pregnant documentary series cause many teens to open their eyes to the consequences of unprotected sex and early parenthood. When airing this series, the idea was to “address the problem of teen pregnancy and to do something about it”, MTV stated. That is the exact outcome of these two reality shows.
Carly, a young mother from Teen Mom, desires to share her story with high schools all around. She claims that she doesn’t want others to make the same mistakes she made. The reason she agreed to do the show was not to become the next person to be on US Weekly, but to prevent future mistakes of young adolescents.
Is so horrible that pregnant teen moms are the “new thing”?
No. These young men and women are all over the media, but not because they were picked up for a DUI or decided to shave their hair off. These girls are not celebrities, just young mothers trying to make a difference. According to the studies and pregnancy rates, the girls have indeed made a difference. They made a mistake, they’re dealing with it, and they’re teaching fellow teenagers what not to do.
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