Genre Analysis

The Bad Influence of Fast Food: Genre Analysis of a Documentary and a Newspaper Article

Fast food advertising and restaurants are almost everywhere. People can find advertisements and/or restaurants in magazines, newspapers, television, websites, radio, etc. However they are not always informed about the bad influence and bad consequences fast food causes to their health. Not all advertisements informed or showed the public on true facts or the negative issues regarding the fast food, since fast food advertising campaigns are not as highly regulated as other products.  Most fast food restaurants focus on children and students as they make an important market for them. The bad influence of fast food regards health problems, including obesity, as well as economic issues regarding the community’s income. Schools, parents, physicians, the actual restaurants and other health institutions have to communicate the audience with information of the bad influence of fast food, providing information of why it is not recommended to consume fast food or junk food on a daily basis.

Purpose and Audience

The purpose of this communication is either to inform or persuade the audience, involved and concerned of fast food issues, in order to inform clearly and appropriately their message.   Therefore information is communicated through different genres and the genre will convey that information for the intended audience. The Super-Size Me documentary and The New York Times newspaper article “McDonald’s Happy Meal to get Healthier”, Strom (2011), are two different genres attempting to inform and communicate the audience with information of the bad influence of fast food. The outcome of the message given by each genre for its intended audience can be determined by analyzing both the documentary and the newspaper article. The New York Times newspaper is informative, open to opinion, as well as articles and facts. The Super-Size Me documentary is based on a true story experiment that was done to prove the outcome and effect of eating fast food on a daily basis. The genres communicate the audience with articles and true data regarding the subject.

The purpose of the documentary Super-Size Me is to inform and persuade the audience not to consume fast/junk food on a daily basis as it can conduce to obesity.  This documentary examines the influence of fast food industry, and the consequences of health on a diet of solely fast food. The documentary shows an experiment done to Morgan Spurlock who is physically above average shape based on his personal trainer, the nutritionist, cardiologist, as well as a general practitioner. It was a 30 day period experiment to prove the lifestyle dramatic effects on the man physical well-being and how it encourages poor nutrition for its own benefit. The reason of this documentary was the enormous increase on children’s, as well as young adults, obesity health problems and regarding the legal issues of restaurants selling food that is unhealthy. The documentary wants to persuade the audience, in this case people who eat fast food on a daily basis, by informing of the danger of eating fast food constantly and by experience and outcome of the experiment.

Whereas the documentary aimed to persuade the audience, Strom (2011), newspaper purpose is to inform the reader. The newspaper article contains information covering prices, percentages of sales, and calorie count on different fast food restaurants that affect and influence the society. In the articles the audience can learn why eating fast food is such a bad influence, become familiar with the company’s reaction to get healthier, the governments concern regarding the food chains, as well as the influence advertising has on these products. The article provides sources and a wide selection of articles regarding fast food issues; for the audience to locate whatever topic or information they want to know based on the subject. The New York Times fast food articles provides balanced information to any audience interested for fast food or against fast food, to inform of the effects this can bring to a person’s health, the restaurants banned from the market, as well as why it affects a country’s budget. The news about the fast food industry, including commentary and archival articles published.   

The intended audience for both genres is those with health problems, like obesity, including children and young adults, as well as any audience involved and interested which can range from doctors, physicians, school authorities, companies, and the industry market. The documentary is more specifically directed towards American children, teenagers, and adults, since it’s the place of its origin. However because of the success is more likely to have a larger audience than the intended discourse community. Super-Size Me is a 2004 American documentary film; it was aired on movie cinemas as well as television. The intended discourse community is likely to have heard the health problems fast food can cause to a human body, like obesity, but they should be informed and prevented of the causes. In addition the audience is probably familiar with the fast food restaurant where the documentary was filmed, as well as with the drastic change eating fast food daily can bring to one’s lifestyle.

Unlike the documentary, the online article, McDonald’s Happy Meal to Get Healthier, reaches to a more formal and professional audience. The article is not intended to such a general audience, since its purpose is based to inform. Even though the newspaper is sold mostly anywhere it is more often bought by adults, and people involved with reading news regarding the world issues. If the audience is interested in the topic with detail, they will take the time to read the whole article and actually look up for the reviews or on any updates, not just pay attention to the headlines. The audience may look for specific information and just read straight thru it or research any information they are seeking. Since it is such an important newspaper, worldwide, the intended audience may lead to people outside the discourse community to read it. Newspapers are found everywhere and are in the reach of anyone, therefor bored or interested people are going to read about the newspaper articles/headlines. Therefor the context and information of the articles will educate even outside the intended audience. 

Rhetorical Issues: Ethos, Pathos, Logos

The documentary is effective in establishing credibility. It is based on a true story and an actual experiment with the actual data. Super-Size Me first premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, where Morgan Spurlock won the Grand Jury Prize for directing the film. The documentary was meant to persuade the audience of the bad influence of fast food, therefor it may be seen as a successful genre of communication. The creator of the documentary used clever emotion-evoking material and an actual 30-day period trial to reveal the awareness of fast food. The emotion of the genre is attempting to make the audience concern of the poor nutrition of fast food, even though it may be delicious and seem harmful. Excitement is showed at first by the actor of getting to start the experiment and see the results. However throughout the film fear and depression are developed by the negative results of eating fast food on a daily basis. Also emotions regarding sick symptoms and loss of energy, as well as concern from his close ones. The documentary preview visual showed Spurlock mouthful of fries and his expression showed surprise, risk and threat. The genre of the documentary is reliable and valid since it aimed at the audience to inform and educate with a significant message.

In contrast the newspaper article established credibility; however it may depend on the article’s source. The credibility of the newspaper article is effective through is structure, reputation, and resources. Supplying additional sources and the arrangement of the information gives the articles credibility. However choice of genre for communication piece and its purpose determines the level of credibility of the audience. Some emotions elicited by the articles are similar but less potent than those from the documentary. The articles inform on different issues regarding health, economic, and industry problems, which make the tone more formal.  The readers may be in shock, surprised by some information, concerned, or simply open to believe the information. The New York Times newspaper will evoke credibility and reliable information to its intended audience.

Structure

The structure of the genre shapes the information that is carried; limitations of the piece of communication differ on the genre. The creator of the documentary had to consider the audience in order to focus on the theme. It’s organized on a chronological basis showing day per day the 30 day trial the effects and advances of the experiment. It had a limiting of time; however it aimed to pass the correct information and the importance of the documentary. The newspaper article information was conveyed with different topics, headlines, and open issues regarding the topic facilitating the audience interest.  There’s also limitation on the newspaper article because of the size of the document. The amount of information is the key to inform the reader with only important information in order to maintain the audience attention. Both the newspaper article and the documentary facilitate their purpose by developing ideas and information, as well as separating and organizing the information for the audience.

Style and Language

The documentary used informal language as an important source of communication. Spurlock narrated and was actually filmed in the documentary. The actor expressed what he felt in his own words throughout the film, as we can also see and listen to his expressions and emphasis which made it easier for the audience to understand. The newspaper however used formal language to contribute to its purpose. Because the intent is to inform it is normal to have a more formal language concerning important issues of the topic. The general font is black; with white color background which makes the content stand out, though some headlines of important words may be highlighted. The article titles, paragraphs, and traditional writing styles are also important to guide the reader throughout the material.

Conclusion

Both genres are important to achieve the correct information and purpose of each piece of communication. Though it cannot be determined whether or not the audience was persuaded of the bad influence of fast food, the documentary was more often to be successful in delivering its message to the audience. Since it was more extensive, detailed, and more understandable to the intended audience, in this case fast food consumers. Though both genres were effective, as they both reach a similar but different audience with different information regarding fast food bad influence. Both showed sufficient and accurate information in a well-organized manner. The genre chosen to communicate information to a specific audience is very influential to the message.

References

Spurlock, M.  Super-Size Me (2004). Spurlock morgan [Theater]. Available from

            http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390521/

Strom, S. (2011, July 27). Mcdonald’s happy meal to get healthier. The New York Times, p. 1. .

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