Mediatized Child Characters

Abstract

Child actors and actresses perform in television programs, such as contests, shows and series, and in movies broadcasted in Turkey. After the program is broadcasted, social media accounts such as Facebook and instagram are opened by their parents for these children and it is attempted to increase their popularity. Children with increased popularity begin to act in new series and advertisements, and they are drawn into a consumption cycle. While these children, who are used for humour, promotional or dramatic factors, are disturbed, on the other hand, they cause that children's real and big problems (poverty, child labor, abuse, abduction, refugee, etc.) are ignored. This study provides a perspective on child characters in competition programs, TV shows, television series, television programs and movies broadcasted on televisions in 2018 in Turkey. The program in which children aged between 5 and 12 years appear, and their Instagram accounts were tracked and examined. The culture of benefiting from the child in the media multiplies itself as the use of children as mediatic characters in the media in Turkey continues, and the fact that children can be used as a source of income without considering that they can be overwhelmed by the burden of fame becomes widespread. This indicates the perception of childhood in society, the visibility of child individuals' problems, and a frightening future for children.