little pearls: empowering media messages, heart to heart
by julie parker

Have you ever tried a 'news fast'? Dr. Andrew Weil recommends them highly in his book Eight Weeks to Optimum Healing. Andrew Weil writes in positivenews.net/news_sick.htm:

“Even if you take a few days off from the media, you can discover that you have choice in how much information you let in, and how you interpret what you read and see. Addictive and unconscious attention to news, filled as it is with murder and mayhem (local TV being the worst) frequently correlates with unhealthy mental states. A study last February in the British Journal of Psychology found that the emotional content of television programs can provoke changes in mood, and aggravate anxiety, sadness and depression. This in turn, according to the research, is likely to promote a negative and catastrophic view of one’s own life."

Weil goes on to say: "I urge you to take a little time away from the media in order to better manage your relationship with it. Anxiety and over-stimulation characterize too many people in our culture. If you’re able to develop a more conscious relationship with the media, you’ll be able to promote more mental quiet and calm within yourself. When you spend more time in harmonious mental states, your body will function better as well."

8000 murders
An article in The Atlantic Monthly online [theatlantic.com/issues/97may/gerbner.htm] titled The Man Who Counts the Killings speaks of "George Gerbner who, 30 years ago, founded the cultural indicators project which is best known for its estimate that the average American child will have watched 8,000 murders on television by the age of twelve."

The article continues: "In addition to this “message system analysis,” Gerbner’s researchers do “cultivation analysis,” which tries to measure how much television contributes to viewers’ conceptions of reality. Cultivation analysis asks, in other words, to what extent television “cultivates” our understanding of the world. Gerbner believes this to be the most important aspect of his research. It is also the part routinely ignored by the mainstream press and attacked by the broadcasting industry."

enter the 'beautiful dreamers'
This news about the news is not news to Linda McLean and Debra Roberts, two 'beautiful dreamers' from Weaverville. They both experienced real, night-time dreams a few years ago (before they even met) of creating positive, empowering TV spots to counteract what is seen on mainstream media. Together, the two of them founded Little Pearls, a non-profit video, film and television production company.
For the last couple of years, Linda and Debra have been busy creating a series of “tiny films” in the form of unique thirty and sixty second spots for television. These “public service announcements” (for lack of a better term) are revolutionary. They look like commercials, yet the only product they provide is inspiration. They present real people, thought-provoking ideas, and universal themes that offer positive role models for living. In a world where beneficial, meaningful messages can be difficult to find, their goal is to skillfully and lovingly plant seeds of hope and change. 

Debra and Linda have been honored by an invitation* to an upcoming Media That Matters conference. Media That Matters is a “series of invitational conferences for leading edge media professionals who are using their talents as a positive force for community, the environment, and social change.” (See mediathatmatters.org!)*

This little article is merely an introduction to Little Pearls and the concept that being a glutton for the nightly news can be extremely hazardous to your health, well-being, and ability to function effectively in the world. What you let in to your life and how you interpret it—choosing to put your attention on what inspires, uplifts, and empowers—is central to our purpose at WNC WOMAN. You'll hear more about Little Pearls and the role of 'media that matters' in future issues. For now, we invite you to look at mediathatmatters.org and to look at littlepearls.org and then come back to the table for discussion. When you look at their website, we suggest you savor it, delight in it, (imagine it once the streaming video is working!), and then write them a big fat check.

Little Pearls is funded by tax-deductible donations from individuals, organizations and businesses. They are a non-profit organization, currently under the fiscal agency of Western Carolina Coalition for Social Concerns (WCCSC). 501(c)(3). Documents, proposals, budgets and VHS copies of their prior work are available upon request. Donations can be made out to WCCSC, marked “Little Pearls” and mailed to Little Pearls, PO Box 8641, Asheville, North Carolina 28814.

*We are very proud that WNC WOMAN has also been invited to attend the Media That Matters conference! If we get to go too, we'll report back after the conference.

Julie Parker is publisher and editor of WNC WOMAN (along with Sandi Tomlin-Sutker). She is also a web designer—see her website at handwovenwebs.com).