In media, visuals can have just as big an effect on an audience as the message itself. This applies even when there isn't a lot of content being displayed, as visuals don't have to be as complex as the message they're trying to convey, as is the case with most journalists in the judicial context. Taylor Telford, Isaac Stanley-Becker, and Lena H. Sun all contributed to the article "Teen Testifies About Being Vaccinated Despite His Mother's Opposition," in which a video of Ethan Lindenberger's testimony against Antivaxxer ideals was integrated. The article was published on the Washington Post website on March 5, 2019 at 7:49 p.m. EST, but although the rights to the video belong to the Washington Post, Ethan can be accredited as the creator because he is reading his own testimony writing. Throughout his narration, he uses rhetorical devices, logos, and ethos, which are reinforced by the visual conventions of the video itself. With this video, The Washington Post attempts to expose the dangers of medical misinformation on the Internet by telling the personal story of a first-hand victim, providing raw evidence free from outside bias, and presenting the victim in a professional manner to reinforce its credibility. .Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games shouldn't be banned"? Get an original essay The Washington Post's portrayal of Ethan's story adds to a larger narrative about how lies about The Internet can be detrimental to uninformed families. Ethan Lindenberger grew up in a home with a mother who thought vaccinations were dangerous. Eventually, he began to question his mother's ideals when he saw how much backlash she would receive online. When he entered high school, he began to make his own decisions and seek the truth. Ethan told the Washington Post in an interview: "I feel like if my mother hadn't interacted with this information and been influenced by these arguments and these stories, it could have all been change, my whole family could have. been vaccinated,” demonstrating how not only he, but his entire family, has been negatively affected by the spread of misinformation. Ethan states that he came to his mother several times with factual evidence from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), but she refused to listen to him and clung to the conspiracy and paranoia that she has accumulated on Facebook, which is common for women with children who have fallen down the Antivaxxer rabbit hole. These mothers don't realize there are other ways to find information about vaccines, and most of their information comes from websites they find on the Internet, as opposed to doctors' offices or hospitals. At age 18, Ethan went against his mother's wishes and sought to get vaccinated, testifying before Congress to plead his case and recounting his mother's experience with Facebook Antivaxxers, giving her voice credibility in the larger conversation. He now stands up for the truth about vaccinations and hopes the rest of his family will be vaccinated too. Ethan appeals to Ethos in this context because he is able to relate his personal experience of living in a family that refuses vaccination, which gives him direct experience that makes his argument more reliable. In most cases, visual icons have more impact than symbols such as text. Visuals are more immediate, clear, memorable and compelling. When it comes to history,the images will always win out and become the center of interest. Thus, a recording of Ethan's testimony is a much more powerful tool of persuasion because the audience can physically see and hear the person being harmed by this phenomenon. For example, if the Washington Post embedded Ethan's written testimony as text instead of the court recording, viewers would feel less attached to Ethan's story. When people watch the news, they want information, not opinions. For this reason, they are more likely to watch a show that only gives them the news in its raw form. The video shows Ethan speaking and that's it, making it free of any outside bias that would make his claims less credible. It centers on Ethan as he speaks with the background blurred, making it the key visual of the video. It is also sharp and turned from the head, which makes it look more professional. The public can expect raw footage of the testimony, without editing, so that they can form their own opinion on the subject. The images in the story above are simple and direct, which is exactly what the American people want in news. The audience can feel like they are sitting in the courtroom and watching Ethan deliver his testimony in real time. This video is also relatively short, averaging around four and a half minutes, so audiences are less likely to lose interest. If this video were longer, say thirty minutes or so, the public would be less likely to watch it in its entirety and, therefore, miss important details about the case. Knowing how to communicate effectively with different communities is a powerful tool when trying to get a message across. Tone and voice can be adjusted to fit a certain mold depending on the rhetorical situation and audience. Tone is the emphasis placed on a certain aspect of speech or writing. This accent is usually linked to the tone of a certain piece of literature or other form of expression. Voice is the tone of the words spoken and often includes the tone of the speaker. Ethan is described as intelligent, clean-cut and serious despite his age. He assumes the role of a well-educated student who has researched health and safety, taking into account the context in which he is speaking. When this technique is used effectively, the impact of the speech is increased. Ethan retains a small part of his awkward teenage behavior as he stutters and stares at his notes, as any teenager would under intense pressure. Despite this, he manages to maintain a strong, clear voice and does not fidget or laugh due to his nerves, thus projecting a sense of sovereignty and discipline. His tone helps deliver his testimony carefully and objectively, a technique suited to the audience he is addressing. The testimony itself is delivered with the same care and precision that an experienced adult would in a similar case. Ethan's mannerisms remind the audience that he is indeed still a young adult, which might generate some sympathy on his behalf; his age, however, does not detract from his reliability, because his clothing gives him an appearance of authority. He is dressed in a suit and talks about how he joined debate clubs at his school, in which one usually wears a suit to large-scale meetings. Overall, Ethan's rhetorical identity during his testimony demonstrated his philosophy in the Antivaxxer argument by giving him a reputation for professionalism. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a trial.