Media Control

This morning,  I was enjoying some breakfast and some Stephen Coldbert. And in the middle of the episode, my grandmother looks over at me and says, "Don't listen to that garbage." I didn't say anything back, having been in an early morning trance. However, it did make me think, how much the media, even the comedic media influence America's youth? At 16 years old, I'd like to think that I'm not influenced by the news or anything at all, but I couldn't help but wonder if my grandmother's concern was indeed well founded? You can find an anti media argument here, and a pro media argument here. One article demonizes the media, while another says that Television aids a in a child's development. Where is the truth here? What do you think of the influence of the media on America's youth?