Questioning the media ch. 16

1      Q1:  Have you ever had an experience in which you thought personal or public expression went too far and should be curbed? Explain.  How might you remedy this situation?

A:  I remember a few years ago there was a huge controversy over Michael Jackson.  I think that he demonstrated his personal expression too much in order to gain media coverage.  And that’s exactly what he got.  However it was negative coverage, causing him to look like a pedophile, and just a weird person.  The media covered all of his actions in, both in his private life and his public life.  This brought too much insight into a single person’s life and proved disturbing.  In order to remedy this, as a media broadcaster I would not have given Jackson as much attention as he got.

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Te Q3:  The writer A.J.  Liebling once said that freedom of the press belonged to only those who owned one.  Explain why you agree or disagree.

A:  I agree with this statement.  The only people who get to voice their opinions are the ones that own major media corporations.  Sure other people get to speak and stand up, however, they are heard only through these publications.  It is up to the broadcasters to decide who demonstrates what opinions.  They may choose to air a particular person only if they like what they stand for.  This eliminates the chances for an opposing opinion to excdersise his or her free speech.  This needs to be monitored closely to make sure that both sides of different issues are being presented.

 

3      Q5:  What do you think of the current movie rating system?  Should it be changed? Why or why not?

 A:  I agree with the current system to rate movies.  As of now movies are generally rated G, PG, PG-13, R, and occasionally NC-17.  Movies that are independent are often rated NR for Not Rated.  On top of this, it is told what elements contribute to the movies ratings.  This demonstrates the appropriate age deemed acceptable to view particular films, and what is in the films so parents can use their own discretion on whether or not a child can view a film that is approved for an older age.  I feel that this system gives audiences a good idea what their in for, and helps select the most appropriate film for their pleasure.

Questioning the media ch. 15

Q1:  What are your main concerns or criticisms about the state of media studies at your college or University?

A:  At Lenoir-Rhyne University, there do not seem to be a whole lot of media studies in effect.  However, every once in a while there will be a survey being taken on campus that usually supplies incentive to take it.  What these organizations are trying to find out is what is effective in marketing.  They want to know how to better reach out to students in order to sell more of their product.  They may say it is to improve it or make life better, but ultimately these companies are looking after their own self interest.

Q3:  Can you think of an issue that a media industry and academic researchers could study together?  Explain.

A:  When thinking about what media  industries and academic researchers could study together, many issues come to mind.  Research could be conducted to find out purchasers buying habits, as well as what particular devices attract buyers.  With properly conducted trials, a vast amount of information could be attained by researchers.  This information could then be reported to media companies and utilized in their marketing.  Both of these profesions could go hand in hand to benefit the market.

Q4:  In looking at media courses in a college curriculum, what do you think is the relationship between theory and practice?  Do hands on, practical skills courses such as news reporting, advertising copywriting, or TV production belong in a liberal arts college or in a separate mass communications college?  Explain your answer.

A:  I believe that you must practice a theory in order to prove its effectiveness.  If all you do is simply talk about something, one cannot truly grasp the feel for it.  I think it is important to do hands-on activities in classes at the college level in order to give someone experience in their career field.  Communications courses not only benefit communications majors, but also people going into any field where they must relate with other people.  It is for this reason why I feel these types of courses not only belong in mass communications colleges, but also in liberal arts schools.

Questioning the Media Ch. 13

Q1: Are you exposed to popular culture from other countries? Why or why not? Give some examples.


A1: In some ways I am exposed to popular culture from other countries, however, the base culture in America is so strong, it tends to rule out other cultures. Every once in a while, when something gets so big in places like England or Japan, in seeps into American culture. For instance, The Beatles were such a hit in the UK that when they came over here they exploded. More recent examples include Britain's version of The Office or other BBC broadcasts. Whenever a toy or video game is developed in Japan, it is also often marketed in the U.S.



Q4: How does the concentration of media ownership limit the number of voices in the marketplace? Do we need rules limiting media ownership?

A: Concentration of media ownership means that more of the stories reported will reflect the companies' biases. When just a few companies run the media, they can control what is said and what isn't, as well as their opinions on issues. I do think that we need limits on media ownership so that no company has too much power. If a company gained to much power, they could manipulate how the audiences thought, spoke, and acted. This would mirror an example of propaganda and would be detrimental to society.


Q5:Is their such a thing as a global village? What does this concept mean to you?

A: I do believe there is such a thing as a global village. One of the main components of this village is the internet. Information from events happening all over the country can be accessed by virtually anywhere in the country. The news wire for media corporations helps distribute this information as well, so it can be accessible by the public. Citizens of certain countries are often found working in other countries, or traveling to various locations across the globe. With today's advances in technology, virtually anything is possible when it comes to communicating worldwide.

Questioning the media ch. 12

Q1:  What do you think of when you hear the term public relations?  What images come to mind?  Where did these impressions come from?

A:  When I hear the term public relations, I think of someone who is in charge of communicating with the public.  I picture a big building, similar to a law office, where business transactions occur.   These come from my previous outlook of PR firms, as I didn't realy have much of an understanding of how they worked.   After working through this chapter, I have learned that there are in fact public relations firms in existence, and that they do business on a very rapid timeline.  They control the world of marketing and publicity, as they must write press releases for various day to day events.  

Q3:  What step can reporters and editors take to monitor PR agents who manipulate the news media?

A:  Reporters and editors can double check if a news story is accurate enough by investigating the field.  In order to do this, they can go out to the site of the story and actually confirm with witnesses if the event took place or not.  If the PR agent has a track record of simulating the truth, he or she may be watched more closely, and their stories may be more doubted.  Reporters and editors can make it a habit of not accepting releases from known offenders, pressuring them to be honest.  They could also check with other firms in order to confirm a story based on various accounts.

Q4:  Can and should the often hostile relationship between the journalism and PR professionals be mended?  Why or why not?

A:  I believe that in order to have a successful reporting of the news, all news forces should act together.  If there is a hostile relationship, then all the news thats needs to be reported may not get reported in a timely and orderly fashion.  In order to maintain compliance, both groups need to do their jobs in an honest fashion that is considerate to the other force.  Journalists need to report the stories as they occur, without bias, and PR professionals need not ask to much for too little, such as over coverage of a small story.  There is no reason for colleagues not to be on good terms in such a demanding field.

Questioning the media ch. 11

Q2:  Why are so many people critical of advertising?

A:  Advertising in today's society has had many affects on the way people look at themselves.  It has a tendency to control peoples actions and motives when looking for particular products.  It also exposes the vulnerabilities that lie inside people.  Children are among the most influenced by advertisements.  People tend to be so critical of advertising because it has such a controling affect.  Many people feel that something unavoidable shouldn't have such an influence on society.  It gives people ideas of how people should look, what they should eat, and what their motives in life should be.  Many people feel that these values at stake should not be compromised by for the sake of others greed.

Q4:  Should advertising aimed at children be regulated?  Why or why not?

A:  I think that advertising aimed at children should be regulated.  At a young age, people are unable to distinguish fact from reality.  Children perceive everything they see or are told as real and have trouble using good judgment.  If an advertisement on television is appealing to a child, they will do whatever they can to get their parents to get whatever is being marketed.  Without regulation, children may be convinced to partake in questionable activities, or have superficial thoughts engrained into their heads.  As long as products marketed towards children are in their best interest there should be no problem.  However, when things such as alcohol, tobacco, or sex are involved in anything that may be deemed as appealing to children, it is not right.  Children should only be exposed to harmless and monitored media.

Q6:  Would you be in favor of regular advertising on public television and radio as a means of financial support for these media?  Explain your answer.

A:  I do feel that advertising in public media is necessary.  In order for media to receive adequate funding, they must sell their empty space.  Television and radio rely heavily on this kind of income.  Money from advertising goes towards quality production of programs, which draws viewers, and in turn causes companies to compete for space.  This benefits everyone.  The audiences get what they tune in for, the producers profit, and the advertisers draw customers.  This circle of production, self perpetuates itself.  Personally, I feel that this proves to be very healthy for the economy.  It gets people spending money, and satisfied with entertainment at the same time.

Questioning the media ch. 10

Questioning the Media Ch. 10.

Q1:  What are your earliest recollections of books?  Do you read for pleasure?  If so, what kinds of book do you enjoy?

A:  My first books were short stories that my mom would read to me.  One of my favorite things was for her to read me a bedtime story, and then I could lay in bed and imagine it until I fell asleep.  As I got older and learned to read myself, I became fascinated with Goosebumps.  These novels were scary but also interesting at a young age.  Today, I dont mind reading but my taste has changed form those imaginary fantasies.  I enjoy reading non fiction books about society and basically anything that I can learn and benefit from.  I fined it most interesting to come from reading a book with increased knowledge of a particular subject.

Q3:  If you were opening up an independent bookstore in a town with a major chain, how would you compete?

A:  Being the aspiring entrepreneur that I wish to be, I may one day be opening an independent bookstore.  In order to compete with major bookstores, I would have to provide an atmosphere that was more appealing than the other ones.  Some of the other bookstores have coffee shops, but I could include a more extensive coffee shop with a smoothie bar and bakery.  I would give the potential buyers a very quaint atmosphere to relax in.  This could include large comfortable couches, and perhaps a fire on cold days.  With this I would create an environment that didn't even compare to the chains.

Q4:  Imagine that you are on a committee that oversees book choices for a high school library in your town.  What policies do you think should guide the committee's selection of controversial books?

A:  If I were in control, I would most likely not ban any books from a school library.  I feel that classic literature should not be kept from student just for containing a few bad words or sexual innuendos.  I have been a part of classes that have banned parts of certain books for this reason and I feel it is not right.  Unless we are talking about books with actual graphic pictures, that by law you must be 18 to view, I feel that at the high school no works of literature should be banned.  At this level most all children have been exposed to what they will find, and if not, they have been too sheltered.

Questioning the media ch. 9

Q1:What are you earliest recollections of magazines?  Which magazines do you read regularly today?

A:  My earliest recollections of magazines is probably when I read Sports Illustrated for Kids. From about the time I was 6 or 7, sports in general captivated my interest.  Being too young totally understand the full context of professional organizations, SI for Kids abbreviated some of the top stories and made them more interesting for a younger audience.  I also remember many of the advertisements being for games or sugary cereal.  Today, I read the normal version of Sports Illustrated as it covers the major events in sports with great detail.  However, the ads are not so innocent as they tend to focus on an older audience and promote alcohol and sex.

Q2:  Imagine that you are the marketing director of your favorite magazine.  What would you do to increase circulation?

A:  If I was the marketing director for my favorite magazine, which in this case is Sports Illustrated, I would do whatever I could to sell the most copies.  I would advertise on  major sports networks such as ESPN and during major sporting events on other networks.  This way I could reach out to the largest target audience possible.  One way I could increase circulation is to provide incentive for current customers to recommend people.  This way I could create a large network of customers.  I feel that once sports fans would get a copy of my magazine, they would be hooked.

Q3:  Do you think cable, the internet, and other specialized computer technology will eventually displace magazines?  Why or why not?

A:  I do not think any new technologies will displace current magazines.  The whole idea of a magazine is to have a portable form of literature in a specialized subject, and be able take it anywhere.  With technology and computers you can't necessarily do that.  Sure you can look something up on the internet, but you cant have hundreds of articles to flip through on an airplane.  Plus magazines offer graphics, cut outs and posters that likewise cannot be produced with technology.

Questioning the Media Ch. 8

Q1: What kinds of stories, topics, or issues are not being covered well by mainstream papers?


A: Mainstream papers today are only focused on whatever will sell. That is why information or news that certain groups would find interesting are not published to the mass media. Publishers are looking for whatever the most people will find interesting so that they will buy the papers. Topics like this include, foreign sports, small town oddities, and historical documents. Foreign sports would not sell because people are only concerned with what is in their culture. Whats going on across seas may be a sport not even known about in the US, therefore has no effect on Americans. Small town oddities are great for local newspapers, but people would not be able to relate to them through huge mainstream papers. Finally, people are only concerned about what is happening in the present, hence the term news paper, and would seek other sources of historical information.


Q2: Why do you think people aren't reading newspapers as frequently as they once did? What can newspapers do to increase circulation?

A: With all of the modern forms of news today, people do not need only to resort to newspapers. Back in the day, newspapers were the only form of communication that could get information out to the public. Sporting events could not be watched on TV, they had to be read about in the papers, unless one could actually attend. The same goes for any breaking news, whether it be politics, sports, business, or just big events. Today's technology not only allows us to bring a live news feed in to our living rooms with TV and radio, but with a click of a button in the office we can see the latest world updates. Newspapers can serve as a portable news device, but other means of communication are cheaper and require virtually no material. In order to increase circulation, I feel that newspapers could just broadcast certain stories in their articles rather than allowing them to be told via other means of communication. This would allow for people to have to buy newspapers to hear about certain events.


Q3: Discuss whether newspaper chains are ultimately good or bad for the future of journalism.

A: Newspapers tend to be biased and to not always tell the full story. In order to sell, they must contain credible information but it must be interesting for an audience. This type of information tends to become talked up by writers in order to make it sound more dramatic to readers. Also, sometimes a writer's opinion comes into play, depending on his or her views, and the general views of the newspaper. Newspaper chains could all carry similar values with them bringing readers a one sided story across the board. Though some people may find that a certain paper has validity, it story may differ from another. If an oligopoly emerges in newspapers, they could virtually control the news being reported. The small time news papers can sometimes be most reliable as they are not always just trying to sell papers, but relay news in a reliable form.

Questioning the media ch. 7

Q2:  Do you remember seeing a movie that you were not allowed to see?  Discuss the experience.

A:  I remember seeing a movie I was not allowed to see when I was pretty young.  I was probably about 8 and my mom strictly forbade me to see rated-R movies.  One day I was at a friends house and the movie Anaconda was on.  I new I was supposed to see the violence and cussing that was involved, but for some reason my rebellious nature drew me to the screen.  I had a conscience telling me not to watch it though all the while I loved the thrill of breaking the rules.  This movie opened a tolerance in me that my mother would not have approved of at such a young age.  I no longer thought it was such a big deal to see the movie because I could easily tell that it was fake.  However I obeyed the rule for a while until I got to be old enough to make my movie watching decisions on my own.

Q3:  How often do you go to the movie theater today?  How often do you rent movies on video or DVD?  Which experience do you prefer and why?

A:  I only go to the movies now a days when a movie comes out that looks really good.  With the price of gas to get to the movies and the cost of admission I find that I can only afford to go sparingly.  I would say I go to the movies about once every two months.  The same goes for renting movies.  Usually when I do this it is with a friend and we can all watch it.  But I often borrow movies that my friends have purchased when I want to watch one.  When it come to my preference of the movie theater or renting a movie I would have to go with the movie theater.  Even though television are becoming clearer and bigger with improved sound from the comfort of the home, the experience in a movie theater with the big screen and the loud surround sound is much more powerful.

Q4:  If you were a Hollywood film producer or executive, what kind of films would you like to see made?  What changes would you make in what we see at the movies?

A:  Being a film producer is a career that I would consider pursuing as a communications major.  Therefore I would have big ideas for the big screen.  I would want my films to be meaningful on many different levels.  I would strive to balance the art and the business behind movie making.  I feel that in order to be successful in the business aspect, I would have to excel in the art aspect as well.  I would like to eliminate all the junk movies that use cliche story lines and techniques and create something truly innovative.  Being big on sports I would like to make movies involving sports with unseen twists.  I would want to develop camera angles and shooting techniques that have not been explored in this genre and possibly create story lines based on true stories.  Documentaries and comedic documentaries would also be a field of interest.

Questioning the media ch. 6

Q2:  If you controlled a cable public access channel in your community, what would be your channels goal?  What could we do to make public-, government-,or educational-access programming more appealing?  Should we?

A:  If i control a public access channel, my first and foremost goal would be to bring something to the audience that they could benefit from.  For example, instead of just taking up air time with mindless shows, a many stations do, I would provide educational or historical documents for my viewers.  When I watch TV I like to be entertained as well as educated by getting my mind to think about things or to be informed about different events.  I would strive to put on quality shows of this nature for both kids and adults.  In order to make other channels more appealing, especially government, I feel we should definitely dress up the current programming.  Much of the information in it is valuable but it is often conveyed in too boring a way to attract viewers.  Updated technology and clever plot lines to the existing shows would be a good way to get the message across to viewers.

Q4:  CNN and MTV have changed our society as well as the global culture.  Have these changes been positive or negative?  Explain.

A:  With the development of CNN and MTV I feel that many new things have been brought into our culture.  This is why I feel that these developments have been both good and bad for our culture.  CNN brings news and updates from the world right into the living room.  However, sometimes this information is biased.  Faithful viewers get no other perspective as to what is occurring.  Though they get to be informed about what is happening, it is hard for them not to develop their own opinions about the event.  MTV on the other hand has allowed hundreds of musicians to get their big breaks by advertising thier music and at the same time brought a variety of new music into the viewers playlists.  However, this type of media determines what pop culture is and as a result brings a lot of garbage into the culture.  MTV to an extent, constructs the mind set of much of America's youth as to how they should act, dress, and what their values could be.  Both of these changes has a plus side but also create danger to a society of naive viewers.

Q5:  Do you think DBS will eventually overtake cable in popularity? Why or Why not?

A:  DBS, or Direct Broadcasting Satellites, have been around for a while and can transmit hundreds of different channels for viewers.  Many argue that they can do more than cable.  However, cable has been around much longer than satellite and it will not just fold over right away.  I don't think DBS will overtake cable because cable will come up with advancements in technology such as digital cable.  PLus with the development of such technology as fiber optics, one day both methods of viewing will be obsolete.  Popularity will come to the most affordable, highest quality, and most featuring system of the time.  It is likely to be a battle for decades for the most popular form of television new improvements are constantly made.

Questioning the media ch. 5

Q2:  How much television do you watch today?  Which programs do you try to watch regularly?  What attracts you to your favorite program(s)?

A:  Being a college student of today, I do not find myself watching too much television.  I simply do not have time to watch much and when I do I often find myself doing something more constructive.  However, there are a few shows that I really do enjoy watching.  Shows such as The Office, and Baseball Tonight are programs I will tune into if I happen to be sitting at the TV during the times they are aired.  I am drawn to this type of programming because I like to unwind watching comedy on TV or the baseball scores from the day.  Being a baseball player myself I find much of the news on Baseball Tonight very interesting.

Q3:  If you were a network television executive, what changes would you make in the programs that America watches?

A:  If I had the power to dictate the type of programming that America watches I would make a few minor changes.  I would mostly keep much of the programming the same but focus on cleaning up TV as I feel much of it these days are cultural garbage.  I would mainly put an end to most reality shows as these often depict unrealistic scenarios in which home viewers think they should relate with.  Also, much of this is setting people up to be made fun of on national television and I feel isn't necessary for the growth of our culture.

Q5:  How could television be used to improve social and political life in the US?

A:  I believe television could definitely serve as a key means of improving different aspects of life.  Because it is so widely viewed, television serves as a gateway to most homes and citizens.  Much of the programming on television is designed to entertain but often conveying wrong or no messages.  If this entertaining programming had stronger social messages and solid political values, a wide range of people who tune in regularly would be affected for the better.  People could make better decisions at the polls and be better off in social settings with this stronger foundation.  Instead of seeing the negatives in culture and trying to emulate them, people seeing the right messages could become stronger US citizens.

Questioning the media ch. 4

Q1:  Describe your earliest memories of listening to radio.  Do you remember your favorite song?  How old were you?  Do you remember the stations call letters?  Why did you listen?

A:  My earliest memories of listening to the radio came when I used to ride with my dad on my way to pre school when I was about four.  He always used to have on smooth jazz from WSJT 94.1.  I remember I was not particularly fond of it as I frequently told him it was elevator music.  Not that I had a favorite song, but one I can remember often coming on was Smooth Operator.  Now, when I hear smooth jazz it brings a sort of comfort to me with the memories from when I was young.

Q3:  If you could own and manage a commercial radio station, what formats would you choose and why?  

A:  If I were to have my own radio station, I would probably play music that a listener could just chill out to.  I like acoustic music as well some reggae and I feel these would make an excellent combination on the air.  I currently do not know of any stations that play this type of music, so the station competition would be virtually non existent.  I think that I could make good money advertising products to help people relax because this would be a primary target audience.

Q5:  How might radio be used to improve social and political discussions in the United States?  

A:  I think radio could be very beneficial in helping improve social and political discussions in the US.  The different viewpoints from all opposing sides could be heard by the masses when broadcasted.  This would allow listeners to open up their minds by hearing all about different issues.  Also listeners would be able to call in and defend their positions, and let the voice be heard from the common people.

Questioning the media ch. 3

Q1:  What was your first favorite group or singer?  How old were you at the time?  What was important to you about this music?

A:  When I was in third grade, I got my very first portable CD player and a CD for Christmas.  On this CD was the song All Star by Smash Mouth.  Almost instantly, this became my favorite band due to that song.  I would listen to the same song over and over again.  I quickly learned all of the words.  I grew fond of all of the band's other songs as well.  Their sound seemed to have struck a chord in me and it ended up turning on my appreciation of music.  As a young and innocent eight year old, I appreciated their clean lyrics and I enjoyed jamming out to their poppy beat.  For the next few years they were to remain my favorite band and I even sang All Star in my fifth grade talent show.

Q3:  Think about the role of the 1960's drug culture in rock's history.  How are Drugs and alcohol treated in contemporary and alternative forms of rock and hip hop?

A:  The drug culture combined with the development of rock and roll in the 1960's and 70's created a counterculture of the baby booming youth.  Working together, these two evolved around each other leading to the rise of groups such as Jimi Hendricks, Pink Floyd and even Bob Marley.  They had a following of young people looking branch away from the conventional and experimenting with things that were totally against the mainstream.  In the rock and hip hop culture of today, these ideas have almost done the opposite- evolved into the mainstream.  Most hip hop songs today are about sex money and/or drugs.  Rock follows a familiar lifestyle pattern as many groups and individuals support the cause of often thought ill natured morals.  The youth of today has been brought up on more a a premise that these things are normal, leading to a large cultural loss of traditional morals and values.

Q5:  Do you think the Internet as a technology helps or hurts musical artists?  Why do so many contemporary musical performers differ in their opinions about the internet?

A:  In order to truly understand the differing opinions of musical artists about the Internet, one must look at both sides of the issue before drawing their own conclusion.  The internet, with sites such as YouTube and Myspace and Itunes can do a great job of promoting an artist's work and even selling it.  With these methods, even the little independent guy can get his music out there and make some money on it.  However, music is also easily stolen and shared by means of programs such as Limewire, and with torrents that can be downloaded directly off the internet.  With this,  it is understandable why musicians would be upset, as they are not getting paid for their work.  Personally, I feel that though this goes on, customers are much more likley to go out and buy an album than steal it if they really want to support heir artist.  A much wider range and variety of music can be much more easily discovered with genres only a Google or an Itunes search away, making it easier for bands to become well known and prosper.

Questioning the media ch. 2

Q1:  What was your first encounter with the Internet like?  How did it compare with your first encounters with other mass media?

A:  Way back in the day when I still a young kid, my parents bought our family's first computer.  Running on Windows 95, we had the revolutionary America Online.  This form of internet was slow, and and overall annoying to use.  I would log on, get to listen to numbers being dialed as if I were placing a call, and I would be greeted by a friendly voice telling me I got mail.  However, this whole process took about 5 minutes- just to get logged on!  I always had to devote time in my day and make sure I logged off because it would take up our phone line.  No one could get a hold of us otherwise because there were no cell phones at this time.  My only other encounter with a new form of mass media would be the cell phone.  This device revolutionized my social network as I could have my very own line of communication, much like the internet had with programs like instant messenger.

Q2:  What features of the information highway are you most excited about?  What features are most troubling?  Why?

A:  With the information highway, great advances in relaying information across the world were made.  Features that appeal to me most are those that I can benefit from most.  Advances in connectivity speed are things that excite me because it means I can access information almost immediately.  Websites such as google allow me to find out information on topics or things that just interest me in general anytime of day.  Also the advances in portability of information sources such as the Internet on cell phones really comes in handy when Im on the go, or in a situation where I cannot access a computer and need to find something out, or check email. This type of ease has its negative effects too.  With information becoming interactive and easy for anybody to display websites such as YouTube and Wikipedia can expose private matters and even provide falls information.  Since the information highway has no "highway patrol" so to speak, no one can govern what goes up and what stays up.

Q4:  Do you think virtual communities are genuine communities?  Why or why not?

A:  Virtual communities are ever growing networks of people on media forms such as the internet.  I believe that these types of communities are not genuine in that people who are part of them may not necessarily know anybody else on them.  You don't actually have face to face contact or instantaneous dialogue, which makes it easy for people to be people they are not in real life.  However, with newer developments of social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace, real life friends can stay in touch or communicate with one another whom they already know.  These sites also serve to to allow users to uncover music or events that they may be interested in, and express their interests with other users.  I believe that though virtual communities do not necessarily serve as "genuine" communities, they can still be beneficial to society.

Questioning the Media 1

Q: Using music or television as an example, identify a performer or program you once liked but began to dislike as you grew older and your tastes changed.  Why do you think this happened?  Do you think your early interests in popular music or television have had an impact on shaping your identity?

 

A:  Way back in the day, Power Rangers came on the air, and for some reason I was enamored by the violence and unrealistic concepts presented by the teenagers in colored costumes.  Aside from the strong influence of my parents not to watch the show, I believe as I approached the early stages of grade school I realized the superficiality that was involved.  The terrible acting and cheesy effects lost their appeal to my maturing mind.  Eventually I discontinued my Power Ranger karate kicks in the outfield during my tee ball games, and went on to engage in a normal baseball career.  Luckily I grew out of this media influenced state of mind and it did not end up shaping my identity.

 Q: Make a critical case either defending or condemning Comedy Central’s South Park, a TV talk show, professional wrestling, a hip hop group, a soap opera, or TV news coverage of the US occupation of Iraq.  Use the 5-step process to develop your position.

A:   Comedy Central's South Park is a cartoon comedy about a bunch of kids and their families in small town Colorado.  It employs  satirical situations with mature comedy in attempts to bring a sense of relief to real life issues and current events.  It often sets up kids getting in to unrealistic mischief and causing problems on a larger scale than they would actually be capable of.  Its this element that brings humor to the show and causes the viewer to often realize the humor that people in society unconsciously bring about.  I feel this type of expression is important to a society in order to realize the rights wrongs and stupid decisions we all make.  Therefore I believe South Park positive and not just cartoon nonsense.  It employs an educated look into simple minds and portrays the uses its popular comic style as a key way to convey the writers opinion to viewers. 

Q:  Although in some ways postmodern forms of communication, such as email, MTV and CNN, have helped citizens participate in global life, in what ways might these forms harm more traditional or native cultures?

 

News networks and forms of electronic and digital media can alert citizens with breaking updates twenty-four seven and at the convenience of virtually anywhere they fancy.  Indeed these forms of communication have helped transform our culture into a learning age for all.  But what happens when some things are not supposed to be learned?  And where do traditional values get lost?  The media has a habit of rubbing its own commercialized thoughts off on other viewers- especially the naive.  And when traditional and native cultures see these images of scantily clothed individuals doing provocative dances on MTV, they may begin to question their own clothing and rituals.  With this great traditions can be lost  and values be destroyed because the new generations will want to emulate these actions in order to fit in with the surrounding societies.