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.