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.