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. 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.