The Blog is Closed

The Blogging requirements are now complete for the class. Thanks to all those participating and especially to the 5 students who replied to all messages.

Holiday Media

With the holidays approaching, i'd like you to share with the group any media related traditions you have. Does your family all get together to watch something on TV. Is there any particular show you love to watch every Christmas/Thanksgiving? Why is that show/s so important to you. I know i have some favorites dating back to when i was a kid but i wonder if there are any new shows that have come on recently that will one day be a favorite for my children?

Honestly

....i've got nothing. and i'm really late on this one so everybody gets a freebie.

America's War

I try to stay away from overtly political topics on this blog but i was forwarded this clip from a friend today and thought it would make a good blog topic. Bill Moyers is a noted journalist, spending most of his time working for PBS. He was press secretary for President Lyndon B. Johnson when Vietnam was becoming an issue and being so, had access to the President while he was considering going to War. Moyers, on his current show at PBS, made the following comment recently here. What do you feel about this? What if America reinstated a draft? Have we become too detached from the War? How has media coverage of the War impacted our view of it?

Sex and the Media

Late last year, CNN published a piece on a RAND study linking teen pregnancy to watching sex on television. First, read the piece here. After reading i want you to address a few questions.
1. Do you think the results are correct? Does watching more sex on tv lead to teen pregnancy?
2. What other factors are also leading to teen pregnancy? In the piece one person says that too many things other than parenting are always blamed for teen pregnancy. Do you agree? Could good parenting counter the effects of watching too much sex on TV.
3. Could there be a third variable going on here? Teen pregnancy is on the rise. Sex on TV is on the rise. The number of hours of TV watched is on the rise? What's going on?
4. The term Media Literacy is used. This means teaching people how to critically interpret and understand the media with which they engage. (Basically you're taking a class in media literacy right now). Is there a place for this in the classroom? And how can we teach media literacy in the classroom when education budgets are being slashed and we are barely getting basic skills like reading and writing taught in the classroom?

Get that Kid Outta Here

I was reading this article on CNN about the new movie "Where the Wild Things Are" based on the popular children's book. Of particular interest to me was the quote of the editor of the parenting site dadcentric.com who basically said taking a child younger than 5 to a movie is pushing it. One parent was upset that their 20-month old wasn't interested in the movie.

Here's my question. Have you ever taken a child younger than 5 to a movie theater? How about younger than 3? Should we expect children at this age to enjoy the theater experience? Also, a couple of months ago, i witnessed a couple bringing a young child (i'm guessing around 5 or 6) to the horror movie, Halloween 2. Of course, the movie frightened the child so bad that she cried throughout the film and hid her sobbing face in one of her parent's chest. Here's another question. In a situation like this, do you think the movie theater (and i guess by that, i mean the usher) should have told the couple to please remove the frightened child. By the way, the couple talked out loud during the whole movie to the point where the person behind them asked them to please be quiet. What's your thoughts on all this mess?

SPOOKY TIME!!!!

Hello all,
It's that time of year again, my favorite time of year actually (well next to christmas).It's Halloween. I loved trick or treating as a kid and get to relive it all over again now with my own kids. And of course, cable tv is great now cause they show all the horror movies (even if they are edited).

That brings me to my question. What is your favorite Horror Movie. Tell me why it is your favorite. And why do you think we go see horror movies. Even if you don't like them, tell me why you think others go see them. And by the way, here's a good scare for you (not for those with a heart condition).

No Blog This Week.

Because the midterm is due, there is no blog for this week. However, someone posted last week that did not sign their name. I'm not sure who msright2474 is. If that person wants the blog points, they need to inform me of their real name.

The future of print

Sorry for being late posting this but i became ill on sunday and have been in bed for the past three days. I'm just able to get to a computer now. Anyways, here goes.

There's a lot of debate right now concerning the future of print newspapers. The concern of how these papers will survive in the digital age has been present since the internet boom of the mid 90's. But now the concern has been revitalized with a proposed government bailout to help print newspapers.

I want you to read this article and also the comments below it. What's your opinion on the matter? Are we ready yet to let traditional newspapers die? Or will their death contribute to a degradation of journalistic standards?

If I Have to Come Back There and Separate You Two!!!!

Fox News has a history of trashtalking to the mainstream media, despite the fact that it is perhaps now the most mainstream of the media companies out there. Its ratings consistently beat those of ABC, NBC, CBS, or CNN. But now it seems that CNN is ready to do some talking of its own. A recent event has heated the animosity between the two channels. At some of the recent Teabag protests in Washington, it was revealed that FOX producers were apparently encouraging the crowds to cheer loudly when reporters were in front of the crowds. Many see this act as promotion of an event as opposed to coverage of an event. Video footage of the producers rallying the crowd can be seen below:




Rick Sanchez of CNN commented lately on an advertisement that FOX bought claiming that the mainstream media did not cover the protests. Sanchez spent significant time bashing FOX for such a claim. His response is below:




Here's my question? Are we as a society headed towards a "biased" media situation, one in which each channel must take sides and viewers must accept that the organization is biased? Are we capable and ready as a society to critically evaluate our news coverage or do we accept the "talking heads" perspective as fact? Do you prefer one channel over another because their "news" agrees with your perspective/politics?

Stranded on an Island

Hello all,
I once saw a news piece where a journalist asked the presidential candidates what book they would take with them to the White House. That's a neat question and it reminded me of that old question, "If you were stranded on an island........"

So here's my media related question to you this week. Write a short paragraph on each:

1. If you were stranded on an island, what magazine would you like to wash up onshore every week? And why?

2. If you were stranded on an island, what one movie would you like to take with you (in a portable dvd player, of course)? And why?

3. If you were stranded on an island, what one album/song would you like to be loaded on the mp3 player you took with you? And why?

Good Luck

How to Cover War

I want your opinion on the following matter. An Associated Press photographer posted photos she had taken while covering the war overseas. One photo showed a marine who had been killed in action. The family asked that the photo not be distributed but the photographer and the AP felt it was their duty to show the true cost of war.

The story can be found by clicking here. The Commercial Appeal of Memphis was one paper that chose to display the photo. Does the press have a responsibility and duty to show these types of photos. During the Bush Administration, photographers were banned from taking photos on the incoming coffins of soldiers being flown back to the states. Many complained that Bush was trying to hide the negative side of War with his ban. What do you think?

Again, please sign your posts at the end with your name. Many of you share first names and i can't tell who some people are (for example, Kamryn'sMom).

An Example of Media Concentration

The big news to me today is that Disney is purchasing Marvel Entertainment, the comics company that owns Spider-Man, X-Men, The Hulk, Fantastic Four, etc. Being that we've discussed media concentration and consolidation, what are some things you expect to happen to Marvel due to the buyout? What new opportunities or threats do you believe Marvel faces.

This also brings up another question. In the last decade we have seen a resurgence in superheroes. Every year there are a few big superhero movies released. "Heroes" is a top rated show on NBC. What is the appeal of the superhero genre and why do you think it has recently gained so much interest?

Also, please sign the end of your posts with your name. We have several in class that share first names.

Social Media

Welcome to the new semester! One of the things that i noticed last semester was how much time i was spending with Facebook. If you don't know about Facebook, then you need to look it up. Google it. Using this social connector, i have been able to re-establish contact with friends from long ago. I recently had dinner with an old college buddy that i found by using facebook.

So here's my question to you. How has social media like facebook, myspace, youtube, changed your life? Do you use any of these programs? Some people even have their cellphone connected to facebook. I'm amazed at how much information people will share on these sites. People constantly post pictures of themselves in compromising situations. I even know some employers who check candidates' facebook pages to see what kind of person they are in private. Do you think the Internet, with the help of these programs, is helping us reveal too much about ourself. Is modesty fading because of new media? Or does the possibility of re-connecting with old friends and establishing relationships with similar likes and dislikes outweigh the negative implications of this media. Remember, two paragraphs. Again, welcome to class.

To Cap It Off

Well, we are at the end of our semester. But perhaps there's something you wanted to say about the media that we haven't covered. Here's your opportunity to speak. I'd like you to discuss your top 3 issues you have with the media. These can be things you think the media does poorly or does complimentary. It's your 3 issues to vent. Perhaps there are issues we didn't talk about. Remember, you're creating the post here so any links you can give to back up your argument would be appreciated.

Free Speech and Porn

Since some recent lectures have been about sex and media effects i thought i'd share this story with you. The University of Maryland attempted to show a pornographic movie recently. After a a state legislator threatened to withhold funding from the University should they air the film, the school's administrators canceled the event. Student groups however protested and showed the film on their own. No university funds were used to purchase the movie or sponsor the event. This became a free speech issue for the students and some of the professors, feeling that if the showing could educate people about porn's impact on society why shouldn't the university be involved. I remember a porn movie being shown at the University of Georgia movie theater when i was an undergrad student. The event was huge and most of the audience just laughed their way through the film. I've included a link to the news story here. Be sure to watch the video as well as read the article. What are your thoughts?

The landscape is changing

Some big news is starting to boil up regarding the media and changes to how we engage with it. For starters, early reports are suggesting that legal downloading and sharing of music is beginning to take root and impact illegal filesharing and piracy. Second, magazine ad revenues are down significantly, threatening the livelihood of many popular magazines. Third, broadcast networks (like NBC, CBS, ABC) are taking a beating from cable channels this summer. Finally, the New York Times is considering charging for access to its website.

So, where do you think we are heading? How often do you use legal music downloading sites/applications like iTunes? Do you think the New York Times' strategy of charging for content a valid (and profitable) method of distribution for the newspaper industry? And why are the broadcast stations taking a beating from cable?

No Blog This Week

There is no blog this week as it is midterm week. Back next monday (the 13th).

Overexposed?

How many of you knew that ABC had an hour long special on the health care debate featuring a town hall meeting with President Obama? Apparently no one else noticed either. The ratings were abysmal. President Obama's town hall scored less viewers than a CSI:NY rerun and "i survived a Japanese game show". This brings me to a question that many media critics have been asking lately. Is Obama overexposing himself? Can a sitting U.S. President be too visible in the media? Why do you think the ratings are so bad? Was no one interested in the topic of health care reform? Was everyone interested in other summer activities? Or did people skim through the channels, see Obama, and think to themselves, "oh, it's him again?"

Twitter wins big

Sorry about putting this up late but the long trip home from our vacation just zapped me yesterday. During my trip, of course, the big news was the protest in Iran. The media landscape changed dramatically because of this event. As professional journalists were banned from reporting the events, everyday citizens began using twitter, facebook, and youtube to post news and video/photos of the events on the ground. CNN and the other news stations were forced to use viewer created content for their stories. This brings us to some important questions.
1. What will news channels and newspapers look like 15 years from now?
2. What role should professional journalists play in this new media world when viewers create the content?



two paragraphs on this please. also, please add your real name when posting. sometimes it is hard for me to figure out who you are from the user name.

On Vacation

So i'm writing this in a starbucks while i'm on vacation at the beach in florida. I don't have much time before they close so let me post some quick questions here. Do your media habits change during the summer and how? Do you go to the movies more often? Read more books? And what about any summer trips you take or any long trips away from home for that matter. When you go on a trip do you feel more or less engaged with the media? Do you welcome the chance to "unplug" from television, the internet, your cellphone, or do you feel withdrawn and less connected to the world? Two paragraphs on these if you can. and don't forget you can bounce questions off each other. the point of this blog is to foster conversation not just between you and i but between each other.

Social Media

Welcome to the new semester! One of the things that i noticed last semester was how much time i was spending with Facebook. If you don't know about Facebook, then you need to look it up. Google it. Using this social connector, i have been able to re-establish contact with friends from long ago. I recently had dinner with an old college buddy that i found by using facebook.

So here's my question to you. How has social media like facebook, myspace, youtube, changed your life? Do you use any of these programs? Some people even have their cellphone connected to facebook. I'm amazed at how much information people will share on these sites. People constantly post pictures of themselves in compromising situations. I even know some employers who check candidates' facebook pages to see what kind of person they are in private. Do you think the Internet, with the help of these programs, is helping us reveal too much about ourself. Is modesty fading because of new media? Or does the possibility of re-connecting with old friends and establishing relationships with similar likes and dislikes outweigh the negative implications of this media. Remember, two paragraphs. Again, welcome to class.

Miss USA and Gay Marriage

Well, we started the semester by talking about celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton and we'll end on it. I really didn't think this was a big deal, but Miss California's response to a question regarding Gay Marriage is getting some press attention. In the competition for Miss USA, celebrity judge Perez Hilton asked Miss California about her view on gay marriage. Hilton later chided Miss California for her response. I'm not so concerned about her answer (although i thought it sounded like she was fumbling a bit), but i am more interested in some of Hilton's comments. Watch the following video. What do you think about Hilton's stance?

Well. That was Awkward....

I'm not really sure if you can comment two paragraphs on this. But what the hell do you think was going on here?

Pirate Porn and the Public University

I don't even know how to start this week's blog but i'll give it a shot. The University of Maryland attempted to show a pornographic movie recently. After a a state legislator threatened to withhold funding from the University should they air the film, the school's administrators canceled the event. Student groups however protested and showed the film on their own. No university funds were used to purchase the movie or sponsor the event. This became a free speech issue for the students and some of the professors, feeling that if the showing could educate people about porn's impact on society why shouldn't the university be involved. I remember a porn movie being shown at the University of Georgia movie theater when i was an undergrad student. The event was huge and most of the audience just laughed their way through the film. I've included a link to the news story here. Be sure to watch the video as well as read the article. What are your thoughts?

Violent Video Games and Media Coverage

So last week i brought up the idea of blaming school shootings on video games. Let's continue with that theme. My main area of research is on the psychology of playing video games, namely how video games make people feel and think. I will leave my personal feelings and findings out of this post because i don't want to persuade the group. CNN posted this article last semester. One interesting thing to look for when the media covers school or teenage shootings is that they will also put a quick one sentence mention that the shooter owned violent video games.

So before you post your comments on the topics, let's investigate the recent school shooting in Germany. Do a google search for "Tim Kretschmer, school shooting, video games" and see what you get. After reading some of those then post your comments. So what do you think about violent video games. Are they becoming too prevalent in society? Do they contribute to violence? Can we blame them for school shootings (as the media has done several times, especially at Columbine)? If they are a negative force for children, how do we combat that? Your thoughts please.

Where are our Pundits Leading Us

A lot of you may have seen Jon Stewart's (of the Daily Show) interview with CNBC star Jim Cramer in which Stewart basically accused Cramer and other CNBC hosts of bad journalism. You can see it here. One of Stewart's best points is that The Daily Show is a comedy show on Comedy Central whereas some of these other pundits are on News Shows. Does the fact that some pundits (like Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Keith Olbermann, and Rachel Maddow) are on news Channels, like Fox and MSNBC, mean that they should be held to a higher standard of journalism? How many of us believe that these people are good journalists? And is there danger in the almost cult-like devotion some fans show towards them?

For example, the man who recently shot several people in a Tennessee church, apparently wrote a letter beforehand claiming that he was shooting liberals to better the country. One of the items he mentioned in the letter was a book written by Bernard Goldberg who is a frequent guest of the O'Reilly Factor. Please follow this link to read the story and watch clips. What do you think of these shows? Are you a fan?

Some will argue that O'Reilly and Goldberg can't be blamed for the church shooting. I tend to agree. It is clearly an act of an insane person. But then again, don't we blame video games for school shootings? If we blame that medium for the actions of crazed killers, shouldn't we blame the actions of the church shooter on the media he consumed?

Blog Topic Coming

The blog topic will be posted by the end of the day. check back later.

Spring Break

No posting this week as it is Spring Break on campus.

Pack Your Bag

Hello all,
I once saw a news piece where a journalist asked the presidential candidates what book they would take with them to the White House. That's a neat question and it reminded me of that old question, "If you were stranded on an island........"

So here's my media related question to you this week. Write a short paragraph on each:

1. If you were stranded on an island, what magazine would you like to wash up onshore every week? And why?

2. If you were stranded on an island, what one movie would you like to take with you (in a portable dvd player, of course)? And why?

3. If you were stranded on an island, what one album/song would you like to be loaded on the mp3 player you took with you? And why?

Good Luck

No Post This Week

Originally i had wanted to skip the blog during midterm week, but i thought the editorial cartoon was such a good topic that i posted it anyway. turns out that it was a good topic and got a lot of you to respond. so this week we'll take a break. come back next monday for a new topic.

The Washington Post Cartoon

Recently, the Washington Post editorial section posted the following picture.

The Post Editorial staff claimed that the dead chimpanzee referenced an earlier story in the week regarding police officers having to shoot and kill a monkey that attacked and killed a woman. The cartoonist claims he was commenting that the latest stimulus bill was written by a bunch of dumb monkeys (congressmen). But others disagree.

Many claim that the monkey could be seen as a racist comment on one of the chief architects of the stimulus bill, President Obama. They claim that the editors should have recognized that the editorial could be misconstrued and should have pulled the cartoon. For a summary of this story, click here .

What’s your take? Is the cartoon O.K. or is it racially insensitive? Is this a legitimate argument or in our quest for political correctness, have we become too sensitive?

Was A-Rod an A-hole to the Media?

I'd like you to watch the following clip about the A-Rod steroid case by clicking here. The testing that happened years ago was supposed to be anonymous, yet A-Rod's name was published. Some journalists have argued that the other 103 names that tested positive for steroids don't need to be published. What do you think? Should their names be released just like A-Rod's. Do you think A-Rod was targeted because he has had poor relations with the media in the past.
What about A-Rod's claim that the Sports Illustrated reporter has been unnecessarily hounding him. Apparently there will be another press conference by A-Rod today around 1:30.
Do you think the press needs to be more active in covering steroid abuse in professional sports? What do you think about "public shame" that the video clip mentions? Is that the role that the media should serve in these cases?

Let's Talk About Sex

Last week's talk about Jessica Simpson got us talking about sex a little bit so let's stay with the topic. Late last year, CNN published a piece on a RAND study linking teen pregnancy to watching sex on television. First, read the piece here. After reading i want you to address a few questions.
1. Do you think the results are correct? Does watching more sex on tv lead to teen pregnancy?
2. What other factors are also leading to teen pregnancy? In the piece one person says that too many things other than parenting are always blamed for teen pregnancy. Do you agree? Could good parenting counter the effects of watching too much sex on TV.
3. Could there be a third variable going on here? Teen pregnancy is on the rise. Sex on TV is on the rise. The number of hours of TV watched is on the rise? What's going on?
4. The term Media Literacy is used. This means teaching people how to critically interpret and understand the media with which they engage. (Basically you're taking a class in media literacy right now). Is there a place for this in the classroom? And how can we teach media literacy in the classroom when education budgets are being slashed and we are barely getting basic skills like reading and writing taught in the classroom?

The Female Body Image

Looking at the celebrity gossip pages this week, i saw a story regarding singer/actress Jessica Simpson. Gossip columnists posted pictures of Simpson saying that she has gotten "fat". Here's a pic of her portraying Daisy Duke in the Dukes of Hazzard movie.





And here's a current photo





Many celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Heidi Klum (also known for showing off their body) state that people should leave Jessica alone and stop ridiculing someone for their weight gain.


Here's my question. There is no doubt that a key reason behind Simpson's success (as well as Kardashian and Klum's) happens to be their body image. All of these women use their sexuality to sell items. In essence, part of their "product" or "brand" is their body. Are we as consumers, entitled to speak negatively of someone when that "brand" is not up to the same standard it has been in the past. In other words, because these women make money off their body, can we ridicule them when we think they have "let themselves go." Or, is that a sexist notion. If we commented on the appearance of a woman who was not a sex symbol, would we be considered sexist? The argument goes both ways. Marlon Brando was viewed as a sex symbol but many made fun of his weight gain towards the end of his life. Should anyone be concerned about Simpson's weight?


Also, i've been having trouble associating your post id's to an actual name. Please write your name at the bottom of your posts so i can ensure you get your points.

While i was sick

I told you that i had the flu last week. I was in bed for about two days straight and had a chance to watch a lot of TV. I noticed something (especially since i was nauseous). There are a lot of food advertisements on television. There are a lot for fast food but also a lot for food in general. Being that we have a national obesity problem (with mississippi being one of the fatest states in the nation), do you think that food advertising should be regulated so that there are certain rules about how much food advertising can occur within a program? Or do you think this is an area that government should not be concerned with? If we regulate advertising on unhealthy activities such as drinking and smoking, should we regulate advertising on food? Two paragraphs please.

Freebie Post this week

Sorry for not posting this week. I'm afraid i got the flu over the weekend and am just now getting back to normal. Since it is so late in the week, i won't post anything this week but will give everybody the points for this week.

Social Media

Welcome to the new semester! One of the things that i noticed last semester was how much time i was spending with Facebook. If you don't know about Facebook, then you need to look it up. Google it. Using this social connector, i have been able to re-establish contact with friends from long ago. Over the holidays i had dinner with an old college buddy that i found by using facebook.

So here's my question to you. How has social media like facebook, myspace, youtube, changed your life? Do you use any of these programs? Some people even have their cellphone connected to facebook. I'm amazed at how much information people will share on these sites. People constantly post pictures of themselves in compromising situations. I even know some employers who check candidates' facebook pages to see what kind of person they are in private. Do you think the Internet, with the help of these programs, is helping us reveal too much about ourself. Is modesty fading because of new media? Or does the possibility of re-connecting with old friends and establishing relationships with similar likes and dislikes outweigh the negative implications of this media. Remember, two paragraphs. Again, welcome to class.