Laws

Describe a situation in which you thought personal or public expression went too far and should be curbed?

• In 1978, Nazi's tried to march in a town in Illinois called Skokie. This town is predominantly Jewish and had many holocaust survivors, but the Nazi's claimed they had a right to express themselves. This issue was brought before the court, and eventually the rally was held in a park in Chicago. This is clearly a case where public expression went too far. This march was clearly meant to provoke the residents of Skokie. Skokie wasnt even close to the NSPA's headquarters in Chicago.
  

How might you remedy this situation?

• I would go about it the same way that the residents in Skokie did. It was taken to the court and eventually not allowed. The United States has a system set up for these kind of situations to be taken care of. Of course the system isnt perfect, but it is the closest thing we have.
  

PR

Are public relations activities like image consulting ethical? Explain.

• Yes i believe so. I think it is ethical to a certain point. I think that it is ethical when the image consultant is helping someone eliminate negative perceptions by showing them the truth about that person, i think it becomes unethical when the consultant lies, or when the famous person does good things just for his image.

Showman P. T. Barnum epitomized 19th-century press agentry with exaggerated claims such as those about Tom Thumb and Jenny Lind. Do such promotional methods exist today? Are there examples?

• Yes they do. Companies exaggerate the truth all the time to create a positive perception of their company. It is a common practice to stretch the truth in a way that will benefit your company. One way this is practiced today is through euphemisms. Companies take a bad situations, and rename it so that it sounds better, or even some times benefits them.
  

Advertising

Is advertising effective? Why? List some examples of where it did and did not influence one of your buying decision.

• Yes advertising is effective, because it promotes a competitive market, and makes consumers more informed. Advertising, allows for the public to make better purchasing decisions.
  
• Advertising influenced my purchasing decision regarding fitness water. I used to buy Vitamin Water, untill i saw the commercial below. Since this commercial i have not bought one Vitamin Water, only Propel.
• Advertising did not influence my decision recently when i bought a car. I researched on my own, test drove many different kinds of cars, and ultimately bought the one i liked the most.
  

Examples of Good and Bad Ads:

Good Ads:

http://www.propelfitnesswater.com/commercials/

This ad is extremely effective because of Propel's target audience. Their product appeals to active younger people who care about their weight and working out. Propel understands that their target audience cares about calories, so they took their biggest competitor Vitamin Water, and showed why they were better

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=ikea+lamp&hl=en&emb=0&aq=0&oq=ikea+lam#

This ad is effective because it is visually interesting, it grabs and keeps attention, and it solves a common misconception that many potential Ikea customers have.



Bad Ads:



















This ad is bad (above) because it is too violent. It makes associations in people's minds that I dont think Louis Vuitton wants. I don't think they want people to associate their shoes with violence towards females.


This ad (below) is bad because it shows a negative female stereotype. In this ad, the male is portrayed as the classic dominant one. The female is the sexy submissive one. Then there are 4 other guys just standing around watching.

Television

What did you learn about yourself? What did you learn about television? What does television provide you?

• I learned that I waste a lot of time watching shows i dont even like. I think i could save a lot of time, only watching shows that i enjoy, and not just turning it on random stations.
  
• I learned that TV has a lot bigger role in my life than i previously thought. I learned that there really is something for everyone on tv. Just with a basic cable hookup, i could watch so many different channels.
  
• Television provides me with an escape. I dont like watching the news. I dont like being reminded of the bad things in the world when i watch tv. I watch so that i can escape reality and give my brain a rest. TV also provieds me with pure entertainment. I watch it so that i can be entertained while putting forth a minimal effort.
  

Critiques argue that in trying to “offend no one,” the networks tend to offer TV programs that appeal to the “lowest common-denominator.” Do you agree? Can you name programs that are definitely for the LCD? Can you think of any network (NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, CW) programs that defy the LCD label? Explain.

• I agree whole-heartedly, and i dont blame the networks for this. They are trying to make money, and appeal to as many people as they possibly can. The majority of people who watch TV regularly are less-educated than the average american, therefore many tv shows are geared towards this large audience.
  
• One example of this is: Paris Hilton's BFF. This show is ridiculous (Sorry to anyone who watchs this) The premise of this show is to find a new Best Friend Forever (BFF) for Paris HIlton. On this show, girls (and some affeminate men) compete in front of Paris to be her best friend. This show is popular and definitely appeals to the LCD
• An example of a tv show that defied this label was Arrested Development. This tv show is one of the funniest ever. But the humor was mostly sophisticated, leading to a quick cancellation of this show. The lowest common denominator couldnt understand this humor, and the show was dropped.

Many people would say that television has had a greater impact on society than any other form of media. Do you agree? Why or why not?

• I agree. I think this is in the process of changing to the internet, but right now i beleive it to be true. So much of who i am has been influenced by television. How i speak, dress, and look at life is influenced by the tv. The statistics alone show us this great impact. 99% of households in America own a tv. 66% have 3 or more. Household of three or more people watch an average of 60 hours a week. These stats show the effect TV has on our society. It is a part of everyone's lives.
  

Movies

Why is the amount of sex and violence increasing in motion pictures? Is this a case of Hollywood giving society what they want or is it simply society’s acceptance of what we are given?

• As in most cases, I think it is a little of both. Obviously if society didnt want sex and violence, then Hollywood would not make any money selling it. So yes, Hollywood is giving society what they want, but also because of Hollywood, we are becoming more and more immuned to sex and violence. They keep pushing the envelope, and seeing what we will accept, and what we will not.
  
• Example: the TV show Grey's Anatomy is an extremely popular tv show, especially among women. I dont watch it, but my mom was complaining a couple months ago about a new relationship on the show, involving two women. She asked me if i thought she was being irrational in being bugged by it. I told her yes, and that was it. Last week we were talking about it again, and my mom told me that apparently she wasnt the only one who cared, becasue they eliminated that relationship from the show, and killed off one of the women participating in this relationship. This shows that society is still moral enough to take stands, and not accept everything that hollywood throws at them.
  

If you were a movie producer, what would you do to make a box office hit in 2008?

• I would make a movie where people could relate with the character. A Forest Gump type of movie where the character is developed, and realistic. I would make the movie about success, a positive story. In these hard times, i would make a story that gave people hope, like life is beautiful. I think this is what people are striving for in this dificult world
  

Journal Entry #6

Why are Metropolitan Newspapers shutting down?

The newspaper business has evolved immensely in the last couple of years.  More people are reading the newspaper than ever before, but in a different manner then they used to. They are reading online newspapers, and those companies that failed to integrate this new development into their companies failed.  Newspaper as we know it, is changing, and if the newspapers fail to evolve too, they will suffer. 

 

Community Papers:

Community newspapers are booming, while the rest of the newspaper business is faltering.  This is due to the fact that community newspapers are a part of the culture, there is no other way to get the specific news that people want about where they live.  The people talked about in the community papers are people that everyone knows, and the news that is written about affects the readers directly. Nothing can replace this.

 

What is the balance between hard and soft news?

The front page is all hard news.  Stories that don’t involve opinions, stories that strictly tell the reader what is happening.  Once you get into the back pages, and the opinion section, is when comes the soft news.  Feature stories, human interest stories, editorials, and letters to the editor are all soft news stories, and have their place in the newspaper. 

 

What kinds of topics are being covered?

Right now, the main topic being covered is politics.  It is an election year, and this is what everyone cares about.  Another big topic is the economic crisis that our country is in right now.  These are the two biggest topics being covered right now. 

 

Are newspapers still the “watchdogs” they used to be?

Yes they are, they are also known as the “4^th estate”.  Newspapers keep an eye on the other three institutions of the government.  They regulate what goes on, and expose any corruption.  An example of this is Watergate, where two reporters from The Washington Post uncovered the fraud that Nixon and his cabinet were committing.  This is still going on these days.  Newspapers bring corruption to the public eye, making an example of those wrongdoers and hopefully preventing others by giving them the fear that they will be exposed.    

Journal Entry #5

5 Radio Stations:

My 99.5- This radio station is different than others that I listen to in that it has less commercial breaks, and it tells you the name of the song and who sings it after each song. This shows that this radio station understand its listeners. The target audience of this station is young people, 15-25. A lot of these listeners go to the radio for new music. When they hear a song they like, they want to know its name so they can download it.

This station is also very eclectic in its music selection, appealing to the tastes of all of its users.

Naturally, the advertising for this station is geared toward those who tune in. The ads are mainly for products that 15-25 year olds would buy. The Advertisers know that they can reach this segment of the audience through My 99.5.

101.5 The Eagle- This is one of my favorite radio stations. It is country, and it knows its place in the radio business. This station has a lot of competition in Utah with so many radio stations trying to be the leading country music station. The Eagle has managed to set itself apart by appealing to the more “pop-y” country music. K-Bull 93, plays some of this type of music but it still focuses a lot on the older “twangy” country.

The target audience for this station is the younger lover of country music that likes other types of music as well. If this station were too country, many of these people would not listen, but because it is in between, it attracts this audience.

The advertising on this station is interesting, it’s all about trucks, gyms, restaurants, and outdoor related products and activities.

1010- This is BBC radio in Utah. It is hosted by NPR, and is strictly informative. This station is successful, because it understands its audience so well. People who listen to this station are usually well informed, and are looking for news or to be intellectually stimulated.

The typical listener of BBC radio is older and more educated than most, they are also multi-taskers. They want news while the are driving to work, they don’t have time to pick up a paper or watch news on tv.

It’s public radio so advertising is minimal

96.3 A.K.A. “X96”- This is a classic radio station in Utah.  You can find it on the presets of everyone under 30 here.  This station has found its niche here, appealing to the edgier, younger Utahans.  X96 may be most famous for its morning talk show, “The Radio From Hell Show”. 

            The typical listener of this station is anyone who has a little rebelliousness in them, they like alternative music, and see themselves as different than the average Utahan.

            Advertising for this station appeals to the younger, more extreme crowd.  Ads about extreme sports, Mountain Dew, and local hot spots are among those frequently heard on this station. 

 

Radio Disney (AM 910)- This is a very successful station, because it keeps kids quiet.  Any mom would sacrifice having to listen to Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers for peace and quiet while they are driving.  Radio Disney plays the songs that the kids hear about on the Disney Channel, so it’s a kind of extension of the Disney Channel. 

            Obviously the target audience is pre-teens, and “tweeners”, and also anyone who drives in the car with this age group. 

 Advertising is a carbon copy of what appears on the Disney channel.  Geared towards kids and mothers of kids.  Advertisements about food, toys, and clothes are prevalent throughout the day.

The Most Personal Medium:

Radio is the most personal form of media because it is so specific to our tastes.  We can access a radio station  anytime that plays the type of music we want to hear, that has a talk show about issues we are interested in, or gives us news that we need to know. 

 

Why is music so important?

Even with all of the technological innovation in the music industry, the radio is still widely successful.  This is because the radio is a place where we go to find new music, a place where we are able to be surprised with variety and randomness.  People love that, they love the thrill that comes when the radio plays a song that they love.  Sometimes I am listening to the radio, and a song comes on that I have on a CD that is already in the player, but I still get excited, and listen to it. 

 

Why is talk radio so popular?

Talk radio is popular because it gives people something to think about while they are commuting to and from work.  It allows people to hear people like them express their opinions.  I also think conservative talk radio is so popular because television has turned so liberal, conservatives have turned to the radio to hear views that coincide with theirs.  

Journal Entry #4--Outdoor Photographer
A descritption of this magazine's typical reader:
The typical reader of Outdoor Photographer is an adventurous and artistic person. From the content inside the magazine, I can make the aaumption that this reader, is technologically savvy. Almost all of the advertisements contained very specific information regarding their products. This information meant nothing to me, but must be part of the lingo of the typical reader. Another characteristic of their readers is that they are looking to become more proficient in photo-editing. Throughout the magazine there are articles and advertisements about photoshop and other photo editing software. The articles contain tips on how to create better quality images using this software, and the ads are for classes, seminars, and magazines that will improve the reader's ability to digitally edit their photos. The readers of this magazine are interested in seeing their colleagues work. Most of the articles contain samples of other's work, and how they captured these beautiful images. One interesting i found in this magazine was that it seems like the readers of this magazine arent only looking for entertainment, but they go to this magazine to become better at their profession. The magazine is full of tips, examples, and ways to improvo their abilities.

What impact will/has the electronic media have/had on the magazine industry?
Obviously the invention of the television affected magazines greatly. From 1956 on, magazines had to start becoming more and more specific. They could no longer simply be entertaining and cover broad subjects and audiences. This role was taken on by the television. The interesting thing is that this didn't do away with the magazine. People still want to read. People still want to hold a magazine. The television didn't take this inherent desire away, and neither will the internet. This can be shown through the pathfinder project that Time-Warner tried. It didnt work because people still want the magazine. I believe this is true for all forms of print journalism. Books, newspapers, and magazines will stay around because of the experience that comes from picking them up and reading. People dont want EVERYTHING in their lives to be on the computer.

Journal Entry #3
Poll ten people about their book reading habits:
How many books have you read in the last 6 months?
1 2 books
2 1 book
3 2 books
4 5 books
5 2 books
6 8 books
7 3 books
8 20 books
9 30 Books
10 35 books
What types of books have you read?
1 Jane Austen
2 Religious
3 Mysteries
4 Classic Lit, Psychology
5 Twilight
6 Classical Novels
7 Religious, Oprah book of month
8 Psychology, Modern nonfiction
9 Economics, Psychology books
10 Business and economics
What does this tell you about your sample and society?
sFrom this survey I could tell that most people read books that are related to what they do in life. The people on my list who read more than ten books, mostly read books related to their profession. The people on my list who read a lot of books are all very smart people who find time for it. A lot of people made the excuse that they dont have time, but the people who love to read find time to do it.
Would you prefer to use regular textbooks or electronic textbooks in your classes? Why?
I prefer to use regular textbooks in my classes. I like that normal textbooks are tangible. I like that I can pick it up, open it and highlight it. An electronic textbook just does not give this flexibility. You are stuck to the computer, only being able to read the textbook when you have your computer with you. Another reason is that my computer is distracting to me. Email, chat, and sports alerts pop-up constantly, distracting me from the reading I should be doing. I prefer to read the book without all the countless entertainment possibilites at my fingertips
Which do you prefer for leisure reading? Why?
I prefer having a normal book for leisure reading as well. Much of the same reasons above apply to this choice for leisure reading. In addition to the reasons previously stated, reading an actual book has become an experience for me. I like sitting down in my chair, and reading for hours. Part of this experience would be lost if i were sitting down with a computer instead of a book. When I truly love a book I am reading, I take it everywhere with me. I read it while waiting in line, while driving with other, etc.... To do this would not be convenient at all.

Journal Entry #2

Do stereotypes exists in the media today?
Yes negative stereotypes exist in the media. Negative stereotypes are a part of all of us, whether we notice or not. These stereotypes are evident throughout all mass media. Stereotypes of elderly people who are sickly, of women who are subservient to men, of men who are fat and all they do is sit around and drink beer. These are just a few examples of stereotypes that exist withing the media. The AXE commercials are a good example of this. They show that all men care about is what they can do to get a woman. That this is our life goal, and the basis for any decision we make. Even if this is true in many cases, it does not apply to all men, and is an exaggeration.

There is the possibility that people will be immersing themselves in the world of mass media to a point to where they begin to tune out the real world. What might happen if people begin to overly distance themselves from the reality of the outside world? Are there examples of where this has already happened?
The effects of overuse of media can be devastating. As great as the world of mass media is, it cannot replace human interaction and activities. A person who is overly immersed in the world of mass media to a point where they have limited interaction with the outside world will start to forget how to interact with others.
There is a 23 year old living at my parent's house right now who is suffering with some of these problems. He is the son of a family friend that my parents agreed to let live at our house. When he first moved in, I always invited him to hang out with my friends and he would never come. I figures he had better things to do, but soon i figured out that he was addicted to computer games. I never saw him when he was home, he just locked himself in his room all day. He came home from school and headed straight to his room for the rest of the night. The effects this had on his life were very apparent. He rarely smiles, and doesn't participate in family activities.

Journal Entry #1

Using the Communication Model, define how each component could be applied to:

A Newspaper Article:
Sender: The journalist/newspaper company
Receiver: The people who subscribe/read the newspaper
Channel: Ink and paper
Encoding: The writing of the article and printing of the paper
Decoding: Reading the paper
Feedback: Letters to the editor, change in # of subscriptions.
Message: the journalist's/newspaper's ideas and thoughts
Noise: The noise can be both semantic and environmental. The noise can be the same that affects the many other forms of mass media. It could be a language barrier, or the short time that someone has in the morning to read the paper. Some noise that affects me when i read the paper is the writing style of the author. If the author is boring, is verbose, or writes about subjects of little interest to me, then I stop reading the article.

A Magazine Article:
Sender: Author of article
Receiver: Anyone who reads the article
Channel: Ink and paper
Encoding: The writing of the article and printing of the magazine
Decoding: Reading the article
Feedback: # of magazines sold.
Message: The Journalist's ideas and thoughts.
Noise: In addition to the environmental and semantic noise, the writing style of the Author can deter someone from reading his article, The content he/she is covering could be offensive to the reader.

A Radio Program:
Sender: Host of radio show, or whoever wrote the script to be read.
Receiver: The people who listen that program
Channel: The radio waves used to transmit the signal, and the antenna that receives the signal.
Encoding: The script is created, the host of the program reads the script.
Decoding: The listener hears the message.
Feedback: Program can take the viewers calls. Change in the # of people who listen to that program
Message: If it is read from a script, whoever wrote the script's ideas. if it is a talk show, then whoever is speaking's ideas.
Noise: Storms can affect the transmission, outside noise such as honking cars, or loud kids, can affect the listener. Language barriers, lack of interest in subject.

A Television Show:
Sender: The writers of the script, and the actors/people transmitting the message
Receiver: Anyone watching the TV show
Channel: The television screen.
Encoding: The writing of the script, and when the actors convey the message.
Decoding: Seeing and listening to the encoded message.
Feedback: The ratings system.
Message: Whatever the Sender is trying to communicate to the audience.
Noise: Bad reception, loud family, small tv, and many of the same factors that create noise in the other medias.

Does the model work more efficiently for some media than for others?
The answer depends on how you define efficiency. If it is defined as reaching the greatest number of people, then the model would work most efficiently for that medium that is received by the most people everyday. if efficiency is defined by the speed at which you can communicate your message then Radio and TV would win because the sender could theoretically send his message instantly, whereas the newspaper and magazine would have to wait for the next printing.

Which of the mass media perform the informing the best? Entertaining? Persuading? Explain.
Informing:
The medium of the internet informs the best of all mass media. The internet has replaced libraries as the means by which people obtain the information they need. The internet is easily accessible from almost anywhere, and has literally millions of options to choose from for the information people are looking for.
Entertaining:
Television is the medium that best entertains the majority of people. When the avergae american is looking to be entertained he/she will simply turn on the TV. There are many options on television that people can choose from, and practically everyone has the ability to access this medium
Persuading:
Newspapers still are the most credible source of information. Reporters strive to only represent the facts, and not include their personal opinions. Therefore, readers can make their own, informed decisions with the assurance that the basis for these decisions is true and unbiased.