Blog Seven: Media and Politics

I have always felt confused about politics, even as I get older and become more educated. I have never felt that I have a firm grasp on what's going on in the world and which political agendas are more desirable than others. It's not that I don't care about politics, I just feel like most politicians operate by self-serving interests, either to themselves or their party, rather than the interests of the country as a whole. In terms of media, I am embarrassed to say that I have a very limited knowledge of politics in the media. The only real media exposure I've had for the 2008 elections is by seeing the candidates on SNL or Ellen and various other talk shows. I have never sat down to watch any of their debates or watched CNN to gather more information about any of them. I like that the candidates for the 2008 elections have made an effort to reach out to young people who are more likely to not participate in voting. It is easier to relate to these strangers when you see them on a talk show when they are not being so serious. It allows you to get to know them on a more personal level and shows you other aspects to their personality. I have seen a lot more commercials and media exposure to Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama than I have the Republican nominees. I think this is because the media is really taking advantage of the fact that the Democrat candidate will be either a woman or an African American. As the time for the ballot to be cast comes closer, I find myself thinking that Obama would be the best president. Even though I have not paid close attention to any of the candidates agendas, I think that he is the best public speaker and has been able to gain a rapport with his audiences which is imperative in this position. He appears to be trustworthy and to me, that is the most important quality in our next president.

Blog Six: Advertising

Advertising has an affect on me daily, but the affect is usually very subtle. I do a lot of TV watching and unfortunately this means that I do a lot of commercial watching as well. Generally, I tend to void out commercials and advertisements by getting up and doing something really quickly while commercials are playing. But sometimes, a commercial will come around that really sticks with me, and I'll have a jingle stuck in my head all day. I think that most of the time I get irritated at advertisements and try to avoid them if possible. If I'm listening to the radio, and a commercial comes on, I'll scan the channels until I find music. If I'm flipping through a magazine and there is a full-page advertisement for something, I'll skip past it to find an interesting story. When I'm at home, I'll use TEVO to skip past the commercials. In short, I don't think that advertisements have a large impact on me because I make an effort to avoid them. The last time that an advertisement influenced my purchasing behavior was last week, when an Applebee's commercial came on the television when I was hungry. I couldn't figure out what I wanted to eat because I was so sick of all the fast food places in Radford, and the commercial came on and made the food look so good, so I went out and got dinner at Applebee's.

The Absolut Pears ad shown above is effective because it uses vibrant colors and a eye-catching picture of a snake to catch the viewer's attention. This advertisement for Absolut Pears Vodka is better in the form of a TV commercial because the music that they play is very seductive and the first scenes are hard to figure out what's going on, so it encourages the viewer to continue watching to figure out what is being depicted. The slogan they use is, "The New Taste of Temptation", which is very clever because it uses the snake to symbolize "temptation" which they are associating with alcohol because they are attempting to build an association between temptation/seductiveness to alcohol. The color of the snake is also a clever element to the advertisement because it is trying to place the emphasis on the pear flavor of the vodka. Overall, this is just an advertisement that commands your attention and presents the product in a way that is desirable to the viewer.

The Skoal advertisement above is an example of an ineffective ad because of it's lack of attractiveness. Advertisements that simply depict the product being advertised are boring and have no attention-grabbing element. If I were reading a magazine and came across the Skoal ad, I would immediately flip past it. Also, the tiny words at the bottom of the pictures do not invite the viewer to continue reading.

Blog Five: Crisis Management (Pork Industry Scenario)

If I was the public relations spokesperson for the pork industry and a recent bout of a foodbourne illness was present in some pork that led to the death of hundreds, my first step would be to figure out who I need to respond to. I would assume that the appropriate publics to address would be the mediums through which pork is distributed (grocery stores, restaurants, etc.) Although I would respond to my target audience in a timely manner, I would make sure to enlist the help of some public health officials to study the disease and gather all the facts before informing the public of it because misinformation could lead to panic. After learning about the disease, I would inform the public of the cause, symptoms, and prognosis of the illness. I would try to give an accurate estimate about how much pork already in the market may be potentially contaminated. Also, I would provide them with the medical symptoms that may be present as a product of the illness and what actions they need to take if they experience these symptoms. I would make sure that I am the only person addressing the public so I can attempt to gain a rapport with the audience and ensure that the facts do not become blurred by contradiction. After initially addressing the public about the illness, I would continue to have scientists and various other health officials study the disease in an attempt to create some sort of antibody that could deter the spread of the disease. As a member of the pork industry, I would take full responsibility for the introduction of the illness into the human population. Although an apology seems insufficient, I would still offer it in an attempt to salvage a decent relationship with pork consumers.

Blog Four: Music

Music has changed over the past 100 years in the sense that it used to be largely played in front of live audiences before recorded music existed. Upon the arrival of recorded music, the Nickelodeon and Vitrola made it possible to hear recorded music by inserting a coin into a mechanical device. In the 20's, the radio play of music led to a decline in record sales. Today, music is largely associated with the internet in the form of MP3's, itunes, ipods, and music sharing programs such as LimeWire or Napster. Music has remained the same in the sense that it touches people on a personal and emotional level and has remained a significant aspect in many peoples lives. Although the mediums through which music is broadcasted have changed drastically, the purpose of music has proven unchanged. It is a source of entertainment that is more easily accessible than ever before. Radio first started off with just two or three channels and now offers several hundred different channels that targets a very specific audience.
Music has always been an extremely important aspect in my life. I don't really enjoy the pop music that is popular today, instead I like to listen to jam bands, classic rock, bluegrass, and electronic music. One of my favorite things to do is go to music festivals and concerts because live music is so much more enjoyable than listening to your favorite bands in a studio. I pretty much am constantly listening to music whether its in the car, in my bedroom, at work, or walking to class. Although, I probably watch more television than I listen to music, I think that music has a stronger impact on my life because going to concerts are truly one of my favorite activities.
Article Link: http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/05/21/david-cook-crowned-season-sevens-american-idol/

This article discusses the hit show American Idol and the winner, David Cook, who was decided last night. This show is a contest to see who will be the next huge popstar. It has been extremely popular in recent years, and many of the previous contestants have become very successful in the months following the show.

Blog Three: Future of Newspapers

After listening to my classmates suggestions on ideas for future newspapers, I realized that a web-based newspaper is inevitably going to be the format for which they are produced. Of all of the ideas that we heard, I think the most promising newspaper would be the one that was highly targeted towards the college audience. I'm not saying that all newspapers should be geared towards a college audience, but the idea behind it, of a targeted newspaper/magazine would be the most successful. It provides for a two-way interaction because the people who advertise for jobs that need employees, and the college graduates who are looking for employment are allowed access to the same medium. It gives both parties involved a platform in which to advertise whatever service they are needing filled or looking for. I think the targeted paper would be the best alternative to the modern day paper because I know that personally I am more likely to pick up a paper that is made for my demographic. One of my issues with the current newspaper (Washington Post) is that there is a plethora of information that is of no interest to me. In fact, most of the information in the Post I end up bypassing to search for more interesting articles. The fact that I have to search so hard for articles that catch my eye makes picking up the paper a more laborious chore than it should be. If a paper existed that disregarded information that is not appropriate for a specific age group, that paper would be tremendously successful.
Specifically, Radford University's newspaper, The Tartan, does a pretty good job at keeping the articles interesting and concise. I wish that it included more job opportunities available in the area and discussed post-graduation life more. Also, I wish it dedicated more of its contents towards discussing current events. The Tartan is the primary news print I read, and sometimes it neglects national news that do have a serious impact on us, even as college students. I know that printing a newspaper can become costly, but if The Tartan was able to include more colored and glossy images, it could greatly increase its popularity.

Blog Two: Books and Magazines

Magazines and books play a pretty signficant role in my life on a daily basis. I cannot think of one day that has gone by where I haven't read from one of these two media sources. Books play a more important role in my life in the sense that all of my classes require a certain amount of reading and I retain a fair deal of knowledge from these texts. I have a problem paying attention to instructors often times in class, so I rely on teaching myself the pertinent subjects from reading textbooks in most cases. I also rely on books as a source of entertainment. Ever since I was a child, I have been considered a bookworm. Unfortunaltey, I don't have enough time to read these days as much as I did when I was younger, but I still thorougly enjoy settling down with good book. Most of the books I read for pleasure are nonfiction or biographical in nature. I do enjoy reading a good fiction book also. I do like to read magazines, most of which consist of celebrity news and gossip. My favorite magazine is US Weekly, which I buy almost weekly from the grocery store. I have read magazines more frequently since being in college because they are quick and easy to read and being a student has provided me with less time to read things for pleasure/entertainment. I am currently reading a book that has made a huge impact on me: "Into the Wild". This was also depicted as another media source recently, in film. The book means so much to me because it is a biography of a young man who faced many of the existential dilemmas that I am currently facing as I graduate college and enter the real world. Looking back on my childhood, I can't recall any books or magazines that I was prohibited from looking at, but I do remember having to read "To Kill a Mockingbird", and our teacher discussing that some believed it to be a controversial read because of the racial undertones it suggests.

Blog One: Media and Me

After completing my media journal, I realized the full extent to which media plays a role in my daily life. Some medium of media/technology is present in almost every setting I find myself in. The most prevalent sources of media in my life include: TV, internet, and cellular phones. About 90% of the time I'm at home, the television is usually playing in the background. I don't always pay attention to what is playing on it, but the noise is almost constant. I even have to fall asleep with the TV on just because I find it difficult to sleep in silence. The internet is probably the most important media source in my life currently because of the degree to which it is used for academic purposes. I cannot imagine being a college student without internet access. It is most commonly used to communicate with professors, research information, and for answering any subject I am curious about. I also use it as a tool for staying in touch with friends and family that do not live in the same town as me. I generally talk to about 3-5 people per day over Instant Messaging. Facebook has also become an important medium through which I can find out what's going on in my friends lives, without actually talking to them directly. The internet is my primary source for news because I rarely read a newspaper or watch news channels on television. The internet is also important in my work life because I always bring my laptop to work with me because most of the time my job is pretty slow so it can serve as a source of entertainment when I'm bored. Cell phones are also a source of media that I use frequently on a daily basis. Often days, I send and receive more text messages than I do phone calls. Generally, I do not do too much chatting on my cell phone unless it is with my parents or sister. When I talk to my friends on the phone, it is usually to set up a time or place to meet. I do chat with my boyfriend for a while on the phone because he lives in Northern Virginia and I cannot see him that often. My media journal made me aware of just how important media sources are in my life and just how much I depend on them for the daily conveniences of staying connected to friends and family, being aware of current events, and receiving important information regarding classes and assignments. Without media, I would feel lost without knowing how to quickly and effectively convey and receive the information I am accustomed to having access to.