Final Blog-Extra Credit!

Evaluation of the Blogs

1) No, I had never used a blog before RTF 305. The closest thing to a blog I had used was Facebook. 
2) There were many positive aspects of using the blogs. For instance, it will be very helpful knowing how to use a blog and already having one set up for my future in Public Relations. In some instances, people become famous because of their blogs and it provides another outlet to share information on. 
3) The only real difficulties I had in using the blog was the fact that it was easier to get distracted. Homework assignments on the internet are always more tempting in the aspect that it is easier to click on Facebook when it is right in front of you! Other than that, I did not have any technical difficulties setting up the blog or anything. 
4) The way I overcame the difficulty of getting distracted was that I told myself I had to finish the blog before I could log back onto Facebook or check my email.
5) The blog prompts that were straight forward and asked three different questions were the easiest. Sometimes, it is easy to ramble when you're typing away. So, having a more structured blog prompt made writing it much easier. For example, the last blog prompt on globalization which had each question worth 1 point was very structured and easy to focus on. The ones with multiple points in one question/topic were a little bit more tough to answer correctly.
6) I would recommend using a blog in future courses because it did not feel like homework. We were able to use our imagination and insert clips, videos, and pictures. It made me feel like I was understanding the topic better by researching. It also got me interested in the blogging world, which is important to have in this field of study.
7) The only suggestions I would have to improve blogging experience in the future would be to have a rule for all TA's so it is equal for all students. For instance, some TA's would only grade on completion (which all students would love!), but others would actually grade specifically. So, in the end some students would get full credit for the every blog, but others would not even though they might have deserved the same grade.


Yes, you can use my blog in a paper or report!


It's been a fun class!

The World's Next Top Model

According to Joseph Straubhaar, Globalization is an "increase in opportunities for communication, exchange of material and symbolic goods, and migration of people across national borders." The textbook also defines it as a "reducing of differences that existed between nations in time, space and culture" (Straughaar, p. 503). Globalization has become extremely potent due to the growing of technology and media. The world has transformed into a integrated market due to advertising, economics, and technology. 

One concept of globalization dealing with a result of hybridization of media products is glocalization. Glocalization involves taking an idea that was successful in one country, and then adopting that same concept in another. Glocalized products can include everything like restaurants such as McDonald's, to television shows such as American Idol.

An example of a glocalized product is the television show "American's Next Top Model". The show, which is now on its 15th cycle in America, has been adopted in over 20 countries. England, Australia, Afghanistan, Brazil, China, and  Russia are just a few of the countries which have aired their own "Next Top Model". The show has been rated number 1 in America. It has now been globalized into an international media product, being sponsored by models such as Tyra Banks. Overall, the show is now existing between different nations at a time and is combining global ideas or forces with local ones. 

Keep your hands off my Doritos!

Advertising is everywhere we go. It is on the internet, in magazines, on billboards, and on television. One advertisement that always catches my attention is the Doritos Superbowl ad. The ad features a little boy whose mother is about to go on a date. As the date reaches for Kyle's (the little boy) Doritos, Kyle abruptly slaps him and says "keep your hands off my momma, and keep your hands off my Doritos." The ad is persuasive because of its humor. The little boy is also adorable which makes people remember it better.

The ad's main appeal is humor, which can fit into the emotional appeal category since happiness is a main emotion. When ad's appeal to emotions such as humor, they grab more attention and are more persuasive since it is something that people want to watch. They connect happiness and humor to that brand which makes the brand more appealing.

The Doritos ad exemplifies that appeal because it is the definition of a humorous ad. It features a cute little boy who bosses his mom's boyfriend around and tells him to "keep your hands off of my momma, and keep your hands off of my Doritos." What's not funny about that? This ad is only 30 seconds long, but it gets its point across and causes laughs along the way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0EVSP_6XZA

Keep your hands off my Doritos!

Advertising is everywhere we go. It is on the internet, in magazines, on billboards, and on television. One advertisement that always catches my attention is the Doritos Superbowl ad. The ad features a little boy whose mother is about to go on a date. As the date reaches for Kyle's (the little boy) Doritos, Kyle abruptly slaps him and says "keep your hands off my momma, and keep your hands off my Doritos." The ad is persuasive because of its humor. The little boy is also adorable which makes people remember it better.

The ad's main appeal is humor, which can fit into the emotional appeal category since happiness is a main emotion. When ad's appeal to emotions such as humor, they grab more attention and are more persuasive since it is something that people want to watch. They connect happiness and humor to that brand which makes the brand more appealing.

The Doritos ad exemplifies that appeal because it is the definition of a humorous ad. It features a cute little boy who bosses his mom's boyfriend around and tells him to "keep your hands off of my momma, and keep your hands off of my Doritos." What's not funny about that? This ad is only 30 seconds long, but it gets its point across and causes laughs along the way.

3 Act Structure

The romantic comedy How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days follows the three act structure. The first act introduces the characters (rising action) and the main characters being "fake" dating one another. In act two, one character fights to keep the relationship together, while the other strives to break it apart. In the third act, the characters fall in love (resolution), despite their finding out of each other's intentions.

The first act entails the rising actions and introduces the main characters, Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) and Benjamin Barry (Matthew McConaughey). Andie is a journalist working for Composure magazine and is forced to write a more exciting and interesting "How to" column. She decides to write an article called "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" where she does all the wrong things when dating a man and writes about her experiences in the article. Meanwhile, Ben works for an advertising company and boasts to his boss about how he can make any woman fall in love with him in 10 days. He has to find a woman and bring her to the company ball. If he accomplishes it, he gets to be in charge of the company. The characters are introduced at a bar by Ben's rival co-workers and they both decide to chose one another for their schemes. The plot point ends Act 1 around 30 minutes. The plot point occurs when Andie chooses Ben for her assignment, and Ben chooses Andie for his. It leaves the audience wondering how will the characters go about fake dating one another and propels into the next act.


Act two is mostly dealing with Andie and Ben's faux relationship and their complications. Andie calls Ben "boyfriend" on the second date, befriends his mother, calls him obsessively, and buys him a plant as a symbol for their relationship. Ben desperately tries to stick with the "relationship", even though it is practically ruining his life. This act is a bit longer, approximately 60 minutes. The midpoint occurs when Andie begins to think that nothing will get Ben to break up with her. She is facing major complications in her plan and begins to question her job. Soon, both Ben and Andie begin to have real feelings for one another, even though they each know it's a fake relationship. They put them aside, though, especially when plot point number 2 occurs. Plot point number two happens when the characters figure out they are each using one another. Andie tells her boss that she cannot write the article anymore because she truly fell for Ben. The question the "swinging door" leaves us with is "will Ben and Andie reveal their true feelings for one another?"

In act three, the resolution occurs and the characters reveal their true feelings and fall in love with one another. This act is around 30 minutes long. The climax occurs when Andie is leaving town in the cab and Ben runs after her and admits his love for her. Act three ends with the couple living "happily ever after".

Would you prefer serial? Or episodic?

Mr. Tain spoke about two specific aspects which categorize television sitcoms. These aspects include serial and episodic episodes. Serial television shows have a long term plot and are normally not as lesson centered. It picks up exactly where the show left off in the previous episode and some have a recap of the previous show to catch viewers up to speed. The show is usually longer and more complicated, usually containing more drama. Episodic shows are a bit simpler and the show is more predictable. Viewers can easily watch one episode without seeing the previous one and understand the plot. There is usually less character arc and a more familiar plot development. Each episode tends to raise a central question and it is answered at the end. An example of this would be I Love Lucy. Within the sitcom genre, episodic shows are usually associated with dramas and more serious shows such as Lost or Desperate Housewives. Episodic shows are associated with comedies and classic sitcoms like All in the Family. 

Gilmore Girls is a serial television show which fits the genre of drama. The show has two protagonists: a young mother and her teenage daughter. They are each other's best friend, so the show highlights their life together and the troubles that come along. The mother has a difficult relationship with her own mother and that would not be understood unless the viewer watched all the episodes. The show also highlights Rory's (the daughter's) early teenage years all the way up to when she graduates college. It is easy for viewers to become immersed in this witty show because it is relatable on many levels. Although it does contain some comedy, it deals with serial issues and contains more realism. The narrative progressively becomes more complicated and is much easier to understand when the viewer watches from the very first episode. The characters are all extremely unique and amusing in different ways. They each have a special relationship with each other and each episode follows the story line from the previous. Thus, Gilmore Girls can be considered a serial drama. 

I'm ready for my close up!

To help grasp the idea of Professor Berg's lecture, I chose Pride and Prejudice as an example. The movie centers around two diverse, yet extremely similar characters, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. They are from entirely different backgrounds and each carry a certain pride and prejudice. Elizabeth thinks that Darcy is arrogant and Mr. Darcy thinks that Elizabeth is from a lower class and socially embarrassing family. Despite their differences, they eventually fall in love in the end. The film includes a variety of shots, including long shots (which show an overview of the scene), medium shots (an informational shot showing who is in the scene), and close up shots (show important details like what the character is thinking). 

Here, long shots set the scene and gives us an overview of the place. In this long shot, Mr. Darcy is appearing through the fog and is on his way to proclaim his love to Elizabeth. It is difficult to tell who the person is though until the medium shot. 

In these medium shots, the character of Mr. Darcy is revealed and it is also evident that Elizabeth is waiting for his arrival. This shot reveals who the characters are and gives visual information of what they are doing.

Lastly, the camera zooms in on a close up. This tells us what emotions the characters are feeling and what they are thinking. Close ups give us a better idea of what is truly going on in the film. It is evident that Elizabeth (Keira Knightly) is contemplating her love for Mr. Darcy. In the second picture, Mr. Darcy is sincerely interested in what Elizabeth has to say. The shot of them together thoroughly shows their love and passion for each other. 

Stars and Their Studios

Can you imagine being the star face of movies and having your name plastered on theater marquees? This was the case for many stars during the Class Hollywood era. Film studios began discovering that certain actors and actresses would attract a larger audience, and thus "the star system was born" (Straubhaar, 192). Simply the names of certain stars would cause a rise in ticket sales. Studios would discover and contract the stars, so then certain actors and actresses would be associated with those studios. For example, Humphrey Bogart was the face of Warner Bros. Stars became the best representation of what studios did. Stars also began to be tied to a certain genre, such as Bogart and his "tough guy" roles. Since the studios revolved around the stars, the studios would then mold the film's genre to a star's reputation. The rise of the studio system was linked to the importance of the star actor or actress (Straubhaar, 192).

 One actress who was the face of many films and associated with genres was Judy Garland. She was discovered as a child by MGM and was then used in the majority of their films. She was their star actress. She had a consistent set of character traits: naive, innocent, little girl who usually sung and danced and always saved the day. Her most identified film was The Wizard of Oz. 

From Conroversial to the Norm

"All in the Family" vs. "Desperate Housewives"


Before the early 1970's, issues such as homosexuality and racism were deemed too controversial for television. Then in 1971, All in the Family aired on CBS and included issues that had been considered unsuitable for TV in previous years. Today, these problems that Norman Lear brought to the surface are considered normal and are becoming more and more popular in prime time television. 


One contemporary family based TV comedy aired on prime time television is Desperate Housewives. Desperate housewives deals with the some of the same issues as All in the Family, except on a much larger scale. All in the Family introduced questionable material such as homosexuality, racism, rape, cancer, and women's liberation on a family television network. Desperate Housewives covers all of that material and more. For example, they introduced teen homosexuality early into the series and now they have a gay couple moving into the neighborhood. The first male desperate housewives barely caused a commotion with the audience. They also bring in major story lines dealing with abuse, cancer, murder, racism, drugs and sexual promiscuity. On the other hand, when All in the Family  first began bringing up issues just dealing with homosexuality, it brought a large commotion with audiences. Another difference between the two is that Desperate Housewives follows the lives of five to six families which provides more diversity. In addition, Desperate Housewives is a bit more dramatic and far fetched. Issues such as murder do not normally occur in the average household. All in the Family is more realistic. Overall, the main difference is that issues that were extremely controversial during the time of All in the Family has now become the norm and are not thought about in the same way.


The shows are the same in many ways as well. Both obviously deal with families during that time period in society. You can tell the differences in society by watching each of the shows. They also both incorporate humor into it. Both shows have also been aired on prime time television and have had high ratings. All in the Family ranked number one in the Nielsen ratings from 1971 to 1976. Desperate Housewives has won multiple awards and was reported to have 120 million viewers and is the most popular show in its demographic worldwide.


The shows also incorporate different issues into each. All in the Family  dealt with homosexuality in the episode viewed in class, but it also deals with racism, miscarriage, cancer, rape, and women's liberation. The theme of masculinity and sexual orientation are also shown in Desperate Housewives, but not in the same degree as it is shown in All in the Family. Masculinity in particular is not shown on Desperate Housewives. It deals with homosexuality, but does not dwell on the fact that men need to be masculine and tough. Desperate Housewives brings more drama into the picture, with murders and mysteries in the neighborhood. Sexual promiscuity is also dealt with a lot, along with sicknesses, divorce,and teen pregnancy. Many of the neighbors are manipulative and sometimes evil, which brings more controversial topics up.  All in the Family does not deal with as many strong issues as Desperate Housewives since society is not the same as it was during the 1970's. 


Overall, both shows have similar qualities, but they are also very different due to the time period and society. It is obvious how much our entertainment has evolved by comparing and contrasting the two shows. What was once too controversial for television is now considered normal. 

3rd Blog Assignment

Technology as an Influencing Factor of Radio

I think that one of the main influences shaping the radio industry during the 1920's was technological change because without the technological developments of the century, radio would not of been used for various purposes such as broadcasting.


Technology has been a major force in the radio industry since the beginning. It has played a major role in turning radio into a broadcasting outlet and has even saved lives. In 1906, the vacuum tube was invented which permitted the sound of voice, music, and sound and thus began the broadcasting age. The wireless telegraph also played a major role by saving many passengers and spreading the news during the Titanic tragedy in 1912. Soon, radio became a household utility and played a major role in families' entertainment and source of information thanks to improved technologies.


The force of technology effected radio in the 1920's when Frank Conrad began the first regularly scheduled radio broadcasts in the United States in 1920. This soon began to change attitudes and attract interest and newspaper coverage. Soon, a department store in Pittsburg decided to sell radios to pick up Conrad's broadcasts. This caused ideas to circulate and Westinghouse opened station KDKA in Pittsburgh in order to help sell more radios. Stores soon started radio stations simply to promote their products, churches and schools used it as an educational outlet, and newspapers utilized it for news. This broadcasting evolution was made possible by the technological advance of the vacuum tube.


-Jacy Schleier   

2nd Blog Assignment

Hello!


This week, I will be focusing on ideas linked with media and its effects, particularly related to the role that media plays on women. Media has many effects on individuals including changes in "cognitions, attitudes, emotions, (and) behavior that result from exposure to the mass media." (Straubhaar, 2010)


One of the main concepts dealing with media effects is the social learning theory. The idea stated that viewers imitate what they watch on T.V. and what they observe in advertisements through a process called observational learning. Most characters on television receive no penalties for their antisocial behavior and their actions are often glamorized. Television is overflowing with ideas of sex, violence, and prejudices that young adults generally imitate.


After watching commercials, advertisements, and shows dealing with the role of femininity in society, many young women begin to think and act similar to how the media encourages them to. Media images of femininity tells us that women are primarily seen as sexual objects or that women must be thin or they are not considered beautiful. Many ads are focused on pornography and most TV shows glamorize sexual behavior. The CW's hit show Gossip Girl has been linked to the sexual promiscuity of their viewers. This is a prime example of social learning because, as mentioned in Killing Us Softly, young women imitate the ads they are surrounded by and the behavior in the television shows they watch. 

Gossip Girl's "OMFG" campaign shows explicit advertisements which promote sexual behavior through the social learning theory. 


Image from: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nypost.com/r/nypost/blogs/popwrap/200807/Images/200807_New-gossip-girl-ads.jpg
Quote from: Media Now by Joseph Straubhaar 

1st Blog Assignment!

Hello everyone! 


The main focus of this prompt includes the idea of hegemony and how it helps me understand advertisements for controversial ideas such as child obesity. The concept of hegemony, in advertisements such as this one, utilizes framing because it tells us how to think about a certain issue. 

The idea of hegemony is that mass media uses this tool in order to maintain power. It links various concepts of culture, ideology, and power. Hegemony also works on the basis of common sense and deals with the general assumptions that we make on a day to day basis. It reminds us that the things that we except in the social world are not always logical. 


One way that hegemony works is through framing, which controls how to think about an issue or person and what is associated with them. This example from SIRE is an ideal advertisement which addresses the important issue of child obesity. Although we all know that child obesity is a problem, we take it for granted and assume that "everyone knows" the harmful effects. Seeing this ad of an infant with a giant obese body is shocking and it frames the disturbing issue of child obesity to make us think negatively and open our eyes about it. Overall, the concept of hegemony helps me to understand the compelling advertisement. 




-Jacy Schleier 

Why I am taking RTF 305 and what I hope to learn!

I am taking RTF 305 because I am very interested in the social aspect of media in society. One day I hope to work for a PR company dealing with fashion or I would also like to be an event coordinator. Learning about media, culture and society would benefit me in any PR field of which I might go in to. Becoming more familiar with TV, film and media production would be helpful for any type of communication degree. I hope to learn more about how media influences our lives and how it plays a major role in society. Just like most people, I enjoy watching certain favorite TV shows each week and I would enjoy learning about how they are produced. I find TV and film history extremely interesting and I would enjoy learning more about TV and film history/production.

My favorite blog: http://www.tmz.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDaDXMxkNvs

-Jacy