Blog Post #4 - The Oxymoron that is Desensatization and Political Correctness

    "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..."

                                                                                     -Thomas Jefferson

    As America has moved forward as a culture, we have become increasingly adjusted to the idea presented in the Declaration of Independence that all of mankind is on equal ground. Through media studies, we observe the progression of the desensitization and normalization of our differences, and how things once controversial are now seen as being another facet of everyday life.
    In the screened episode of "All In The Family", the key issue presented is homosexuality. At the time, this subject was avoided and even considered to be somewhat racey. Through the use of  discriminatory terms and prejudice, homosexuality is made out to be a negative and even criticisable practice. Though the overall message of the program was to show that homosexuals are regular people that can't be stereotyped, the process in forming the message was something modern day tv shows would get sued for.
   As we move forward as a culture, discrimination is becoming increasingly less common. Now we have shows like "Modern Family" in which the loving couple that serves as the protagonists are both males. Today's television shows still look for subjects that interest people in their controversy, like homosexuality in "All In The Family", but they are also much more delicate as to not offend anyone. With the normalization of our differences came the beginning of using politically correct terminology (P.C.) in refering to specific groups. Where Archie refers to homosexuals as "fags" or "fairies," modern shows would get in deep trouble for promoting prejudice over the airwaves by using derrogatory language.
    Television shows search for issues that are cultually relevant at that time. At the time of All in the Family, it was homosexuality. Today, you could say that the shows with the highest ratings are losely based arond sex. In the older shows, they were mostly self censored, but in today's society, censorship is a force to be reconed with.
    Every year we move closer to the society Jefferson imagined, and this progression can almost always be detected when studying  popular media of that time. Whether it be the homophobic nature of the 1970's to the sexual obsession of modern day, by evaluating media, we can create an accurate sketch of American culture at that time.

Blog Post #3 - The Radio Cycle aka "I NEED MUH PROGRAMS"

   From The Grand Ole Opry broadcasted in Nashville to Professor Quiz in Washington D.C., when radio was introduced, audiences couldn't get enough. With this new method of communication, it became much more convenient for listeners to keep in touch with current events and also get their daily dose of entertainment. The audiences' demand for this fresh form of media had suddenly made radio a profitable investment, and thus assisted in shaping the industry.
   According to the supply and demand theory, an increase in demand will eventually lead to an increase in supply since companies will see the opportunity for potential profit. This is exactly the effect that took place in the radio boom. As the demand grew (as witnessed through the purchase of radios and growing numbers of listeners), companies began to invest in the industry, basically "going where the money is."
   Because of this, the industry expanded rapidly. New major corporations such as NBC, CBS, and ABC began to jump at this successful new business investment. With all the money flowing into the radio stations, new programs were made available, which inevitably led to a wider variety of listeners and therefore even more demand. This cycle continued in such a way that radio went from a new media investment to the talk of the nation in no time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old-time_radio#Types_of_programs

Blog Post #2: Viloence In Its Prime

There are many theories surrounding the effects mass media has on individuals and society as a whole. The priming theory helps me understand the concern over the violent content of video games by suggesting that the disturbing acts performed in a game could trigger similar thoughts in players. The theory states that media can store related thoughts or behaviors in the audience's minds that may be brought up in later situations. It is presumed that, if put into a situation similar to that which we have seen in the media, we could respond in a way much like that which we have witnessed. This causes great tension with the current rise in violent video gaming and technology. As seen in this news segment*, the Nintendo company actually has its players performing the motions they would take if holding a weapon. Now, though this is in a game, the theory suggests that, if put into a fight and near a weapon, the memory of the game could be triggered and cause us to act in an aggressive manner instead of doing the rational thing and running away. The priming theory controversy has caused many developments in the past decade, such as a more strict rating system for movies and games.

* http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=3433531n

CBS News

Blog Post #1

I think the concept of framing helps me understand the use of this advertisement from McDonald's by promoting the company as being charitable and a community sponsor when there are obvious skeletons in their corporate closet. The idea of framing is a company's promotion of specific ideas and "facts" that they want the public to see. This helps the business create a positive image for themselves through the public's eyes while concealing things that could lose possible consumers or supporters. It is used in elections and advertising campaigns to put a positive spin on their actions, or lack there of. In this McDonald's advertisement, the company is seen as being a supporter of living a healthy life by promoting physical activity. This is somewhat ironic because McDonald's has been involved in many lawsuits about the sugar and fat content in their food. Also, the franchise is seen as being a community supporter, which will more than likely increase their sales and increase their profits. McDonald's uses framing in this ad by showing the public the image of a wholesome family institution, which is what the company believes will increase their profits.

Blog Post Introduction

Picture From Muse Concert (Embracing Media)

I have been interested in media since I was very young. Being born in this generation, I have been exposed to radio, television, and film since birth. I always loved these things, and would spend much of my childhood free time watching and listening to them (my mother used media as a baby sitter). Though I am an advertising major, I am highly considering doing a dual major with RTF. I think it would be fun to be on the production end of advertising (filming commercials or airing ads over the radio). I took this class because it is the prerequisite for all RTF courses, and I plan to further explore this major. I hope to gain more knowledge on our nations media and, more importantly, where the market is going.

I recently started following this blog.
http://rtf305-f10-ta-jeremiah.blogspot.com/