By:Hillary Thornton
How much fragmentation is there among television news audiences? When looking at polls on political issues given by the major news coorperations it would look like there is hardly any fragmentation among the American people concerning the debates of today. WRONG! It is common knowledge that FOX=conservative and CNN=liberal. If people have conservative political views they are going to watch FOX, if they have liberal views they are going to watch CNN. Therefore they are going to take polls from their respective news source. There will be more shared opinions among the viewers of each station. For example, majority of FOX viewers will have a negative opinion of the new healthcare bill while the majority of CNN viewers will share positive opinions of the healthcare bill. Clearly politics drive which station the audience views and those politics cause fragmention among the American audience in its entirity.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Framing in Television News
By: Hillary Thornton
So really how reliable is the information you receive through television news? TV journalists have delveloped several techniques for framing their stories. Does this mean they are bringing false evidence, facts and information. No, they just have ways of making their audience see the story through a certain angle. Ways they do this are by using or not using certain video footage, different editing techniques. whether they cover the stroy live of as a pre-produced package, where in the newscast the story comes and the length of time the story gets. All of these things are very simple things but tv journalists heavily consider all of these details because they do greatly effect their viewers and how they feel about the story at hand. For example, stories that come at the beginning of a newscast make viewers believe it is one of the most important stories for the day. However, there could be much greater issues going on that day. Since the newscasters placed the story at the beginning the viewers believe has the most importance. TV journalists tend to frame stories surrounded by conflict. Stories involving high-profile celebrities (recent example of Tiger Woods), politics, race, war, etc. are almost always framed whether the newscasters are aware of it or not. Framing is simple using effects to make your audience see the story through a particular angle. Often framing is used to persuade the audience, maintain integrity or simply gain an advantage. In the Duke lacrosse team rape case. Duke's Public Relations professionals used framing. The university was in the national spotlight and their school's prestige and integrity was under scrutiny. The university was involved in a case of rape however the school never actually discussed rape. The PR people never discussed the 'big issue' with the public. They focused on the emotional aspect of the students and how these particular athletes were being wrongly accused. There is more framing in this example...the athletes were found not guilty of rape. Even though the majority of America first believed without a doubt they were guilty of rape because of the way the story was portrayed by the media...the story was framed.
So really how reliable is the information you receive through television news? TV journalists have delveloped several techniques for framing their stories. Does this mean they are bringing false evidence, facts and information. No, they just have ways of making their audience see the story through a certain angle. Ways they do this are by using or not using certain video footage, different editing techniques. whether they cover the stroy live of as a pre-produced package, where in the newscast the story comes and the length of time the story gets. All of these things are very simple things but tv journalists heavily consider all of these details because they do greatly effect their viewers and how they feel about the story at hand. For example, stories that come at the beginning of a newscast make viewers believe it is one of the most important stories for the day. However, there could be much greater issues going on that day. Since the newscasters placed the story at the beginning the viewers believe has the most importance. TV journalists tend to frame stories surrounded by conflict. Stories involving high-profile celebrities (recent example of Tiger Woods), politics, race, war, etc. are almost always framed whether the newscasters are aware of it or not. Framing is simple using effects to make your audience see the story through a particular angle. Often framing is used to persuade the audience, maintain integrity or simply gain an advantage. In the Duke lacrosse team rape case. Duke's Public Relations professionals used framing. The university was in the national spotlight and their school's prestige and integrity was under scrutiny. The university was involved in a case of rape however the school never actually discussed rape. The PR people never discussed the 'big issue' with the public. They focused on the emotional aspect of the students and how these particular athletes were being wrongly accused. There is more framing in this example...the athletes were found not guilty of rape. Even though the majority of America first believed without a doubt they were guilty of rape because of the way the story was portrayed by the media...the story was framed.
Go Greek or go home?
Georgetown College has several Greek organizations and they are very prevalent around campus. It seems that almost everyone on campus is a member of a Greek organization, excluding those students that are members of athletic teams. It seems, however, that there is a separation among the student body because of these “cliques”. If you walk into the cafeteria you know exactly whom a person is judging strictly by where they are sitting. Georgetown College is making a movement to improve the diversity of the college by recruiting a diverse group of new students, but what about the students that already go here? By no means are Greek organizations a bad thing; actually they do a lot in terms of charity and community service. However, the students that are members of them could do better job have branching out from their particular “clique” and meeting new people. Many people claim that they join a Greek organization in order to make new friends, but a small private college it is a lot easier to make new friends than at a state school. Greek organizations are not the only ones at fault here though, athletes also have trouble branching out from their comfort zone of friends and meeting new people. If all Georgetown students would branch out and meet some new people they might find out that they have been missing out on some great individuals that they could have been friends with all along.
By Alex Stewart
By Alex Stewart
Housing Concerns at GC?
The cost of living on campus at Georgetown College is right around $4000 a year. Since the students only live in the dorms/apartments for about 8 months out of the year, that works out to about $500 per month. In comparison one can probably afford to live in a nice off-campus apartment for about the same price instead of cramming into a tiny dorm room with another person, which you may not even like. It is understandable that the college requires all freshman to live on campus, unless they are commuters, however there is a point at which the college should allow students to move off-campus without being penalized. Several Georgetown students are concerned with the state of the housing situation at the school. One student I talked to said that he got a staph infection from living in the dorm and wants to move off-campus, but cannot afford to lose any of his financial aid. East campus is a nicer option in the campus-housing department, however you must be at least a junior with a 3.3 GPA in order to live there, so for the sophomores and juniors that do not meet the requirements the only option is the dorm. Some change needs to be made, either an increase in the amount of time and funding that is spent on on-campus housing, or a change in policy regarding moving off-campus.
By Alex Stewart
By Alex Stewart
Private school worth the price of admission?
With the state of the economy how it is and the need for a college education growing greater by the year, why is it that Georgetown College feels the need to have an annual increase in the cost of tuition? It is very hard for some students to afford the cost of tuition at a private school, however most students are able to make it through with the help of student loans and financial aid. Georgetown College might be digging themselves into a hole that they cannot get out of if they keep raising their prices. According to the College’s website the total cost of each year is $33,110, in comparison with $8,123 that it costs to attend the University of Kentucky. Although the private school prestige is very attractive, if the cost keeps going up it will soon become only a dream for most middle to lower class students. Many recent college graduates have found themselves entering a very competitive work force and are deciding that instead of facing the real world, they should continue their education by going to grad school. However, grad school is not free either so there are even more bills that will be piling up. So, it is becoming very difficult for a student to justify attending a private school when the cost of a public school is much cheaper and the result in finding a job could be the same. Maybe Georgetown College should reconsider their annual increase in tuition before they raise their prices right out of contention with the other schools of the state.
By Alex Stewart
By Alex Stewart
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Wrap Up
By: Danielle Gilford
The decade of the Aughts gave birth to a media obsessed audience. Not only did we witness the rise of social networking sites, the internet, and reality television. We began to notice the increasing laziness and dormancy of the audience. It’s not that the audience has become stupid; it’s just that they have become content with not having to work as hard to obtain information. It has also become harder to keep the audience entertained because they are turning to technology and electronics more and more to fill their need for entertainment. At the same time, we have been able to make incredible advancements in technology and entertainment such as the iPhone, iPods, the increased efficiency of the internet and social networking online. It has had its share of advantages and disadvantages.
The decade of the Aughts gave birth to a media obsessed audience. Not only did we witness the rise of social networking sites, the internet, and reality television. We began to notice the increasing laziness and dormancy of the audience. It’s not that the audience has become stupid; it’s just that they have become content with not having to work as hard to obtain information. It has also become harder to keep the audience entertained because they are turning to technology and electronics more and more to fill their need for entertainment. At the same time, we have been able to make incredible advancements in technology and entertainment such as the iPhone, iPods, the increased efficiency of the internet and social networking online. It has had its share of advantages and disadvantages.
Internet and the Distribution of Knowledge
By: Danielle Gilford
During the Aughts, the internet has become more elaborate and widely used than ever before. It has become a main source for people all over the world for the distribution of knowledge. Audiences don’t have to leave the comfort of their own home to find out almost anything they need to know. All someone has to do if they want to find out more information about something is to get online and type a few words into Google search or Bing and there is an endless list of results. Wikipedia, although not always 100% correct, tells most people anything they want to know about any subject. Also available to audiences are online library resources like ProQuest and EBSCOhost which “serves thousands of libraries and other institutions with premium content in every subject area.” (EBSCOhost 2009).
During the Aughts, the internet has become more elaborate and widely used than ever before. It has become a main source for people all over the world for the distribution of knowledge. Audiences don’t have to leave the comfort of their own home to find out almost anything they need to know. All someone has to do if they want to find out more information about something is to get online and type a few words into Google search or Bing and there is an endless list of results. Wikipedia, although not always 100% correct, tells most people anything they want to know about any subject. Also available to audiences are online library resources like ProQuest and EBSCOhost which “serves thousands of libraries and other institutions with premium content in every subject area.” (EBSCOhost 2009).
Reality TV and its Relationship to the LCD Problem
By: Danielle Gilford
Reality Television has gained momentum during the Aughts decade. With more and more shows following everyday people as well as celebrities, the audience can’t get enough of the inside look reality TV provides into the lives of other people. The majority of the audience members that watch reality TV are a passive. Most reality shows with the exceptions of the game show types, don’t involve a lot of brain use. All the audience has to do is sit there and watch. There isn’t a complicated storyline to follow and there isn’t much to figure out. The majority of reality television feeds into the lowest common denominator problem. It has the opposite effect as the one shows like Lost has on an audience that forces audiences to pay close attention and make connections.
Reality Television has gained momentum during the Aughts decade. With more and more shows following everyday people as well as celebrities, the audience can’t get enough of the inside look reality TV provides into the lives of other people. The majority of the audience members that watch reality TV are a passive. Most reality shows with the exceptions of the game show types, don’t involve a lot of brain use. All the audience has to do is sit there and watch. There isn’t a complicated storyline to follow and there isn’t much to figure out. The majority of reality television feeds into the lowest common denominator problem. It has the opposite effect as the one shows like Lost has on an audience that forces audiences to pay close attention and make connections.
The Last Decade
by Kelly Kreiner
Upon reflecting on the Aughts, the 2000s, I’ve decided that America really is a media saturated country. Our society is full and sometimes fueled by media. Don’t believe me? Watch VH1’s “I Love the New Millennium” and see if you don’t laugh along with the topics or at least remember more than half of what they’re talking about. I had to laugh the other day because while I was working on one of blogs for this assignment, my brother put his Entertainment Weekly magazine on the coffee table in front of me. The headline? “The 100 greatest movies, TV shows, songs, moments, and more: Best of the Decade 2000-2009”. My main concerns with society in the future are the addictive use of media and the “lowest common denominator” factor. If media continues to appeal to the “lowest common denominator” and also continues to be addictive, I fear that people will then lower their standards in real life. I’m old enough to know that even if I’m watching a show, I know it is trash or low taste. Younger kids grow up on this stuff and think it is truth. After doing this assignment, I will take a critical eye to aspects of the media in the decades to come.
Upon reflecting on the Aughts, the 2000s, I’ve decided that America really is a media saturated country. Our society is full and sometimes fueled by media. Don’t believe me? Watch VH1’s “I Love the New Millennium” and see if you don’t laugh along with the topics or at least remember more than half of what they’re talking about. I had to laugh the other day because while I was working on one of blogs for this assignment, my brother put his Entertainment Weekly magazine on the coffee table in front of me. The headline? “The 100 greatest movies, TV shows, songs, moments, and more: Best of the Decade 2000-2009”. My main concerns with society in the future are the addictive use of media and the “lowest common denominator” factor. If media continues to appeal to the “lowest common denominator” and also continues to be addictive, I fear that people will then lower their standards in real life. I’m old enough to know that even if I’m watching a show, I know it is trash or low taste. Younger kids grow up on this stuff and think it is truth. After doing this assignment, I will take a critical eye to aspects of the media in the decades to come.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Media audiences cant all be generalized into one group. Some audiences are passive and some are active, some fall victim to the “lowest common denominator” and some audiences can look critically at texts and see propaganda messages while others can’t. We can look at audiences in groups but I think it is more effective to break those groups up into the specific media they choose to participate in. By doing these blogs I got to look at characteristics of audiences and media they consume that I usually wouldn’t otherwise. I looked at the idea of the lowest common denominator and realized some shows fall victim to this that I hadn’t thought about before. We can look audiences critically but can only form so many assumptions.
Sarah Beth Mounts
Sarah Beth Mounts
A rap up
By Chris Terrell
To rap up the past week I have been doing blogs on different things that have to do with my new media class that are in the 2000’s. My first blog was about the bias in the media toward more popular sports teams. It really made me think and realize that sport networks really do have some bias toward these things. The second blog was about free music download on the internet. I learned that in 2006 music sales dropped five percent fourth blog was about the Ipod and how it has made it easier to take your music anywhere. This was a very fun project to do and I took a lot from the project.
To rap up the past week I have been doing blogs on different things that have to do with my new media class that are in the 2000’s. My first blog was about the bias in the media toward more popular sports teams. It really made me think and realize that sport networks really do have some bias toward these things. The second blog was about free music download on the internet. I learned that in 2006 music sales dropped five percent fourth blog was about the Ipod and how it has made it easier to take your music anywhere. This was a very fun project to do and I took a lot from the project.
Alike yet unalike
By: Pete Thackston
To this point we’ve given ideas and beliefs on the analysis of audiences. What I have found is that all analysis of audiences can be related to one thing and that is the nature of the audience. Depending on what media forms we are talking about the nature of the audience is similar when addressing specific media forms. Many times we can see similarities among specific media audiences, and in effect the nature of these audiences are seemingly very similar. The characteristics in nature of audience among rap music lovers is typically similar to all those who compose the group/audience. If looking at it objectively, the nature among audience members at a Metallica concert is probably quite similar. Even though we can assume common characteristics among the nature of specific audiences, they are very different at the same time.
Through doing this assignment I feel that the most beneficial aspect I’ve come to realize is that the nature of every audience is different, while at the same time alike. Broad views can relate many similarities that are common within the nature of various audiences. Taking a more intricate and detailed explanation when analyzing the nature of the audience you could see that there are distinct differences. Many times the differences are formed through experiences and culture. “The realization that audience is not adequately explained by researching either the people of the audience or the texts they like, but that audience is distinctively inflected by the nature and cultural significance of the interaction between audience activities and textual character (understood in the widest possible sense) causes a reconsideration of the very nature of audience.”
As a whole it must be understood that audiences can be examined and assumptions can be formed, but no theory can be formulated that applies to each audiences specific nature. The nature of audience for our class is an example of this. We are the same in that we are obligate to do this assignment and come to class in order to pass the class. We are different in the sense that we all have different ideas and perspectives about certain media areas which is evident through the blog writings.
To this point we’ve given ideas and beliefs on the analysis of audiences. What I have found is that all analysis of audiences can be related to one thing and that is the nature of the audience. Depending on what media forms we are talking about the nature of the audience is similar when addressing specific media forms. Many times we can see similarities among specific media audiences, and in effect the nature of these audiences are seemingly very similar. The characteristics in nature of audience among rap music lovers is typically similar to all those who compose the group/audience. If looking at it objectively, the nature among audience members at a Metallica concert is probably quite similar. Even though we can assume common characteristics among the nature of specific audiences, they are very different at the same time.
Through doing this assignment I feel that the most beneficial aspect I’ve come to realize is that the nature of every audience is different, while at the same time alike. Broad views can relate many similarities that are common within the nature of various audiences. Taking a more intricate and detailed explanation when analyzing the nature of the audience you could see that there are distinct differences. Many times the differences are formed through experiences and culture. “The realization that audience is not adequately explained by researching either the people of the audience or the texts they like, but that audience is distinctively inflected by the nature and cultural significance of the interaction between audience activities and textual character (understood in the widest possible sense) causes a reconsideration of the very nature of audience.”
As a whole it must be understood that audiences can be examined and assumptions can be formed, but no theory can be formulated that applies to each audiences specific nature. The nature of audience for our class is an example of this. We are the same in that we are obligate to do this assignment and come to class in order to pass the class. We are different in the sense that we all have different ideas and perspectives about certain media areas which is evident through the blog writings.
Always on the Move
Blackjack. Android. iPhone. These are just a few examples of the latest technological craze, the smartphone. Smartphones allow the everyday businessman work away from work, check emails, and even surf the internet. Basically, it is much more portable and versatile version of a laptop. Phones nowadays even have internet television, so a user can watch television shows like Cold Case and South Park with the simple push of a button. These phones are small, portable and convenient. It is hard to walk down the street without passing someone that is deeply engrossed in their iPhone or Blackberry. I wonder what innovations we will see in the next decade?
Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne
High Gas: The Excuse
A little over four years ago, this nation experienced the wrath of Hurricane Katrina, one of the worst natural disasters this decade. This hurricane shattered families and did significant damage to life and property. Businesses were ruined and debris littered the streets as countless individuals wandered around, looking for answers, food, or shelter. If that didn't sound bad enough, the hurricane also ruined several petroleum distilleries that were located in Louisiana, which resulted in a steep gas price increase.
That story worked four years ago. It won't now. We are in the midst of the worst economic recession since the Great Depression, yet gas prices continue to be high. Granted, they are no longer at the height that they were last year, and (God-willing) they will never be that high again. Yet, every time I pass the gas station, I see that gas has increased another two or three cents - there are no natural disasters around, no group of terrorists trying to blow up distilleries. So my question is this: why are we paying so much for gas now?
Thomas Hearne
That story worked four years ago. It won't now. We are in the midst of the worst economic recession since the Great Depression, yet gas prices continue to be high. Granted, they are no longer at the height that they were last year, and (God-willing) they will never be that high again. Yet, every time I pass the gas station, I see that gas has increased another two or three cents - there are no natural disasters around, no group of terrorists trying to blow up distilleries. So my question is this: why are we paying so much for gas now?
Thomas Hearne
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Privacy, Please?
At the height of the information era, it seems that everyone and their grandmothers (seriously) are enjoying the ease at which they can stay connected. This is all made possible by social networking sites like Myspace, Twitter and Facebook. These sites allow your friends and family, provided you've added them of course, view different photos and videos of you and your friends. It allows them to access your main profile page, where information like addresses and phone numbers can be found. One of the most popular social networking sites, Facebook, allows you to accept friend requests at the click of the mouse button, regardless if you really know the person or not. As you may or may not be able to tell, random people - again, provided you've added them - can have access to your information. This leads to one simple question - does privacy really exist anymore?
Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne
Addiction in the Aughts
By: Jordan Rowe
Over the course of the 2000s, the world has struggled to combat increasingly shorter attention spans and general lack of will brought on by new media. Point in fact…we’ve become addicted to new media technology. Whether it be in the form of social networking (Facebook or Twitter), online news, blogging (like what I’m doing right now), podcasts, or other new media technologies, we’ve been distracted beyond measure. Simple social courtesy has even gone out the window as people will check their Facebook status in a conference meeting or classroom. In some cases, I would argue the addiction to new media technology rivals that of cocaine or methamphetamine. Stop and think for a moment. Could you give up Facebook with the snap of your fingers? What about using a phone where you couldn’t text or go on the internet? Even worse, what if you had to wait until six o’clock each evening to get the day’s headlines?
So our culture is hooked on new media technology forever. People face peer pressure from friends and family to get a Facebook account or get LinkedIn (sounds a lot like a friend urging you to use a drug). I came to college without a Facebook account and was cast as a social outsider. I initially refused to buy into social networking because I was unsure of its safety. I also didn’t want to get on the site just because everyone else was doing it. But the peer pressure begins to weigh you down and you eventually succumb. New media technology is also readily available. Just about anyone can get a page on Myspace, start a blog, or an internet radio station. It’s impossible to step out the door and not be bombarded by new technology. If we tried to turn the page back, I’m not sure we could. Mass hysteria might break out if we suddenly decided the world needed to go back to old media institutions (basic TV, radio, and newspapers). Certainly, the world has made innovative steps with the aid of technology. But, I think it has also made our culture more dependent on new media in order to succeed. Just look at how upset you get when you lose cell phone reception or internet access (this is the 21st century right?). Also, the tendency to have our ears and eyes glued to new media has left us less human. Yes, I said less human. We were created to interact face-to-face with other human beings. New media has led to a fragmenting effect where we are more concerned with texting a person 100 miles away than talking to the person sitting next to us. This addiction to new media technology could lead to serious consequences down the road. When we are unable to deal with problems in the real world because of our divergent attention to the internet world, trouble is bound to come knocking on our door. I’m still listening for that knock…
Over the course of the 2000s, the world has struggled to combat increasingly shorter attention spans and general lack of will brought on by new media. Point in fact…we’ve become addicted to new media technology. Whether it be in the form of social networking (Facebook or Twitter), online news, blogging (like what I’m doing right now), podcasts, or other new media technologies, we’ve been distracted beyond measure. Simple social courtesy has even gone out the window as people will check their Facebook status in a conference meeting or classroom. In some cases, I would argue the addiction to new media technology rivals that of cocaine or methamphetamine. Stop and think for a moment. Could you give up Facebook with the snap of your fingers? What about using a phone where you couldn’t text or go on the internet? Even worse, what if you had to wait until six o’clock each evening to get the day’s headlines?
So our culture is hooked on new media technology forever. People face peer pressure from friends and family to get a Facebook account or get LinkedIn (sounds a lot like a friend urging you to use a drug). I came to college without a Facebook account and was cast as a social outsider. I initially refused to buy into social networking because I was unsure of its safety. I also didn’t want to get on the site just because everyone else was doing it. But the peer pressure begins to weigh you down and you eventually succumb. New media technology is also readily available. Just about anyone can get a page on Myspace, start a blog, or an internet radio station. It’s impossible to step out the door and not be bombarded by new technology. If we tried to turn the page back, I’m not sure we could. Mass hysteria might break out if we suddenly decided the world needed to go back to old media institutions (basic TV, radio, and newspapers). Certainly, the world has made innovative steps with the aid of technology. But, I think it has also made our culture more dependent on new media in order to succeed. Just look at how upset you get when you lose cell phone reception or internet access (this is the 21st century right?). Also, the tendency to have our ears and eyes glued to new media has left us less human. Yes, I said less human. We were created to interact face-to-face with other human beings. New media has led to a fragmenting effect where we are more concerned with texting a person 100 miles away than talking to the person sitting next to us. This addiction to new media technology could lead to serious consequences down the road. When we are unable to deal with problems in the real world because of our divergent attention to the internet world, trouble is bound to come knocking on our door. I’m still listening for that knock…
Celb Meltdowns
By: Allison Butler
Throughout the decade there have been some of the most memorable celebrity meltdowns of all time. Not only with meltdowns there have been some of the most well known celebrities pass away during this time.
Anna-Nicole died in February of 2007. Just months after her twenty-year old son had passed away. Her death seemed to have all fingers pointing to a drug induced stupor or comma. Her infant daughter received publicity for months to follow during a custody battle about her father. Larry Brickhead received full custody of Dannielynn and is now caring for her.
Tom Cruise made a fool of himself after jumping on a couch on the Oprah set. He was proclaiming his love for the beautiful Katie Holmes. Not long before his jumping episode he spoke out against anti-depressants and slammed Brooke Shields for taking them, while Brooke was battling post-pardon.
Brittany is off her rocker after she checks herself out of a rehab center, flew back to LA and shaves her head. It was reported that the salon she shaved it in did not even touch her because they wanted to have nothing to do with her messing up her image. They feared being sued. Not long after she was baled she then attacks a paparazzi vehicle outside of her ex K-Fed's apartment. She beat the passenger window with an umbrella.
Patrick Swayze dies after a twenty month battle with pancreatic cancer. There is an interview with Barbra Walters where he says that everyone is dying. He continued on with his career during this time filming one full season of a show. Patrick was best known for his performances in the movies Ghost and Dirty Dancing, "Nobody puts baby in the corner". Patrick will be missed.
These are just a few of the meltdowns and deaths that happened in this decade. Some of the most infamous well known show stopping facts happened between 2000 and 2009.
Throughout the decade there have been some of the most memorable celebrity meltdowns of all time. Not only with meltdowns there have been some of the most well known celebrities pass away during this time.
Anna-Nicole died in February of 2007. Just months after her twenty-year old son had passed away. Her death seemed to have all fingers pointing to a drug induced stupor or comma. Her infant daughter received publicity for months to follow during a custody battle about her father. Larry Brickhead received full custody of Dannielynn and is now caring for her.
Tom Cruise made a fool of himself after jumping on a couch on the Oprah set. He was proclaiming his love for the beautiful Katie Holmes. Not long before his jumping episode he spoke out against anti-depressants and slammed Brooke Shields for taking them, while Brooke was battling post-pardon.
Brittany is off her rocker after she checks herself out of a rehab center, flew back to LA and shaves her head. It was reported that the salon she shaved it in did not even touch her because they wanted to have nothing to do with her messing up her image. They feared being sued. Not long after she was baled she then attacks a paparazzi vehicle outside of her ex K-Fed's apartment. She beat the passenger window with an umbrella.
Patrick Swayze dies after a twenty month battle with pancreatic cancer. There is an interview with Barbra Walters where he says that everyone is dying. He continued on with his career during this time filming one full season of a show. Patrick was best known for his performances in the movies Ghost and Dirty Dancing, "Nobody puts baby in the corner". Patrick will be missed.
These are just a few of the meltdowns and deaths that happened in this decade. Some of the most infamous well known show stopping facts happened between 2000 and 2009.
Monday, December 7, 2009
The Evolution of the I-Phone
Gone are the days where people use cell phones to make phone calls. In today's society, you're more likely to see someone using their phone to place a call than you are to see the Saints lose a game. Cell phones, particularly I-Phones, have so many more uses nowadays. It can serve as a GPS system, radio, mp3 player, and even a place to watch videos. One of the newer additions to the i-phone are the increasily popular applications. An example of an application is trapster. Using this application, users can locate where spotted cops and police hotspots are while driving. Just in case you are one who plays the stock market, you can even check stocks at the click of a button. With the i-phone, you can pretty much do anything without having to move an inch. And if you just so happen to be one of the few who are placing a phone call, you don't even have to end your call while doing any of the aforementioned activities. The i-phone truly shows how electronically advanced our society has become. Many individual's lives have become cenetred around this particular piece of media.
By: Josh Staggs
By: Josh Staggs
The Ipod
By: Chris Terrell
Looking back on it now, what would people ever do if they lost their Ipod? I never really thought about how much I use mine until today. The first great thing about the Ipod is that all your music is on on there. I remember caring a CD player thinking it was cool because I did not have to use the walk man any more. The CD player gave me the freedom to listen to the music that I wanted to. Swooosh ( the Phillips effect), me listening to breakfast at tiffany’s. The difference between the portable CD player and the Ipod is that with the portable CD player was you would have to carry all your CD’s in a case and that was annoying. Another thing that makes the Ipod so much better that the portable CD player is that it allows me to run while listening to music without it skipping all the time. The Ipod is also great for road trips. My family was always fighting about what was playing in the car. Not anymore, My sisters and I now just bring are Ipods along and listen to whatever we want. Everywhere I go I see someone listening to their MP3/ Ipod. The Ipod has also made listening to music much easier and gave people more freedom.
Looking back on it now, what would people ever do if they lost their Ipod? I never really thought about how much I use mine until today. The first great thing about the Ipod is that all your music is on on there. I remember caring a CD player thinking it was cool because I did not have to use the walk man any more. The CD player gave me the freedom to listen to the music that I wanted to. Swooosh ( the Phillips effect), me listening to breakfast at tiffany’s. The difference between the portable CD player and the Ipod is that with the portable CD player was you would have to carry all your CD’s in a case and that was annoying. Another thing that makes the Ipod so much better that the portable CD player is that it allows me to run while listening to music without it skipping all the time. The Ipod is also great for road trips. My family was always fighting about what was playing in the car. Not anymore, My sisters and I now just bring are Ipods along and listen to whatever we want. Everywhere I go I see someone listening to their MP3/ Ipod. The Ipod has also made listening to music much easier and gave people more freedom.
The Addictive Quality of Social Networking Sites
By: Danielle Gilford
Most people belong to some sort of social networking site. Whether it be MySpace, Facebook, or Twitter. People love being able to keep tabs on other people. That may not have been the original intent of the creators of these sites, but if people think that most people sign up for these types of sites, just to "stay in touch" with old friends then they are wrong. Maybe that is the initial appeal, but many users add people to be their friend, might say hi to them once or twice and make small talk , then they creep on their pictures and other profile information. Who are certain people dating? What are others wearing? Where did your friends go last weekend without you? The most addicting component of these sites is that audiences are able to peek inside the lives of others in addition to keeping up with their own busy social life through this new means of communication.
Most people belong to some sort of social networking site. Whether it be MySpace, Facebook, or Twitter. People love being able to keep tabs on other people. That may not have been the original intent of the creators of these sites, but if people think that most people sign up for these types of sites, just to "stay in touch" with old friends then they are wrong. Maybe that is the initial appeal, but many users add people to be their friend, might say hi to them once or twice and make small talk , then they creep on their pictures and other profile information. Who are certain people dating? What are others wearing? Where did your friends go last weekend without you? The most addicting component of these sites is that audiences are able to peek inside the lives of others in addition to keeping up with their own busy social life through this new means of communication.
Twitter Addiction
By: Pete Thackston
What do Angelina Jolie and Twitter have in common? They are both at fault for the two breakups of Jennifer Anniston. Recently much of society has become engulfed in media communities such as Twitter and Facebook. Members of these sites are constantly updating their status on Facebook and “tweeting” on Twitter. The addiction of Twitter has become increasingly interesting to me due to the fact that Mayer would allow this media form to get in between he and the most beautiful girl in world. Jennifer’s friend was reported as saying, “Jen was fuming. There he was, telling her he didn't have time for her and yet his page was filled with Twitter updates. Every few hours, sometimes minutes, he'd update with some stupid line. And in her mind, she was like "He has time for all this Twittering, but he can't send me a text, an email, make a call?” The persistent use of Twitter by UK basketball coach John Calipari is another source of interest in the addiction to Twitter.
The following are 12 signs of Twitter Addiction:
1. All of your friends’ names start with @
2. You know what a tweet is and don’t snicker
3. Your tweeted while your wife gave birth
4. Your tweeted while giving birth
5. Your kids have to tweet you to get you to make dinner
6. Your mom joined Twitter to chat with you
7. All you want for Christmas is unlimited SMS use on your cell phone
8. Your sign your work email, @wonky
9. You don’t read emails that aren’t highlighted replies to you
10. You name your newborn @babygirl1
11. You Twitter before you start the coffee in the morning
12. You Twitter from your candlelight anniversary dinner that you are celebrating…by candlelight.
(Source: http://toddjordan.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/10-signs-of-twitter-addiction/)
What do Angelina Jolie and Twitter have in common? They are both at fault for the two breakups of Jennifer Anniston. Recently much of society has become engulfed in media communities such as Twitter and Facebook. Members of these sites are constantly updating their status on Facebook and “tweeting” on Twitter. The addiction of Twitter has become increasingly interesting to me due to the fact that Mayer would allow this media form to get in between he and the most beautiful girl in world. Jennifer’s friend was reported as saying, “Jen was fuming. There he was, telling her he didn't have time for her and yet his page was filled with Twitter updates. Every few hours, sometimes minutes, he'd update with some stupid line. And in her mind, she was like "He has time for all this Twittering, but he can't send me a text, an email, make a call?” The persistent use of Twitter by UK basketball coach John Calipari is another source of interest in the addiction to Twitter.
The following are 12 signs of Twitter Addiction:
1. All of your friends’ names start with @
2. You know what a tweet is and don’t snicker
3. Your tweeted while your wife gave birth
4. Your tweeted while giving birth
5. Your kids have to tweet you to get you to make dinner
6. Your mom joined Twitter to chat with you
7. All you want for Christmas is unlimited SMS use on your cell phone
8. Your sign your work email, @wonky
9. You don’t read emails that aren’t highlighted replies to you
10. You name your newborn @babygirl1
11. You Twitter before you start the coffee in the morning
12. You Twitter from your candlelight anniversary dinner that you are celebrating…by candlelight.
(Source: http://toddjordan.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/10-signs-of-twitter-addiction/)
Why Facebook is Addicting
So I would say that almost everyone I know that is around my age is a user of the social networking site facebook. Or should I say everyone I know that is my age is addicted to facebook. To stay on the up of what's going on you must have facebook or you are completely out of the scoop. It is also addicting because I believe facebook makes us feel better about ourselves because we can sit and look at other peoples facebook lives and see much better our lives are than other peoples. I also believe a lot of what people put on facebook is who they want to be and not who they really are. For example I have a friend that likes to have a country boy/redneck persona so he put hunting under his activities when he has never been hunting in his life. I feel that we can put on facebook what we think we are lacking in the real world and this is what keeps us coming back to it.
By:Tom Cherry
By:Tom Cherry
Youtube
Created in 2005 by three former paypal employees,Youtube has become one of the most fun and interesting things to do when you get on the internet. People of all ages use youtube for for several different things. You can watch almost anything that has ever happened. You can go back into history and watch the 9/11 attacks from every angle, you can watch hilarious videos of people making themselves look like total idiots, and my personal favorite is to watch old kentucky basketball highlights. That's just a scratch on the surface of what youtube has to offer. Youtube lets people broadcast themselves anyway that they please. Another big thing that youtube has is the ability to listen to music and watch the videos at the same time. I would say that is the most frequent use of youtube among teenagers in this decade. I think that youtube is one of the best inventions this decade because it lets people of all ages re-live history, which would be impossible without youtube. By Jordan Bell
I don’t know how many of you watched the series of “high school soap operas” like two-a-days and Laguna Beach, but still love reruns of both. Media effects theory states that media can induce important effects on its audiences, and these two shows are perfect examples. On Laguna Beach there is an episode where the guys ask the girls to homecoming but it’s almost like a marriage proposal; I had never seen anything quite like this before. They would make huge banners and have a limo pick them up from school and take them to where the banner was asking them to homecoming or they would act like a secret admirer and leave them notes then at the end of the clues they would be waiting to ask them to homecoming. Everyone at my high school was completely obsessed with this show, to the point that some of the girls were determine to live life like they did on the show. They decided to ask the boys to homecoming like they did on the show. Another example come from a friend who went to another high school that I didn’t meet until college. On one of the Laguna episodes they have a Black and White Affair and rent out a hotel room and have a party. If you aren’t wearing all black or white then you can’t get in. My friend said they used to try and have these parties after they saw this show. This is a perfect, and even extreme example of how media can have an effect on its audience.
Sarah Beth Mounts
Sarah Beth Mounts
Impact of 'Friends'
By: Hillary Thornton
Friends quickly became one of the most popular American sitcoms of all time. Many Americans can talk about Chandler, Monica, Rachel, Ross, Joey and Pheobe as if they are real people and actual friends. The show became so popular and loved, everyone knew the names of these six friends living in Manhattan, New York. The sitcom was very successful and won countless awards. The show was nominated for 63 primetime Emmy's. Friends also had a large cultural impact. Friends can't be looked at as just a tv show. Jennifer Aniston's haistyle became known as 'the Rachel' and was copied throughout the world, Joey's famous phrase 'how you doin' became part of everyday language for most, and the friends hangout spot, central perk, has been imitated by other coffee shops all over the world. Pheobes ballad 'smelly cat' also became a well-known tune throughout all of America and the world. The sitcom has been over since 2004, but can still be seen on TV regularly. The show is also still quoted and I know with my friends we have several inside jokes and sayings that refer to the show. The American audience truly embraced the six friends and the whole storyline of the series. Shortly after the premiere in the U.S. the sitcome became just as popular internationaly. The six main cast members reached household name celebrity status because of the show. I, as well as I'm sure many other television viewers, can't imagine TV, or better yet, life without Chandler, Monica, Rachel, Joey, Ross, and Pheobe :)
Friends quickly became one of the most popular American sitcoms of all time. Many Americans can talk about Chandler, Monica, Rachel, Ross, Joey and Pheobe as if they are real people and actual friends. The show became so popular and loved, everyone knew the names of these six friends living in Manhattan, New York. The sitcom was very successful and won countless awards. The show was nominated for 63 primetime Emmy's. Friends also had a large cultural impact. Friends can't be looked at as just a tv show. Jennifer Aniston's haistyle became known as 'the Rachel' and was copied throughout the world, Joey's famous phrase 'how you doin' became part of everyday language for most, and the friends hangout spot, central perk, has been imitated by other coffee shops all over the world. Pheobes ballad 'smelly cat' also became a well-known tune throughout all of America and the world. The sitcom has been over since 2004, but can still be seen on TV regularly. The show is also still quoted and I know with my friends we have several inside jokes and sayings that refer to the show. The American audience truly embraced the six friends and the whole storyline of the series. Shortly after the premiere in the U.S. the sitcome became just as popular internationaly. The six main cast members reached household name celebrity status because of the show. I, as well as I'm sure many other television viewers, can't imagine TV, or better yet, life without Chandler, Monica, Rachel, Joey, Ross, and Pheobe :)
Sunday, December 6, 2009
By Brenton Curry
The internet has always been a fascinating warehouse for users to find all different forms of information. Lately however the internet has taken the form of entertainment. A web site owned by Google by the name of Youtube has been very attractive and entertaining for its users and viewers. The website works by on-line users uploading their home personal videos.
This has caught on very rapidly. User have found it to be very addicting because of the availability of videos and the amount of related videos to what they were prior to watching. It also allows users to watch videos from different locations without having to save any form of data or downloads onto their hard drive. Youtube is so widely used that ever minute there is 20 hrs of video uploaded onto the website. Most users and viewers of the website are of the ages 18-55. Many people today have even used Youtube in presentations because of the amount of video coverage on the web site has made it easy for presenters to find videos that relate to their topics of discussion.
The internet has always been a fascinating warehouse for users to find all different forms of information. Lately however the internet has taken the form of entertainment. A web site owned by Google by the name of Youtube has been very attractive and entertaining for its users and viewers. The website works by on-line users uploading their home personal videos.
This has caught on very rapidly. User have found it to be very addicting because of the availability of videos and the amount of related videos to what they were prior to watching. It also allows users to watch videos from different locations without having to save any form of data or downloads onto their hard drive. Youtube is so widely used that ever minute there is 20 hrs of video uploaded onto the website. Most users and viewers of the website are of the ages 18-55. Many people today have even used Youtube in presentations because of the amount of video coverage on the web site has made it easy for presenters to find videos that relate to their topics of discussion.
Online Sales
By Brenton Curry
For many people, the only way to shop is on-line. However many people do not know about discount bidding site. Of course there is eBay and other site like it but I’m talking about more of a guarantee that you will receive the item because there is an abundant amount and it is not used or returned items. Sites like Whiskey Militia, Dog funk, and tramdock allow users to bid on items that are available at a discount price.
How it works is many companies over stock or don’t sell enough of some of their products during different seasons. The companies then in return, sell it to discount stores and web sites like these. These web sites work very different than a normal web site would normally work. Every 30 minutes one item will be presented and users only have that amount of time to place orders. For many objects there are different sizes and colors to pick from. Because the items are sold at such a low coast many on-line users jump at the sale. Most of the items on these web sites are sporting equipment that range from any different sport depending on the season. Needless to say many constantly out of curiosity flip to the site to see what is on sale next. Because the web site runs in the fashion that it dose many shoppers by on impulse creating great revenue for the sites.
For many people, the only way to shop is on-line. However many people do not know about discount bidding site. Of course there is eBay and other site like it but I’m talking about more of a guarantee that you will receive the item because there is an abundant amount and it is not used or returned items. Sites like Whiskey Militia, Dog funk, and tramdock allow users to bid on items that are available at a discount price.
How it works is many companies over stock or don’t sell enough of some of their products during different seasons. The companies then in return, sell it to discount stores and web sites like these. These web sites work very different than a normal web site would normally work. Every 30 minutes one item will be presented and users only have that amount of time to place orders. For many objects there are different sizes and colors to pick from. Because the items are sold at such a low coast many on-line users jump at the sale. Most of the items on these web sites are sporting equipment that range from any different sport depending on the season. Needless to say many constantly out of curiosity flip to the site to see what is on sale next. Because the web site runs in the fashion that it dose many shoppers by on impulse creating great revenue for the sites.
Facebook Addicts
In my last article I told you about how the I-phone was taking over the world. Now I'm going to tell you why facebook is influencing the world even more. Facebook is a social networking site in which anyone person can become a member. You can add pictures, chat online to any of your friends, comment on yours or others pictures, look at anybody's pictures who you have as a friend, update your status at anytime and say anytjing you want on it. Im sure there are more things that i missed but you gte the point. People practically live on facebook. It never fails, every time you walk in a room I guarantee that at least one if not multiple peolpe will be on facebook doing somehting. Its getting ridiculous about what facebook is becoming. People trashing and bashing other people, vulgar pictures, and my least favorite of all people livivng their lives through facebook. For example, updating your status on your stats of your jv basketball game last night is not going to make you liked anymore because if your doing that your probaly not liked already. Its becoming bad for athletes at college, because they put pictures of them partying with beer in their hand and before you know they're kicked out of school. Everyone has Facebook from 7 years old to 75 years old it doesn't matter who you are in this world, you can be who you want to be on here. By Jordan Bell
"One of the Best Videos of All Time"
by Kelly Kreiner
I still love listening to “All the Single Ladies” by Beyonce. It’s not because I want my boyfriend to propose anytime soon, but because it’s such a catchy song and it makes me want to dance. Also it gets stuck in my head. But how did it get there? Did my roommate play it too often or keep watching the music video on YouTube? While it was my roommate’s alarm clock song for a while, I don’t think I can blame it on her. However, I think I can blame it on media saturation.
The Moderate Effects Model says that media is one of several factors that influence a person or society’s believes and values. Accountability is placed on the audience’s interpretation because some people are better at resisting the media’s messages than others. The main flaw in this model is that it is a bit too optimistic in an age of media saturation. This model cannot apply to “Single Ladies”, which was listed for 360 weeks on 19 different charts, because I doubt anyone can escape this song. This song almost defines saturation, but luckily for me I like the song. You live under a rock if you haven’t seen a video spoof of this song. Babies dance to it, dancing wannabes try to learn the dance to it, and I just saw the Chipettes from the Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 “squeakuel” dancing to it on TV. If you don’t agree about this song, then I’d watch out. Kanye is a sneaky guy.
I still love listening to “All the Single Ladies” by Beyonce. It’s not because I want my boyfriend to propose anytime soon, but because it’s such a catchy song and it makes me want to dance. Also it gets stuck in my head. But how did it get there? Did my roommate play it too often or keep watching the music video on YouTube? While it was my roommate’s alarm clock song for a while, I don’t think I can blame it on her. However, I think I can blame it on media saturation.
The Moderate Effects Model says that media is one of several factors that influence a person or society’s believes and values. Accountability is placed on the audience’s interpretation because some people are better at resisting the media’s messages than others. The main flaw in this model is that it is a bit too optimistic in an age of media saturation. This model cannot apply to “Single Ladies”, which was listed for 360 weeks on 19 different charts, because I doubt anyone can escape this song. This song almost defines saturation, but luckily for me I like the song. You live under a rock if you haven’t seen a video spoof of this song. Babies dance to it, dancing wannabes try to learn the dance to it, and I just saw the Chipettes from the Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 “squeakuel” dancing to it on TV. If you don’t agree about this song, then I’d watch out. Kanye is a sneaky guy.
Active Fan of Harry Potter
by Kelly Kreiner
It is said that “the media are criticized for offering mindless and soporific entertainment instead of original and stimulating content,” but the Harry Potter series has been quite different. Since the first book, Harry Potter and Sorcerer’s Stone, came out, over 325 million copies of the books have been purchased. A great effect of the books has been motivating children to read for fun again. Scholastic did a research study and found that 51% of 500 kids polled, ages 5 to 17, said that they did not read for fun until they started reading the Harry Potter series. Three quarters of those kids said that reading Harry Potter made them interested in reading other books. While this is definitely impressive, it is not the only way in which Harry Potter has inspired its audience to be active. Books don’t often catch pop-culture’s eye, but Harry Potter has been expanded from a book series into movies, video games, collectable figurines, and more. Selectivity plays a part because the audience has made Harry Potter what it is today—a huge part of the 2000’s. The Harry Potter audience chose to continue reading the books, go to midnight book releases, midnight movie releases, and more. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I owned a Harry Potter t-shirt. It has been amazing to me how Harry Potter has shaped its scene and gotten people involved in a book series. Hopefully even the just-movie-watchers of Harry Potter will at some point be inspired to read the books and see where it all stems from, because they are masterfully written. I’m happy to have been an active part of the Harry Potter series time frame and wonder what I will do after the final movie comes out.
It is said that “the media are criticized for offering mindless and soporific entertainment instead of original and stimulating content,” but the Harry Potter series has been quite different. Since the first book, Harry Potter and Sorcerer’s Stone, came out, over 325 million copies of the books have been purchased. A great effect of the books has been motivating children to read for fun again. Scholastic did a research study and found that 51% of 500 kids polled, ages 5 to 17, said that they did not read for fun until they started reading the Harry Potter series. Three quarters of those kids said that reading Harry Potter made them interested in reading other books. While this is definitely impressive, it is not the only way in which Harry Potter has inspired its audience to be active. Books don’t often catch pop-culture’s eye, but Harry Potter has been expanded from a book series into movies, video games, collectable figurines, and more. Selectivity plays a part because the audience has made Harry Potter what it is today—a huge part of the 2000’s. The Harry Potter audience chose to continue reading the books, go to midnight book releases, midnight movie releases, and more. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I owned a Harry Potter t-shirt. It has been amazing to me how Harry Potter has shaped its scene and gotten people involved in a book series. Hopefully even the just-movie-watchers of Harry Potter will at some point be inspired to read the books and see where it all stems from, because they are masterfully written. I’m happy to have been an active part of the Harry Potter series time frame and wonder what I will do after the final movie comes out.
Indecency of Family Guy
By Brenton Curry
Today with the push of a button, there is no telling what a viewer is about to witness at first glance when turning on a television. So far television is a controlled media with standards and laws to protect viewers from seeing things that are said to be indecent or obscene. Over the years the television series Family Guy has been questioned for most of its content. Many parents are disturbed with the fact that the content is for a mature audience and it’s based in a cartoon.
Several of the Family Guy episodes from 2005 to 2009 have been taken off air because of the content in the episodes was indecent for viewers on network cable. The PTC (Parents Television Council) has spoken harshly against the show and has been consistent in speaking against Family Guy and letter writing campaigns to Fox Networks to cancel the show. However because the show brings in so much revenue, it is hard for a network to simple cancel a show with such a large fan base.
the best phone ever by David Boyle
When the iphone was first put on the market people were lined up to buy it in large numbers. It was a great seller even though it was so costly. Since then the price has dropped tremendously and sells have definetly increased. On college campuses and almost anyone who conducts any type of business owns an iphone. The features that the phone offers are so similiar to having your own personal laptop with you all the time. the major flaw that it might have compared to other phones in the past is that if you make the mistake of dropping it, you might cause it a lot of damage that may cause the phone not to work. Other than that the iphone might be one of the best phones of all times. People love the feature of just being able to touch the phone and things happen. In my opinion it is the best phone on the market right now.
Wiki Wisdom
By: Jordan Rowe
Wikipedia was credited this year at the Webby Awards as one of the most influential moments on the Internet in the past decade. The free open-source encyclopedia launched in 2001 and now boasts of more than 14 million articles in 271 different languages. The distribution of knowledge Wikipedia supplies to today’s society has received great praise and stiff criticism. Articles are written and edited collaboratively by volunteers around with the world. Reuters reports that Wikipedia has become the most popular go-to site for general reference work on the internet. Whether for research on a school report or general knowledge questions, the world is driven to the site that has all the answers. Individuals merely have to type in a subject of question, and receive just about all known information of relevance on that topic. Talk about the best thing since sliced bread! Wikipedia has also received acknowledgement as a news source because of how quickly their articles about recent events appear. When Time magazine named “You” the Person of the Year in 2006, it cited Wikipedia alongside Facebook, Youtube, and Myspace as transforming society. So how could anyone dislike this social phenomenon? The answers lie in Wikipedia’s inconsistencies.
Because Wikipedia is accessible by almost anyone, its reliability and accuracy has come to be questioned by many critics in the world of academia. As a college student I can vouch for the fact that many college professors discourage or prohibit the use of Wikipedia as a primary source in a bibliography. There is no question that errors exist within the site. But, Wikipedia has worked overtime in recent years to increase its credibility. Articles that contain vandalism, no proper references, or explicit material are removed or tagged very soon after they are posted to the site. In addition, Nature magazine did a study in 2005 comparing Wikipedia’s scientific articles to those of the more traditional Encyclopedia Britannica. Surprisingly, they found Wikipedia’s articles came extremely close to those of Encyclopedia Britannica’s, though Britannica has disputed this claim. Thus, the wiki bias may no longer have as much weight as in previous years. More than anything else, Wikipedia exemplifies the lack of trust academia has in any source not penned by someone with a doctor’s degree. They refuse to buy into the grassroots nature of the internet. But, let me break it to you. The distribution of knowledge offered by Wikipedia is just one step in a wide array of future steps towards a more active, prosumer culture. Whether good or bad, it’s not going away. So as the old saying goes…if you can’t take the heat…get out of the street!
Wikipedia was credited this year at the Webby Awards as one of the most influential moments on the Internet in the past decade. The free open-source encyclopedia launched in 2001 and now boasts of more than 14 million articles in 271 different languages. The distribution of knowledge Wikipedia supplies to today’s society has received great praise and stiff criticism. Articles are written and edited collaboratively by volunteers around with the world. Reuters reports that Wikipedia has become the most popular go-to site for general reference work on the internet. Whether for research on a school report or general knowledge questions, the world is driven to the site that has all the answers. Individuals merely have to type in a subject of question, and receive just about all known information of relevance on that topic. Talk about the best thing since sliced bread! Wikipedia has also received acknowledgement as a news source because of how quickly their articles about recent events appear. When Time magazine named “You” the Person of the Year in 2006, it cited Wikipedia alongside Facebook, Youtube, and Myspace as transforming society. So how could anyone dislike this social phenomenon? The answers lie in Wikipedia’s inconsistencies.
Because Wikipedia is accessible by almost anyone, its reliability and accuracy has come to be questioned by many critics in the world of academia. As a college student I can vouch for the fact that many college professors discourage or prohibit the use of Wikipedia as a primary source in a bibliography. There is no question that errors exist within the site. But, Wikipedia has worked overtime in recent years to increase its credibility. Articles that contain vandalism, no proper references, or explicit material are removed or tagged very soon after they are posted to the site. In addition, Nature magazine did a study in 2005 comparing Wikipedia’s scientific articles to those of the more traditional Encyclopedia Britannica. Surprisingly, they found Wikipedia’s articles came extremely close to those of Encyclopedia Britannica’s, though Britannica has disputed this claim. Thus, the wiki bias may no longer have as much weight as in previous years. More than anything else, Wikipedia exemplifies the lack of trust academia has in any source not penned by someone with a doctor’s degree. They refuse to buy into the grassroots nature of the internet. But, let me break it to you. The distribution of knowledge offered by Wikipedia is just one step in a wide array of future steps towards a more active, prosumer culture. Whether good or bad, it’s not going away. So as the old saying goes…if you can’t take the heat…get out of the street!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Smart phones may be making a smart society
By: Pete Thackston
Much of the distribution of knowledge can be accredited to the smart phones that dominate the mobile phone industry today. By definition smart phones are mobile phones offering advanced capabilities, often with PC-like functionality. Four years ago the majority of smart phone users were later-aged business professionals. Today the scenario is far different. The smart phone market is engulfed the entire phone market. Smart phone users' age today range from all ages. The dominant use and vast capabilities of smart phones has led to the distribution of knowledge.
The primary reason for the growth in knowledge from smart phones is the capability to connect to the internet, and search the World Wide Web for any information at any time. The internet is a source for an unending amount of knowledge. Often times if we are asked a question and we don't know the answer, we suggest 'Google it" to find the answer.
Communication across boundaries is a form of knowledge that applies to smart phones. Phones today are capable to provide updates on practically anything. They allow users to download applications for designated updates. Whether it is scores from sporting events, ebay bid notifications, or what the whether is like in Iraq, update applications are available for all things.
The internet access of smart phones will continue to provide people with knowledge. With time, as phones become more efficient (quicker) with accessing internet information, people will begin to gain knowledge even more, giving birth to a ‘smarter society’ from smart phones.
Much of the distribution of knowledge can be accredited to the smart phones that dominate the mobile phone industry today. By definition smart phones are mobile phones offering advanced capabilities, often with PC-like functionality. Four years ago the majority of smart phone users were later-aged business professionals. Today the scenario is far different. The smart phone market is engulfed the entire phone market. Smart phone users' age today range from all ages. The dominant use and vast capabilities of smart phones has led to the distribution of knowledge.
The primary reason for the growth in knowledge from smart phones is the capability to connect to the internet, and search the World Wide Web for any information at any time. The internet is a source for an unending amount of knowledge. Often times if we are asked a question and we don't know the answer, we suggest 'Google it" to find the answer.
Communication across boundaries is a form of knowledge that applies to smart phones. Phones today are capable to provide updates on practically anything. They allow users to download applications for designated updates. Whether it is scores from sporting events, ebay bid notifications, or what the whether is like in Iraq, update applications are available for all things.
The internet access of smart phones will continue to provide people with knowledge. With time, as phones become more efficient (quicker) with accessing internet information, people will begin to gain knowledge even more, giving birth to a ‘smarter society’ from smart phones.
Video games now allow you to interact with others
By Chris Terrell
Video games have come a long way since the Atari and the Nintendo. When I was little and to this day am still playing very simple video games on the regular Nintendo. Video games today have made it to where someone doesn’t have to play with someone sitting next to them, but they can now play people from all over the world. The two systems who have revolutionized this new experience in gaming are X BOX 360 and the PS3. Now people can interact with people by hooking their system up to the internet. The X BOX 360 has made it possible to talk to other people while playing by creating a head set that plugs into the controller. Looking at where video games have come from and where they are going it is unimaginable to think of what is in store for video games in the future.
Video games have come a long way since the Atari and the Nintendo. When I was little and to this day am still playing very simple video games on the regular Nintendo. Video games today have made it to where someone doesn’t have to play with someone sitting next to them, but they can now play people from all over the world. The two systems who have revolutionized this new experience in gaming are X BOX 360 and the PS3. Now people can interact with people by hooking their system up to the internet. The X BOX 360 has made it possible to talk to other people while playing by creating a head set that plugs into the controller. Looking at where video games have come from and where they are going it is unimaginable to think of what is in store for video games in the future.
The state of academics and athletics in the Aughts
By Bianca Rugimbana
Coaches and the media are consistent in making sure that the focus is on athletics and individuals are then expected to just “maintain” their studies as best they can. Is this legitimate? Isn’t this completely contradictory to the purposes of universities and colleges? The media seems to do more harm than good and in particular they fuel the fire for colleges and universities, in particular sports departments and coaches to allow students to forgo class for sporting events and spend more time on the playing field then in the classroom. It may be slightly comprehendible if individuals were called “athlete students”, however, what hope and guidance do young individuals have if they are not sure what path to choose and what will suffice the expectations and beliefs of professors, family, the media and their sporting team and coaches? It becomes a challenge for students alone to be able to decide what their future should entail and the focuses of these students are then disheveled to the point where they begin to lack concentration and ambition in the classroom and focus all of their attention on sports as a way of running away from the responsibility of academics.
Not only does this appear to be a growing issue but it also sheds light on the fact, that this is caused by the media and colleges and universities. The question now is, what can be done to alter this perception of a student athlete? What can be done to create more involvement in classes and academics? Not just attendance in class and maintenance of a solid GPA based on enforcement of coaches and faculty, but more so what can spark the personal interest of student athletes to want to excel in their academics and spend an equal amount of time on their studies and also their sport, this is what needs to be answered. Once this is answered, the concern surrounding this debate may be much more comprehendible.
Coaches and the media are consistent in making sure that the focus is on athletics and individuals are then expected to just “maintain” their studies as best they can. Is this legitimate? Isn’t this completely contradictory to the purposes of universities and colleges? The media seems to do more harm than good and in particular they fuel the fire for colleges and universities, in particular sports departments and coaches to allow students to forgo class for sporting events and spend more time on the playing field then in the classroom. It may be slightly comprehendible if individuals were called “athlete students”, however, what hope and guidance do young individuals have if they are not sure what path to choose and what will suffice the expectations and beliefs of professors, family, the media and their sporting team and coaches? It becomes a challenge for students alone to be able to decide what their future should entail and the focuses of these students are then disheveled to the point where they begin to lack concentration and ambition in the classroom and focus all of their attention on sports as a way of running away from the responsibility of academics.
Not only does this appear to be a growing issue but it also sheds light on the fact, that this is caused by the media and colleges and universities. The question now is, what can be done to alter this perception of a student athlete? What can be done to create more involvement in classes and academics? Not just attendance in class and maintenance of a solid GPA based on enforcement of coaches and faculty, but more so what can spark the personal interest of student athletes to want to excel in their academics and spend an equal amount of time on their studies and also their sport, this is what needs to be answered. Once this is answered, the concern surrounding this debate may be much more comprehendible.
The issue of academics versus athletics in the Aughts
By Bianca Rugimbana
Stemming from the initial concern over individuals who play a sport and are also full time college students, this concern was drawn from personal understandings and also personal experiences with being a student athlete. Sports are positive for any child and also young adult to partake in, however, with sports also come a commitment and dedication to maintain your performance, fitness and also effective time management. Coming into senior year at Georgetown College, time is demanded of more so in the classroom then in any of the previous years and therefore it can be difficult to ‘juggle’ time accordingly. The pressures of maintaining a sports commitment to a team and also maintaining a high class attendance status, saw disappointment arise from either coaches one week or professors the following week.
However, the pressure mostly stemmed from the sport with the demands of the media and also coaches and the expectations of the student body. By having to conform to a certain structure and also particular rules heightens stress levels and therefore forces more students to play their role as an athlete rather than a student. This was the problem personally faced and forced unappreciation for the sport because of the conformity surrounding it and also the frustration of coaches when the need to “skip practice for class or homework” was addressed. This again defies the purpose of a student athlete. The word student is before the word athlete for a reason and it seems that no one is able to understand this.
The media continues to push the idea of sports and fame, money and talent, with news headlines and websites always mentioning sports scores and no news medium taking the time to mention the importance of attending class and focusing on study and education as it is imperative to your future. According to Nikou and Dinardo through their article relating to Academic Achievement, these scholars stated that, “many college athletes graduate, only to find themselves lacking the skills needed to function in even the most simplistic working environment. The athlete must be recognized as a whole student with academics as the principal focus in his or her school life.” This is something that needs to be addressed and although the concept of sport is pungent within colleges and universities, the question that is raised is, are these schools and universities priding themselves on academia? Or a school priding itself on success and good rapport within the media, from the performance of the college’s sporting teams and talented individuals? It seems that the focus should be on academics in order to secure a solid future, but how will this ever be the case?
Stemming from the initial concern over individuals who play a sport and are also full time college students, this concern was drawn from personal understandings and also personal experiences with being a student athlete. Sports are positive for any child and also young adult to partake in, however, with sports also come a commitment and dedication to maintain your performance, fitness and also effective time management. Coming into senior year at Georgetown College, time is demanded of more so in the classroom then in any of the previous years and therefore it can be difficult to ‘juggle’ time accordingly. The pressures of maintaining a sports commitment to a team and also maintaining a high class attendance status, saw disappointment arise from either coaches one week or professors the following week.
However, the pressure mostly stemmed from the sport with the demands of the media and also coaches and the expectations of the student body. By having to conform to a certain structure and also particular rules heightens stress levels and therefore forces more students to play their role as an athlete rather than a student. This was the problem personally faced and forced unappreciation for the sport because of the conformity surrounding it and also the frustration of coaches when the need to “skip practice for class or homework” was addressed. This again defies the purpose of a student athlete. The word student is before the word athlete for a reason and it seems that no one is able to understand this.
The media continues to push the idea of sports and fame, money and talent, with news headlines and websites always mentioning sports scores and no news medium taking the time to mention the importance of attending class and focusing on study and education as it is imperative to your future. According to Nikou and Dinardo through their article relating to Academic Achievement, these scholars stated that, “many college athletes graduate, only to find themselves lacking the skills needed to function in even the most simplistic working environment. The athlete must be recognized as a whole student with academics as the principal focus in his or her school life.” This is something that needs to be addressed and although the concept of sport is pungent within colleges and universities, the question that is raised is, are these schools and universities priding themselves on academia? Or a school priding itself on success and good rapport within the media, from the performance of the college’s sporting teams and talented individuals? It seems that the focus should be on academics in order to secure a solid future, but how will this ever be the case?
Some shows that I come across make me stop and wonder about our society. I try not to watch full episodes of shows like Jerry Springer and Maury but sometimes even though you don’t want to watch you can’t help but just stop and wonder. Shows like Jerry Springer, Maury, Montell and all of the “Judge” shows definitely falls victim to the lowest common denominator. These shows are a perfect example of the way audiences play into the ignorance the media says we have by producing these shows. Some of the common themes that appear on The Jerry Springer Show are “Ragin’ Lovers, Penniless Prostitutes, Wrath of the Transsexuals” plus many more. One of the show summaries from Jerry Springer goes like this: “Next...Shannon thinks that her boyfriend Jason has been sleeping with Kim. Kim is overweight and to help her find the stage, Shannon lays out a trail of muffins. Jason then admits that he sleeps with Kim because she satisfies his food fetish.” Some people might like these shows but I think they are mindless and stupid. On some of these shows the scenarios haven’t even really happened and they tell the people on the show lies to get them to act like fools. These shows, I hope, are for people who have nothing else to do, but even still, the fact that some of them have been on the air so long reveals what Americans value in television shows they watch.
Sarah Beth Mounts
Student Athletes or Athlete Students?
By Bianca Rugimbana
It is amazing how the term “student athletes” is thrown around with such pride and stature, however when we think of “student athletes”, we typically focus on the athlete part more so then the student part. Sporting teams are the pride and joy of most college festivities and events however, in relation to the academic side of events there is a slight unevenness about the situation. Newspapers, magazines, radio websites and television, all highlight the excitement and progress of sporting events. Throughout the towns and cities of colleges and universities and also throughout the college, the various athletes have been paraded and commended on their abilities, talents and successes.
However, more so on the publicity aspect of sports, the media coverage has continued to focus on sports and what it not only brings these individuals but also what sense of involvement, excitement, unity and belonging it brings to the community and the colleges and universities. This usually follows traditions in which the community, faculty, coaches and student body place their own expectations on the athletes. On a national level, according to Adena Andrews, journalist and author of the article, “When did college athletics become more important than college itself?”, Andrews points out similar remarks to those mentioned. Stating, “University of Texas at Austin is a perfect example of a school that may be over stepping its boundaries with such a lavish purchase for the athletic department. University of Texas at Austin is a state school that recently increased tuition and told students and taxpayers the money would go toward better professors and programming. I don't think an $8 million TV set was listed in the tuition package.”
This adds to the argument that sports are becoming more dramatic each year, as young talented individuals are beginning to go to college just for the idea of becoming superstars and receiving an added bonus of scholarship money paying for their tuition. It has even gotten to the point, where students are leaving college to play professional sports, rather than completing their college education. The concern really boils down to what is the fairness and even necessity in calling these individuals “student athletes” when clearly the priority lies in the athletic aspect, not the class schedules and significance of attending class and receiving an education. The media always states the importance of an education and in fact it is frowned upon when students do not attend school or choose to drop out of school for athletic pursuits. However, this is completely contradictory based on the fact that universities and the media are promoting this concept of a strong culture of athletics which is dominating school and an education. For example; throughout Georgetown College news and information, athletic scores and information is provided more so than what education updates and progress has been made at the college.
This seems to be an issue in which many colleges may be following the same footsteps as the University of Texas, as athletes all strive to travel overseas and become professional athletes even if it means forgoing their schooling plans. Another journalist, William Friday, from the Matrix: Magazine for Leaders in Education, stated that, “the ugly disciplinary incidents, outrageous academic fraud, dismal graduation rates and uncontrolled expenditures surrounding college sports reflect what many have rightly characterized as "an entertainment industry" that is not only the antithesis of academic values but is "corrosive and corruptive to the academic enterprise." This leaves people to wonder how much help athletics really are to the future of these individuals and are colleges going too far to reveal the talents and successes of these young students? It lies in the hands and within the culture of universities and colleges. How long before it stops being tradition and starts being expectation? Only time will tell
It is amazing how the term “student athletes” is thrown around with such pride and stature, however when we think of “student athletes”, we typically focus on the athlete part more so then the student part. Sporting teams are the pride and joy of most college festivities and events however, in relation to the academic side of events there is a slight unevenness about the situation. Newspapers, magazines, radio websites and television, all highlight the excitement and progress of sporting events. Throughout the towns and cities of colleges and universities and also throughout the college, the various athletes have been paraded and commended on their abilities, talents and successes.
However, more so on the publicity aspect of sports, the media coverage has continued to focus on sports and what it not only brings these individuals but also what sense of involvement, excitement, unity and belonging it brings to the community and the colleges and universities. This usually follows traditions in which the community, faculty, coaches and student body place their own expectations on the athletes. On a national level, according to Adena Andrews, journalist and author of the article, “When did college athletics become more important than college itself?”, Andrews points out similar remarks to those mentioned. Stating, “University of Texas at Austin is a perfect example of a school that may be over stepping its boundaries with such a lavish purchase for the athletic department. University of Texas at Austin is a state school that recently increased tuition and told students and taxpayers the money would go toward better professors and programming. I don't think an $8 million TV set was listed in the tuition package.”
This adds to the argument that sports are becoming more dramatic each year, as young talented individuals are beginning to go to college just for the idea of becoming superstars and receiving an added bonus of scholarship money paying for their tuition. It has even gotten to the point, where students are leaving college to play professional sports, rather than completing their college education. The concern really boils down to what is the fairness and even necessity in calling these individuals “student athletes” when clearly the priority lies in the athletic aspect, not the class schedules and significance of attending class and receiving an education. The media always states the importance of an education and in fact it is frowned upon when students do not attend school or choose to drop out of school for athletic pursuits. However, this is completely contradictory based on the fact that universities and the media are promoting this concept of a strong culture of athletics which is dominating school and an education. For example; throughout Georgetown College news and information, athletic scores and information is provided more so than what education updates and progress has been made at the college.
This seems to be an issue in which many colleges may be following the same footsteps as the University of Texas, as athletes all strive to travel overseas and become professional athletes even if it means forgoing their schooling plans. Another journalist, William Friday, from the Matrix: Magazine for Leaders in Education, stated that, “the ugly disciplinary incidents, outrageous academic fraud, dismal graduation rates and uncontrolled expenditures surrounding college sports reflect what many have rightly characterized as "an entertainment industry" that is not only the antithesis of academic values but is "corrosive and corruptive to the academic enterprise." This leaves people to wonder how much help athletics really are to the future of these individuals and are colleges going too far to reveal the talents and successes of these young students? It lies in the hands and within the culture of universities and colleges. How long before it stops being tradition and starts being expectation? Only time will tell
Friday, December 4, 2009
American Idiot?
By: Jordan Rowe
American Idol has been without a doubt the most successful television show the 2000s. Idol is the #1 TV show in the Nielsen Ratings and is one of only three that have been #1 for five consecutive seasons, along with All in the Family and The Cosby Show. And though the show is beginning to see some wear (ratings were down about 8.4% in Season 8), Idol’s power is undisputed in American television. We know millions of American’s are watching the show each year, but does that necessarily mean the show is favorable? In communication circles, many media critics often equate big media audiences with the so called “lowest common denominator” of taste. They link bad taste with mass audiences. Thus, widely popular shows are not necessarily good because they have big audiences. They have big audiences because they are simple and easy to follow. But, does American Idol adhere to the “lowest common denominator” of taste?
Pew Research Center did a study on Idol’s success in 2007 titled, “Who’s Watching American Idol?” In spite of the fact that Idol has been at the top of the television ratings, three-quarters of the public play little to not attention to the show (11% say they're not following Idol news too closely and 66% say they're not following it at all). Pew Research also found that college graduates are less likely to be following what's going on with the show than are those who have never attended college. The percentage of viewers also declines as age increases. Thus, more sophisticated viewers are less likely to watch Idol than mainstream audience members. Proving the point that American Idol’s “cult like” following and massive ratings cannot necessarily be attributed to the fact that it’s a good television program. Which raises the question…American Idol or American Idiot?
American Idol has been without a doubt the most successful television show the 2000s. Idol is the #1 TV show in the Nielsen Ratings and is one of only three that have been #1 for five consecutive seasons, along with All in the Family and The Cosby Show. And though the show is beginning to see some wear (ratings were down about 8.4% in Season 8), Idol’s power is undisputed in American television. We know millions of American’s are watching the show each year, but does that necessarily mean the show is favorable? In communication circles, many media critics often equate big media audiences with the so called “lowest common denominator” of taste. They link bad taste with mass audiences. Thus, widely popular shows are not necessarily good because they have big audiences. They have big audiences because they are simple and easy to follow. But, does American Idol adhere to the “lowest common denominator” of taste?
Pew Research Center did a study on Idol’s success in 2007 titled, “Who’s Watching American Idol?” In spite of the fact that Idol has been at the top of the television ratings, three-quarters of the public play little to not attention to the show (11% say they're not following Idol news too closely and 66% say they're not following it at all). Pew Research also found that college graduates are less likely to be following what's going on with the show than are those who have never attended college. The percentage of viewers also declines as age increases. Thus, more sophisticated viewers are less likely to watch Idol than mainstream audience members. Proving the point that American Idol’s “cult like” following and massive ratings cannot necessarily be attributed to the fact that it’s a good television program. Which raises the question…American Idol or American Idiot?
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Where are people getting all this music?
By Chris Terrell
It used to be if a person wanted to get a song or cd they would have to wait till the sinle or entire cd came out in stores. This is not the case today. People are now getting music off the internet. They are either paying for the music off of I tunes, or going the route that many people are taking by getting the music for free from Limewire or Ares FOR FREE. Its not that you can just get music for free online, you can now get music before it is “Leaked”. Leaked is when a song or cd is let out on the internet before the cd is actually released in stores. The start of this new wave of getting music on line for free was when Napster was invented. I think that music downloading on the internet is defiantly one of the biggest new media’s of this century.
It used to be if a person wanted to get a song or cd they would have to wait till the sinle or entire cd came out in stores. This is not the case today. People are now getting music off the internet. They are either paying for the music off of I tunes, or going the route that many people are taking by getting the music for free from Limewire or Ares FOR FREE. Its not that you can just get music for free online, you can now get music before it is “Leaked”. Leaked is when a song or cd is let out on the internet before the cd is actually released in stores. The start of this new wave of getting music on line for free was when Napster was invented. I think that music downloading on the internet is defiantly one of the biggest new media’s of this century.
Recent Obsession with Twitter
During the past year, we have seen the twitter phenomenon make its way through households across the US. In today's society, we see people taking new forms of media to create differnet types of social environments on the web. With a twitter account, you can pretty much keep tabs on celebrities, athletes, musicians, etc. Never before have we had a way to explore into the lives of the people that we read about or see on tv. Over the past decade we've see virtual communities all over the internet, and people are joining these communities like never before. Celebrities aren't just celebrities anymore, but theyare becoming idols of worship. Through websites such as twitter, we see these virtual communities who are centered around celebrities. These communities are bringing together average individuals who share a common interest. We, as ordinary citizens, want to constantly check our twitter accounts to take a break from our own lives and step into the shoes of the people we only read about. We want to know what they're doing, so maybe we can just get a taste of the lavish lifestyle that we've only heard about. These virtual communities give us the opporunity to do so, and in this age of expansion of new media, nothing seems too far stretched for the imagination anymore.
By: Josh Staggs
By: Josh Staggs
Youboob...
By: Pete Thackston
That which first started simply because a man wanted to again witness the breast incident involving Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake during a Super Bowl halftime show has given birth to one of the most heavily trafficked and popular websites of all time. Since its inception in February 2005, Youtube is visited by approximately 300 million viewers per month. Seemingly these figures may present the idea that Youtube has become an addictive media source. The following are reasons for the media addiction of Youtube.
1. The ability to express yourself and the ability to watch other people expressing themselves. Virtually anyone with access to an internet source and a webcam can record anything and post it for the entire world to see. For some it may be expressing their political beliefs and ideas, while others may post videos of personal musical performances in hopes of being the next musical artist. The possibilities are endless. Youtube enables users a sense of democracy in media publication.
2. Youtube enables the viewer to watch and playback the selected video at their discretion. The video website does not limit the viewer to only a certain amount of views per video. The only requirement is that viewers have Adobe Flash Player which enables the viewer to watch the video on Youtube. Many users see Youtube as a free source of music videos and audio.
3. The capability of viewers to offer comment and personal perspective on each video. Each video enables the viewer to comment below the video, often times allowing the viewer to say things such as ‘Great Video!’, ‘New favorite song <3,’ or ‘Ha! Wardrobe malfunction??…sure…’
Youtube has ushered in a new ability to express ones self. Arguably one of the best inventions of our lifetimes, Youtube has facilitated expression across boundaries. The capability of endless personal expression has brought millions of viewers to Youtube which has brought to life an addictive media tool. I express these ideas with justification because I’m currently on Youtube listening to music as I write this.
That which first started simply because a man wanted to again witness the breast incident involving Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake during a Super Bowl halftime show has given birth to one of the most heavily trafficked and popular websites of all time. Since its inception in February 2005, Youtube is visited by approximately 300 million viewers per month. Seemingly these figures may present the idea that Youtube has become an addictive media source. The following are reasons for the media addiction of Youtube.
1. The ability to express yourself and the ability to watch other people expressing themselves. Virtually anyone with access to an internet source and a webcam can record anything and post it for the entire world to see. For some it may be expressing their political beliefs and ideas, while others may post videos of personal musical performances in hopes of being the next musical artist. The possibilities are endless. Youtube enables users a sense of democracy in media publication.
2. Youtube enables the viewer to watch and playback the selected video at their discretion. The video website does not limit the viewer to only a certain amount of views per video. The only requirement is that viewers have Adobe Flash Player which enables the viewer to watch the video on Youtube. Many users see Youtube as a free source of music videos and audio.
3. The capability of viewers to offer comment and personal perspective on each video. Each video enables the viewer to comment below the video, often times allowing the viewer to say things such as ‘Great Video!’, ‘New favorite song <3,’ or ‘Ha! Wardrobe malfunction??…sure…’
Youtube has ushered in a new ability to express ones self. Arguably one of the best inventions of our lifetimes, Youtube has facilitated expression across boundaries. The capability of endless personal expression has brought millions of viewers to Youtube which has brought to life an addictive media tool. I express these ideas with justification because I’m currently on Youtube listening to music as I write this.
As much as I love all of the “cop” shows like 24, the CSIs, Criminal Minds, etc. and even old-school shows like JAG, I still can’t ignore the glorification of our government and its justice system (police, crime scene investigators) that is in these shows. We all know that crimes are not solved within these allotted one-hour slots, and sadly, a lot of the members of our justice system are not as eager to rid the world of all evil as those on any of the 30 cop tv shows are. Most of the characters are determined to find the criminal who has hurt whichever person they have become attached to that episode. But seemingly not one of the characters are anything less than perfect and determined to do away with any criminal who comes in their path. If one is convicted of any wrongdoing their innocence is sure to be proven by the end of the episode. In one episode Horatio, the main character of CSI Miami is extradited to Brazil by his son’s mother for the supposed murder of a man named Antonio Riaz. Of course he even vindicates himself by taking out the group of Brazilians surrounding him with weapons without even so much as a scratch. I find it hard to believe that our justice system is so perfectly flawless as it is presented in these television shows. What is the reason for the producers trying to take on the task of proving how great our law enforcement/government is to the audience?
Sarah Beth Mounts
Sarah Beth Mounts
facebook's dominance by David Boyle
Facebook has become more and more dominant over the past couple of years. It seems as if people used to use myspace but have now transition to facebook. As any kind of media use facebook has its negatives and positives. Itis great to have a facebook profile to keep in touch with those friends from different schools and institutions that you might nt see or do not have their phone number. You can keep in touch with them through facebook. Sometimes different friends leave to go overseas and instead of having an extremely high phone bill. It is also very convenient for family members who live far from each other to keep in touch with their loved ones and see their pictures whenever they get ready. It used to just be college students who would interact through facebook but now its common to see your parents or grandparents with their own profile for facebook. It is good for them to see children and grandchildren whenever they like. It has taken over the computers all over especially on the college campuses. It can be a distraction for students who might need to do some work online and want to check their page before starting and it turns into an all night chat session.
What happened to picking up the phone?
In today's society there are a lot of crutches for not talking with someone face to face. There are social networking sites such as facebook, myspace, and twitter. These are good examples of social networking sites that take away from face to face communication but what about good old text messaging. Text messaging has changed the way so many of us live our lives. The question is are we forgetting how to talk to someone face to face? IT seems to me that people are using text messaging to do everything from asking someone out on a date to wishing them happy birthday. I'm not saying I don't do it because today I personally wished someone a happy birthday via text message. I didn't feel like actually picking up the phone to wish this person a happy birthday so text messaging was the next best thing. When you think about it this can't be good for our communication skills. Are we going to forget how to talk to someone about something serious or even be able to pick up the phone to talk to them about it? I think that todays society is missing out on something very special and that special thing is communicating with someone face to face.
Mike Posner talks College and Career
Posted by Jarmar "DJ SKIT" Smith - December 3, 2009
Two reasons why I take particular interest in Mike Posner: 1. he is a college student who attends classes at one of the most academically rigorous universities in the country and 2. he is an extremely talents songwriter, vocalist, and producer.
I think it's fascinating that he is a college student during the week, taking 300-level courses. Then come Friday afternoon, he is on a plane somewhere to perform for kids his age at some other college venue. Then, its back to school on friday evening to finish a paper due on Monday. Crazy, huh?
DOWNLOAD MIKE POSNER NEW MIXTAPE: One Foot Out The Door
Mike Posner Balances Career and College from Palestra Creative on Vimeo.
Two reasons why I take particular interest in Mike Posner: 1. he is a college student who attends classes at one of the most academically rigorous universities in the country and 2. he is an extremely talents songwriter, vocalist, and producer.
I think it's fascinating that he is a college student during the week, taking 300-level courses. Then come Friday afternoon, he is on a plane somewhere to perform for kids his age at some other college venue. Then, its back to school on friday evening to finish a paper due on Monday. Crazy, huh?
DOWNLOAD MIKE POSNER NEW MIXTAPE: One Foot Out The Door
Grammy Awards 2010: Nominee List
Posted by Jarmar "DJ SKIT" Smith - December 3, 2009
Let the arguments commence. Who will get snubbed at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards? Drake is nominated and he doesn’t even have an album out yet. CRAZY, right?? Applaud Young Money/Cash Money — Universal Republic for that. Flo-Rida being nominated for Best Rap Album is the most outrageous thing I’ve read all year. No Blueprint 3 because the cutoff is August 31. Kanye leads in (rap) nominations, as he should. No Rap in the Album of the Year, Best New Artist, or Record of the Year categories. Beyonce is up for 7. Jay-Z is up for 4. Eminem for best rap album… Watch for the 52nd annual Grammy Awards to air on Sunday, January 31, 2010 from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, broadcast live on CBS at 8 P.M ET/PT.
And the nominees are...
Record Of The Year
Beyoncé – Halo
The Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling
Kings Of Leon – Use Somebody
Lady Gaga – Poker Face
Taylor Swift – You Belong With Me
Album Of The Year
Beyoncé – I Am… Sasha Fierce
The Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.
Lady Gaga – The Fame
Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey And The Groogrux King
Taylor Swift – Fearless
Song Of The Year
Lady Gaga – Poker Face
Maxwell – Pretty Wings
Beyoncé – Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
Kings of Leon – Use Somebody
Taylor Swift – You Belong With Me
Best New Artist
Zac Brown Band
Keri Hilson
MGMT
Silversun Pickups
The Ting Tings
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Adele – Hometown Glory
Beyoncé – Halo
Katy Perry – Hot N Cold
Pink – Sober
Taylor Swift – You Belong With Me
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
John Legend – This Time
Maxwell – Love You
Jason Mraz – Make It Mine
Seal – If You Don’t Know Me By Now
Stevie Wonder – All About The Love Again
Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
The Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling
Bon Jovi – We Weren’t Born To Follow
The Fray – Never Say Never
Daryl Hall & John Oates – Sara Smile
MGMT – Kids
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
Rosanne Cash & Bruce Springsteen – Sea Of Heartbreak
Ciara & Justin Timberlake – Love Sex Magic
Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat – Lucky
Willie Nelson & Norah Jones – Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Taylor Swift & Colbie Caillat – Breathe
Best Pop Instrumental Performance
Herb Alpert – Besame Mucho
Béla Fleck – Throw Down Your Heart
Imogen Heap – The Fire
Maxwell – Phoenix Rise
Marcus Miller – Funk Joint
Best Pop Instrumental Album
Chris Botti – In Boston
Hiroshima – Legacy
Booker T. Jones – Potato Hole
The Rippingtons Featuring Russ Freeman – Modern Art
Spyro Gyra – Down The Wire
Best Pop Vocal Album
*The Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.
*Colbie Caillat – Breakthrough
*Kelly Clarkson – All I Ever Wanted
*The Fray – The Fray
*Pink – Funhouse
Best Dance Recording
*The Black Eyed Peas – Boom Boom Pow
*David Guetta & Kelly Rowland – When Love Takes Over
*Lady Gaga – Poker Face
*Madonna – Celebration
*Britney Spears – Womanizer
Best Electronic/Dance Album
*The Crystal Method – Divided By Night
*David Guetta – One Love
*Lady Gaga – The Fame
*LMFAO – Party Rock
*Pet Shop Boys – Yes
Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance
*Bob Dylan – Beyond Here Lies Nothin’
*John Fogerty – Change In The Weather
*Prince – Dreamer
*Bruce Springsteen – Working On A Dream
*Neil Young – Fork In The Road
Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
*Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood – Can’t Find My Way Home
*Coldplay – Life In Technicolor II
*Green Day – 21 Guns
*Kings Of Leon – Use Somebody
*U2 – I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight
Best Hard Rock Performance
*AC/DC – War Machine
*Alice In Chains – Check My Brain
*Linkin Park – What I’ve Done
*Metallica – The Unforgiven III
*Nickelback – Burn It To The Ground
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
*Beyoncé – Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
*Melanie Fiona – It Kills Me
*Lalah Hathaway – That Was Then
*Ledisi – Goin’ Thru Changes
*Jazmine Sullivan – Lions, Tigers & Bears
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
*Anthony Hamilton – The Point Of It All
*Maxwell – Pretty Wings
*Musiq Soulchild – Sobeautiful
*Pleasure P – Under
*Charlie Wilson – There Goes My Baby
Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
*Jamie Foxx & T-Pain – Blame It
*India.Arie & Musiq Soulchild – Chocolate High
*Musiq Soulchild & Mary J. Blige – Ifuleave
*Robert Randolph & The Clark Sisters – Higher Ground
*Calvin Richardson & Ann Nesby – Love Has Finally Come At Last
Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance
*Beyoncé – At Last
*Anthony Hamilton – Soul Music
*Boney James & Quinn – Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
*Ann Nesby – Sow Love
*Calvin Richardson – Woman Gotta Have It
Best Urban/Alternative Performance
*The Foreign Exchange – Daykeeper
*Robert Glasper & Bilal – All Matter
*India.Arie & Dobet Gnahore – Pearls
*Eric Roberson, Ben O’Neill & Michelle Thompson – A Tale Of Two
*Tonex – Blend
Best R&B Song
*Jamie Foxx & T-Pain – Blame It
*Jazmine Sullivan – Lions, Tigers & Bears
*Maxwell – Pretty Wings
*Beyoncé – Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
*Pleasure P – Under
Best R&B Album
*Anthony Hamilton – The Point Of It All
*India.Arie – Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics
*Ledisi – Turn Me Loose
*Maxwell – Blacksummers’ Night
*Charlie Wilson – Uncle Charlie
Best Contemporary R&B Album
*Beyoncé – I Am… Sasha Fierce
*Jamie Foxx – Intuition
*Pleasure P – The Introduction Of Marcus Cooper
*Trey Songz – Ready
*T-Pain – Thr33 Ringz
Best Rap Solo Performance
*Drake – Best I Ever Had
*Eminem – Beautiful
*Jay-Z – D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)
*Kid Cudi – Day ‘N’ Nite
*Mos Def – Casa Bey
Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group
*Beastie Boys & Nas – Too Many Rappers
*Eminem, Dr. Dre & 50 Cent – Crack A Bottle
*Fabolous & Jay-Z – Money Goes, Honey Stay
*Kid Cudi, Kanye West & Common – Make Her Say
*Kanye West & Young Jeezy – Amazing
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
*Beyoncé & Kanye West – Ego
*Keri Hilson, Kanye West & Ne-Yo – Knock You Down
*Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West – Run This Town
*The Lonely Island & T-Pain – I’m On A Boat
*T.I. & Justin Timberlake – Dead And Gone
Best Rap Song
*Drake – Best I Ever Had
*Kid Cudi – Day ‘N’ Nite
*T.I. & Justin Timberlake – Dead And Gone
*Jay-Z – D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)
*Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West – Run This Town
Best Rap Album
*Common – Universal Mind Control
*Eminem – Relapse
*Flo Rida – R.O.O.T.S.
*Mos Def – The Ecstatic
*Q-Tip – The Renaissance
Best Reggae Album
*Buju Banton – Rasta Got Soul
*Gregory Isaacs – Brand New Me
*Julian Marley – Awake
*Stephen Marley – Mind Control — Acoustic
*Sean Paul – Imperial Blaze
Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media
* Cadillac Records
* Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds
* Slumdog Millionaire
* True Blood
* Twilight
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Louisville Mojo
By Brenton Curry
Over the years there have been many different interactive Medias that form a sense of online communities. Most of it started with myspace and then facebook and it branched off from there. The bases for these sites are to have its users interact and share different information with one another over the web. This makes the sites very intriguing because users can log on and share information from any computer with internet. One that has been over looked thou is Louisville Mojo. This is a somewhat newer site that gives users of the local area interactivity with other locals. Users can upload photos and create profiles for a description of them and their lifestyles. Ironically most of which the profile set up is for singles. From most of what I’ve seen it’s a free online dating site. However it also serves as an informer of different events that are being held in the local
"Your Shot at Love has Ended."
by Kelly Kreiner
I will admit that I watch quite a bit of television. Since my TV frequents MTV and VH1, even if I don't intend to watch a dating show, I end up seeing reruns and catching a whole season on accident. It's sad, I know. But, through these shows I can see that they fall victim to the "lowest common denominator" problem. This problem "assumes that 'mass culture', 'low taste' and 'mass audience' are more or less synonymous." These shows are low in taste and are created for the vulnerable media consumers.
the shows that come to mind are Flavor of Love, Daisy of Love, Rock of Love, Real Chance of Love, Shot of Love (with Tila Tequila), and I Love New York...of love. Just kidding. They're not really creative with the titles. Flavor of Love tried to find love for Public Enemy member Flavor Flav. I have to be honest, I don't know why women were signing up to date him. I Love New York was a spin-off of Flavor of Love and Daisy of Love was a spin-off of Rock of Love with Bret Michaels. It's not top quality programming, here. Somehow, though, Flavor of Love season 2 managed to have 3.3 million viewers--a record for VH1 at the time.
I feel like these shows are for people who have nothing better to watch, which I guess is occasionally me. However, the problem with these shows aimed towards the "lowest common denominator" isn't that they are low taste and quality, it's that they are the view that other countries see of Americans. These are the shows being shipped overseas and the shows that even young American viewers are watching to see what "grown-ups" are like. Do you want to be compared to Flavor Flav? Do you want people to think you have More to Love? (Yes, a dating show based on the fact that the bachelor likes plus-sized women.) I know TV executives want to produce something (anything) that people will watch, but maybe they should look more into the global and even home effects of it. Until then, I guess I'll catch a rerun and see what happens at the next elimination.
I will admit that I watch quite a bit of television. Since my TV frequents MTV and VH1, even if I don't intend to watch a dating show, I end up seeing reruns and catching a whole season on accident. It's sad, I know. But, through these shows I can see that they fall victim to the "lowest common denominator" problem. This problem "assumes that 'mass culture', 'low taste' and 'mass audience' are more or less synonymous." These shows are low in taste and are created for the vulnerable media consumers.
the shows that come to mind are Flavor of Love, Daisy of Love, Rock of Love, Real Chance of Love, Shot of Love (with Tila Tequila), and I Love New York...of love. Just kidding. They're not really creative with the titles. Flavor of Love tried to find love for Public Enemy member Flavor Flav. I have to be honest, I don't know why women were signing up to date him. I Love New York was a spin-off of Flavor of Love and Daisy of Love was a spin-off of Rock of Love with Bret Michaels. It's not top quality programming, here. Somehow, though, Flavor of Love season 2 managed to have 3.3 million viewers--a record for VH1 at the time.
I feel like these shows are for people who have nothing better to watch, which I guess is occasionally me. However, the problem with these shows aimed towards the "lowest common denominator" isn't that they are low taste and quality, it's that they are the view that other countries see of Americans. These are the shows being shipped overseas and the shows that even young American viewers are watching to see what "grown-ups" are like. Do you want to be compared to Flavor Flav? Do you want people to think you have More to Love? (Yes, a dating show based on the fact that the bachelor likes plus-sized women.) I know TV executives want to produce something (anything) that people will watch, but maybe they should look more into the global and even home effects of it. Until then, I guess I'll catch a rerun and see what happens at the next elimination.
Who’s Tweeting?
By: Jordan Rowe
If America learned nothing else in the turn of the century, they learned to express thoughts in 140 characters or less. Yes, I’m talking about the social networking and micro-blogging site Twitter. Just in case you’ve been hiding under a rock the past few years, I’ll give a quick description of the site. Members send out text-based posts (called “tweets”) of 140 characters or less, and can subscribe to other members posts by becoming a “follower” of them. Ranked as the third most used social network by complete.com, the site continues to grow at an alarming rate. Who’s driving Twitter’s popularity you might ask? You would probably answer teenagers. Wrong! Just 11 percent of Twitter’s users are between the ages of 12 to 17 according to comScore. Instead, success has come from a much older group. Many of Twitter’s users are adults who have never used other social networking sites. They are middle to upper class, white collar workers who want to converse, promote, and pass-along various bits of information about themselves. Pew Research Center did a poll earlier this year and found that the median age of a Twitter user is 31 years of age.
Twitter has become a popular way for businesses to get word out to potential customers about company news, such as new products or promotional campaigns. The site has also provided a way for people to connect and follow the lives of famous celebrities, such as Aston Kutcher and Oprah Winfrey. Members can even subscribe to tweets from news services, such as CNN or Fox News to get breaking headlines at any hour of the day. Twitter’s growth among the working class rather than among adolescents is an interesting case. But, I think the public nature of the site drives many teenagers away from using Twitter. It’s likely that they don’t want their parents (who may have accounts) to know what they are posting, and other social networking sites, such as Facebook and Myspace, offer more privacy. But, Twitter is an unusual example of an older generation embracing the new media culture in which we live.
If America learned nothing else in the turn of the century, they learned to express thoughts in 140 characters or less. Yes, I’m talking about the social networking and micro-blogging site Twitter. Just in case you’ve been hiding under a rock the past few years, I’ll give a quick description of the site. Members send out text-based posts (called “tweets”) of 140 characters or less, and can subscribe to other members posts by becoming a “follower” of them. Ranked as the third most used social network by complete.com, the site continues to grow at an alarming rate. Who’s driving Twitter’s popularity you might ask? You would probably answer teenagers. Wrong! Just 11 percent of Twitter’s users are between the ages of 12 to 17 according to comScore. Instead, success has come from a much older group. Many of Twitter’s users are adults who have never used other social networking sites. They are middle to upper class, white collar workers who want to converse, promote, and pass-along various bits of information about themselves. Pew Research Center did a poll earlier this year and found that the median age of a Twitter user is 31 years of age.
Twitter has become a popular way for businesses to get word out to potential customers about company news, such as new products or promotional campaigns. The site has also provided a way for people to connect and follow the lives of famous celebrities, such as Aston Kutcher and Oprah Winfrey. Members can even subscribe to tweets from news services, such as CNN or Fox News to get breaking headlines at any hour of the day. Twitter’s growth among the working class rather than among adolescents is an interesting case. But, I think the public nature of the site drives many teenagers away from using Twitter. It’s likely that they don’t want their parents (who may have accounts) to know what they are posting, and other social networking sites, such as Facebook and Myspace, offer more privacy. But, Twitter is an unusual example of an older generation embracing the new media culture in which we live.
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