Reflection Paper

I don't know if I'll be able to check my grades during the break so I just wanted to let whoever is grading that I turned in a hard copy of my reflection paper in the last day of class, December 16, 2008. So that is why it is not here on my blog. Thank you.

Chapter 13 - Law

1. Describe a situation in which you thought personal or public expression went too far and should be curbed? How might you remedy this situation?

I thought that during the whole proposition 8 controversy was going on that personal and public expression went way too far. There were certain commercials that were aired that really bothered me and that attacked the LDS church. There were people who grafitied sacred temples, and defiled sacred things. These personal and public expressions need to be curbed. Everyone has their right for freedom of speech and to put up whatever they want on TV, but it gets ridiculous when it tears down other people's opinions.

I don't really think there is a way to remedy these kinds of outbursts and events because people do have a right to what they can say and do. You can't take away someone's right to personal or public expression. That's just in violation of the 1st Amendment.

Chapter 12 - Public Relations

1. Are public relations activities like image consulting ethical? Explain.

Yes. What is wrong with making the truth look good? PR is just making the truth look good to the public. It actually benefits the company, and even sometimes the customers. The problems that come with PR is when it becomes a telling of lies instead of the truth. PR is essential for some companies to keep their reputation and for businesses to thrive.

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

I don't believe such methods exist today. People are more critical of the press now a days, and the claims of those who run it. When something is said, usually someone will actually see if that source is accurate, especially if it seems outlandish. At least those who are more educated will be critical of such claims and advertising.

Chatper 11 - Advertising

1. Select 2 advertisements you consider good and 2 you consider bad. Include the ads and explain what makes each a good/bad ad.

GOOD


This advertisement is good because it's very unique in it's approach. It's interesting, and different. You can understand exactly what message the advertisement is saying without it blatantly being thrown in your face.



This advertisement is so good because it sends off the message that without ketchup, your food will not taste delicious - instead, it may just taste like cardboard. It makes you think you can not live without the product. The presentation is wonderful, and very creative.

BAD


I don't think this advertisement is that good because first of all, the presentation isn't that interesting, or unique. It doesn't really make you want the product.



This advertisement just isn't that aesthetically pleasing. It could have used better text, better placement, and even a better photo.

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

I think advertising is very effective, if done right, and creatively. If you make the customer think that they can not live without that product, or that it will make life easier, you'll make them want it all the more. If you can make an advertisement stick out in someone's mind when they go to the grocery store and are deciding between which paper towels to buy, and your advertisement pops up, you'll know which one they most likely will choose.

Advertising influences some of my decisions, but not all. Price definitely has a bigger say sometimes, but there are certain cases where an advertisement has affected one of my purchases - such as food. If I see a food advertisement on TV that is promoting something that looks good, I'll usually consider buying it. If I'm hungry, it has even a bigger influence. Sometimes I'll drop everything and go get something from that restaurant, store, etc. Advertisements don't really influence the more important things in my life such as which bank to bank from, where to get my car repaired, which insurance to choose, and what make-up to wear. :) For those life decisions, I rely more heavily on others opinions or recommendations.

Chapter 9 - Television

1. Track your television viewing for one week. What did you learn about yourself? What did you learn about television? What does television provide you?

While watching television during Thanksgiving break, I realized how much television is just an escape for me. Something to keep my mind of the stress and to help me relax. I learned that the most interesting shows to me were the ones that were actually found on the discovery channel, or on the food network. I also realized that with cable, television is actually becoming better at having shows that are actually worth watching.







2. Critiques argue that in trying to "offend no one," the networks tend to offer TV programs that appeal to the "lowest common denominator." Do you agree? Can you name programs that are definitely for the LCD? Can you think of any network programs that defy the LCD label? Explain.

Yes, most television shows are catered to the LCD. You don't need to be smart to watch TV. Some LCD shows that came to my mind right off the bat are:

The Simpsons
American Idol
Friends
Seinfeld
Survivor
Heroes
Lost
and LOTS more.

I think the only programs that defy the LCD label are the ones that are on the cable channels such as the History channel and the Discovery channel. These channels at least have programs that are at least higher up on the IQ scale.

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

I do agree. Television can appeal to all audience, can be understood by every man woman and child. You don't have to read to understand the shows that are on. While not everyone gets the newspaper, or reads, television is a common medium that everyone can understand.

Chapter 8 - Movies

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

I believe it is simply society accepting what we are given. 20 years ago, the ratings for movies were much more different than they are today. For example, the movie Psycho, which was released in 1960, had a rating of M, for mature audiences. But today, that movie is considered hardly "bad" at all.



We, as a society, have been desensitized by what the movie producers are making. That is why each movie seems to try and one-up the other by more sex scenes, violence, nudity, or bad language. It's seems the more controversial the movie is, the more publicity it receives. Because we are becoming immune to these changes in movies, it seems we require more to make the movie good in our eyes.


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

I would make sure that there was plenty of drama, adventure, comedy and especially romance. The movie would have to appeal to both women and men, so that is why romance is so important. I think big office hits seem to have all of the essentials such as the ones I've previously listed.

Chapter 7 - Sound

1. Come up with a list of 5 radio stations in the Utah area (choose from FM and some AM stations - music and talk). Write a description of each station including format, advertising, and target audience. What makes each station successful?

2. Radio is described as "the most personal of the media," why is that? Why do you think music is an important part in radio programming? Why is talk radio so popular?

Radio is the most personal of the media because of the interaction we can have with the radio stations, the DJ's, and the advertising. While growing up, I used to listen to Radio Disney all the time. What made it so fun was that little kids (like me) could call the station and win prizes, make a comment about something, or vote on a song to play over, or to get rid of. Radio's rely heavily on the listeners and their reactions. This is why radio is so personal.

Music is a big part in radio programming because radios only use one sense - our ears. We can only listen to what is being played. This makes it crucial for the stations to appeal to their listeners because they only get one way to do it.

Talk radio is popular because it goes back to the "personal" factor. Two people on a radio station are able to talk however, and on whatever they want to, while getting the listeners feedback by having people call in and participate in the conversation. In times like these when there are so many controversial issues in America, we turn to talk radio.

Chapter 6 - Newspapers

      1. Many metropolitan daily newspapers have lost circulation and some have shut down. Why? Any examples? Community newspapers however,especially suburban weeklies, are booming. Why? Any examples?

      In the news world today, the internet seems to be the fastest, easiest, and most up-to-date way to receive news.  It's free and you can get it off your phone, on your lap top, or any where else you can get the internet.  I think the internet has made a huge impact on newspapers today.  I know a lot of people don't subscribe to newspapers anymore.  My parents just moved to a different part of the state, and I highly doubt they'll order the newspaper anymore, just because they can get it so easily on their computers and it's cheaper.  I know most of my siblings don't get the newspaper either.  We are coming to a generation where the internet is starting to take over a lot of the news business.  I just looked up an article on the New York Times that said they were laying 550 people from their company. 

       Community newspapers, on the other hand, are probably getting more business because they hit closer to home.  In a community newspaper, you can find out about local news, like what's happening with the people you know. By doing research over the internet I found out that the suburban papers are doing better because of their increase in circulation, readership loyalty, and ad revenues. Examples of booming newspapers are the Washington, D.C. suburban papers, which are booming right now.

Chapter 5 - Magazines

1. Go to a bookstore (not BYU's) and look at the different magazines.  Select one that appeals to a highly specialized audience (different from one of your own interests.) Read through the magazine and based on the magazine's content (including advertisements) prepare a description of the magazine's "typical reader." Give specific examples to justify your generalization.

The magazine I picked up was the Parenting magazine.  The magazine's "typical" reader would be someone who has children, more specifically, women who have young children.  The advertisements that were found inside were ads for laundry detergent, diapers/pull-ups, toddler snacks, baby lotions, etc.  The actual articles consisted of the how to's such as raising children, or healthy diets, or how to cut down on expenses, etc.  The cover alone, along with the large print of specific articles in the newspapers attracts those nurturing mothers.

2. What impact will/has the electronic media have/had on the magazine industry?

Personally, I feel that the electronic media hasn't really had an impact on the magazine industry.  People still want a magazine that they can actually touch and turn the pages of.  I know people who like to cut out the pictures, or cut out an article.  If it was all electronic, they wouldn't be able to do that.  I didn't even know that they even had electronic magazines, so that goes to show you how popular they are.  In the end, I think magazines will always be better when they are made of actual paper.

Chapter 4 - Books

1. Poll 10 people by posing the question "Read any good books lately?" How many have they read in the past 6 months? What types of books have they read? What does this tell you about your sample and society?

I posed the questions to my family during our family reunion one weekend. Here is what I came up with when I started with the question "Read any good books lately?"

The Ten People I polled:
Dad: Recently read Biography of John Adams, The Autobiography of Moss Heart, and a Durk Cussler book. He's read 6 books in the last 6 months. He likes to read non-fiction, biographies, and some fiction.

Kenzie: hadn't read any good books lately. She read 3 books in the last 6 months, and she usually likes fiction, and non-fiction.

Chase: recently read The Book of Mormon, Meek and Lowly, and Psalms of Ancient Israel. Ge;s read 3 books in the last 6 months and he usually likes religion and biographical books.

Grandma: Recently read The Lottery, Life on the Refrigerator Door, and Death in Vienna. She's read 12-15 books in the last 6 months and she likes scripture, fiction, and current non-fiction books.

Amber: recently read The Shack, Breaking Dawn, and Stolen Innocence. She's read 6 books in the last 6 months and she usually reads non-fiction.

Kristin: recently read Escape. She's only read 1 book in the last 6 months and she usually likes non-fiction.

Mom: recently read Star Girl. She's read 3 books in the last 6 months and usually goes for biographies and non-fiction books.

Cam: recently finished the Eragon Trilogy and Artemus Fowl. He's read 4 books in the last 6 months, and usually goes for fantasy, mystery, adventure, and books on tape.

Jason: finished Good to Great and Playing for Pizza. He's read 3 books in the last 6 months and usually goes for religious or fantasy books.

Maria: recently read These is My Words, Sarah's Quilt, and Unconditioned Parenting. She's read 10 books in the last 6 months and usually likes to read fiction and parenting books.

The sample I chose was not very diverse. Mostly my family focuses on religious books, or non-fiction, but the fact is - we all read books. We are all literate, and we are a big book reading family. But books are a big part of today's society. There are few people in the U.S. today that can not read, or that don't read any books at all. In public schools we are required to read certain books, in college we are supposed to read our textbooks, and other literature for classes. I believe nothing will take the place of an actual paper book. But reading has become a past time. By looking at my sample, you can see who values books, or who may have more time than others to read. For instance, my Grandma has read almost 15 books in the last 6 months, and my sister in law has only read 1. Well Grandma lives alone, doesn't work, and no longer has a family to take care of. She has all the time in the world to read, where on the other hand, my sister-in-law is a mother and she works at the same time. Reading books has become a leisurely activity. (unless of course, you are in college or any kind of school.) We have so much other forms of entertainment, that reading isn't as popular is was back 100 years ago. Other media has taken it's place, but it still survives. Books and authors adapt, and they will continue to be a good source of learning, entertainment, or escape.

2. Which would you prefer to use in your college classes, regular textbooks or electronic textbooks? Which would you prefer for your leisure reading? Why?

I would much rather use regular textbooks in class than electronic textbooks. My reasoning for this is because I have a photographic memory, which means when I read something important, I can memorize which side of the page it is on, and where it is located on the page. This makes things easier for me, because if I need to look something up, or go back and study something in particular, I can usually remember where it is in the book and on the page. If I were to use electronic textbooks, I wouldn't be able to do that. Using actual books is much better for my eyes too. If I were to read an electronic textbook, after reading for so long, it would hurt my eyes and actually give me a headache.

The same goes for my leisure reading. When I read a book I want to be able to turn the pages, mark up the page if I want, and just even smell the book. (weird, I know, but I love books.) Electronic books would never really fly with me.

Chapter 3 - Mass Communication Effects

1. Do stereotypes exist in the media today? Explain and if yes, give examples - if no,explain why you believe they do not.

Stereotypes are everywhere in the media. In order for advertisers and television show writers to get their points across quickly in the small time they have, sometimes they use stereotypes to help the story along with out giving a huge background. There are hundreds of examples of stereotypes in the media, all you have to do is pick up a magazine, turn on the television, or search the internet. Here is a list of examples I found over the internet of common stereotypes:

Black people are on welfare

Mexicans are lazy
Asians are super smart
Irishmen are alcoholics
White people are racist
BYU students are self-righteous
U of U students all drink

Recently I've been watching a new TV show called The Big Bang Theory.  In it, there are various stereotypes.  You have penny, the blond girl who lives in the apartment across from sheldon and leonard, who is depicted as a gorgeous blond who is ditzy and falls for all the wrong guys.(a typical blond portrayal) Then you have sheldon and leonard who are exceptionally smart, but socially inept.  Together these stereotypes create a very entertaining show, but they are stereotypes none the less.

2. There is the possibility that people will be immersing themselves in the world of mass media to a point where they begin to tune out the real world. What might happen if people begin to overly distance themselves from the reality of the outside world? Are there examples of where this has already happened?

The example I thought of where someone has immersed themself so much in the mass media world, is when girls look at magazines, movie stars, and other types of media where women are depicted as skinny, beautiful, and perfect.  Girls all over the U.S. become anorexic or bulimic because of the pictures they see of prominent women in the media. They distance themselves from reality, and think that all girls are supposed to be that size, that weight, and that beautiful.  It can tear their self esteem apart, and create various health problems.  Reality is so distorted for them that when they do become too skinny, they still think they are fat.  Here are examples I found of skinny models in magazines, internet, etc. :

Chapter 1 - Living in the Media World

1.  Using the Communication Model, define how each component could be applied to a newspaper article, a magazine article, a radio program and a television show. Does the model work more efficiently for some media than for others?

Newspaper Article:

sender/endcoding - journalists, advertisers, photographers, and Editors.

message - news

noise - biased views, false information, complicated concepts, and any outside noise while you are reading the actual newspaper.

Decoding/Receiver - You (the reader)

Magazine Article:

sender/encoding: Editors, writers, and photographers

message: news on movie stars, health information, modern clothing styles, etc.

noise - false information, unrealistic pictures of models, and opinionated articles.

Decoding/Reciever - You (the reader)

Radio Program:

sender/encoding - radio DJs, commercials, and news announcers

message - new music details, hollywood news, new products to buy, and news.

noise - false information, biased opinions, etc.

Decoding/Reciever - You (the listener)

Television Show:

sender/encoding -  producers, screen writers, and actors.

message - stories of unrealistic lives

noise - false view of reality, overly exaggerated story lines, drama, and liberal views.

decoding/reciever - You (the viewer)

I don't think that one model works more efficiently than the others.  All of them have noise that interfere with the real meaning, and all of them have distractions that can cloud the real message that is being sent.  The media's goal is to create shared meaning, but sometimes that doesn't always happen.  It just depends on the audience, who is sending the message, and what message is being sent.

2. Which of the mass media perform the informing the best? Entertaining? Persuading? Explain.

I think the television does the best with informing and entertaining.  Not only can you hear the information being presented, but you can see it, through pictures and video.  It uses more senses which I think engages the viewer much better.  For example, on the news there has been plenty of coverage of hurricane Ike.  It's more powerful to see and hear what Ike has done through video, pictures, and live footage from reporters on television, rather than just reading it out of the newspaper with less quality pictures. Now for the persuading, I think that newspaper media would do the best.  I think when you actually read something, you can internalize it much better than watching someone speak to you.  When you read a newspaper you have to do the work of actually making sense of the words, so if someone was trying to persuade you, using the newspaper would be a good way to do it.  You can present written facts, stories, etc, to explain your point.  Words are so powerful when you want to persuade someone, so you need to get through to them through a media form that will make the reader really analyze what you are saying.