blog #8

The nature of television is changing. The advent of DVRs and TiVo, along with the wide-spread use of the internet, has impacted programming content and styles.

Ever the innovator, FOX network is trying to keep advertisers and consumers connected. Their new shows Dollhouse and Fringe now tell the viewer whether the commercial break will last 60 or 90 seconds. The hope is that viewers will choose to "stay put" through the shorter break, thus viewing the commercials. This is merely one example of how programming is adapting in light of the changing technology.

Reflect on what else is happening or might happen as the networks attempt to stay relevant in the new millennium.

There are a number of new forms of technology that allow people to zip over commercials during their favorite shows. This is causing a problem in the television market because those commercials are what pay for the variety of shows we see everyday. However, I believe that TV networks will find new ways for advertising to keep earning profits. First of all, they are starting to use more product placements within the show itself. This can be a good use of advertisement because people intensely watch the shows so they will see the product being used rather than shown off like in a usual commercial. I believe sometime in the near future they may be able to block you from skipping the commercials or have them more often so people wont skip them because they will be so short. There will be some sort of new innovation that will be a new form of advertisement which may be more entertaining. Somehow networks will find a way to keep viewers interested in commercials or at least viewing them to be able to keep the television market in cycle.

Blog #7

Open! Reflect on the different ideas related to media that we have discussed and that you have researched. You may write about anything related to the concepts we've examined this semester. Remember our goal: to be informed consumers of the media.

This has class taught me a lot about target market and the american core values. By learning these two concepts I am now able to see what advertisements are trying to get across and who they want to buy their product. It is really easy to see what American Core Values they are pointing at during their advertisement and I see ads and marketing techniques in a different way than I had before. The target market is a little harder to point out in ads but it has helped me become an informed consumer by figuring out who the target is. For the teenage group as the market they usually use the American Core Value of material comfort. During the teen years it is almost like the more you have the "better" you are!

Another important concept I have learned from this class is the mass impact that the media has on our society! While doing the research paper, I learned how large of an impact just pictures of models have on both males and females! There could be a certain phrase, picture, or song that affect people drastically and you may not even no that the media is influencing you!

The media has such a large impact on everyones life, and you don't notice unless you take a step back and examine the details.

Blog#6

What do you think? Discuss product placement in TV shows and movies as an effective/ineffective means of advertising, especially to teenagers.

I think product placement in TV shows and movies is the most effect means of advertising. Everyone I know either turns the channel when the commercials come on or gets up to use the restroom or grab a snack. No one really watches the advertisements that are there between the show. However, people pay close attention to their show, and usually idolize the people that are on it. I know on some of the shows I watch, I may see one of the actresses wearing something I like, when I see the logo, I know where I could go get it. It is a subtle type of advertising that doesn't force anything on you and is directed at the type of people that would be interested in the product. I know that my brother watches 24 and when he sees some of their technology he thinks it is really interesting, and wants to get it. I think that if advertising wanted to make it worth their buck they should show their products in the TV shows or movies, and then have a commercial following it, to enforce the product. I believe that product placement in TV shows and movies is the most effective way to reach the people who are truly interested or may be interested in the product. Commercials are out of date now, especially with the Tv-o's and all the technology that we have to fast forward through the commercials to be more efficient.

Blog #5

As you spend time online--checking your email, looking at Facebook/MySpace, randomly surfing the web--observe the ads on various sites. What do you notice about the different types of ads? How do these differ from print/TV ads? How are they either more or less effective than the more traditional ads that we're analyzing in class. Blog about your observations!

The internet has many different types of ads. Most of them that I noticed were either pop ups or laying across the top part of the screen. I never saw the same ad twice and a lot of them did not pertain to me. The internet ads differ from print/TV ads because most of the internet I saw were like you were the 1,000th visiter, so you win a free computer or something like that. TV ads are more a long the lines of order within the next 15 seconds and we will double your order. Print ads are more informative and to let you know that the product is actually out there. I think the pop up ads are somewhat more effective because you have to look at it in order to close the ad. When it comes to the TV, you can just shut it off, or turn the channel. In print ads you can just turn the page or look right past it, they are usually not as colorful too. Some of the ads I saw on facebook did not pertain to me, and I think this is because facebook reaches such a large age range it is hard for them to hit every target market. Overall, the internet ads, I believe, are more effective and can reach a larger group of people.

Blog #4

Option 1:How do the media images & stereotypes of men & women impact how we view each other professionally (at school, at work, in politics, etc.)?

The media images and stereotypes, I believe, affect all men and women in a negative way. There are so many stereotypes for every different type of person that people believe as truth and base their ideas off them. I think overall that stereotypes and media images prohibit respect for other people depending on the stereotypes and images we have seen. For example, with the dumb blonde stereotype, some people in school are shocked when they hear that a blonde may be smart, especially if she dresses preppy and may be popular. It has been shoved into our heads through TV shows and books that girls that are blonde, care about their appearance, and are popular, can not be smart. This causes people to under estimate what these people can do, therefore they under estimate themselves and never reach their full potential. I think that media images affect how we view women more in politics. If a women is attractive and can be seen on a magazine cover, they feel that they are just an object and can't do anything productive in their life. There could be a lot of women who are qualified out there to become president, but will never get the chance, because people can't get over the stereotype that a man is supposed to be our president. Overall, the images and stereotypes the media portrays affects everyone in their daily lives. If we don't live up to what the media puts out for us, many people feel inadequate or not confident within themselves. We need to stop letting media influence such a large part of our lives. If we take people for who they really are instead of what they looked like or what we preconceive them to be, what would the world really be like?

Blog #3

A current TV show that I watch from time to time is called Super Sweet Sixteen on MTV. This show is about rich, spoiled kids that force their parents to throw them extravagant birthday parties for their sixteenth birthday. I found that this show represents most of the ten American Core Values, in some way. This show tells the viewers to value material goods more than anything else, but not just regular material goods, expensive ones. For example, you shouldn't ask for a used Honda for your first car you should get a new Lexus or a Mercedes. Also, it tells kids that they should not be happy until they get everything they want. In this show you see many sixteen, or soon to be, year old teens have temper tantrums and throwing fits because they don't get the right table decorations. I think this show is a bad example for teens and kids across America because it doesn't teach you to be grateful for what you have, it teaches you to be greedy until you get what you want. The only time you see someone grateful on this show is right after their party when they are thanking their parents for spending thousands of dollars on one night, and getting them their first car that is worth more than most people earn in a year.

This is a list of how the show represents the ten core American values.

Achievement and Success: Many times the parents say that the kids deserve such a large party because they have been so good and working so hard in school. Yet many of them don't have jobs and are average students. Also many don't do chores, but the show portrays them to be hard working.

Activity and Work: The party is an activity that keeps them busy planning and "stressing" about what they believe is the most important day of their life.

Efficiency: They usually pay to have someone plan their party so they can continue their normal life while picking out a few details that correspond to the party and pretending to be busy.

Progress: Most teens in this show feel that in order to make progress once they turn 16 that they will need a car and unfortunately many parents fall for it.

Material Comfort: All the girls need to wear multiple dresses to the party because they feel like they can't be seen wearing the same dress the entire night. Also, they need to be drizzled with thousands of dollars in diamonds and expect expensive, high end gifts.

Individualism: They try to pick a theme that represents who they are and that no sweet sixteen person has ever used before.

Freedom: The only way I can think that relates to this show is they are allowed to have a party and the parents let them do whatever they want.

Conformity: They all conform to the idea that you need a huge sweet sixteen party just because you are allowed to drive. They also conform to the idea that you need a brand new expensive car.

Humanitarianism: One person on the show charged an entrance fee and gave all that money to a charity; another person had an all "green" party, trying to be environmentally friendly.

Youthfulness: They are all young people on this show, however, it is somewhat ironic because all the people on the show try to act older. The only thing is you can see that they are young by the way they behave when they can't get something they want.

Blog #2

Option 1: Why should consumers be worried about media conglomerates? Explain your thoughts in detail. Support your ideas with specific examples, if possible.

In my opinion, media conglomerates would destroy the media. I love being able to flip through the channels on the television and find out what people have to say about different issues. If there were to be only one or two media conglomerates people would not hear the diversity we are use to. A major problem with media conglomerates is that they don't just control one form of media, they control multiple different forms. For example the Time Warner conglomerate described in the book; if you read through all the different divisions the company owns it will amaze you. To think that one company and a few elite people have control of the messages these forms of media give off, it shows how large of an impact their message portrays. Imagine that one large company like Time Warner owns some of the most influential forms of media: magazines, music, film,and television. They publish 20 of the top magazines, have over 7 publishing companies for books, owns about 20% of US comic market, over 39 record producing labels, multiple film production studios, the second largest cable TV system, and the largest regional theme park in the US(Understanding Mass Media, p 267-268). To ponder that idea and how large of an impact that they could create by sending out their messages through the variety of forms they have available to them. Over time with their companies making profit, who knows, they may be able to buy out some of the other large companies. If we continue on a path with media conglomerates, there will be a future with only one message being heard. Which over time may diminish our love for being an individual and creating our own thoughts. With one company spreading their word, and ruling over the media, no matter how hard you try you would not be able to expand your message to the world. However intense media conglomerates may seem, I believe that we will never get to such an extreme measure. Our world contains such competition, that we will never have one media conglomerate.