Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Explain how the OFFICE of WAR Information contributed to positive public relations for WWII

According to Chapter 11 in MEDIA/IMPACT, in the 1930's Franklin Delanor Roosevelt used public relations to sell the NEW DEAL proposal her had to the American People.  He asked his head PR employee, Louis McHenry Howe to help give him an image of self-confidence and happiness, therefore, if the country felt good about him as his demeanor, what he decided we should do would be acceptable by the general public as a whole.

Once FDR had established his credibility with the American public, he forged forward into WWII in the same fashion.  To gain support of this entry into war, FDR mounted the largest public relations drive in our history to that point, by establishing the Office of War Information, which was lead by former newscaster Elmer Davis.  This agency promoted the positive role that we were playing in the war, including many news broadcasts on radio and television and newspaper and magazine mediums, which painted a positive picture of the War and of the President himself.  This in turn helped FDR gain additional support from the public to stay in the war and until it was over.  The Federal Government is the largest single employer of public relations employees to this day.


Do Audience Members have the power to subvert messages brought to them by the mass media?


As was brought to our attention in Chapter 4 of Essentials of Mass Communication Theory, all audience members, regardless of age, sex, or culture and surroundings have the ability to challenge what messages are being brought forth by the media.  Furthermore, even though we are exposed to  different types of communication from numerous sources, including radio, television, cable, magazines, etc., we can decifer these mediums and their messages to fit our own likes and dislikes, and make a conscious decision to follow the message and be agreeable to it, or to dismiss the message and not give it another thought.

Having the power to subvert these messages is what makes us all individuals.  These communications, even though we are subjected to them from the minute we rise in the morning, till we go to bed at night, are exactly that, messages.  If we remember to consider our own self, and our acquired belief system, we can subvert any thought or message put before us, based on our own ideals and realizations.

For example, you can take any commercial that you have seen throughout your life, and what may have been acceptable, and even humerous when you were younger, if given the same message to view today, you might find it to be of bad taste or even gross, thus proving the theory that as we age and mature, so does our ability and power to subvert the messages that are conveyed to us through mass media.

Monday, February 27, 2012

What can the film "Wag the Dog" tell us about techniques of propoganda

In the film we viewed last week, Wag the Dog, we learned various techniques of propaganda and how easily they can be used and very convincingly.  


The first use of this technique, came from the beginning of the story.  When Robert DeNiro is hired to get the President of the United States out of a jam with a possible molestation charge of a young girl, DeNiro attempts to create and facilitate lies to redirect the American public from the story at hand, thus creating a fictitious war with the small, little known country of Albania.  When things don't go as planned, DeNiro, with the assistance of a famous Movie Producer, played by Dustin Hoffmann, redirects the focus once again, ascertaining additional stories of propaganda,  as they formulate yet another fictional character, an American War hero who served in the fictitious war.   


As the 'Stories" are created and used to redirect the focus of the general public, you begin to wonder if anything in our own lives is actually true.  As more and more elements are created to deceive all of us, you really have to think about how propaganda may be used in our own everyday lives, and we don't even know it.  This movie is too factual with how easy propaganda is used, that it puts everyone on edge.  

Monday, February 20, 2012

What three technologies introduced in the film could you not live without? Why?

The three technologies introduced in the film Modern Marvels DIGI-TECH that I personally could not live without would have to be the RADIO, the TELEVISION and the DVD.


I have always loved to listen to music, so the radio would be of a necessity for me.  I know that they have come up with MP3 players and other alternative modes to listen to music, but I am from the old school, and I enjoy changing the channels in search of something I want to listen to.


Addiction is the word when it come to TELEVISION.  I know that I am addicted to watching television, because with my hectic work schedule and going to school, if and when I ever get a free moment, all I can think about is sitting down and watching a television program that I like, maybe a re-run of FRIENDS or the latest PROJECT RUNWAY......oh and thank GOD for the creation of DVR, so that when I do get a moment, I can watch AMERICAN IDOL any time I want.


The third thing I could not live without would be my DVD's.  I own hundreds (how pathetic is that to say out loud!)  Movies are my passion and being able to view them on my BLUE RAY Player when they are newly released is like a euphoria for me.  How sad is that.  And being able to watch movies that I have reviewed with my family after the fact, is an incredible high too!

Do You believe that you have a Genderlect style? Give Examples......

Do I believe that I have I have a Genderlect style?  I can neither confirm or deny this question, since I feel that I do, but yet, I do not.  Like many individuals I suppose of both groups studied, I find myself being very genderlect in the female way of communicating, but then in other situations, I feel that I an actually have more of a male genderlect style in my way of thinking and reacting.


My mother and I always laugh about the fact that we really think like a man in most aspects of life, but our darn female emotions still take over from time to time.  I know in my career, I tend to enjoy working with men as opposed to women, because with a man, you know where you stand.  If you have done something wrong, they tell you flat out, you don't have to wonder or speculate. On the other hand, where a female will usually tell you that you have done a great job, a man will not so easily convey this message to his employees.  


When I worked in management, I found that I did tended to be more concerned about the women that worked for me as opposed to the men.  Maybe this is reverse genderlect style, where the female manager is showing more compassion for the female employee as opposed to the male employee, since he should be stronger and more in control of his life, as we have been taught.


All I know is that, according to my daughter who is 21, the women of our generation have ruined it for her and her generation in finding a "REAL" man.  This has been explained to me, numerous times, because in her quest to find a "REAL" man, there are not any out there.  The women of "my generation" have raised men that are "in touch with their feelings" and that are winier and more feminine than most of her girlfriends.  With that said, maybe Tanner's viewpoint of how men and women communicate may also be generational.  If I place her thoughts and theories on my own marriage, she is extremely accurate to the conflict that my husband and I have had throughout our entire 26 year relationship.  But, with the younger generations, maybe her theory needs to be reevaluated as the "TIMES ARE CHANGING!"

Explain the concept of the DIGITAL DIVIDE. Why does the divide exist. List and explain three actions by government, corporations, or individuals that would help eliminate the divide.

The concept of the DIGITAL DIVIDE as it pertains to our subject matter in communications, is the Divide between those who have access to the online information and those who do not.  


According to our MEDIA/IMPACT book, almost 20 % of individuals in the US still do not have access to the Internet.  Whether this is by choice because they are afraid of this medium, or because the cost is too significant for their budgets, has yet to be determined. 


There are a few ways in which the government, corporations and individuals could help eliminate this divide.  First, the government could work harder with their lawyers to put in place a form of regulation, eliminating the "we can do what ever we want" attitude of those providing the Internet service.  With these mandates, and control of the Internet, the government could do away with the fees associated with the service.


From a corporate standpoint, Corporations could come forward and offer to individuals who do not have a computer, viable working computers that they are disposing of at little or not cost to the consumer.  They could also provide a particular number of computers to non-profits, libraries, schools, etc. to give more people more access to a computer.


and finally, as individuals we could protest the high fees and suggest that since we are always bombarded by numerous messages and advertisements anyway, why not make the access free and charge more for the advertisements, thus allowing for greater access to the Internet.

Why was the Telegraph considered the Victorian Internet?

The telegraph was considered the Victorian Internet because it changed the way that people in the 1800's communicated, just like the Internet changed how people starting in the 1990's did and how we still do. Of course, too, it was called Victorian, because of the era it was invented, which was during the 1800's. 


The Telegraph brought with it a new and quicker way to communicate.  The Pony Express took up to 10 days for a message to go from East to West throughout the country.  With the Telegraph, messages could be sent almost immediately, depending on where it was going and how many exchanges of the message had to be made till it reached it's intended recipient.  Even if the message had to sent by courier once the transmission was received at it's destination, it was still a much faster form of communication.


Just as the Internet has brought about immediate exchange of Internet in our lifetime, back in the 1800's, the TELEGRAPH did the same thing.  

Monday, February 13, 2012

The competition between television manufacturers helped to produce better, less expensive television sets for consumers. Compare the competition between television manufactures during the 1940's and 1050's with the computer companies of today?

With the scientific breakthrough of television, two parties had the expertise and know how to create this new technology.  For years they battled for the patent and the hardware to produce a television that the masses could afford.  The original television cost around $600 which in the 1940's and 50's was an astronomical amount of money.  With the development of competition between these companies, came the urge to produce in mass quantity a television that was both affordable and reliable - thus the beginning of the supply and demand concept.  With supply and demand in place, the pricing could come down as more and more televisions were being sold.

The same premise applies today with our computer companies.  As a newly developed electronic devise is created, the computer companies try to create a similar or completely "new and improved" version of this technology to provide to the consumer.  Initially when a device is manufactured, the price is usually high.  After mass production and mass sales of the device occur, then the initial company, along with the competing companies, seem to be able to produce the same or similar device for significantly less than the original.  Once again the supply and demand concept comes into play - once the demand is high and significant numbers are sold, the price tends to decrease.


What are the agenda setting and gate-keeping functions of media?

Agenda Setting functions of Media pertains to our own thought process of what we choose to view and what we decide to focus our thoughts and attention on. Particular programming peeks our interest and usually centers around the we considered is of significant importance in our loves.  Most of this type of information is received from talk shows, news programming, narratives, etc. 


This type of media, according to agenda setting theorists, predominately Maxwell E Combs and Daniel Shaw, plays a significant role in how we learn about issues and things we deem important in our lives, thus focusing more attention on these matters.  Having access to news programming, dramatic programming and certain subject matter gives us the insight to make informed decisions of what is important to us, and what is not.


The Gate-Keeping function of Media lies in the hands of who ever is producing this information on a daily basis.  The "Gate-Keeper" decides from what news information is out there, what is deemed important or of less importance, and this is how they decide which stories are viewed first, and in succession thereafter.  This function is subjective to the individual in control of producing the program.  The "gate-keeper" has also been in place since the beginning of television.  The Gate-keepers viewpoint, background and culture will also come into play when he or she is deciding the importance of the show they are producing.  Edward R Murrow was a "gate-keeper" because in producing his own show, he decided what stories were to be covered, to what extent they were going to investigate their topic, and inevitably what would or would not be shared with the viewer.

How did the Quiz Show Scandals of the 1950's affect the relationship between advertisers and the networks> Is the relationship between advertisers and the networks different or the same today?

The Quiz show scandals of the 1950's not only changed the relationship between the advertisers and the networks, but it changed the viewers perception of what they were saying and selling on TV as well.  


Quiz shows were all the rave of the new networks and advertisers played a large part in deciding the programming that was produced for television.  After it was confirmed that a contestant on the Quiz Show 21 was fed the answers to make the show more exciting, the networks decided that giving advertisers so much control over programming was not a good thing, and this information also soured the public, who thought they had been duped by the network lying to them, which in turn made them leery the advertisers and the networks.


The relationship between advertisers and networks today is very different.  Advertisers are allowed to pay for time to advertise their products and they can choose time slots in conjunction with programming they prefer their products to be tied to, but they have no say over the programming of the network or what shows will or will not be shown.  This control is strictly controlled by the networks themselves, who apparently learned that it was in their own best interest to not allow advertisers to control any of their programming, as to not relive the discrepancies of the past.

What was the Social Impact of TV?

From the initial thought and science of creating a TELEVISION, Television has had an effect on society and how we view it and one another.  Before television, radio was the dominant media that brought families together to enjoy a moment listening to a variety show or news program.  With the invention of TV, it brought a whole new social aspect to the American family by adding the a three dimensional form for us to view, adding a realism to what we were seeing visually.  The social shift which occurred was manifested by programming that may, or may not have been in line with the customs, practices or values of our own family.  Television brought new ideas and concepts into homes, in view of ALL family members.  This formed a new consciousness of awareness to the world around us for even the youngest viewer.  


TV also changed society by its mere presence.  With the manufacturing and pricing wars, came easy access to acquiring a television, which became the integral piece of furniture in every home in the 1950's and 1960's.  It also forged an additional way for family members to gather to watch their favorite shows and programming.  Billed as the perfect way for families to gather and enjoy one another's company, it became an integral part of everyone's lives.


Socially acceptable programming became the norm, and the television became such an integral part of "American Family", that we even started to add an additional room to our homes, called the "FAMILY" room which centered on the presence of a television.  


Studies have been conducted since the beginning of television that show that television has been both a negative and positive for the social interaction of our family structure.  Bottom line, TV has changed our word, and as we explore new ways of producing shows and the programming that is shown on TV, the Social changes and impact that TV has on our society will continue to change and evolve.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Which audience age category is most attractive to today's movie goers?

According to Chapter 7 in our Media/Impact book, today's studios focus on the "Mature" movie goer (those over age 30) and children (who in turn have to bring their parents along to get into the film).  


I would love to be able to interview the head of one of the major studios to see why they focus on these two age groups.  I can only guess that it is because, like I have already stated, children's films are a good draw and money-maker since the parents must pay to get in to bring their children.  And I am speculating that the over 30 crowd is who can afford to go to the theater, since on average the price to enter a film is now $8.50 per person.  


Frequently, like in the TWILIGHT & Harry Potter Series, they must focus on the teenage moviegoers.  When I have reviewed these movies, the theater was definitely filled with teen and 20-somethings.  And I do want to note that every time I go to review a film that is playing at my favorite theater, the CHASE PARK PLAZA Cinema, the theaters are not filled with 30 somethings, usually they are filled with 50 or 60 somethings going for an afternoon viewing or night "out on the town."

Monday, February 6, 2012

Why do we watch RASHOMON in a communication class?

I think that we watched the movie RASHOMON in our communications class because the movie places significant relevance on the communication of it's characters and it's story line.  Communication is key in any circumstance, but in the movie, the lead characters convey the same story in 5 different ways, from the thief who rapes, to the Samurai whose greed takes over his common sense,  to the woodcarver who ends up being in the wrong place at the wrong time, to the married woman who surrenders to her attacker, to the medium who conveys the story of a "dead man".


Each character in the film communicates "their story" of what happened, but as we soon find out, each character has a different TRUTH.  Each character is telling their TRUTH of the story, but what is the real TRUTHFUL depiction of the circumstances happening in the story.  You never really find out what was "THE REAL" story, which once again takes you to a circumstance where the communicator relays what they feel is a factual depiction of a story, but the fact is it all depends on how the listener interprets it within their understanding of the story in reference to their own life experiences and circumstances.


This film brings to light the significance of communication and how for each of us the way we receive messages or information can be translated in numerous different ways.  What we    feel is our truth and reality, may not be how another feels.  This is the key communication component, learning how to convey a message and have it interpreted by the masses as we have intended.

What is the Rashomon Phenomenon? Which of the interpretations discuseed in the text do you find most intriguing?

The Rashomon Phenomenon pertains to how we dissect the information that is presented to us and interpret whether this information is truth (fact) or a lie (untruth) that was conveyed to us.  Depending on how we rationalize the information given to us by numerous sources, and how we interpret the information in our own thought process, is what the Rashomon Phenomenon is all about.  


I find myself drawn to both the Marxist and Ethical interpretations of the film as interpreted by Arthur Asa Berger, writer of the book we are reading.  The Marxist interpretation explaining that Rashomon is a movie depicting the hierarchy of the classes is what I was drawn to from the beginning of the film.  But as I read the Ethical interpretation of the film, I was also moved by the way each character in the film had a self serving depiction of the circumstances surrounding the death of the Samurai warrior.  Even in the way the "dead man" told his story through a medium, his tail was self serving to "save face" with his factual account of what "really happened" even in death.


All of the interpretations were intriguing and made you think about how you yourself felt about the film. Each had significant validation of how the movie could be interpreted.  Each of us must also consider that our own interpretation of the film will in some way be swayed by how our own life has evolved, or have we ever encountered any of the circumstances portrayed in the movie (which would give you a stronger sense of a particular story line within the film), plus you must also keep in mind your own belief system as you personally try to decide which character is telling the truth in their depiction about the death, or not.

What does the future of Mass Communications hold?''

Mass communications has been evolving since Gutenberg's printing press and has exploded in the last century, so to say what the future holds is any ones guess.  Masses of population in this country receive most of what they deem "factual information" for the mass communication mediums that we come in contact with daily.  Whether it be from the news programs we watch on television, or the radio programming we hear in our vehicles or in the office, or the magazines that we read while waiting in our doctors' office, Mass communications is the way we receive most of our information.  It is our job to then arbitrarily dissect what is important to us, or what we deem unnecessary knowledge that has been conveyed to us, and react accordingly.  With that in mind, one can only fathom with the addition of Internet and websites to the newspapers, magazines, radio, television and social media outlets that we come in contact daily, that the future of mass communications is only going to expand and exceed anyone's estimation of what these mediums can convey to the masses.  


Mass Communications have "taken over the world" per se, in how we are bombarded with information all day and night.  Mass Communications is an ever moving, ever evolving sector of our society, and it is my thought that the "sky is the limit" in what we can develop and pursue in the future for mass communications.