How well and ow fairly do you believe African Americans, Latinos and othe ethnic groups are represented in American media

In the past, African Americans and other ethnic groups struggled to hold dignified positions in American media. In movies, they were portrayed as neanderthals that could not think for themselves and needed guidance from their more knowledgeable Caucacian counterparts. In media, they often felt were held at the same regard.

Today, it can be said that the images of minorities has gotten better through tolerance and increased acceptance, but there is still a ways to go. African Americans and Hispanics are still often viewed in a negative light. It is stereotypical belief that movies are shown with minorities being the aggressive, violent type. Images of pimps, drug dealers, and criminals are often depicted in movies that minorities are in. In media, like on the news, the majority of headlines show the minorities as criminals of violent crimes more often than not. Even in on scene interviews, it seems like the most undesirable people are shown, giving a false representation of what the culture is like.

I believe that these images influence the way that other cultures view minorities and cause a certain level of fear and stereotypes about the groups. So the answer to the question of whether how well or how fairly African Americans and Latinos and other ethnic groups are represented in American media? I would say that while they have improved tremendously, there is still a long way to go to show the true essence of what these ethnic groups are actually about and in doing so, there will be a better understanding and tolerance of each.

Which audience age category is most attactive to today's moviemakers? why?

According to the text book "Media/Impact" written by Shirley Biagi, the target audience for today's movie makers are mature audiences over the age of 30 and children because these are the people who are most interested in movies. Children because they bring their parents to the movies and older adults because they are more settled in their life and use movies as a major source of entertainment in their lives.

I can understand the reason for their target audience. Younger adult individuals tend to be more active and seek out more than one source of entertainment. Children are tempted by the popularity of the characters and images of their favorite action stars being popularized on the big screen and tend to be drawn to the overall experience of the movie theaters.

What did the early motion pictures do to change mass communication?

Early motion pictures changed mass communications because it led to it. With the invention of the movie picture camera, there was the ability to convey images in various places. before that, it was difficult for actors and movie production agencies to get to the people. The image of live productions comes to mind when I think of this. The productions had to come to the people instead of the people going to the cinema to watch films. Messages had a better way of getting to everyone with the development of motion pictures. Entertainment essentially became mass. Without people like W.K.L. Dickson and other inventors that had the passion to expand entertainment, there would be no motion pictures or increased communications today. It has influenced the modern television and the things that we view, as well as computer images and picture technology.

Why is the film "Sunset Blvd" celebrated today?

The film "Sunset Blvd" continues to be celebrated today because it represents the change of the quality of movies. Even though the movies was presented in black and white, it depicts the evolution of movies from silent to dialogue. It also shows the difficulty that some of the earlier actors and actresses had when cinema changes. One of the lead characters alienated herself and struggles with no longer being everyones' ideal. This feeling is relevant today with the constant transition of movies and the need for entertainers to increase their acting range, look, and overall persona. A good example of this is the change to high definition. Actors today have to look the part as well as be able to act. Older actors may have an issue with all of their imperfections being shown for everyone to see. The movie is representative of the difficulty of changes in the past and the present.

The competition between television manufacturers helped to produce better, less expensive television sets for consumers. compare the compitition between television manufacturers during the 1940s and 1950s with computer companies today.

In the beginning of television production there were not many companies providing television sets. There were a small group of companies manufacturing television sets. This was until other companies saw the need to produce less expensive sets. The same can be said for the computer industry. Today, the computer is taking over much like that of the television years ago. Everyone is running to get the latest technology. Computer companies see the need to produce less expensive versions to appeal to those consumers that might not be able to purchase the top of the line Apple product or ereader. This gives everyone the opportunity to experience the phenomenon without breaking the bank.

How did the quiz show scandals of the 1950s affect the relationship between advertisers and the networks?

The quiz show scandals of the 1950s set the tone for how advertisers and the networks work with each other today. The quiz show era of the 50's saw a rise in popularity of game shows and was a dominating force in television. Viewers were entertained by the newness and, dare I say, reality of it all. Many of the shows were rigged and that led to many sanctions and regulations. The honor system nolonger exhisted. The networks lost viewers and ultimately money through the forced cancellation of shows. Today, the industry is motivated by ratings and money. They are heavily regulated and leave little to no room for the scandals of the past to come again.

What was the social impact of TV?

It is no surprise that television has a major impact on society. Everything that you could possibly need is being advertised and pushed on you through the television. It is not just the products, it is popularity, style and the overall way of life (or what life should by as represented by those in charge) that is being sold to us through television programming, commercials and infomercials. Through shows, we are being taught how to act, what is and is not acceptible or popular to wear and even what careers are popular. One could believe that television has too much control over its viewers and that we are beginning to live a fantasy life. It could also be argues that the increase in crimes rates could be due to the rising level of violence being broadcasted daily. I agree with those that think that television impacts the very existance of its followers and has the overwhelming potential to suck us into its fantacy grip.

What was Edward R Murrow's style of journalism and what impact did it have on the field of journalism?

Edward Murrow was a very honest journalist that was not afraid to report on the issues facing the nation at a time when it was not socially acceptable to go against the "powers that be". His integrity was his driving force and was also what got him in the most trouble. Honesty is sometimes controversial and he epidimizes that statement. His impact on journalism is still prevelant today despite the increasing need of media outlets to focus on the trivial issues of Actors and others in the public eye. Hard hitting issues are still being challenged by those journalists who seek to walk in the food steps of Eward Murrow and seek the truth. He was a voice of the people and represented the needs of so many that had no voices against those political leaders like Joseph McCarthy, who violated the American people by using his own agenda to gain popularity or reverence.

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

Media plays a very important role for society. Media has the job of informing and posting questions that would insight thought. Media is multi-faceted in that there are many outlets for the media to communicate to people. Media is involved with television, books, radio, internet and newspapers. Media is important because it has the ability to influence people and sway views. Media sets the tone for public opinion by introducing issues that they think should be highlighted. Sometimes media introduces and persuades participants that the agenda presented should be important to the public as well. The agenda demonstrates what we watch, listen to, and even what we do. Music is popularized by the media coverage influence the young as well regardless of intent. We fashion many aspects of our lives based on what we see and hear from the media.

How have recent technologies (ipod, iphone) affected the music recording and performance industry in ways other than file sharing?

It is easy to believe that new gadgets like the ipod or the iPhone would have a negative effect on the music recording industry. In the past, artists had to rely heavily on their talent to be successful. There were not machines to inhance their voices to make them appear better than they actually were. There was a need for extreme showmanship and the ability to use their voices to prove that they were deserving of the notoriety that they received. Today, with technologies like amps and auto tune machines, it seems that anyone off the street could produce music. There is no need to prove talent anymore. A bad voice can easily be turned into something wonderful when making music. Another issue regarding recording arises with things like the iphone and ipod, that make it easy to download music and changes the way that the recording industry makes their money. There isn’t as high a demand for purchasing records as there used to be, one can simply download the music that they wanted to hear.

What impact did radio have on society?

Radio was and continues to be important to society. Radio established an easy way to receive and give information in a time where it was not simple to get information on events concerning the nation. Radio has been a continuous source of entertainment, information and news. In the past, there was no television, and radio provided individuals with the opportunity of visualizing events through their ears. Radio continues to be just as important as in the past, we listen to it in our cars, while we bathe, and even during cooking. It is easy to believe that there is a radio in everyone’s home even today, there seems to be a continuous need for radio despite the many technological advancements of today.

Would the same panic occur it the War of the Worlds Scandal occurred today?

I believe that time played a major role in the events of The War of the Worlds. During the time of the War of the worlds, it was easy for the American people to be fooled because the only form of communication at that time was the radio. Today, there are all sorts of media outlets; we have the internet, television, and radio. There are many ways to verify information today that would assure the validity of any claim. I don’t think that the War of the Worlds hoax would be successful today. With all of the technological advancements along with general skepticism of the American people, the hoax would have to be more elaborate and multifaceted to be successful.

How can cognitive dissonance help you as a communicator

First I would like to explain cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is the tension which comes from holding two conflicting thoughts in the mind at the same time. Mastering the principals of cognitive dissonance help you to better communicate by bringing to light the thought process needed to determine what will make an encounter with another more positive or a product or service more enticing to the consumer. Cognitive dissonance makes you think and feel one way when you had already thought and felt another. As a communicator I would use cognitive dissonance to persuade an audience to feel and think as I do and continue to perceive me as being right. This may seem arrogant to some but consider it, each writer or story teller is doing the same thing. They are trying to influence the reader or listeners thoughts. They want you to agree with them, and if you don't in the beginning, they want to convince you to do so by appearing to be more knowledgeable than you on the subject.

 

How did photography impact communication history

Photography impacts not just communication but life itself. A photograph can say a thousand words and mean a million different thing. A photograph can give a person many emotions and the next no feelings at all. Photography impacted communication history by the outstanding power of visual description, used to record, report, and inform. Photographs are primarily used in newspaper's, magazines, books, and on television to conveyed information and advertise products. Without photographs there would be no way of knowing so much about our historic past. photographs were painted by ones perception of our past, present and future history. The very first photographic image was made with a camera by Joseph Nicephore Niepce in the summer of 1827. Photographs provided sight to thought. It also gave us the opportunity to remember by sight, events of the past. Today, photography is still needed and will continue to be needed to give that extra insight into the thoughts, emotions, and feelings of works. Descriptions of thought.

Why do today's magazines target specialized audiences for readership

In today’s society magazines have increased tremendously from those of the past whose focus was probably geared toward house wives. They showed cleaning products and the different recipes. While these magazines still do exist and have evolved to include every aspect of living, there are also other magazines focused on other things. There are those geared toward professionals, like magazines on finance, the stock market, and even increasing your wealth. There are also magazines geared toward sports, giving statistics on current players and providing tips on how the reader can improve their game. Magazines seek to gain the attention of every type of reader imaginable. In a recent class, we learned that it’s the younger crowd that is reading the majority of the magazines nowadays. This can be attributed to the new information age and our love for celebrities and their daily activities. We seek to know what they are doing at all times and flock to stands to get the latest information. With each of these different target areas, magazines increase their revenue and increase the chances of one of their magazines being in every household. And isn’t that the goal?

Why Stephey Glass did what he did and what ethical flags does it raise.

Stephen Glass, a former writer for The New Republic whose over the top stories had gained him notoriety as a journalist, was discovered to be one of the biggest liar’s in journalism. Many wonder why he did the things that he did and it may be hard to come up with the answer without getting it from him. It is possible that he fabricated his works to make them appear more interesting to readers and gain notoriety for him. As seen in the Movie, Shattered Glass, the magazine focused on factual and mainly political or industrial pieces. It was in no way considered an entertaining magazine. Stephen, who appeared to relish in the limelight and affections of his peers appeared to be encouraged by the lure of wealth. While attempting to downplay to his co-workers what he was doing, he wrote articles for other magazines and embellished stories as well. First thought would be that he did it for the money, but a more analytical approach would be that he did it for the fame, the chances, and for people to see him as a great journalist that goes above and beyond to get the story.

     Despite the reasons that he had for committing the acts that he did, there are obvious ethical flags that are raised as well. Magazines such as the ones that he wrote articles for are considered highly esteemed and truthful in their reporting. It can be perceived that it speaks volumes on the way that they run their companies to have such occurances. One might ask how did Stephen Glass pull off so many falsified articles without drawing alert to himself. It might also draw conclusions that these actions were going on with more than one journalist. It breaks the trust of the readers and alienates the magazine from more reputable ones who have a tighter grip on their journalists actions.