#broadcasting1a

Betty Friedan

Betty Friedan was a writer, feminist and womans rights activist who wrote The Feminine Mystique and co-founded the National Organization for women.

More on Friedans biography and history here:

http://www.biography.com/people/betty-friedan-9302633#synopsis

more on Friedmans topselling book found here: 

http://www.aas.org/cswa/status/2006/JUNE2006/BettyFriedan.html

How would broadcasting be different today if Friedan hadn’t led 2nd Wave Feminist movement?

Despite the backlash Betty Friedman received over this, it helped spark rights for women to broadcast and have the ability to voice themselves and be able to approve on certain real world issues effecting the media and society today.

According to Women: Neglected Assets, the ideal consumer consisted of the housewife at home whose main task was spending money on cosumer goods for her family, it would take several years for TV’s representational system to catch up with the needs and interests of the emerging “new woman”

Only Connect: A Cultural History of Broadcasting in the United States: Fourth Edition pg. 206-207 Michele Hilmes

Huge changes swept through the media industry in the late 1970s and 80s. One development that drastically affected print media was the birth of USA Today, often called the McPaper for its style of “fast food journalism.” 

You can read more about the birth and success of USA Today here: http://articles.latimes.com/1987-08-23/books/bk-2991_1_usa-today

Can you assess the value and importance of USA Today?

USA Today was the first nationally distributed newspaper that was geared specifically toward an audience that was fleeing from print media to TV. Their focus on the “bright side” of news, use of bright graphics, and straight to the point story telling drew readers in. While often derided by other newspapers, USA Today’s style soon began to be imitated by their critics, especially their full page weather graphics. USA Today focused on reader’s interests most of all, which included stories that might not have been quote un quote real news.

USA Today has gradually started reporting more hard news, but is still a lighter and quicker read than papers like the NY Times and the Washington post. It lead to other daily newspapers to print smaller, easier to read articles, and to use more color and graphics.

Read more about the history and the effects of USA Today here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/17/business/media/17gannett.html?_r=0

Though he is not the inventor of the “Internet”, in 1989, we help changed the world as we all know it to be now and how we communicate with others, The Wide Web. 

Watch as he explains how and why the World Wide Web came about.  

What is the function of the World Wide Web and how does it effect our everyday lives now in broadcasting?

The World Wide Web which is a public space where information can be use, shared, and stored, on the internet. It has effected our lives in so many ways since the 1960′s. We have now things such as Facebook where we can stay in contact with family and friends at all times, Amazon.com is a website where you can sell and buy item from people all over the world with just a click of a button, and there is YouTube where anyone can start their own “channel” and share different content with individuals whether it is about food, makeup, DIY, etc. It is the new way of the world and if you do not hop on this “train” your pretty much closing yourself out to the way the new world is running.

Only Connect: A Cultural History of Broadcasting in the United States”, 4th edition, Michele Hilmes, p 375-376

Tim O’Reilly speaks at Web 2.0 expo in 2009

Tim O’Reilly is known as the founder of O’Reilly Media. But more importantly, he coined the two terms open source and Web 2.0. 

Here is his website:

http://conferences.oreilly.com/nextcon/economy-us?cmp=kn-business-confreg-info-ec16_tim_oreilly

Listen/watch a few video’s of O’Reilly speaking about his work:

http://www.oreilly.com/tim/

What would happen if Tim O’Reilly never rebuilt his company after the dotcom crash of 2000?

We would never have what we know as ‘Web 2.0.’ Our lives would be very different in the sense of how we surf the web, blog, use social media, and basically everything we do now that involves the internet.

Exactly what Web 2.0 is:

http://www.oreilly.com/pub/a/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html

According to O’Reilly, concepts such as ”the web as platform,” the power of “crowdsourcing,” and the shift from publishing to participation are hallmarks of Web 2.0. 

Only Connect: A Cultural History of Broadcasting” 3rd edition, Michele Hilmes, p 183 - 184.

Would it be better if Winslow refused to let White DJ’s read his scripts?

Vernon Winslow was an art professor at Dillard University. (Welch) In the late 1940′s, he began sending scripts to the New Orleans radio station, WJMR. (Welch) The station’s White owners could not ignore the quality of these scripts, especially during a time when Black DJ’s and Rock n’ Roll were becoming evermore popular, but refused to concede and let Winslow on the air. (Hilmes, 175) The station decided to employ Winslow for the use of his scripts as well as to train White DJ’s how to “fake an African-American accent and dialect on air.” (Welch) The character these “racial ventriloquists” depicted was named “Poppa Stoppa” and was portrayed by a myriad of DJ’s (Hilmes, 175), such as Clarence Harmon (Barlow, 166) and Duke Thiele. (Welch)

Poppa Stoppa’s show, Jam, Jive, and Gumbo, first aired in 1947 and became a huge hit in the area. (Barlow, 166) Winslow would continue to write for the show until he was fired one night for taking the mic when one of his White apprentices had not shown up. (Barlow, 166) Though that may seem unfortunate, this turn of events would actually benefit Winslow’s career as a rival station, WWEZ, would pick him up in 1950, and under his new pseudonym, “Dr. Daddy-O,” Winslow began his own show with his own scripts and his own voice. (Welch)

“Despite how distasteful this all may sound, Winslow seemed to realize the end game would make it worth it: more Blackness on the air, one way or another.” (Welch) By paying his dues and letting White men voice his words, Winslow was eventually able to break a racial boundary by becoming the first Black DJ on the air in New Orleans (Welch) (notably, other Black DJ’s, such as Jack L. Cooper and Nat D. Williams, had made it on the air in areas like Chicago and Memphis, respectively). (Hilmes, 174) Therefore, by letting White DJ’s use his scripts, Winslow was able to integrate New Orleans radio and will be remembered as a progressive figure for civil rights.

Sources:

Hilmes, Michele. Only Connect: a History of Broadcasting in the United States,      3rd ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2014. Print.

Barlow, William. Voice Over: The Making of Black Radio. 1999. Google Books.        Web. 12 Sep. 2016.

https://books.google.com/books?id=gJuIHrKBONMC&pg=PA166&lpg=PA166&dq=voice+over+the+making+of+black+radio+vernon+winslow&source=bl&ots=3U_kAECF8c&sig=Wg_k35gvUrF8MlZrqjuRrYUS3fI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiQyve7t4rPAhWE_R4KHSuFAa4Q6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=voice%20over%20the%20making%20of%20black%20radio%20vernon%20winslow&f=false

Welch, Michael P. “Making the music spin in New Orleans.” Louisiana Weekly.         9 May 2016. Louisianaweekly.com. Web. 12 Sep. 2016.

Louis Armstrong was a famous jazz trumpet player and singer during the early days of radio. During the summer of 1937, a summer replacement program was needed to fill a time slot left open during the time The Rudy Vallee Show was aired. Armstrong was chosen to host the show. During this time in history, racial prejudice played a factor on what and how shows were broadcasted. Source “Only Connect: A Cultural History of Broadcasting in the United States”,4th edition, Michele Hilmes”, p 88.

Because of the racial prejudice, the networks had gatekeepers. These gatekeepers, also known as censors, made the decision of what was permissible to be released over their expensive air time. They also kept a close watch to prevent sponsors from insulting one another. One key aspect during this time was to give approval of the scripts. Their reasoning was to prevent anything that distasteful from reaching into the homes of their listeners. 

Let’s now look into the reason Mr. Armstrong was included in this section of our textbook. The script was written and then handed over to Armstrong along with the insistence that he speak in the dialect of a heavy minstrel. Please remember during this time in our history, racial prejudice influenced many aspects of everyday life.

“Armstrong, a well-spoken man without any such accent in his normal speech, refused to repeat the insulting dialect and inserted his own introductions and bridges.” p (88) The show was canceled after six weeks of air time. It would be another 9 years before another African-American would host his own sponsored network show. This form of cultural policy can be in the same category as slavery, do as I say or be punished. To show the well-spoken, intelligent demeanor of Louis (Satchmo) Armstrong, watch this interview with Florence Sando Manson from 1958.  As you may have observed, Armstrong in this interview was a man of clear speech, which shows he was a man without compromise to the point of losing his job at the forementioned point in his career.

The home of Louis Armstrong became a National Historic Landmark in 1977, six years after his death, then in 1988 it was designated as a New York City landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission described the house’s history and its connection to “probably the foremost genius of American jazz” Mr. Armstrong gained the respect of many well-known musicians including Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington and Al Hirt to list only a few. The following quote shows the respect from then President Nixon, “Mrs. Nixon and I share the sorrow of millions of Americans at the death of Louis Armstrong. One of the architects of an American art form, a free and individual spirit, and an artist of worldwide fame, his great talents and magnificent spirit added richness and pleasure to all our lives.”

Blooms level VI: Evaluation question:What choice would I have made?  In a personal application, I applaud the stand Armstrong made and how he held tight to his convictions. If being who I am and what I believe would cost me my job, then so be it. This life is full of choices in which the choices we make direct the paths we take. To deny yourself and who you are in the face of those around you can be labeled as a form of slavery. If you won’t fit into our mold and agree to follow our rules then you’re an outcast. Never let man own you, go do your job to the very best of your ability for your employer. At the end of each day, it’s you that looks into the mirror and sees your own reflection. As a Christian, I need to stand by my convictions even if the world around me threatens to slaughter me, figuratively speaking. This includes the workplace, as did Satchmo Armstrong stand and not deny himself so must I. This video I included by The Newsboys simply explains that no matter what the cost to be identified with Christ saying “I want to be guilty”

-Smith

One of the most notable figures in the world of mass media: Rupert Murdoch.

Rupert Murdoch ‘s move toward becoming a media conglomerate caused quite a stir for many in the industry.

“Media mogul Rupert Murdoch took a huge role in the synergy movement as he began the acquisition campaign that would eventually lead to the formation of Fox Network.”

“Only Connect: A Cultural History of Broadcasting” 3rd edition, p 325

Murdoch’s purchases of multiple media outlets and ownership of Fox network in particular, has garnered much national attention. To understand why, here is a a backstory:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCtPnx5wbso

 Murdoch still seeks to add to his list of ownership. Here’s a more specific rundown what of he owns exactly:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2015/06/11/what-rupert-murdoch-owns/71089066/

What inference can you make from observing the media conglomerate that Rupert Murdoch has compiled?  

“The effective control of the media is the first step on the road to controlling the values and future direction of our society.”

Click: https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2013/november/1383224400/robert-manne/why-rupert-murdoch-can-t-be-stopped

Identify the topic, then question. briefly answer but support the answer with two links based on your research....don’t forget the Weebly site as a resource to find online materials.

And whatever other source material you can link to to complete the answer.