#mcst2010

This class has been very enjoyable and has had a lasting impression on me. I will never look at the media in the same way.  The two items I will take the most from are the two films we watched, “The Mask You Live In” and “Missrepresentation”. They were both very powerful films and it is now clear to me that the media plays a huge role in the way we create our expectations on genders and sexuality. The way I look at media now has changed. I was never one to get too involved in postings on mediums like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram but now that I know how big of a presence it has and how it can set impressions on people I feel more obligated to post things I believe in. I do that in the hope that maybe some of my posts may make good impressions on others. Not because I hope to get people to see things the way I do or change what they believe in but because I want to show different sides of issues in the world today like discrimination, cyber-bullying and many other issues facing our society. I just want people to be aware of these issues so that maybe they feel more obligated to post against them as well in the hopes that we can be apart of the group that changes these issues. The films mentioned earlier are very strong examples of documents that can help people see what the does and the effects it can have on people and especially the youth. I tell people about theses films and that they should watch them so they can understand more about the issues. The films were very well made and I believe everyone should see them because they will have the same impression on others as they have had on me.

My relationship status with media just got changed to: it’s complicated. This class has further tempted me into unplugging every electronic device in my house and taking a drive deep into uninhabited woods to dig myself under a large boulder. The corporate monsters just buy up and consolidate all avenues of production and decide what the sheep get to see, get to wear, and how the herd gets to behave. As long as they are consistently provided 24 hour drivethru, cheap gas for their crossover SUVs, and aren’t being attacked by tyrants or terrorists then corporate agenda will see no major societal backlash. The news we view is for-profit and that in itself makes it very difficult to internalize their messages.

I wish there was middle ground between dead and alive that would grant me the gift of never having to view any of it ever again. I’m not ready to give up on the world, just the parts being reported on by mainstream media. I like the world, it’s a good one. Even if this existence is just a simulation, it’s one which I’ve barely gotten the opportunity to tap into because all around me are leeches. Life-sucking industries which have formed for no purpose but to loop me in with their expensive contracts then suck minutes, hours or days of my life away to experience what is called entertainment. Maybe this is capitalism’s fault? Our inherent sin comes from the day one monkey decided it was acceptable to gather up the time and money of all the other monkeys into an offshore fund. Then, shift and disguise the hours into something that looks and sounds like culture and sell it back to the monkeys. Further, a wealthy monkey came around with a well-pitched but seemingly useless product and sold the time monkeys’ spent using this product to another wealthy monkey in a similar position. Now we have like 6 egregiously wealthy monkeys controlling everything we see, listen to, and pretend to enjoy in our free times.

Media Reflection #2

As the fall trimester comes to a closing end in my 2nd year as a media student at Johnson and Wales University Denver. I look back to reflect on what I learned as a media student and talk about my experiences in MCST 2010.

How has your relationship with the media you use changed as a result of this class?

My relationship with the media I use today changed in this class because I view media differently than before I took this class. For instance I never paid attention to the fact that male anchors get more air time than females on Sports Center it never crossed my mind but after I took this course I start see the issues with male and female sportscasters in media. Another way my relationship changed with media was the portrayal of Hispanics in media when I watch TV, movies, or any source of media when I watch how they’re treated I feel disrespected by how director’s allow the discrimination of the Hispanics for the entertainment of others.

What will you take away from this class as a media consumer, and what do you think its lasting impression on you will be?

The one thing I will take away from this class as a media consumer is how they sell their products to me such as TV, radio, and movies and how they can get my attention to watch their product and talk about it. The lasting impression I will have on media is how they gain the attention of demographics and how they treat groups of races, genders, and ethnicities. The reason why this is my lasting impression on media is because for the last 10- 15 years that I’ve paid attention to media it’s always been about insulting and making fun these groups people because the consumers like their entertainment to people being made fun because its make them feel happy the media is catering to their needs as the consumer.

It is safe to say that the few months I had in this class were not long enough at all. This class has taught me many things about the media that I would have ever learned on my own. Learning new things is one of my favorite things in this world and this classes did exactly that, opened my mind and gave me more knowledge.

My relationship with the media I use has changed. Now when I log onto Facebook and see friends posting things about the news. I look into that source and see if it is reliable before I trust it and bring it to someone else’s attention. Most of the time these posts are from news channels but I find myself looking into that more and try and find out where that news channel is from and how did my friend who posted it come across it and why does that certain news channel talk about that certain subject. In a way, this class has taught me to question everything. I question where every news source comes from and what larger media conglomerate is it connected to. I find that to be such an eye opening experience because almost everything is tied to the big three media broadcasting stations. Even when I listen to music (which is almost 24/7) I want to do research and know who owns it, who worked on it, and why? Why would that company want to own the rights to that song. This class has definitely helped me in gaining more knowledge and I absolutely love that.  I can only hope to be able to pass this on to my friends and family, which I already have a little bit, and help them see and realize how all the media we consume is connected in one way or another.

As a media consumer I take away from this class the ability to research any media I encounter and wonder where and who it came from. This class has left a huge impression on me and that will not be going away anytime soon. All the theories we were taught, the big three, vertical and horizontal integration, new media and public media even the discussion on feminism, it will leave with me and I will continue to think about all of it when I encounter the media. From movies to books and everything in between, I will always apply what I have learned in this class and see where the research leads me. I will continue to question and research all media I come across for as long as my fingers will keep typing. The lasting impression from this class is one of academic means but also of what I learned of myself.

Even though this class had some rough patches, I think it is safe to say that we have all built a relationship as classmates and with our professor as well. Reading everyones Tumblr posts and seeing their presentations was such a pleasure, I enjoyed it very much so. I want to see where everyone goes and see how they end up with the media. This class not only helped me understand the media more but also understand myself more and how I can use the media for my future career and professional life. I now understand that my writing is good and I can only improve it more and use as a tool to help me get to me dream: working at Kate Spade New York headquarters in New York. Media will forever be used as a tool for me now and I thank the amazing professor I had for helping me identify this and helping me set my future in motion. I will not only leave as a media consumer but maybe I will seek to write my own media. A fashion blog is in the works and if it does not happen anytime soon it will be up and running by the time I graduate (I hope).

This class was a big eye-opener for the way I will be looking at things in the media. This class makes me think deeper into the media that is put out for us to see. Especially now a days with the current events of police brutality and all the political events. Media has so much power over us and that power has been there from the beginning. Media industries are able to control the entire country by choosing specifically what we see and watch. That is why some believe that certain situations get out of control due to the way the industry displays it for us. This ties in a lot with the political campaigns and the eventual winnings of Donald Trump. People believe that the big corporate organizations control us through the media. That if anything Donald Trump’s winning probably had to do with the way publicity put a spotlight on him. Those big corporate companies do what they want and we just kind of allow them to and simply watch from the side line.

  I cannot explain it clearly but the easiest way I can explain it is by saying this could all be some sort of conspiracy.

 However, who really knows what the industry is doing exactly but we can say that they definitely play a huge role in our lives. I mean looking at the way news reports and magazines publish things. They only things they talk about are scandals, wars, fights, police brutality, racial events and so much more. A lot of times the things that get publicized are negative and end up causing a lot of outrage. Some could view that as a negative thing yet some might say that focusing on the dumb or positive stuff simply covers up the things that matters. All this revolves around different media and involves itself in our daily lives. In the back of my mind I also think a little deeper about who owns what in the industry and how that can influence the channel.  It is odd that when you think about it so many companies run under one organization. It is also intriguing to think about the way they could be using their platforms to control us. I am also able to say that when I hear media I do not just think of TV shows and movies; I realize now there is so much more to it. There is an entire media platform that some might have never considered as part of the media. There is also more to media than just the content but the way things are presented. The media either over sexualizes or stereotypes, whether it is for commercials, movies or shows. Now with the knowledge from this class I can analyze things differently and perhaps approach things in a new light. I hope to be able to carry this knowledge on as I continue in life and as the media progresses to grow.

 Thank you once again for everything, I really loved your class!!!

     Moving Beyond Social Media for Dummies: Leaps and Bounds in One Trimester

     Going into this course, I had a general idea as to what I would be doing, though I never imagined it would open my eyes the way it did. It is easy to tune off a blur out what you look at on a daily basis and not truly understand the impact it has on one’s thought process, values, and the way it could impact someone. It is extremely eye opening to dig deeper into things and have a genuine interest in what is happening in the world around us. I have gained knowledge about the world around me and it will forever change the way I see the media moving forward.      I thoroughly enjoyed researching media conglomerates and seeing just how big some companies really are. It is astounding to see how everything is interconnected in some way within the media community. I had no idea TimeWarner were under one name that encompassed the studio that produced my favorite Harry Potter films and one of the largest news sources worldwide. I certainly don’t think I ever would have known that either had I not taken this course.I also would not have known that AT&T is looking to merge with TimeWarner which could be a huge game changer for television, film and much more.

     I found a lot of my research for many of the projects just by sitting down and clicking on random links rather than just selecting the first three Google searches that appear. Increasingly now, I find myself clicking on small articles and actually thoroughly reading the article rather than just the headline, which the body of an article has a lot more information in comparison to the title headline-who would have thought.      Moving forward from this course I can never look at ads the same. They are all around us and never before did I consciously think about the message the ad was sending. When I do watch television it is fun to pick apart an ad for its gender defining or even gender defying messages. Beyond that, even just how much work goes into creating an ad for television and the fact that an ad series could possibly make or break a new line for a company. I’m usually on the lagging side of the curve when it comes to new things, which is why Twitter and Tumblr were never a big part of my life until this class. I did however learn that I could pick up on new things pretty fast if I put some real brainpower into it. Slowly I am exploring the expanses of Tumblr outside of being the platform to which I must upload my work on, and so far I am impressed. The amount of time I can waste on Tumblr is nearly limitless as I’ve learned, even in writing this post, I find myself exploring all the site has to offer.      Overall from this course I will take a new found awareness. Our group presentations also opened me up to a new world. Every one of us had something new and different to talk about and my background knowledge about each subject was very limited to almost zero for some. The presentations, lectures, and assignments have unlocked a new curiosity for me. I really enjoyed the course and look forward to possibly taking another class in the future to help further my knowledge about media, for I feel like I just grazed the surface of what is out there with this one particular course.

Google is one of the most well known companies in the world because of their industry leading products and services but what will they be seen as or be involved in 10 years from now? Will they still just be making 90% of their revenue from advertising or will there be other things that this extremely innovative company has released or patented? This critical thinking uses the Klosterman text “But What If We’re Wrong?”, examples and opinions backed by research to answer these questions and make an educated guess on what the future holds for Google.  “We must start from the premise that – in all likelihood- we are already wrong. And not “wrong” in the sense that we are examining questions and coming to incorrect conclusions, because most of our conclusions are reasoned and coherent. The problem is with the questions themselves” (Klosterman, P. 12). 

The image above is a complete SWOT analysis of Google and can be referred to throughout this paragraph. As for the internal factors of the company, Google has a lot of strengths but would these still be considered strengths in the next decade? Yes, in my opinion. Google is an adaptive company who knows how to keep up with demands but what will be some of their additional strengths in the next few years with the increasing demand of innovative technology? In my opinion, Google is going to evolve into one of the leaders in the consumer related technology industry and will broaden its revenue generators into other services such as music and video streaming. One of the more major products I predict Google getting into is wearable technology. They are already moving into that direction with their Google Glass and Virtual Reality Goggles but suspect they will dive into the health related wristbands that can track stats and even get Google Maps involved with biking and running. These ideas are based off of some of the opportunities open to Google to expand their involvement in the industry and their ability to generate revenue. The future is impossible to predict but it does take strong educated guesses and forecasting to get even relatively close to what you believe is going to happen. Klosterman puts it best when he says, “the future is a teenage crack head making shit up as he goes along” (Klosterman, P. 42).  

Google has the resources and the ability to track and stay on top of trends and are incredibly innovative. The weaknesses and threats that are represented in the SWOT analysis can be concerning but because Google is extremely good at addressing their issues and know how to respond to problems internal and external to their company these are in no way concerning to the future of their business. As for that, some of the issues that are internal that Google has addressed and are working on include the leading search engine and the fact that they have difficulty differentiating the credibility and content of searches. Google has a very complicated algorithm that is a great system and Google says, “our goal is to get you to the answer you're looking for faster, creating a nearly seamless connection between you and the knowledge you seek. If you’re looking to deepen your understanding of how search has evolved, this video highlights some important features like universal results and quick answers” (Google.com). 

A lot of what this system can do is already incredibly innovative but I predict that 10 years from now, Google searches will be faster, more productive and able to determine the level of credibility as well as the amount of content in each search result. They are already great at being able to answer questions on the spot when it comes to common items searched like math questions and translation inquiries. 

Now, when it comes to the big things that I see Google really doing in the next decade, I can actually seeing them becoming involved and actually increasing the success of translation devices. There are already thoughts out there and after doing some research I don’t see Google having any plans to get involved with it yet but I feel that they are in the perfect position and are the type of innovative company to get into some like this. A device that can translate languages on the spot eliminating language barriers and making it the perfect product for high level business travelers and could even assist with doctors without borders and military situations in other countries. In addition to this, I see Google being one of the first to release self-driving cars. They already have plans in place for this technology but it is just a matter of determining when and how by perfecting the technology and coming up with regulations. That being said, I don’t see them releasing their own brand of cars just yet but partnering with a large automobile company (like they did with Verizon and their cellular phone) to put this technology in their vehicles to compete directly with Tesla. Brands like Ford, Lexis or Chevy. There is a lot that Google is going to do in the future and they are going to be one of the more involved companies that will release the newest technology of the next decade. But what if I were wrong?

Google Translate. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=Google+translate+in+images&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS709US709&biw=1261&bih=627&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiF95HD8ovQAhVJKWMKHW0ODiEQ_AUIDCgA#imgrc=z12w0Nzev6Md8M%3A

10 Projects Showing Google Has The Future Figured Out. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/famous-signatures/

Print books. A thing of the past? Possibly so. As kids most of us began by reading short paper books that included lots of pictures and short sentences. The physical act of holding a book has been instilled into our brains since we were children. Nowadays, children are still receiving that physical act but holding Ipads or some sort of tablet in place of real physical books. The age of e-readers and ebooks is here and is here to stay. The question is will it wipe out books completely? Here is a short analysis and prediction as to what will become of books in the next 5 years.

Let’s begin with one of the biggest indicators of the downfall of books. The bankruptcy filed by Borders, the widely known bookstore.  The news of their bankruptcy had publishers worried that they would not be paid, which was the case. Borders could not pay their publishers and that led to the beginning of distrusting book stores. The ultimate reason for Borders downfall was that they over expanded themselves but also because once e-readers became a thing of the future, they could not compete. When Amazon created their Kindle, Barnes & Noble created their Nook. Borders tried to compete with that by introducing six new devices, none of which gained the popularity they expected from consumers. The end of Borders marked a subtle change in the book store game. This is one of the main reasons as to why books may be a thing of the past soon. Book stores are seen as a stop along the way where customers enter, browse the shelves, and then go home and order books online for what they think is cheaper. On the publishing side, this makes publishers skeptical is book stores will be able to compete with ebooks. Publishers will go where the money is, it is more and more likely now that the money is all through e-readers and ebooks.

According to the book But What If We’re Wrong? by Chuck Klosterman, he touches on the subject of books and literature in the introduction section. He explains how Moby-Dick is “ a transformative literary innovation that helps define how novels are supposed to be viewed” (Klosterman, 8). This is what books are all about, not every book will be a winner to every person out there but they are to be viewed differently by everyone and yet viewed in the same way. Books are often viewed as the “gateway to knowledge” and although that may be true, the way books are read (whether through a physical book or on a screen) does not diminish the quality of what is being read by the individual. Klosterman also seeks to explain this notion of “objective and subjective wrongness” (Klosterman, 9). This is how the future of books can possibly be determined. “Subjective wrongness” is explained as knowing something to be true but not caring enough about it until many years later on. This is what could be happening to books. Yes, we all know books help us gain knowledge and expand our vocabulary but we may have forgotten just how important physical book are and will not realize it until years down the road. Again, this is why the importance of books is dying down, because we know the same content can be read through ebooks. The form of passing knowledge through print has been dated back to the days of Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the movable printing press. Is this method so outdated that mankind feels it is time for an upgrade?

Generation theory could have something to do with the downfall of books. As mentioned in the beginning, the children of today are taught more through tablets and looking at a screen almost all day. This would lead them to always rely and turn to those tablets and e-readers. They are so used to the idea of being connected online and reading everything on a screen that they will not even realize just how much they depend on it. The generation of today will continue their use of tablets and will see little to no need for physical books anymore. How do highschool and college students do their research nowadays? Online. How do they access books they read for pleasure and textbooks used for class? Online. This generation is connected through online sources and when and if they turn to reading, it will be looking through a screen.

Through SWOT analysis it is easy to see that print books have more weaknesses and threats than strengths and opportunities. Weaknesses and threats include: outdated methods, expensive process, dying bookstores, environmental impact (paper printing), hard to access, not very durable, e-readers and ebooks. Strengths and opportunities include: licensing and copyright is easier to achieve with print books, content is the same, textbooks, and so many are already printed that it will be hard to get rid of them all together. More weaknesses and threats to print books is not a good sign for their future. Their future ahead is certainly threatened but will print books become fully extinct?

The future of books in the next five years looks a little something like this: digital books will continue to thrive and at an increasing rate, print books will see difficulties in competing with ebooks, and ultimately print books will not cease to exist in the next 5 years. The reason being that there are so many print books already that there is no way all of them will be gone in 5 years. Especially the old and historical books we all rely on. Actually printing books may slow down or even stop in the next 5 years but print books will always be around. There are too many libraries around the world for them to disappear and all the print books to vanish. Within the next 5 years, print books will still be alive and well but will see a decrease in sales and in publishing itself. E-readers and ebooks do offer faster and easier access to reading but will not disrupt the use of print books altogether. Owners of bookstores will also fight to keep the nostalgia alive of walking through and bookstore and finding that perfect book to read. People go to bookstores to feel the experience and the community of literature culture around them. That feeling will always be sought out by those who have experienced it and continue to want it. Overall, print books are here to stay and will be here for at least the next 5 years.