Class Highlights

I have learned many things from this class. One I learned was about media ethics. I knew there was a defference between good and bad reporting, however, I didn't know it was that in depth and detailed. Another thing I learned was about propaganda. I was not aware of it beginning as early as the 1900s. A thrid thing I learned was about Iran's internet restrictions. The presentation done by a class mate rought this to my attention. Iran is an oppressed country but I did like hearing that there are people who are combating the laws for their rights. These are just some of the many things I have learned from this quarter of JOUR 2.

Media Ethics/Media Law

There was a story in Novermber (2010) about a Wisconsin newspaper website. The webiste is banning ban certin comments on their stories. The readers of the newspapers are defintiely being censored because this violates their firt amendment right to free speech. The newspaper claims there have been more intelligent discussions since the ban. However this is not fully true because the website themselves admitted to not have properly investigated the issue. So there is no way the nespaper can say their actions are justified.

Propaganda in Advertising/PR

Obama Propaganda

Ad Hominem: This ad personally attacks the Obama by implying the are members of the Taliban, members of the Black Panthers, and they are Muslim.

Appeal To Fear: This ad goes of America's far of terrorism and since the Taliban are mainly Muslim this makes Americans scared or fearful of the Obamas.

Appeal To Prejudice: This ad twists the  word "change" into a negative connotation andoviously people will assume the worse.

Internet

Assuming I did not miscount (probably did), there are 297 sites listed. I know about 24 of the listed social netowrking sites. I do know one website not listed and that is ign.com. It mainly is a gaming website that just recently started its own online social networking community. A site I researched that I have not heard of is audimated.com. This is a music website where artists can interact with fans and sell merchandise. Fans can also have "stores" that allow them to advertise their favorite artists' merchandise. In addition, there is a social networking aspect. I mainly use social networking to keep in touch with my friends and family and also to talk to others about my similar intersts. The sites I use are facebook, flixster, and ign. I have never got into any trouble involving these sites. However, facebook does come in handy if I miss a class. I can use facebook to ask my friends what the assignment is so I am able to turn it in on time.

Television

• Length: 9:51
• Description: This video is part one of the history of pulp magazines.
• Chapter 4: Magazines
• Question: What were some of the characters that began through pulp magazine?
• Answer: Tarzan, Zorro, Conan the Barbarian, Buck Rodgers

Movies

District 9 - This was one my favorite movies of 2009 mainly because of its originality. The story was very interesting, the acting was believable, dialogue could have been better, but originality trumps cliches any day of the week for me. I first saw it opening weekend in theaters. IMDB Link
District 9 Trailer



The Nightmare Before Christmas - One of my all time favorite movies that I've know line for line since I was little. The animation was so fresh and once I discovered most of the movie was shot for shot claymation, I had a deeper appreciation for it. I first saw it in the hospital as a child. IMDB Link
The Nightmare Before Christmas Trailer

Magazines

• Name - Lawnmowers Monthly
• Concept - The magazine will have articles and reader stories about how to properly maintain a fresh, crisp lawn. No matter the size, there is a certain way to care for your grass and highlighting its personality. It is different from a lot of existing magazines because in a society of high tech media and sophisticated hobbies, lawnmowing has been the basis of homeownership and has always been a symbol of wealth in the past and present.
• Readers - This will appeal to people as young as 12 and up to 60-70 year old seniors, as long as they have an interest in lawnmowing. This magazine is gender neutral and target income level would be at least middle class, in case they want to upgrade their lawn equipment.
• The Competition - Country Gardens , Fine Gardening, Garden Compass, Horticulture (these are all agazines magazines)
• Advertisers (5) - John Deere, Round-Up, Craftsman, Lowe's, Rain Bird
• Articles (5) - "Ewww! Cow Poo!: The History of Fertilizer", "Lawnmower 101: Basic Lawn Mowing Tips", "Make it Wet: The Best Sprinker Systems for Your Lawn", "Monthly Mower Power Rankings", "The Great Deabte: Gas vs. Electric Mowers".
• Cover of Premier Issue - The cover would be a picture of green, high grass with the name of the magazine at the very top in white bubble lettering. There would also be a lawn mower on top of the grass with the articles titles surrounding the lawn mower. 

Books

http://www.amazon.com/New-Captain-Underpants-Collection-Books/dp/0439417848/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1286585812&sr=8-1

The Adventures of Captain Underpants was very influential to me because it was the first comic book I ever read and it was the reason I went through my artist phase. I am the comic book geek I am today because of it, the book was essentially my gateway drug.




http://www.amazon.com/Watchmen-Alan-Moore/dp/1401219268/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286586225&sr=1-1

Watchmen was influential to me in a way that made me understand that heroes do not always have powers, save the day, or live forever. This comic was way ahead of its time, it challeged me to grasp a better understanding of the hero genre I had believed was real and I was greatly rewarded for it.



http://www.amazon.com/Potter-Sorcerers-AUDIOBOOK-UNABRIDGED-t-shirt/dp/B0014NBKP6/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286586609&sr=1-11

Harry Potter influenced me because it opened up my imagination with its vivid imagery. I read it when it first came out and I feel like I have literally grown up with it. Every book that came out I bought and read. I still to this day have not been able to find a novel that widened my imagination in a way tht this book did.

Media Impact

    The media project I would propose would be to research the postitive effects of reality television. I would begin the research by conducting a laboratory experiment, using people who have seen very little or no reality television. From these selected candidates, they will be randomly sampled based on their interest in the offered subjects (business, dance, culinary, and self improvement) of the relevant reality show (The Apprentice, So You Think You Can Dance, Top Chef, and The Biggest Loser) being tested. I will be adapting the social learning theory and oberserve the possibility of the candidates modeling the subjust of the show in any way (ex. a person can pick up basic understanding of technical dance terms and choreography learned from So You Think You Can Dance, etc). In 6-8 months of testing, candidates will first be tested on the subject before viewing, again during the middle, and at the conclusion of the experiment. From this research, I predict that at least more than half of the candidates will be able to apply the subject to their daily lives (or career) from the reality shows.

Media Autobiography

    The eight types of mass media has been a big part of who I am. It partly made me what I am and it is still shaping me into the person I am today. I started reading book at a young age and still read them to this day. I remember learning to read with the Berenstain Bears book series and I continued to read them in my adolescence. As I became more mature, so did my reading. From children's books I moved on to sci-fi, non-fiction, fantasy, mystery, thriller, suspense, horror, autobiography, just about anything I could get my hands on. I even became a huge comic book fan in the process. Manga (Japanese comic book) soon followed, I read everything. However, I cannot get into romance novels and to this day, it is the one book genre I do not like. Currently, I am reading Scott Pilgrim volume two from the series. Books were and continue to be the basis of my imagination.
    I never really got into newspapers but when I finally did, all I searched for was the comic section. There was so much to read and each comic strip was so different from the others, it was a good variety of material in the newspaper. In high school, I read the san Jose Mercury News, mainly because that was the onlt open my school provided. I did not start reading the other sections until I was in economics class. Since then I read when I can but the only thing I do not like about it is that there are so many articles to read that it quickly becomes time assuming.
    Like books, I also got into magazines when I was young. My grandmother subscribed me to Sports Illustrated for Kids and from there I began reading her Reader's Digest. As a teenager I was subscribed to Shonen Jump (monthly Japanese magazine), Official Xbox Magazine, Maxim, and Men's Fitness. At the same time I would swipe my brother's Nintendo Power magazines. Last year, I read ESPN Magazine and now I read anything on the magazine rack and I am subscribed to Game Informer.
    Movies changed my outlook on life and I was pulled into cinema at a very pivotal time in my life. I was watching 90s classics before I could fully comprehend or appreciate the pure genius before my eyes. While growing up, I was able analyze movies in a way most people did not. I would watch a movie multiple times just find movie mistakes or just watch it countless times like was brand new and still be completely satisfied. I will watch any kind of movie as long as the story is good and it is not a chessy romance. I will watch a romance if the story is fresh or original (ex. Mean Girls, Love Actually). I'm really into independent and foreign films because let's face it, Hollywood will put a mindless action film with an A list celebrity star over a deep drama with up and comers any day of the week. My deep interest of movies is why I want to be a film critics. I can honestly talk about movies non stop. I feel like I have exposed myself to so many films over the years I just want to discuss them all the time.
    My experiences of recordings have been kind of a recent discovery. A lot of my music is downloaded just because it is cheaper for me and itunes does not have most of what I am interested in. On the otherhand, itunes has been a great tool for me in my search for podcasts. I listen to about fourteen podcasts all ranging from videogame and movie jargon, to comic book chats and even some on life knowledge. I usually listen to around ten hours of podcasts a week and it is a good mix up from music.
    Radio is more of a downward slope for me. I do not listen to it that much anymore because I feel like they play the same thing. It seems that you can change the station three times and the stations will be playing the same song. That was annoying to me and I also realized that rappers and bands that do not get radio play deserve it the most. So for my music, I stick to indie bands and artists that are not that well known.
    Television is just as important to me as movies but not as much (if that makes sense). I fondly remember the television gold I grew up on (insert awesome Cartoon Network/Nickelodeon/Disney Channel show here). There are so many good shows on television. Likewise, there is so much garbage on as well. As much as my knowledge can expand from watching the discovery channel or an intense drama, I can easily make myself sick from all the senseless and pointless shows. Television is a necessary evil that can enslave us for as long as we want it to.
    I am still learning to operate the internet to its fullest potential. I am certainly no novice, I know my way around the web. I like how open it is and how you can learn so much more than what you normally would. I do not really have any complaints about it but it is easy to see how new users can get lost or frustrated on the internet. Media in all forms is a very enjoyable experience, and it has contributed to my state of mind.