Story Ideas for Comm. 333 TV NEWS

When it comes to news shows we are always shown all of the bad things that are happening in the world around us. Granted, this is because that is what people want to see, however, I think it would be refreshing to have a short segment in our production on some local achievements, art and artist, or even an instructional segment on something soothing like yoga, simple crafts, or quick easy cooking. These would create a nice contrast to usual news shows and would be more enriching to viewers than just straight news stories.

Comm. 333 TV NEWS

For my contribution to our TV news class I would like to do anything behind camera. I would be willing to do the closed captioning, operating the camera, sound, lights, or anything else that needs to be done.

Media and my Day

Though it doesn't really feel like it, outside of my friends and family (who are also affected by the media) the media has probably been the biggest influence on how I think and feel about just about everything.

To have an opinion on something you have to have knowledge about that subject (ideally). Where does that information come from? The media. Not just in the sense of TV and newspapers and other large media sources but other things like the teachings of those around you who have been influenced by the media and the people around them who have also been influenced. Media means so many different things and it touches our lives in so many different ways that it is near impossible to really grasp what is original thought and what is a bi-product of media stimulation. I appreciate qualitative over quantitative thinking, so for me at least, it's not something that can be neatly summed up in some "this happened, causing this" type of statistic or chart. Media is too broad a term to be pinned down and examined.

How does the media influence my everyday life? How doesn't it? From the shampoo I use to my after class activities the media is a driving force behind my daily activities and life goals.

Video Games are the Devil

Playing video games myself, I know that I am already more prone to disagree with whatever negative comments about gaming come my way like in the videos we watched in class. However, I don't think I am an unreasonable person and if they had put forth some acceptable criticisms backed up by credible evidence I think I would have accepted their point. This did not seem to be the case however. I think a large part of that was that their argument was far too broad. Saying that video games create violent behavior in players would mean that everyone who plays video games would be more prone to these violent tendencies and those who don't play games wouldn't, and that is just not the case.

I think a lot of these criticism's come from a misunderstanding of gaming and gamers that has gone on since video games became popular. People see video gamers as the weird nerdy guy who smells bad and sits alone at lunch and then shows up with a gun one days and goes on a killing spree. Especially with the development of modern gaming this stereotype just doesn't hold true for the majority of gamers. Playing video games has become an incredibly social event. These days most games come with online play where you communicate and collaborate with other players either playing with or against each other. With the invention of online play, gamers social and communication skills have only improved over the past several years. And gaming has never been a solitary act. From Pong to Dungeons and Dragons, you need more than one player to make the game fun or to play at all. Games are designed to be social. It's unfair that a couple of people who were mentally unstable to begin with just happened to play video games and suddenly video games get a bad reputation. They stated in one of the videos that video games put you into a state where you are more susceptible to learning and what you are learning is violence. Well, if that's the case what about those people who get into that hyper active state watching sports? Sports are violent but nobody attacks them because they are part of mainstream popularity. People use these few examples of bad people who happen to game as tools for their own personal agendas. Of course there is no such thing as bad publicity so to all you uptight over protective moms who should take more responsibility for your child's upbringing than some video games,as someone who hopes to be in gaming professionally eventually, for the sake of the gaming industry please keep it up and keep games in the news and on peoples minds, thanks.

So back onto my main idea, despite the criticisms of those in the videos, games are extremely helpful developmental tools. They improve social skills,reflexes, reduce stress, stretch your imagination, and are just something to enjoy. They are far more beneficial to developing your mind than TV is and it's just as violent. All I'm really trying to say is that this isn't a black and white subject that can be proven with quantitative thinking and statistics. These things might impress a general public who doesn't have an understanding of the gaming community, but if you talk to anyone who does, I'm sure you'll find they would also disagree with these methods.

sources-

Media Studies Reader, "Talking About Videogames" pg. 464

NBC Archives, McGraw Hill Higher Education, 2004

Music and the Media

Music is such a big part of our lives and a big part of our media that they are practically inseparable. I really notice this whenever I'm watching a movie or a TV show and they don't have music playing in the background. The fact that I notice when there isn't music in something instead of when it does tells me that I have become both addicted to it and at the same time numb to the experience. I know I'm addicted because watching something that doesn't have music just feels wrong to me anymore. Like it's empty or something is missing.

I don't listen to a lot of radio because I find most stations will play one or two songs I like, then a gratuitous amount that I don't. I know this isn't the radio stations fault because they just play what will be most beneficial to them. But that means I get hooked on new music via friends or the internet. Who in turn get there music from their friends and the internet. But where does the cycle begin? To get music out there you need someone to plug your songs, that's where a professional plugger comes in. Plugging new music might not sound too hard but to be any good you have to be completely dedicated to your job and go the extra mile for your clients. I tend to be pretty fickle when it comes to my music and I probably wouldn't be very good at pretending to like something that I really didn't just to get it played so it's probably not the job for me.

My point in all this really is thank goodness for pluggers that get new music out there for people like me to enjoy.

Psychographics

Psycho Graphics....

Yea, that's pretty much what I thought of when I heard the word. But it turns out psycho-graphics is not only an awesome name for a tattoo parlor but it is actually a sort of analysis of how, why, and what you spend money on and though it looks a lot more boring than my original mental image...

it is actually a very interesting study. After taking a sort of survey like test I got to find out where I fit into the psycho-graphics chart. As it turns out my primary result was "Experiencers". Which is defined as follows:

Experiencers are motivated by self-expression. Young, enthusiastic, and impulsive consumers, Experiencers quickly become enthusiastic about new possibilities but are equally quick to cool. They seek variety and excitement, savoring the new, the offbeat, and the risky. Their energy finds an outlet in exercise, sports, outdoor recreation, and social activities

Experiencers are avid consumers and spend a comparatively high proportion of their income on fashion, entertainment, and socializing. Their purchases reflect the emphasis that they place on looking good and having "cool" stuff.

Which is largely true for me. Almost any extra money I have that isn't spent on practical or essential things is spent on clothing and video games. Aside from the whole sports and outdoor activities part this is me to a "T".

My secondary result was in the "Innovators" catagory. and it is defined as:

Innovators are successful, sophisticated, take-charge people with high self-esteem. Because they have such abundant resources, they exhibit all three primary motivations in varying degrees. They are change leaders and are the most receptive to new ideas and technologies. Innovators are very active consumers, and their purchases reflect cultivated tastes for upscale, niche products and services.

Image is important to Innovators, not as evidence of status or power but as an expression of their taste, independence, and personality. Innovators are among the established and emerging leaders in business and government, yet they continue to seek challenges. Their lives are characterized by variety. Their possessions and recreation reflect a cultivated taste for the finer things in life.

Which is very flattering but unfortunately a little more untrue than the last. It would be mostly true, if I had the financial recourses it claims I do. However, I don't flatter myself to think I would be a great leader. Though it is true that I love new ideas and technology. Trust me when I say, if I had the money you bet I would be spending it on "the finer things in life".

This test was a fun way of delving a little deeper into myself and seeing some things that I had just never thought to look for about myself. People don't usually think to themselves "why do I buy the things I do and what does that say about me in relation to others?" but it sure is fun to find out. This could also help you if you maybe have some financial problems as I do, to figure out why that is. Maybe you're waisting too much money on that second vacation you don't really need or that third BMW to show up your neighbors new Audi. Or if not, it's kinda cool anyway just to see where you fit on the scale.

Interpretation of an advertisement.

Pretty amusing huh? I thought so at least, but if you're anything like me, advertisements for goods just sort of roll off your back and don't really affect your judgement...or do they?!

Lets face it advertising companies know people don't really pay attention to ads, at least not as much as they would like. So companies have been coming up with new ways to make you want stuff for as long as people have been selling. This particular ad seems straight forward but there are so many things going on that we, the casual observers, don't even register at a first glance. It caught my eye because I found it humorous which is probably what the creators were going for to catch your eye long enough to receive their message. I instantly recognized the product they were selling and why I should buy it. Pepsi is a huge part of American culture. They even use the colors Americans identify most with, red, white, and blue. Even though I used to consider myself immune to advertising, his ad has already worked on me.

This particular ad creates an upbeat and playful atmosphere by using bright colors (that are emblematic of their product) and the eye catching image of a straw coming to life and refusing to be used in their competitors product. Even though they don't use the Coke name, lets face it we know what it is. Removing the label does more than what you might think though. By removing the label the can is left plain and boring making their Pepsi can look even better in comparison already. This also adds to the ad's overall simplicity. It gives us straight forward symmetrical images with recognizable labeling. You just get it in a second, which is probably about as much time I would spend on this ad if I were flipping through a magazine. Little space is lost and all the blank blue space in the background just serves to direct your attention more fully onto the products themselves.

There is little written words in this advertisement because there doesn't need to be. People don't take a lot of time to read ads so this Pepsi ad kept it short sweet and to the point "the joy of Pepsi". most of the words are practically lost to small type and the ones they emphasize are "joy" and "Pepsi" because that is all the people glancing over this ad need to know. Pepsi goes hand in hand with joy.

Advertising has become such a part of our lives that advertising companies have to constantly evolve to catch the consumers off guard and slip under their radar. It has become a huge game of who can outsmart who first, though I suppose that sounds a lot more cynical than I actually feel. It might ruin commercials forever for you (or not if you're into this sort of thing) but next time you see something being advertised just take a look at all the tiny details put into these things and how every facet has been planned out and what that really means to you as a consumer.