Blog Post #1

Well, just like a person reads and tries to understand a book.. a person tries to read and understand what the media is putting out the the general public. Most of the time, the people could not distinguish what they’re being fed because they do not know ow to decipher what they’re reading and really understand the underlying message. Without media literacy, people have the ability to live fake lives, embellish stories, and even make “stories” that are actually advertisements!

Celebrities is a perfect example of this mainly because whatever they do, whenever they do it, and no for what reason, they are being criticized and judged for it. With media literacy, it will help everyone see the world much differently. It will allow people to understand what they are actually seeing/reading and not just blindly follow what they are being told.

Media literacy will lead to a more informed, sophisticated and well society. Without it, we are all just robots playing the game that the media is throwing at us. Just little lab rats where they can run tests on. This is not right. It is finally time to educate the people about media literacy so they know exactly what they are reading, seeing and being taught.

Workshop 4

1. The first thing that I found compelling was the amount of people who beautifie themselves just took like like the ideal image of a human being around the world. The countless people living in this area do not know anything else besides tis beauty.
2. The Kardashian’s. It is a perfect example because they embellish their life to the point that when they grocery shoping or to go buy new shoes, it becomes a publicity stunt. People try and treat them like celebrities.
3. Yes, I think they did. They were able to make a commercial that fits and sizes all types of people. Everyone, no matter what ade is completely intrigued in the commercial. One, because you didn’t know it was a commercial, and two because it was humorous.

Blog Post #6

Rupert Murdoch is a brilliant business man that has shaped the way people look at news and entertainment. His companies are some of the biggest and most influential around the world, informing people of different cultures of news they need to hear and productions for entertainment. However, recently Mr. Murdoch was found smack in the middle of a terrible conflict. The “News International” newspaper employees were hacking into the cell phones of people in order to pursue information. Also, they were caught bribing police and exercising improper tactics in order to pursue stories.

Personally, this goes against every ethical code that surrounds the media business. Hacking into the phones of celebrities, politicians, murder victims, and relatives of deceased British victims is something that should never be done. It is an invasion of privacy and completely unethical. Taking personal information in a way that is illegal and against the victim’s consent just shows the malicious extents that Rupert Murdoch will go to rise to the top of the market. In the interview he claims to be different from the perspectives that people place upon him, but in reality he is not.

The use of sex & violence is also present in his reporting, both from the reporters attempting to retrieve the information and how they present it. Again, it is another dirty trick by the corporation heads to try and raise their ratings. Some markets are in decline, for example newspapers, so he believes he needs to compensate in order to stay on top. He says he is doing it for the cause and for the business, but really there is no cause. It is just all business.

Blog Post #6

The advertising campaign that caught my eyes a couple of months ago was the one that was set out by Licra in Paris, France made by The International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism. They decided to make a campaign that was titled “Your Skin Color Shouldn’t Dictate your Future.” They made this to portray that the skin color of a person is not something that should be taken into consideration when they think about their future. They show images of little babies all in the room after they have been born, with one always of color dressed in the stereotypical clothing of their heritage.

For example, this website has three images: http://www.ufunk.net/en/publicite/contre-le-racisme-et-lantisemitisme/

As you can see, the first one shows the black baby dressed up in clothing of labor. The second has a Hispanic child dressed as if she were ready to go clean a house. The third has another Hispanic child that is dressed as a construction worker. Being Hispanic myself and a minority in this beautiful country, I’ve more than noticed that this is a common issue among the majority of this country. They see themselves as above everyone else just because of the color of their skin. I have been dealing with this for a while, and it is true to say that so have my other minority brothers and sisters.

This campaign was a huge success mainly because it was shocking images that were being placed out there in the media and around the world. No one would ever think to see images of these little babies on a screen being obviously singled out from the “majority.” It left an impression in the people’s minds which never let them forget exactly what they saw. The fact that they used babies is what made this campaign extra popular. It shows helpless little childred already destined to work in the field that is stereo-typically placed on their heritage, they do not even have a choice. Personally, I think this was a wonderful campaign that spread an even better message around the world. Your skin color should not dictate your future!

Ch. 9 Discussion Questions

1. What are some ways in which companies that have heavily recognizable brands use them to their advantage?
2. What are some techniques that advertising companies use to advertise products to people?

Ch. 8 Discussion Questions

1. What decisions do people need to make when putting an image as their front cover?
2. How can framing shape a story a certain way, and how could it be harmful for a bias reporter?

Life in the “Digital Now”

Abha Dewasar made some excellent points on what technology could do to the development of a human being, especially the children that are born into it and know no other world. She suggests that technology, no matter how connected it keeps the world, stops thetransformation and flow of love. Technology is now supplementing for the acts that another human being does. It could teach children cognitive skills, languages, instruments.. the list goes on. There is no doubt that the advancements are great, but are they harming the younger generation at the same time?

Some argue that since the children were born into it, they will assimilate to the circumstances. However, nothing could replace the touch of having a person help another develop instead of technology. Technology has the ability to stop time and bring it to life whenever, the access is unbelievable. This unbelievable access could potentially lead to the demise of the youth’s innovation.

Ch. 7 Discussion Questions

1. Are advertising companies using wrong practices in order to retrieve your information so they could advertise the right products?
2. Are advertising companies getting so advanced that we sometimes see advertisements on social media and not even know that we are looking at one?

Ch. 6 Discussion Questions

1. Is video taping someone without them knowing to later be put on the internet infringing on their privacy?
2. Could an augmented reality interfere with self development?

Emma Moore

In today’s day in age, people are not represented anymore for the achievements or intelligence, they’re represented by how many followers on Instagram they have and how many likes a certain photo could get. To see a mother teaching her daughter, Emma Moore, at such a young age that it is not about these things but about what your mind could do is an amazing sight.Nowadays, people get mixed up with the wrong things and obsess over unimportant aspects of the world that will never get them anywhere. More people need to realize that you are only as good as what you can accomplish and how efficiently you can use your mind and your skill set. This was a wonderful message that the mother sent out to the world, and it took a little bit of risk in order to accomplish it.

This is important because there is no better time to show this and demonstrate this value then today, present day. People are loosing their values and becoming something that they are not. A fake fabrication of what they truly are. Jaime Moore, I applaud you.