News, Trust & “Truthiness”

After reading through my other classmates blogs the general consensus seemed to be that satirical news reportage is an extremely valid source of news. In fact all 7 entries I read had the same findings. This is interesting because it is completely opposite to what I had written in my blog entry. Reading all my classmate’s blogs really helped me see that satirical news reportage doesn’t have to be as negative as it may seem! In this blog it suggests that satirical news still has validity, “The Rick Mercer Report is by far, in my opinion one of the more serious satirical news shows, as it seems to deal the most with informing people to actual happenings in the world and interesting facts.” (http://arcpcf.blogspot.ca/2013/11/fake-news-or-real-news.html) This was an interesting statement to me because I would have never considered news a possibly humorous topic, and the fact that comedy is used in a valid way to report news is an interesting concept to me.

I believe that I am not the only news watching citizen out there that is having a hard time adjusting to this shift in news reporting but it was said that, “More people are accepting the facts that culture jamming is more entertaining than the real news…because the real news does not catch audience attention.”( http://kirbychan88.wordpress.com/2013/11/22/is-the-fake-news-the-real-news/) 

In complete contrast to what I said about shows like Saturday Night Live (SNL) many believed that it was a extremely valid source of news reporting. Satirical news reporting in, “Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update use this format.” (http://allisonsparham.wordpress.com/2013/11/22/is-the-fake-news-the-real-news/) The reasoning behind its validity was that, “The objectives of satirical news are largely the same: to take a well known news story, and raise awareness about it in a comedic, satirical way. I believe that it is fair to say that satirical news is a mainstream form of culture jamming, due to the similarities between their goals, and they way in which they reach them.” (http://allisonsparham.wordpress.com/2013/11/22/is-the-fake-news-the-real-news/)            

Some implications may include the fact that they (satirical news broadcasts) “create news stories that sound more entertaining to greater catch the attention of their audience. This builds further support for them and increases their ratings.” (http://kirbychan88.wordpress.com/2013/11/22/is-the-fake-news-the-real-news/) News should not be about ratings in my opinion; it should be about getting the appropriate news out to the rest of the world no matter who is watching. They are turning accurate news broadcasting into a money making comedy show. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am sticking to the 11 o’clock news.

 

http://arcpcf.blogspot.ca/2013/11/fake-news-or-real-news.html

http://kirbychan88.wordpress.com/2013/11/22/is-the-fake-news-the-real-news/

http://allisonsparham.wordpress.com/2013/11/22/is-the-fake-news-the-real-news/

Is the fake news the real news?

Culture Jamming is defined as “A form of media activism that subverts and reworks the intended meaning of existing media texts, or parodies Major Corporation, public figures, and their media images.” Or as “a mode of resistance to the norms and conventions of mass culture that exposes and opposes the media’s underlying power structures and ideological messages.” (Media & Society p 213).

I believe that yes, satirical news reporting in shows such as the Rick Mercer Report, The Daily Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and even Saturday Night Live (SNL). It is legitimate because that is a major way that people receive news these days. Some forms of news programing that was previously mentioned are more and less reliable, and can hold more or less alteration of intended meaning.

I strongly believe that such reportage is most certainly not a useful addition to the public sphere. I can not tell you the number of times that I have had people come up and tell me some wild and elaborate story that is somewhat true, yet has so much embellishment. When you ask where they heard that its always some form of satirical news programming. The objectives of culture jamming “…often include consciousness raising as well as using the media to criticize the media and dominant culture” (Media & Society p 214) In shows such as SNL and the Rick Mercer Report there is a lot of making fun of and twisting of information. Of course the presentation of news this way is appealing and more entertaining to viewers, but is it worth it, when it’s not all that accurate?

No, it certainly is not. Adbusting is also very common and it “involves modifying advertisements to undermine their intended meaning.” (Media & Society p 224). Adbusting is so wrong because it alters the accuracy behind advertisements to trick and mislead consumers into buying not just the product, but also the idea behind it. The person who figured this logic out is an evil genius.

O’Shaughnessy, M., & Stadler, J.. (2012). Media and Society. 5^th Ed. South Melbourne, Oxford University Press. 

Demonstrable Demographics

Throughout several of my classmate’s blogs I found plenty of similarities and just a few differences. In reality several advertisements had nearly the same attraction value- used a famous socialite, shock or action use.

The advertisement that I found most similar was from this blog http://at12nk.wordpress.com/2013/11/08/what-the-hail/. This ad was the Old spice one, where the male actor compares himself with you (a man). Both the ad I used (Katy Perry proactive) and the Old spice ad had very confident models/actors. This as previously stated attracts viewer’s that both lack confidence, and hope to gain some with the help of this ad/product or have confidence and just like the person on the ad! “attracts my attention because it relates to cultural norms and values in ways that society expects our target demographic to look and feel about our bodies.” (http://at12nk.wordpress.com/2013/11/08/what-the-hail/)I think this is very accurate because we can better understand and relate to ads that are relevant to day-to-day life experiences. It also influences how we perceive ourselves and others in society’s idea of beautiful, handsome, smart and so on.

Another ad that used similar tactics as the Proactiv ad I used was the FIFa 2014 ad. In the commercial it begins with Lionel Messi- a famous soccer player. Just as Katy Perry is famous and well known. In this blog (http://adelina23.wordpress.com/2013/11/08/what-the-hail/) it is said that “unexpectedly the rapper Drake appears playing the video game”. This shows that the use of socially recognizable people such as actors, models and athletes are definitely used as a selling point for companies. Similarly stated “used a Drake (well-known rapper) to promote the video game” (http://adelina23.wordpress.com/2013/11/08/what-the-hail/).

A very different ad was seen for Lumosity and MADD, where none of the previously mentioned tactics for attention were used. The demographic was larger in this Lumosity ad and was not gender biased. Lumosity took the approach of intelligence and attracting people who want to better their minds. Lumosity was stated as “a technique which is used to hail in this ad is by comparing your brain to your muscles” in this blog (http://mh12jf.wordpress.com/2013/11/08/what-the-hail/) The MADD advertisement certainly uses shock value to grab your attention and as stated here “strategy of shock-value is definitely used which makes this ad very eye-catching” in the blog (http://jessicaznaczko.wordpress.com/2013/11/07/cpcf-1f25-blog-entry-3-what-the-hail/). This seems to be an older method of attraction but we can see that it turns out to be very affective and really touches many who see it. 

Many tactics can be used these days to advertise a product and all of the aforementioned types were/ have been affective.

Advertising and Interpellation

The ad I chose is a Proactiv ad, with Katy Perry as the model. This ad is directed at my demographic as a young adult for several reasons. Firstly they chose a famous singer that people within my age group would know and recognize, thus making it effective right off the bat. Secondly, not having acne or blemishes is considered desirable and a high priority for a large percentage of this demographic. The age of adolescence to young adults, ages 13-19 are the ideal demographic because you most likely have or have had to deal with the phase of acne. In this case the ad is directed towards a more female viewing group, but Proactiv does have male spokespeople (Justin Bieber). “Gender is central to identity, and gender socialization is one of the earliest processes of interpellation”(p.185). The female population of the majority of the world can recognize and many may even idolize Katy Perry. Katy Perry is a favorable singer who has done little to tarnish her reputation in society.

The ad consists of her with her hand lightly covering her mouth and looking directly forward with a powerful, confident look in her eyes. The ad then has written in bold type with a translucent coloring, “I’m not polite. I’m Proactiv.” The very sharp and bold wording and font draw attention and shows how confident she is now that she doesn’t have to worry about blemishes. This idea is very appealing to many people within the previously stated demographic (13-19). This ad can be found in teenage directed magazines and similar versions will be turned into a commercial and played on channels like MTV and TLC

“… the point is that all media texts, all forms of language and representation, carry ideological meanings…” (p.182). There is no such thing as a media or advertisement source that does not have any angle or hopeful projection. All advertising has the goal of evoking something within you. This ad evokes the feeling hopefulness that you too can have no blemishes and be confident if you use Proactiv, like Katy Perry. This ad draws people in because of the success of the spokesperson and the evident success of the product. As you can see in the image, Katy Perry has no sign at all of blemishes-showing its success. 

O’Shaughnessy. M, Stadler. J.Media and Society. Ch 12, pp.182-185. 2012

Wanted: the Media that We Need

The media choices we make in regards to important social, political, cultural and economic matters are very biased. I believe that we only inform ourselves on the media that we a) find interesting and b) have been provided with. For example my parents read the Globe and Mail, which has a very conservative view. Therefore I read the Globe and Mail. Unintentionally my parents have then altered my view of media.

            Some may argue that “, we have the power to pay attention to the media we want included in our lives. We do not have to subject ourselves to something we don’t want influencing us” (http://mb12qe.wordpress.com/2013/10/24/the-media-we-want-2/). Yet I believe that without knowing we’ve already biased opinions about what media we want to see and have interest in seeing.

            I believe that many news channels are “…having to sell themselves to the people, shows who really dictates what society receives. The people get what they want, and the media has to give it to them, or they will lose money and popularity” (http://to12ls.wordpress.com/2013/10/27/wanted-the-media-that-we-need/).  This view makes a lot of sense to me because of the insane things that are on tv these days. Shows like WipeOut, Teen Mom and Nitro Circus would not be on the air, if people didn’t watch them. People enjoy watching others hurt themselves it makes them feel invincible and that that could never happen to them.

            It is very easy to find basic media but if you are looking for non-biased media you may have to look a little deeper. So without looking any deeper “we get what we get, but are convinced it’s what we want” (http://bestknightofyourlife.wordpress.com/2013/10/23/the-media-we-want/). Media surrounds us and influences nearly everything about us. There is no aspect of our lives that are safe from media. There is such negativity in the media these days and it is solely because people prefer to hear about the exciting bombing versus the cat saved from a tree, it is a simple and well-known fact.

            Digging through media is not something that people tend to do unless they are looking for something. For example several of my friends used to live in other countries like India and Kenya or they have family that live there. They have special interest in looking for news that reports in more detail than in everyday news. Yet for someone like me, I am often satisfied with the everyday media that is provided to us through the news, the paper and the web.

Media We Want or the Media We Get?

Media initially back in the 60’s and 70’s had been what we wanted. It was a direct representation of what people needed and desired. The media then was completely formed from basic needs and desires that a majority of the population possessed. Now media is ahead of the curve, and advertising now shows us what we want or “need.” The big question is what changed? Why did we go from needing things to wanting things?

There are two different ways that you can define culture, neither is right or wrong. “The first defines popular culture as those cultural pursuits that are, of or, from the people. (O’Shaughnessy & Stadler. p.38)” This is often related to the earlier years, where leisure and downtime occurred less and required little to no equipment. Media had little influence on what you would do with your time and what you need to partake in it. More likely it figured out what you did with your time and gave you a product that was “better” or “different” than the standard object. For example in Canada back in the middle 1900’s everyone had a hockey stick, the media recognized that and decided to make a “better and stronger stick that will help you score more goals.” This media style is then followed up with another brand making another hockey stick after, stating that its even better.

The second definition is more relatable to current life and media. “… defines media as for the people, which suggests that something is handed down to them that they accept. (O’Shaughnessy & Stadler, p. 38)” This type of media relies on feedback and research on how populations respond to the media given to them. For example we had the I-pod and then it evolved to the I-pod Touch. The media showed us the I-pod and watched to see how we liked it, based off this example they found that people liked it but seemed to find that it was too small. From that small piece of feedback the I-pod Touch was born, showing all that this must be exactly what they needed to perfect the already great and useful I-pod. This idea is all about consumerism, and frankly the media is a brilliant way to improve product consumption.

Personally I believe that media is a benefit to society, and that both types of culture have their pro’s and con’s, yet I believe that media evolved for a reason. Without all the media and advertising that surrounds us on a daily basis we would have little business and product competition. Competition is important because it gives us the best products at competitive rates. Although the product may not be a necessity, at least we know it is the best at the time and are getting it at the best price possible.

My Altered Worldview’s

After reading several blog posts by my fellow classmates I did seem to find that my worldview did change slightly. I found that a majority of students found that media had a negative impact on society, similar to me with the exception of one. Media has been said to negatively impact the way people look, dress and behave. I can agree to several ideas that were said, yet disagree with many.

I believe that media does impact everyone and it was said “It is everywhere and it is bold and in your face, and unfortunately uncensored at times.” in a blog. In contrast I feel that even though media is a constant, and loud part of our life we do have control over how much we allow it to affect us. Yes there are social pressures that can influence the way “…people should look, people become harsh to what they see in reality, which also affects how teenagers, specifically girls, see themselves.” Self- worth and self-confidence are difficult aspects of personal identity that many people struggle with throughout the young adult stage of life. 

All this being said you can find other more positive and less harsh forms of media to surround yourself with. For example you could watch America’s Next Top Model and listen to girls getting told they are not beautiful or skinny enough, or you could watch shows that project a less shallow image of humans like CSI or Law and Order. These shows illustrate the more intellectual and inner strength and beauty of humans.

In a unique blog I found, there was comments made about how media and technology has opened up many creative thoughts and dreams that could have never been exposed. This blog opened my eyes up to a lot of positive things that the media can bring to the table. Media can often be very thought provoking in both good and bad ways. “For all the bad rap though that the media gets, in whatever of its unlimited forms it may take, one could easily argue that many of our greatest achievements are, in part, achieved based on the creativity that the media can offer us.” This quote, is extremely well thought out and left me thinking for hours about how the majority of students, including me chose to look at media in a negative light, yet use and accept it in daily life. For example “I feel that all of this technology is terrible for our social skills and has really minimized face to face communication.”

This student’s blog showed that there is good and bad in everything and that the good should not be forgotten. Many good point were brought up throughout all the blog posts I read and the most important thing that influenced and altered my worldview’s were the way that each person interprets and expresses both similar and different ideas. I realized that everyone experiences things differently and that alters their own worldview. Minor day to day things can alter your worldview, just like this assignment has for me.

Blog References:

Quote 1 is from: http://shaiannrichards.wordpress.com

Quote 2 is from: http://hb123na.wordpress.com/2013/09/19/the-influence-of-media-a-blog-for-cpcf-1f25/

Quote 3 is from: http://diproclaminious.blogspot.ca/2013/09/blogger-cloggers-bog-log-blog.html

Quote 4 is from: http://mediapopculturechick.wordpress.com/2013/09/18/how-significant-do-you-think-the-impact-of-the-mass-media-is-on-your-world-view/

My Worldview’s

        I believe that the impact mass media has on my worldview is and will be everlasting. Media has shaped our generations views and beliefs, without our conscious consent. The mass media has shaped my worldviews in countless ways, such as cultural stereotypes, self-image and my ideas of success. With media constantly looming over everyone’s heads’, media is always there, yet always changing. Everything can be done on the Internet, from banking, to shopping and even school. Mass media can also alter your views, in dramatic ways that will make your ideals and personal views change.

        Media has played an immense role in my ideas and preconceived notions of several cultures and religions that I’ve encountered. In my experiences with media and culture it involves a very negative connotation involving Muslim and Arab people. Yet in personal and physical interactions with people of both Muslim and Arab heritage I have experienced nothing of what’s been said. It is often said that Muslim and Arab people are extremist and dangerous. Yet in all experiences I’ve had I’ve never experienced an extremist or a dangerous person. Thankfully the stereotype has been incorrect by my standards and I have learned to not follow stereotypes of cultural and religious stereotypes that the media has set out for people to believe.

        Self-image is commonly portrayed in media, and has caused many issues with self-confidence amongst people young and old. As a young girl at age 13 I had believed that being a size 00, being 6ft and having large breasts was the only way to be beautiful. Of course very few people are naturally built this way and clearly I was not.  I was 5ft 3 and had no hopes of ever being 6ft. I was a competitive athlete, practicing everyday, making me hit puberty quite late. I was the farthest thing from the “beauty” I had seen on TV and in magazines. Thankfully through time, I was taught that I was beautiful and that everyone was. Yet even to this day it is impossible to deny that the attraction to the 6ft, skinny, fruitful, model type is most certainly preferred. 

        Success, it really has no true definition, and each person can interpret it how they may, or at least should. Media has completely altered our idea of success and really gives no room for our personal desires. It’s all about money, fast cars, big houses and more money.  Now no one knows the true happiness and success that one can find from doing the job they love or being surrounded by the people they love. Media leaves no room for the individual’s idea happiness and individual ideas of success. People who do have their own ideas and values when it comes to success have raised me and thankfully I have inherited those beliefs.

        Thankfully, through time I have been taught and have seen that not all media is correct. In many cases it is just a twisted idea of reality this is portrayed in such an appealing way that we as a society fall for it. It is hard to look through all that extra fluff and find what is really important out of it all. I am very lucky to have been shown from a young age that not all you see on the TV, Internet and so on is right or real. As for the rest or my generation I can’t say that they’ve all been so lucky.