bull in a china shop

2006-12-07T14:41:00.000-08:00

ISSUES OF OWNERSHIP AND COPYRIGHT…and CENSORSHIP!

Let's see...the various media texts that I typically use during an average week, and the companies that own them are...let’s break it down by types of sources:

Radio:
I LOVE 89.3 FM – Minnesota’s Public Radio station, “The Current” which plays lots of local and independent music interspersed with news clips. I will, occasionally, listen to Cities 97 (97.1 FM), although I think they have too many commercials and only play the same top 20 songs over and over and over again. Cities 97 is owned by Clear Channel Communications Inc. Part of why I listen to The Current is because of the freedom they have to play what they want, when they want. It's also why I'm a contributing member!

TV:
I don’t have cable, so I can only get shows on the basic stations that, with the help of my rabbit ears, produce a clear picture (which is rare). I watch Gray’s Anatomy on ABC (owned by Hubbard Brodcasting); The Simpsons on FOX (owned by Fox/News Corporation); Gilmore Girls on CW (owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc.); The Office on NBC (owned by Gannett); and occasional weird shows that I enjoy on TPT (Twin Cities Public Television). I secretly hate television, because I think it makes my brain shrink, but I occasionally indulge, and do so mainly without considering the ownership - I only want to be entertained.

Newspapers:
I read The New York Times online (owned by The New York Times, a family-owned company); and The Minnesota Daily (owned by the University). I read and skim to get my daily dose of current events. I like the information these sources provide for me, and I feel they are relatively unbiased.

Obviously, I think there are clear indications that some of this ownership influences the content of the media I am exposed to. For example, when the Dixie Chicks’ front woman, Natalie Maines, commented about being ashamed that George W. Bush is from Texas, Clear Channel refused to play the Dixie Chicks on all of their stations. This irritates me greatly because of the infringement on Natalie Maines’ first amendment rights, but also because of the censorship imposed on me, as a listener to Clear Channel stations and a fan of the Dixie Chicks. When media conglomerates eat up more and more companies, the freedom for innovation shrinks, and the art that eventually trickles down to me, the consumer, is diluted and boring.

2006-12-01T11:53:00.000-08:00

MEDIA STUDIES INTEGRATION

Based on all the reading I've done for this class, there are many ways I will integrate film/TV and media studies into my future instruction. In teaching literature, I hope to use film in the way Rachel Malchow has; that is, I will "use clips from films when students have read an entire text. This rule also works in reverse: if my intention is for students to view an entire film version, then we read only selected excerpts" (Beach, 103). I love the idea of using Kenneth Branagh's versions of Much Ado About Nothing (1993) and Henry V (1989) to teach Shakespeare to high school students rather than reading the entire text. Even as an undergraduate at UW-Madison, I remember having a difficult time with many of Shakespeare's plays until my professor incorporated the use of film to supplement our reading. Given the historical context and language divide between Shakespeare's time and our current high school students, much of his work is better understood and appreciated when witnessed visually.

Additionally, as Malchow suggests, I also plan to follow up our film studies in class by having my "students apply multiple critical perspectives to the film, such as the Marxist, feminist, psychological, and archetypal lenses. [And I would likely] conclude the unit with an essay test asking students to consider whether Henry is or is not a hero" (Beach, 104). I love the way this incorporates critical thinking and a higher level of engagement than simply reading Shakespeare and taking a multiple choice test based on the plot and characters.

Another way I might design my literature classes is around some coherent topic, theme, issue, or historical/literary period. I love the idea of delving into a theme such as suburbia, which has "offered writers a useful lens through which to examine the manners and mores of the American middle-class; more important, however, suburbia has served as a vehicle through which generations of writers have struggled to define, celebrate, and suggest the ultimate elusiveness of, the "American Dream." The students could read numerous American fiction writers, such as Frederick Cozzens, William Dean Howells, and Sinclair Lewis-who struggle to locate suburbia in the tradition of pastoral; its "classic" writers-John Cheever, Peter DeVries, and John Updike-who use the suburban setting in their attempt to come to terms with what they perceive as the loss of spiritual values in post-World War II America; its female writers-Shirley Jackson, Erma Bombeck, Jean Kerr, and others-who lament the depoliticization, disempowerment, and general anomie of women in suburbia; and its minority writers-Philip Roth, Gloria Naylor, Gish Jen, among others-whose characters struggle to be a "real American" in post-World War II communities founded on a racist ethic of exclusion"(Rachel Paganow, Columbia University). After reading a selection from above, I would then have my students view film clips from American Beauty, The Ice Storm, Election, and Little Children, and havedissectdisect these sometimes shrewd and darkly humorous looks at supposed civility in suburbia. Students can compare and contrast different portrayals of the same topic across different texts.

And finally, I'd like to find a way to get my students to be more reflective about their consumption of music - to use it as a symbol or metaphor into their popular lives. I want to bring it into the classroom without destroying it so that it is pleasurable enough for them to have an intellectual response as well as an emotional response to the tunes that, for many of them, define who they are. It would be fun to look at how the Press writes about their favorite musical artists and do a discourse analysis of the reviews. There are many opportunities to have students become close readers and to be aware that many music controversies have significant consequences. Music can act as a lightening rod in the classroom, as it does in real life. We can look at the history of music and how it is played out - how the same song can take on different meanings when sung by different artists, and how various covers affect new versions of the song. The possibilities with music and other media exploration in the classroom, I believe, are endless and infinitely enjoyable.

2006-11-30T13:57:00.000-08:00

MUSIC:

I don't think my taste in music fits neatly into one category of music genre/type; however, it's clear that I prefer male vocalists over female vocalists. I'm a huge fan of Bob Dylan, especially his albumns, Nashville Skyline (song, Girl from the North Country, sung with Johnny Cash is amazing) and The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (Don't Think Twice, It's All Right is my fave). I love his idiosyncratic singing and unexpected lyrics. Dylan is a folk and country-blues classic singer/songwriter whose music reverberates in the core of my bones. It's rare to love an artist through all of their personal evolutions in a music career as long as Dylan's; but for me, it's easy with Bob.

I also love Tom Waits - his slow stuff, that is. Some of his faster, harsher music is too rough for me, although I do admire his daring attempts at creating a new sound. His slow songs, however, such as, Ol' 55 and I hope that I don't fall in love with you, are simply beautiful.

Other male crooners whose tunes make me weak are James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Van Morrison, Ray LaMontagne, Billy Bragg, Sam Cooke, Amos Lee, and Keb' Mo'. Each artist has at least one albumn that so clearly brings me back to a time in my life that was rich with change and confusion and joy, that their music acts as an autobiographical soundtrack to my life. For example, James Taylor's Fire & Rain was noticably pertinent after losing a dear friend in a car accident when she was 21. And Van Morrison was in my headphones as I trekked across Ireland on my own during college - his gypsy tunes remind me of lush green, rolling hills and sleepless nights in hostels. My boyfriend introduced me to Keb'Mo's music a couple of years ago and now it reminds me of going for drives in the country, sitting next to Patrick in his red truck. And Bob Dylan reminds me of various moments throughout the last ten years - from going away to college to hanging out with my brother at his cabin in Colorado to moving into my first apartment, all by myself. All of these musical memories are seared in my brain like a branding iron - permanent reminders of stages in my life.

I don't want to totally discount the ladies; I do love female artists such as Cat Power, Natalie Merchant, Indigo Girls, Nina Nastasia, Beth Orton, and Sara McLaughlin. Though, they usually are in rotation with a couple of the dudes listed above. When I can, I pretty much always have music playing in my apartment, in my car, in my headphones. I love having favorite songs to fall back on - it is very much a tool of providing comfort and/or guidance when I need it most, and I think it will always serve that purpose for me, and others, who love music.

2006-11-14T18:30:00.000-08:00

Envision making a documentary...

(for some reason, the word "envision" reminds me of Wayne's World, and conjures up an image of Mike Meyers and Dana Carvey wriggling their fingers, chanting, "tiddly winks tiddly winks tidddly winks...")

Ok, so if I had the chance to make my own documentary, I would love to document one of my own family holiday gatherings. Because my extended family is so large and gregarious (my mother is one of nine children and though both of her parents are deceased, all of her siblings are married and have anywhere between 1-10 children each) it would be possible for me to be as unobtrusive as possible, by simply blending into the background and filming the chaos of drink mixing and kitchen chatter and wrapping paper among the din of sports coverage on tv and holiday music streaming throughout the house and children laughing and dogs barking. However, because I'm also typically quite involved in the family conversation, it might be hard for me to completely disappear and/or film without a clearly defined perspective; that is, my perspective could not be anything other than my own, since I am part of the family being documented. Nonetheless, I still believe there would be a valid point in documenting such an event. Namely, to capture the characters that make up such an ecletic group relatives and to show both the wide range of attitudes and beliefs of individuals, and also the striking similarities in nose shape/size, sound of laughter, and gut reaction to certain events.

I would include both long takes with little editing or commentary in order for the viewer to be able to capture a sense of what it would be like to be a fly on the wall in such a house. This would be important in order to get a grasp of what family members interact more often with other family members, and which ones keep to themselves.

I would also make extensive use of interviews and quoted material, making sure to cover a representative from each generation in order to show the various perspectives on what spending the holidays with 50+ people in one home is like.

Editing would be fun, I think. Some of my relatives have a habit of saying things under their breath, and I would love the camera to catch those moments. Most of my relatives also drink liberally, making for interesting conversation and comical antics as the day wears on into evening. I'd like to cut from quotes of certain relatives earlier in the day to clips of them performing in the talent show or the nativity scene later in the day. I'd love to film the younger kids playing with their new toys in the basement and juxtapose it with parental conversation about being relieved that the gift-buying season has ended for another year. The 20-somethings are a varried crowd, some slipping out for regular smoke breaks, some lounging on the couches with their significant other; capturing both the smoking and the long, bored looks of captivity would be quite humorous. After dinner, there's always a gift exchange game of some sort that tends to bring out an insane competitiveness (I simply must have that purple monkey!) in many adults, and I would love to capture looks of intensity when concocting a plan and/or defeat when their gift is stolen. The shrill of female voices tends to escalate as the wine stock is depleated and no one can ever hear the phone or doorbell ringing (sounds usually luring underage teenagers to venture away from the den).

My key point, that I would like to convey to my audience, would be that large Irish-Catholic families are quite zany in general, while mine in particular is delightfully crazy. I know it's a story that's been done before, but it would also be for my family's viewing pleasure and a token of family history. I think people would enjoy watching it, considering the current obsession with reality-like TV, and I know there would be more than a few laughs...which is surprisingly rare for documentary-like footage! I would also like to see whether the process of filming an event would create its own set of realities for me that I would have otherwise not noticed about my own family.

2006-11-08T12:26:00.000-08:00

Critical Analysis of an evening local TV news broadcast:

Tuesday, November 7, 2006: Election Day across America. The hype is on, the pressure is up, the high ratings are likely a given, considering the intensity of "Decision 2006" and the number of seats Democrats stood to win, and Republicans stood to loose. Nonetheless, NBC's nightly news, with Brian Williams, pulled out all the stops.

I watched last night's 5:30pm broadcast with a critical eye, keeping a viewing log and recording the stories covered, types of stories, and the time of stories in number of seconds. Granted, due to the events of the day, the coverage was aptly titled, "2006 Election Coverage," and I knew that the broadcast was going to focus mainly on the elections.

Beginning at 5:30pm Brian Williams began talking about "an angry electorate" and how, with this election, the voters have the power to "unleash sweeping change." I always enjoy analyzing the language of reporters, because it is so dramatic. In some cases, the dramatic verges on sensational.

The broadcast began to shift to a montage feature: showing sequences of voting scenarios across the country: "Voting day in Virginia," the "Battleground States" of Montana, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania; the GOP is on "overdrive trying to survive a hostile political environment - just wishful thinking?"

Many reporters argued that, though Bush was not on the ballot, this was a vote for or against him.

David Gregory at the White House - says the mood is "sullen," but that they're trying to rally the troops.

Back to Williams discussing the problems at the polls in 18 different states across the country - confusion over electronic voting, machine malfunctions, long lines, voter identity confusion, voter intimidation, and questions over whether or not some polling places would stay open later than the 8pm close time. As this was broadcasting, the polling places were still open across the country, so there seemed to be a frenzied spirit across the reporters.

Quick, brief switch to Campbell Scott (the only female journalist consulted during this broadcast) noting that, according to exit polls, voters nationwide are gloomy and pessimistic; so much anger in the country due to the war.

Now pan to Tim Russert, discussing the House of Representatives - there are more than 45 seats in play and the Dems want it. The Senate races are close too, and the Dems need to win 8/9.

Over to Brokaw discussing whether or not the dramatic swing from Republican run HOR to Democratic control is a new trend, or whether it's really just a response to the dysfunction in Washington. "This election is about accountability and credibility."

Brian Williams adds a sound bite about the "comprehensive coverage" their providing before it switches to commercial. The time is 5:43pm.

The commercials, I might add, are the most interesting part about the broadcast, to me. That is because, with a few exceptions, they are nearly ALL ads for drugs and medication:
~Sugar free Smuckers (30 seconds)
~Pain Information Center.com (1 minute)
~Bush's Baked Homemade Chili (30 seconds)
~NBC Election Night Special (20 seconds of shameless self-promotion)
~NBC Today Show (10 seconds of shameless network self-promotion)

Brian Williams is back at 5:46pm with updates on the "Northwest Flooding." The next two minutes covers the deployment of hundreds of Washington National Guard Troops to the flooded area. We are told it is the "worst storm in a decade," and that the governor has declared a state of emergency in 18 counties. Fear Pain Disaster Fear Pain Disaster. Cut to commercials:

~Nexium (1 minute)
~NyQuill (15 seconds)
~Walgreen’s Medicare needs (20 seconds)
~Braun electric shaver (30 seconds)
~Fiber Sure (15 seconds)
~NBC election coverage (15 seconds)

At 5:51pm, Brian Williams is back with two minutes on "The Battle for Iraq," although the coverage is really about an uncovered video tape revealing the 9/11 terror plot, and how the man has been arrested and sentenced to at least 40 years in jail.

At 5:53pm there is a 30 second look at the Wall Street Markets for the day.

At 5:54pm, more commercials:
~Levitra (for Erectile Dysfunction) (45 seconds)
~Detrol LA (for bladder control problems) (1 minute)
~Bayer Aspirin (for bad knees/heart) (30 seconds)
~KARE11 News (20 seconds)
~Dateline Wednesday (25 seconds)

At 5:57pm, Brian Williams prepares to close the broadcast with a segment titled, "Signs of the Times," discussing the ever-popular "Clinton thumb." It doesn't have the anger of the clenched fist; and it doesn't point at you, because pointing is rude. There's a bizarre display of various politicians utilizing this gesture, which clearly worked for Clinton, and then a sound bite on how all presidents have had certain mannerisms and/or gestures that were either emulated or dropped, depending on the popularity of the president.

At 6:00pm Brian Williams says goodnight.

Phew. I'm exhausted. That whirlwind of a news program gets my blood pumping and my heart beating fast. I'm not sure whether the election coverage is on the verge of exploding into a new government or if the War in Iraq is breeding new terrorists everywhere or if I need to take some Bayer aspirin for my increasing pulse or if I lost money in the stock market, or if the rains from the NW are headed my way or if I need to come up with some sort of gesture to become successful. It's all such a bombardment of images and clips and at such a rapid, unrelated pace, that it literally makes me tired.

Giving myself some distance from it, though, and considering the general criteria that determines whether or not these events should be considered "news," a couple of things stand out to me right away. First of all, the prevalence of medicinal products advertised during the breaks makes it clear that the audience in mind is made up of baby boomers and beyond. Aside from obtaining the latest "breaking news," these products advertised during commercial breaks account for the practicality of that generation tuning in. Also, the breaking news revealing the votes as they come in allow for a sensational aspect of coverage - the fact that the race is so close attracts audiences' attention and functions as entertainment, as well as news. Obviously, this election is very significant and relevant given the potential turnover of power in the House and in the Senate. However, the community impact will show more after the results of the local results are in, but those are not really covered on NBC. Overall, I agree that Nightly News with Brian Williams is indeed news, even if much of it is edited for sensational entertainment and targeted towards senior citizens. Whether or not that still makes it fair and balanced is yet to be seen.

2006-11-02T15:52:00.000-08:00

Advertising Spoof:

ABSOLUTELY AFTER

2006-11-01T14:39:00.000-08:00

Advertising Blitz

Last night, while catching up on media clips online - getting my political soundbites on everything from The Daily Show to The Today Show - I was blown away by the saturation of websites by "advertainments." It's not that I was unaware that companies advertised online - in fact, I was fully aware that as audiences increasingly TiVo TV programs and skip ads when they watch them later, "advertisers are turning to alternative approaches such as product placements" (Beach, 86). As interactive online ads and popups are only a couple of forms of product placements, I knew I had witnessed many examples of such corporate existence. However, when turning to these online ads with a critical eye, I was more keen to their implications; that is, "in such a commercially mediated society (in which all forms of entertainment or social interactions are mediated by underlying commercial agendas), individual needs and desires are valued more than collective community activity designed to address societal issues" (Beach, 86). There I was, trying to catch the latest on the dirty political ads that are invading the airwaves just days before the elections, and I watched a two minute clip from The Today Show of David Gregory "on the trail" with Michael J. Fox, discussing his latest run in with Rush Limbaugh regarding Fox's advocating stem-cell research, as it relates to finding cures for diseases such as Parkinson's (which he suffers from). Limbaugh insulted Fox in a shameless lie about Fox faking his erratic movements due to his disease, when in fact the jerky movements were due to his medication. In any event, it was an interesting, politically heated topic that caught my attention. In order to view it, however, I was forced to watch not one, but two online advertisements via MSN Video, while my news clip was loading.

The first ad was for Oral B Triumph "Brush like a dentist," was their tag line. The second clip was for Tylenol Cough, with the slogan, "Stop. Think. Tylenol Cough." Immediately following the Fox segment, there was another Tylenol ad, this time, "Stop. Think. Extra Strength Tylenol Rapid Release Gels." I found it interesting that all of the ads surrounding The Today Show clips were somehow medical/health related, and I wondered what that indicated about MSN Video/The Today Show's target audience. These ads presuppose that the audience viewing these ads are adults chosing to receive at least some of their news coverage via the internet. I assume the senders of the message presuppose that their audience is made up of adults because the ads carry none of the substance or paralanguage that ads aimed at an adolescent audience. That is, by purchasing an OralB toothbrush, or Tylenol Cough, the consumers are not convinced that they will sexy, cool, and/or popular. The are, however, subliminally signalled that they will be smart, responsive, efficient, successful warriors against illness. The bold type on each product, and the simple, strong message of intelligence and health that go hand-in-hand with their particular product assure their consumers of this "truth."

I watched a few more clips surrounding various morning news clips, and continued to be exposed to online ads for Listerine and JetBlue Airlines - again, two more commodoties aimed at adults. I soon grew bored with the ads I was forced to watch before and after each clip, so I closed out of that site. Even if I try to avoid such advertising, however, I'm sure those account execs. will figure out new ways to clog my information processing zone with useless ploys that appeal to my interests. I guess just being aware of these messages is a good start to prevent falling for them.

2006-10-25T07:47:00.000-07:00

Genres:
Though my blog partner and I did our power point presentation on Native American male characters portrayed in film (see teaching idea below), I wouldn't say that that is my favorite genre. When I'm browsing the aisles of a video store, I more regularly end up walking out of the store with a romantic comedy. True to stereotypes, I'm another woman who likes "chick flicks." I suppose it's because I only rent movies when I have some down time - which isn't often. And furthermore, when I have that down time and want to relax, I'd rather watch a fun movie about love and romance, than war and death. Plus, romantic comedies are often true to life, where "a couple is coping with challenges to their relationship" (Beach, 70). I understand that the underlying value assumption in romantic comedies is that the "traditional family/love relationship is a viable institutional norm" (Beach, 71) and that this may be contrary to true life norms, but there is an undeniable comfort in that traditional norm, for me, because I come from a family where marriage is a viable institution, and one I hope for myself someday. What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic at heart!

Teaching Film Genres

To teach students how the Western genre films' portrayal of Native American male characters generally reflect status-quo values, you could teach students from a "critical or ideological" approach in which "students critically examine the normalizing force of genre texts in defining what is considered to be normal based on the need for order, consistency, control, and regularity versus instances of abnormality or deviancy in society" (Beach, 67). Taking early Western films, from the John Wayne era, students could brainstorm what was considered to be a "normal" male (cowboy, sherrif, etc.) vs. a deviant male (savage, uncivilized Native American). Then, reflect on how those notions of normalcy were mediated through old Western films and why such notions existed - what/how did these portrayals control society? Students could then study Western films from the past twenty years and compare the more modern portrayals of Native American males to their earlier portrayals. What has changed? What hasn't? How does this reflect what notions have prevailed in our society over time, in consideration of Western expansion? Have students work in small groups to craft an outline of a movie script in which Native American males were portrayed more truthfully. Once they share their ideas with other groups, discuss whether these screenplays would be "blockbusters" or not, and why. Also, ask what these alternative versions of the same issue reflect.

2006-10-13T07:23:00.000-07:00

Media Ethnography

On cold Thursday nights in Minneapolis you can find groups of girlfriends surrounding their TV sets in anticipation of this year's hottest dramedy, Grey's Anatomy, on ABC. In the 1990's, Thursday nights used to be devoted to watching FRIENDS at coffee shops with your own gaggle of gals. But in 2006, it's Grey's Anatomy, with a glass of wine. For this particular episode, I joined my two sisters, at the eldest's home in North MPLS, to watch, wine, and dine. Because I know I'm not alone in enjoying this hot new show (relatively new, that is, in its third season), I decided to ask the ladies I know, who also love the show, what it is about Grey's that keeps them coming back, week after week. Though Kelley admires the storyline of the drama ("they don't spoon feed everything to you - they leave a lot up to your interpretation") she also admits that what attracts her to the show is the good-looking people and the sexual tension. Kara agrees, but adds that she also likes the music selection because it introduces her to new music, and the fact that she can discuss the show with her friends because they all watch it. For both ladies, the show is usually viewed with a glass of wine and the company of friends. However, because the show originally aired on Sunday nights (this being the first season it's moved to Thursdays) their routines used to be a little different. Kelley used to view her Sunday nights as alone time, so she would often watch the show alone, in bed, with a glass of wine. Whereas Kara only came to the show this season because she was told by her older sisters that her old Thursday night show, (The OC) was so high school. Kara caught an episode of Grey’s after the Super Bowl this past year and was hooked. To catch up, she rented the first two seasons on DVD, and was anxiously anticipating the start of this season. When asked why this show, and not another, Kelley responded, “What else is on? I don’t watch a lot of TV during the week, or any, for that matter. Sundays were my TV nights, and I got hooked on Grey’s, so when it moved to Thursdays, I moved with it.” Kara agreed that she doesn’t have a lot of time for TV during the week, so she prioritizes time for Grey’s.

Both feel they are positioned to empathize with each of the characters, some of the time. Kara says, “even assholes like [character] Alex Kerev makes you like him sometimes, when they show their human side, like when he picked Izzy up off the hospital bed after Denny died, you know? But then again, characters like George, whom everyone loved from the beginning, is making stupid decisions this season, and so the writers of the show make you question their actions. Each character has flaws, but that’s why you love them. It’s like they’re real people.” Kelley agrees that we’re positioned to love and hate all of the characters some of the time. When questioned about the longevity of the show, however, Kelley has a different take, “I think I liked the last season better…it’s like a new relationship – the excitement of building all the new stuff (characters, storylines, etc.) – but now they have to create new storylines and keep things going – they have certain expectations to live up to.” And do they think the writers can do that? “Grey’s Anatomy Rocks,” Kara declares, laughing, as she finishes her glass of wine. Enough said.

In conclusion, you can see that the meaning constructed from watching Grey’s Anatomy, for Kelley and Kara (and myself included), is in the transaction between the text and the process. The three of us enjoy the time spent together drinking wine and having dinner as much as we enjoy watching the dramedy of the sexy characters unfold on screen. It’s a fun excuse to get together once a week, and it’s entertaining. And frankly, that’s pretty hard to come by in terms of TV these days, so we’re not complaining.

2006-10-13T07:19:00.000-07:00

2006-10-13T07:13:00.000-07:00

Public Service Announcement project. This is a mocking poster in regards to the state of American lives since Sept. 11th 2001.

2006-10-13T07:09:00.000-07:00

Magnets on automobiles became a popular way to display patriotism in the United States following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

2006-10-13T07:04:00.000-07:00

"Then as now, patriotism surged during wartime. During World Wars I and II, volunteer efforts not only boosted morale at home and abroad, but also provided necessary financial and manpower support for the war efforts. This 1942 print, published by the General Cable Corp., typifies the colorful poster exhortations of the period that encouraged each citizen to be involved in the war effort."
-www.loc.gov/wiseguide/july03/patriotism.html

2006-10-12T11:12:00.000-07:00

Representation: to present; present again, or anew; to image; to depict; to re-present a meaning already there; to stand in for us...

We must apply critical lenses to media representations of texts in order to understand the way in which meaning is somehow given for the images we see. One media representation that requires careful scrutiny is the many versions of the term patriotism:

From QuickSeek Encyclopedia, "Patriotism denotes positive attitudes by individuals to their own civic or political community, to its culture, its members, and to its interests. The word is derived from the Latin patria, fatherland, which has a much broader meaning than a geographical territory. Patriotism is often conflated with nationalism, but the two should be distinguished."

Keep checking in for a few images depicting patriotism, as defined by various media outlets...

2006-10-05T11:47:00.000-07:00

Critical Analysis of a Media Text: The new MacBook advertisement, published in The New Yorker, October 2, 2006.

In the opening pages of this month's New Yorker, one comes across a two-page spread advertising the new MacBooks from Apple Computer, Inc. On the left page is a picture of a black MacBook with a blue monitor screen; it is open and inviting, waiting to be typed on. On the right page is an identical picture of a white MacBook, its monitor similarly open, turned on, and inviting. Underneath the MacBooks reads Apple's tagline, "Introducing the MacBooks, the world's newest power couple." The fine print continues on, "Meet the MacBooks, the two newest members of the Mac family. Both feature Intel Core Duo processors for blazing performance, 13-inch glossy widescreen displays, built-in iSight cameras for video-chatting right out of the box, and the award-winning iLife '06 suite of software that lets you easily create blogs, podcasts, photo albums, movies and more. The MacBook starts at just $1,099."

Critical Discourse Analysis - Discourse of Class:

Although it goes without saying that ads in The New Yorker magazine "appeal to images of wealth and power associated with international travel, expensive cars, and financial advising" (Beach, 38), this ad pushes that appeal to the higher levels of wealth. The introduction of the "MacBooks," sounds similar to what one might expect to hear at a Hamptons dinner party, "Introducing the MacDougals, New York's newest power couple. He's the CFO of an International Insurance company and she's the VP of Sales and Marketing at TheBiggestPublishingHouseInTheBiz." Not only are we being introduced to the "MacBooks," charming though they may be, we're informed that they start at "just $1,099," an astronomical price if, as the assumption goes, the audience is planning on buying one of each, a "his" and "hers" version. Additionally, since these are the "newest" members of the Mac family, it is also assumed that the audience already owns the other members of the family, and obviously possesses enough disposable income to buy the latest versions, simply because they're fashionable. Possessing not one, not two, but at least three computers in one family serves to signify the meaning of high class, and maintains a power structure that many of America's poorer families could never hope to reach, nor compete with. Not only that, but the super fine print indicates that the computers will end up costing the purchaser much more than "just $1,099." That is, they specify that "Broadband Internet access required for video chat; fees may apply. Publishing blogs and podcasts require Internet and web server access. Prices are Apple retail store prices as of May 16, 2006, are subject to change, do not include taxes or shipping and are listed in U.S. dollars." These extra fees go without saying, I suppose, when one is making a purchase this large; however, the mere access to such services presupposes an income level far beyond many people living in this country.

Poststructuralist Analysis: Language Categories:

"A poststructuralist approach examines how language categories in media texts themselves influence audiences' perceptions. Additionally, a poststructuralist analysis examines the limitations of these binary oppositions as reflecting an overly simplistic categorization of characters' actions." (Beach, 37). With the MacBooks, we're presented with a his and hers version of the new computer. Because the male vs. female binary is based on gender stereotypes, for example, that "males value physical actions, violence, and operating in public worlds, while females value emotions, relationships, and operating in private worlds" (Beach, 37), we can assume that the black computer is male, and the white computer is female. That is, based on other racial stereotypes, and the black vs. white binary, black has traditionally been assumed to be the more aggressive color, over white. Therefore, because we're supposed to be viewing a male and female version, the male version would be the black, more aggressive computer, while the white computer would be the female, more emotional computer. What's interesting about this analysis, is that,when one reads the super fine print at the bottom of the ad, we find out that the black computer costs $400 more, just based on color. The exact wording is, "The white MacBook starts at $1,099. The black at $1,499." If, based on other cultural codes, the possession of brand names and other costly purchases are meant to indicate wealth and social status, those in the market for the new MacBook would be well aware of the price difference and would know that those who purchase the white MacBooks paid less; does this, then, signify that the white (female) MacBook is worth less than the black (male) MacBook? Are men valued more by the Apple company? Or is this all one big subliminal mess?

2006-09-28T12:51:00.000-07:00

Analysis of editing techniques used in the opening scene of Good Night, and Good Luck:

A glitzy party scene, shot in black-and-white, is scanned in a friendly, watchful manner by the camera eye as the movie, Good Night, and Good Luck begins. At first, the audience is positioned to identify with an anonymous party-goers' perspective as the camera pans the various tables of media people dressed for a black tie affair. You feel as though you may be sitting at one of those tables, scanning the room for a familiar face, but enjoying the revelry that bubbles around you while you wait. Against the soundtrack of slow, nostalgic jazz music, we see close-ups of dainty hands with painted fingernails, fingertips touching lightly as if in anticipation; laughing men smoking cigarettes and conversing loudly across the room, though you can't hear their conversation. Time feels suspended, as if you're watching silent home movies where the concept of time is irrelevant. The jazz music swells as if the din of laughter and conversation is getting louder too, though, again, no words are intelligible to the viewer. The sequence of shots focusing on characters in the foreground, and then cutting to those in the background, is played out a number of times, as if the viewers' eyes are continuously shifting their focus. The lighting is soft, yet bright, as if the chandeliers from the ball room are glinting with candlelight, combined with brighter, stage lighting awaiting the guest speaker. Groups of men gather for photographs, and there is a reunion-type feeling of people who have gone through something together, and are now celebrating their achievement. That is, it turns out, the relationship of these newsmen, though you're unaware of it at the outset.

Suddenly, the music stops and the camera cuts to a long shot of a man at a podium on stage, viewed from the very back of the room. The character is introducing the guest speaker, whom we quickly learn is Edward Murrow. The background noise in the room is hushed. We are now able to hear the echo of the microphone and the silence of the audience members as their attention is focused on the speaker. A few men clear their throats. The bright, white spotlights create a sharp contrast against the black shadows and silhouettes of the audience members. The camera cuts again to a side view of the podium, and the viewers' perspective becomes aligned with the man standing off stage in the shadows; only his prominent nose and rising, curling cigarette smoke are visible. At the announcement of his name, Edward Murrow walks on stage, and the viewer is right there with him, peering out at the audience from the podium. This position indicates to the viewer that we will be hearing his version of events as the rest of the movie plays out. Murrow's words are serious and strong, and the camera cuts rapidly from close-ups of his face to the reaction on the faces of audience members. That Murrow is a controversial man is evidenced by the fleeting look of discomfort and/or nervousness on some of the audience members, juxtaposed by the look of determination on Murrow's face. Murrow's conviction in what he says, however, leads the viewer to believe that we will witness a flashback that supports his claims about the future of television and news reporting. Such editing builds anticipation and leaves the viewer intrigued by how the story will unfold. This was a great little film, and I encourage anyone interested in the fear and falsehoods used by Senator Joesph McCarthy during the Cold War to weed out so-called Communists, to see this film.

2006-09-21T13:58:00.000-07:00

NXNW (1959)

In the infamous escape scene of North by Northwest, director Alfred Hitchcok employs the use of high and low angle camera shots and tilted frames to build suspense as Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) and Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint) evade the mysterious thugs attempting to kill them for thwarting their attempts to smuggle government secrets out of the country. Though NXNW is a color film, the scene appears to have been shot with a film noir lighting style to produce stark images with single, hard key lights. Long, dark, shadows, filtered through slotted beams framing the house on the mountain, create a suspenseful mood as Thornhill sclaes the side of the house to resuce Kendall. As Kendall breaks free from her captors and makes a run towards Thornhill, Hitchcock must have used a wide-angle lense and a small aperture to produce the dramatic effect of having both the foreground and the deep background in sharp focus. Throughout the death-defying sequences on top of Mount Rushmore, the camera frames shift from close-ups of Thornhill and Kendall hanging on to the mountain side for dear life, to wide, sprawling shots of the presidents' faces and the drop off below. This intensifies the suspense as the audience waits "on the edge of their seats" to see who will fall off the monument. Of course, the music builds as the pursuit reaches a climax and the outcome is revealed, giving credence to Hitchcock's title as, "The Master of Suspense."

2006-09-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

Why teach critical analysis of the media?

First, a fictional summary description of my high school's Language Arts curriculum, along with their presumed attitudes towards the value of media studies:

George T. Johnson High School in Middletown, Minnesota teaches Language Arts in the traditional sense, covering strands of the Standards (I. Reading and Literature, II. Writing, and III. Speaking, Listening, and Viewing) in an antiquated lecture format; the extent of their media usage is the occasional presentation of a film clip to accompany analysis of the literary text. The administration is connected to the Internet, but the students are not allowed access without extreme supervision. It seems the administration has disregarded the fact that the majority of their students are avid gamers, iPod users, cell phone owners, and IM pros. The nature of the student body appears to be directly at odds to the district's attidtudes towards the value of media studies.

My plea, then to this fictional district, is for them to realize the way their students are communicating outside of the classroom, and to adapt their policies to their students' (and the society's) current needs and capabilities. Media, in today's society, is such a pervasive and overwhelming force, that to ignore and/or avoid it is to undermine the way young people today are changing the way we communicate. I understand where the instinct to "return to basics" in the classroom is coming from, but I don't think it's realistic. If our students are having issues with reading and writing in the traditional sense, it would help to evaluate what types of literacy they are engaging with instead, and see what we could to to integrate that into the classroom. I'm not advocating that educators should stop teaching the cannon, for example, all together; rather, I'm suggesing a fusion of the "old" and the "new." Without analyzing and evaluating the media, we are doing our students a disservice; that is, we must teach them how to critically analyze the source(s) of their current information so that they may become more articulate, competitive, and informed members of society.

2006-09-07T15:30:00.000-07:00

while learning how to create my first blog . . . I feel like I'm in the twilight zone . . .