Irresponsible Portrayal of Women in the Media

Girls and women of all ages have struggled at some points in their lives with their appearance. Whether they've wanted to be taller or thinner, most women have thought at some time or another, how they could improve their looks. For the most part these thoughts of trying to achieve perfection have come from the influences from the media. The media has portrayed images of beauty that most women do not and cannot look like. The force of the media is so powerful that it has put an impact on how women should look and act in order to obtain happiness. How often in movies, television or even magazines have you seen an oversized woman who was exuberant and cheerful?

In the American Heritage Dictionary beauty is defined as a pleasing quality associated with harmony of form or color, excellence of craftsmanship, truthfulness, originality, or another, often unspecifiable property. It is thought that everyone has there own interpretation of what beauty is and what it is not. However, in today's society the media has shown and defined beauty in more of a physical appearance.Women are reduced to the status of objects due to the insistence of male dominance and desire in our patriarchal world. They are denied full expression of humanity if, as Lord Krishna preached, feeling desire is a very human “thing.” Society employs many mechanisms that perpetuate patriarchy and maintain the sexual imbalance in our world. One such mechanism is the media. The media bombards humans with images that portray women as passive objects. It is unfair that the media cites the First Amendment as the reason for not censoring such depictions of women that are degrading and robs women of their desires. The media – through advertisements, films, and music videos – portray women as desirable objects for those whom the media and therefore society, assumes to be the genuine sexual beings, men.

By posing the “thin-ideal,” advertisements convince women to believe that their bodies are objects in need of constant improvement. Striving for the “thin-deal,” however, causes many girls and women to become self-conscious and dissatisfied with their bodies. One research group has found that after being exposed to women’s magazines – such as, Vogue, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan – “girls…showed more dieting, anxiety, and bulimic symptoms” (www.media-scope.com). Interestingly enough, a newspaper that has no photos, The Wall Street Journal, does the best job at advertising diet doctors, pill mills, and weight loss scams. Among the many reasons, advertisements are one reason why only a body is what a woman is see as and becomes. For the sake of selling products, advertises purposely normalize unrealistically thin bodies in order to create an unattainable objective for women.

Another form of media humans enjoy, namely films, reflects the language of patriarchy. In most American films, a woman is seen as the “other.” The lead actress exists only as an icon or object that is incapable of making things happen. The visual presence of a female in films tends to bring a pause in the story line, which is inevitably driven by a subjective and desiring male. He pursues her. He makes their world happen.

Take the early film “Metropolis”  for example. Wanting to replace human workers, Rotwang, the lead actor, creates a female-robot, a lifeless object, and he gains control over the workers by having the robot perform “certain tasks.” The most disturbing message from films like this one involves how patriarchal society fears any suggestion of female sexuality. Films employ an indirect, hidden method that emphasizes to women the importance of suppressing desire in becoming desirable objects. This is what patriarchy wants! This is what patriarchy tirelessly “teaches” women!

In Conjunction with advertisements and films, most music videos today portray women as sex objects to satisfy male voyeurism. For instance, the powerful music video, “Dreamworlds II,” creates a fantasy or “dreamworld” for men in which women are mindless nymphomaniacs, continually interested in sex with any available man. Music videos such as these provide women with yet another disturbing message: female sexuality does not exist because a woman’s function depends entirely on satisfying male sexuality. By separating women into body parts (that is, legs, arms, hips, and breasts), music videos distract viewers from seeing women subjectively as humans with thoughts and feelings of their own.

It is much easier on the conscience if one hits a punching bag, rather than an identifiable person. In most music videos however, that degrade women, men associate women with being their punching bags. As a result, immature male viewers may become emotionally desentsitized and begin to associate women with being their punching bags as well. Emotional desensitization and therefore violence against women increases with the number of music videos that are made, released, and viewed each day. After having faced violence, women begin to believe that feeling desire is a “crime” that is punished with violence.

The power of media is so great that humans literally depend on it to tell them what “reality” is. Our society needs to understand that the underlying messages provided to men and women involve two different realities: a subjective one for men and an objective one for women. Media does not register in consciousness the same way for men and women. The social-learning approach argues that individuals are rewarded for imitating role models of their own gender. Thus, “reality” for most women becomes imitating objects of male desire and for most men, imitating powerful figures who know how to act and desire. Despite our progress into the twenty-first century, one can only feel a certain irritation after realizing that the truth about how our society creates positions of desire diminishes the feminine gender.

The media may be making a lot of money but that gives the media no reason for not understanding the power of its imagery or becoming more socially responsible. People who work in the media need to portray not one but both genders as capable of defining themselves and asserting their own desires. This, in turn, will allow the media to present a more complete image of women and rectify the gross injustice that has been done to what Simone de Beauvoir once called “the second sex.” Women can transform their suppression into expression of their own choices once justice has been done to them by the media, as well as the society. Women can then, hopefully, feel desire independently of the dangers and dilemmas that are normally associated with it today.

Media and its Effect to our Society

Media plays a significant role in our society today. It is all around us, from the shows we watch on television, the music we listen to on the radio, to the books and magazines we read each day. Television more so that any of the other medias achieves a myriad of different goals. These goals range from entertaining to educating. Various confines of education and entertainment are depicted in television.

For the most part the television is found to be very entertaining. People watch television shows they enjoy and find entertaining. Television is often looked at as a babysitter for children. The viewing of television can entertain the young and old alike for great amounts of time. Along with entertaining, the media is used to inform society. Days are often started by the listening of the news on the morning television, judging the latest updates on the local traffic jams. Days are often concluded with the watching of the late night news on television, keeping us informed of the world and the events occurring around us. Steven Stark, author of Glued to the Set has been quoted as saying, "the local newscast has replaced the network news and the newspaper alike as the average American's main source of news.” 

In addition to informing the television is used to spread a message or to campaign. Political candidates on all levels use this medium to inform the public of their views and hopefully to convince the public to elect them.

James B. Twitchwill author of Adcult USA: The Triumph of Advertising in American Culture states,"The culture we live in is carried on the back of advertising.”(405) Television is used to inform, entertain and campaign and most significantly, it is used for advertising. In fact, television is so centered on advertising and these advertisers play such large sums money to advertise that advertising has taken over.

Media refers to mass media such as broadcast media, print media and the web media. Television and radio are considered broadcast media while newspapers, magazines and journals are known as print media and internet news, the web media. The media is an important source of information through its news segments, entertainment and allows for exchange of ideas, suggestions and comments.

Consumers nowadays have a variety of media outlets compared to a few decades ago. The advent of the Internet and services provided through it, has enabled many of us to gain access to instant and a variety of news and entertainment. In fact, the presence of Internet also has led to creativity among the young consumers with the latter setting up personal websites, blogs and others. It has inadvertently led many students to take advantage of the prevalence of information by copying and plagiarizing writings from the internet news. While the internet has been hailed as the most important advances humankind has made in the 20th century, it is nevertheless open to abuse and exploitation that presents danger to humans.

However, although most of us get our news through the media as many of us have little time to read books or journals, the news presented to us can be biased and one sided. During the invasion of Iraq in 2003 by the United States and its allies, casualty figures of their military personnel were highlighted and hardly any news on the figures for Iraqi civilians and its military personnel. News reported on websites appears more reliable and transparent though one has to be careful about the accuracy of the facts reported. the media news too can misrepresent information to serve the objectives of certain people or authorities in power.

In many Asian nations, there are limits to press freedom. Although the media is allowed to present news and its views as well as perspectives, it is barred from providing news that can potentially create unrest and violence. The government has instituted the Official Secrets Act and Internal security act that allows it to detain anybody including those working in the media for inciting racial or religious violence. However, there is still a degree of freedom in these countries' press compared to other more conservative countries. we have access to news from all around the world and readers are invited to send their views and contributions to be published in the media.

The media is not only an important source of news and opinions but also entertainment. Most young people usually turn on the television for movies, MTV and other entertainment programs. the adults however, prefer news and more educational programs.

Thus, the media plays an important role in our lives as we cannot envisage a life without the daily reporting of national, regional and international news. It would be like returning to the Stone Ages. However, consumers must ensure the news reported in the media is accurate and not one-sided by looking at its contents critically and voicing their views on certain issues.

Media has continuously pervaded and defined society and has advanced with technology. The traditional forms of media propagation including television, newspapers, posters and mail remain as efficient as before the introduction of newer methods. Email, websites, e-zines and social online media have replaced expensive media production such as magazines and photographic paper.

Media imparts and shapes society’s opinion on the subjects of politics, business, culture and sports. It reflects on the freedom of speech and freedom of expression within a country. The positive aspects of free media far outweigh the negative effects that may occur. In the case of internet based media, control is difficult. Control of the Internet has however been imposed in China.

Media has the ability to bring relief to disaster prone areas while at the same time it may be responsible for nurturing prejudice against certain regions. For example, the perception that Africa is an extremely underdeveloped region although it is actually bustling with megacities. In the world of social media, gossip columns have the potential to ruin lives of individuals or boost their popularity. Advertising through modern media has led to the rise of fortune 500 companies.

It has been argued that media has resulted in a generation of couch potatoes who rarely engage in outdoor activities. It has become rarer to find someone who has good handwriting since typing is now the preferred skill. Conversely, media has brought about a positive sense of globalization and has been a good base for education. Children of today learn languages faster thanks to media. They may however be exposed to rated content which overall chews on the moral fiber of society. Checks and balances therefore have to be better enforced to protect little eyes and ears.

Conventional media speaks volumes when it comes to sustainability and reduction of the carbon footprint. People have to print less and travel less when information is promptly and conveniently availed at their doorstep, mailbox, inbox, television or blog. Though media is ubiquitous, it has created a demand for sensational coverage. Certain issues that headline today would not have been considered newsworthy a century ago. Hype is created, privacy is infringed on and reality is altered regularly in contemporary media.

An Analysis of the Media and Culture Issues of Society

The issue of the relationship between the mass media and the popular culture has always been a controversial issue in social sciences. The political economists insist on the role of the media industry in the creation of this phenomenon of the twentieth century. Though, advocates such as John Fiske, argue that popular culture is actually the creation of the populous itself, and is independent of the capitalist production process of the communication sector. Basing his argument on the immense interpretive power of the people, Fiske believes that the audience is able to break all the indented meanings within a media message. He also believes- by giving new meanings to that specific message they can oppose the power block that is trying to impose its ideology to the public. Consequently, this anarchistic activity of the audience creates the popular culture as a defence mechanism. Even when we accept Fiske’s ideas, we can not disregard the manipulative power of the media and its effects on cultural and social life.

Everyday we are exposed to millions of different visual messages, which tell us what to eat, what to wear, what to watch and what to listen. No matter how hard we try to avoid being influenced by these directives, we can only protect ourselves to a certain point. After that, no interpretive power can be helpful. Media then leads us to a path that ends up in the same department store with our neighbour, with whom we have probably never spoken to before. Ironically, we are holding the same pair of socks or CDs, and we might never want to recall the TV commercial that had opened the gates to this path.

The United States is the biggest economical power in the world today, and consequently has also the strongest and largest media industry. Therefore, it is essential to take a look at the crucial relationship between the media and the popular culture within the social context of the United States for a better understanding of the issue. For a simpler analysis of the subject we shall divide the media industry into three main branches: Entertainment, News and Commercials (which is the essential device for the survival of the industry, and shall be considered in integration with Entertainment). Researches have shown that the most popular reason behind TV viewing is relaxation and emptying the mind. Therefore, the entertainment programs, being the only choice for relaxation, are the most effective tools of influence. The notation being that during programs the viewers are least busy with conscious mental activities. The TV series (mostly soap operas) are the most popular programs within the entertainment group. The easiness of viewing them is the reason behind their popularity. Each of them is created for a certain type of audience profile: housewives, working men, teenagers, children etc. Within these categories they are also divided according to social and economical bases. In one sense Dallas would probably appeal to any average American and in the other Thirty-something would mostly be popular among the yuppies, and the Young and Restless among the housewives. However, this distribution is not intended to satisfy the viewer, but to satisfy the advertisers. Since, lets say an importer of French wines, is sure that mostly the viewers with high income and luxurious tastes would be watching Thirty-something, he can confidently advertise in the commercial breaks of this program, rather than during Married with Children. However, the most striking characteristic of the series does not come from their commercialist structure and their power of encouraging consumerism, but from the cult that they create.

In November 1980, 70 million Americans turned on their televisions to learn the murderer of J.R in the Dallas series, and after the show, 150 TV stations, 3,500 professional and 2,500 amateur radio stations announced the murderer in the news headlines and broadcasted commentaries about the issue. During the specific episode of the series, a one minute commercial was sold for $500, 000 US dollars (Senyap, 112). The fate of an imaginary character had become the most important subject of discussion in the United States. In other words, 70 million Americans were not able to interpret or change the message of the series. The same people who were protesting the re-establishment of the registration for the draft in February of the same year, were now mostly curious about Dallas and J.R. (Vietnam and America, 301).

On the other hand, a TV channel that was fully established for the purpose of entertainment, MTV, took a mission that was totally not expectable. In 1992 the channel started two campaigns called "Chose or Lose", and "Rock the Vote", in order to increase the voting rate among the young generation. The result was highly positive; polls taken in late October showed that 75% of the 18 to 29 age group said that they would vote, compared to the 40% in 1988. In addition the votes were heavily in favour of Clinton who had accepted to present himself on MTV, unlike Bush (Edelstein, 110). Although the picture may look positive at first, with a deeper perspective it becomes dramatic. The only way of appealing to the young generation seems to be through a music channel, which is based on the creation and consumption of a popular culture. They get interested in politics only when their idols or leaders tell them to do so. Their “freethinking” ability is limited with the mediated message that appeals to them, and they act mechanically according to these messages, highly contradicting with the "free your mind" slogan of MTV.

When we talk about the successes of TV campaigns, we shall always consider the inverse process that can also easily take place. Therefore, the picture can be viewed more critically. At this point a question comes to mind. Why are we so much influenced by TV; How can it be such a powerful device? To understand this, we shall consider Festinger’s theory on social influence: "If one believes that a sheet of glass is fragile, one can test that belief by hitting it with a hammer. The subjective validity of this belief depends on physical reality testing. However, a belief that socialism is the way forward for humanity can not be tested the same way. Such a belief is correct, valid and proper to the extent that it is anchored in a group of people with similar beliefs, opinions and attitudes" (Turner, 19). This hypothesis by Festinger is supported by three additional points: 1) If other people agree and share our attitudes, then we are more likely to consider them as subjectively valid. 2) We prefer to join groups of people with whom we agree which in the end causes a stronger agreement of a specific issue. 3) And finally, the less we are able to make physical testing, the more important becomes the agreement of similar others to validate our beliefs (Turner, 20). To get to a point where television takes its place as an instrument of conviction, we shall add a final hypothesis about influence. According to Deutsch and Gerard, informational influence is influence to accept information from another as evidence about objective reality. Conformity is motivated by the desire to form an accurate view of reality and to act correctly, and is increased by the uncertainty about the correctness of one’s judgment and the ambiguity of the stimulus situation (Turner, 34). We always have a considerable amount of uncertainty about our decisions, and always look for conformation from a friend or an authority.

The role of the television at this point is its being the collection of all possible organs of conformation. It is obvious that when we take two newspapers, say the New York Times and The Daily News, we are more intended to believe the news covered in the Times. We tend to leans towards the beliefs of the Times because it targets the “high-brow” audience of society, therefor being more respected in factual coverage. However, as Giddens puts it, according to a research, if a news report on TV differs from a newspaper account, more than twice as many people will believe the televised version as the newspaper one (Giddens, 79). The listeners of the Nixon-Kennedy debate on the radio derived Nixon as the obvious winner. However, the ones who watched the debate on TV were sure that Kennedy would become the new president of the United States (Hughes, 4). The TV viewers were right, but what made them think that way if it were the ideas that mattered? According to Giddens, if the current trends in TV watching continue, by the age of 18, the average child born today will have spent more time watching TV than in any other activity except sleep (Giddens, 449). In 1947, there were 170,000 TV sets in US homes, by the year 1991 the number reached to 750 million, and considering the fact that an average 18 year old American is exposed to approximately 350,000 TV commercials, the picture becomes more dramatic (Coupland, 182).

The persuasive affect of the television therefore follows two steps. First, it is the synthesis of video and audio, which means that it involves action and sound as the most realistic forms of communication making it the most popular electronic device ever produced. We are more likely to accept what television tells us as the truth than any other medium. It is in the most respectful corner of our living rooms, where once our grandfathers use to tell fairy tales. It is a member of our family that holds some magical ties with the outer world, through which we learn the deeds of our times. “It is the head of the household in the traditional sense that tells us the right way to behave, the right goods to consume, and the right people to choose” (Good). It survives with our confidence, which lasts forever despite all our criticisms. It socialises our lives, which we’d deliberately try to hide behind the curtain of the fast city life. It does this by visually integrating our materially disintegrated society, with its promotion of stereotyped consumption fetishism. It is the most favoured mean of communication which "demands not to be spoken to while it is speaking- in the name of the TV- a law that any child will invoke against its stuttering parents" (O’Neill, 13). Television is indeed our window to the world. The second step in the visual influence process starts at this point. For all the reasons described above, television is the most trustworthy medium to give us the subjective validity of our beliefs, which can not be proved physically. It is the ultimate source from which we can get evidence about objective reality, motivated by our desire to form an accurate view of this reality and to act correctly. Our uncertainty about the future and more importantly about our own time (which is expressed by individualism and the loneliness of the individual itself) increases our dependency on the television. The role of this “magical” machine at this point is giving us the feeling of being part of a well functioning and united system. As O’Neill writes, "…the specular function of TV lies in its ability to individualise the mass while treating the individual only as a member of the masses" (O’Neill, 181). However, the most important effect of media, and especially TV, is not derived from the exposure of visual images and commercials that tend to create a popular consumer culture, but actually from what we are not exposed.

The gatekeepers of the news industry control all the information. They decide on what to publish or broadcast, based on the ideology and the structure of the institution. This is not censoring in a classical sense, but rather an “auto-control mechanism” that functions for the survival of the system and the controlling of the public. Therefore, whatever is presented in the news would rather be a part of the popular culture, (created by the entertainment industry) since the popular culture itself is created for the growth of the capitalist economy and the homogenisation of the society, which are essential elements for a stable system.

In 1961, President Eisenhower talked about an acquisition of unwarranted influence by what he called the "military- industrial complex," and stated that measures had to be taken to guard against this "potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power" (Roach, 17). Colleen Roach makes an addition to this analysis, and underlines that since 1961, a new component has been added to the military- industrial complex; communication, and gives the following example. "In 1986, the intersection between communication, industry and the military became most apparent when General Electric (GE), one of the world’s major defence contractors, bought RCA and with it NBC" (Roach, 17). Lee and Solomon give supporting evidence about the integration of the media and the military-industry. The boards of directors of the Big Three (CBS, ABC, NBC) are composed of executives, lawyers, financiers and former government officials who represent the biggest banks and corporations in the United States, including military and nuclear contractors. There are numerous interlocks between the board of directors of the New York Times and the nuclear industry, which partially explains why it has been a fanatical supporter of nuclear weapons (Roach, 18). Understanding the connection between the media and the military-industry gives us something more than its war promoting function, but shows its role in the decision making mechanism of our age.

Any capitalist regime, not considering a dictatorship, needs the private enterprise for survival. Therefore the extent that it can act against the private sector is very limited and television lives with advertisement and sponsorship, rather than audience. Therefore, what we mostly see on the screen is what the sponsors promote, which are usually mechanisms to keep the society stable. As Mosco puts it; "electronic communication and information systems (from ATMs to TV) make it possible to gather massive amount of information about the choices of different groups of people, so as to better manage and control group behaviour (Roach, 46).

Let’s now look at different examples of the use of TV; first as a means of control over society. Before January 1991, public opinion polls showed that the American public was split into two groups, 50% each, about whether the U.S. should attack Iraq or not. However, says Roach, if any anti-war voices had been heard in the mass media at this time, the outcome could have been completely different (Roach, 20). The second example turns out to be a more tragic one, when we talk about the freedom of speech. After the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the pictures of the irradicated Japanese were not made available to the American public until 1980’s (Roach 25). The following is an example of this "hiding" policy of the gatekeepers. In November 1983 the Americans had the chance to watch ABC’s The Day After, which was a film set in Japan, about the survival of a small number of Americans after an atomic blast. The film dramatically showed the dark side of the nuclear technology. In 1982 a Canadian director, Terri Nash, made a documentary called- If You Love This Planet, and won an Academy Award. In his work, he used the Japanese films about the effects of the atomic bomb. However, "as of 1987, the U.S. Justice Department requires registration of screenings and persons viewing the film which it classifies as political propaganda", says O’Neill, and continues: The difference between the two films is one that nuclear TV cannot stand. In one case we see the actual horror of a bomb dropped by Americans and that, in the other case, we see the fictional horror of a bomb imagined by Americans to have been dropped upon them by someone else. Thus, TV is engaged in a retrospective political history on the nuclear front which parallels the current remaking of the Vietnam War and America’s re-humanisation of military adventure (O’Neill, 190-91). In both cases, we see the stabilising function of the television through an auto-control mechanism, and the promotion of what the authorities define as suitable. It manipulates reality into a socially comfortable and acceptable rhetoric.

As the audience, we consider the tales of the television to be the most reliable ones, for now it is our new grandfather. Therefore, the control of the society through TV, by those who control it, are directing the society towards a certain destination, which is found to be the "way forward for humanity," and keeping the system together by creating a popular culture based on consumerism. This turns out to be a post-modern way of practicing authority in our post-modern lives. After all, we breathe visually. We live with images; both of ourselves and of other people. We talk with the symbols of a mechanised life "everything is under control.” We pet the remote control, not our little puppies, and we thankfully worship our TV set, for He has enabled us to be what we are today. We are the children of a new clan, and TV is the Good Shepherd of the post-modern times, preaching the virtuous American way of life, and He has long established "His Kingdom on Earth".

How the Internet Has Changed Everyday Life

1. What are the different forms of social media that exist today? Provide examples of different social media and their primary purposes.

There are several types of social media that exists on the Internet today. Each allows the user to communicate with other in a variety of ways. Internet gaming sites such as Pogo, Iwin, GSN.com allow people from all over the world to play team or individual games. A chat gives players the option to interact with others. Social Networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace provide the means for friends and family to share thoughts, stories, and pictures at any time. There are also websites that allow photo or video sharing such as Flicker, Photo bucket and YouTube. Social media today allows family and friends to stay in touch.


2. What are the greatest benefits of social media for individuals and society?

The greatest benefit of social media is how fast information can be passed from one person to the next. Social media had revolutionized the manner in which Americans receive information. Before the invention of social media websites family members would have to send a letter or make a phone call to inform each other of family events. Many families set up reunions, vacations and obtained the ability to stay involved in each other's lives. International and domestic news information is accessible from any computer once it is posted. Social media brings new meaning to the phrase "news flash" by presenting information instantly.


3. What are the greatest problems of social media for individuals and society?

Unfortunately freedom is abused at times. Social media has also provided criminals with a new arena in which to cause harm. Predators have used websites like Facebook and Craig's list to stalk their victims. The anonymity the internet provides has allowed would-be pedophiles access to children online. Identity theft is another crime that is more easily preformed with information obtained from social media websites. In some instances incorrect information is passed along as fact. Some people like to pass along half-truths or rumors about individuals they dislike. Usually the subject of the gossip is devastated but helpless to erase the misinformation spread to large amounts of his or her peers. These often untrue statements cause emotional damage, destroy relationships and ruin a person's career or reputation.



4. How have modern social media sites affected commerce? Include positive and negative examples in your answer.

Social media provides a low-cost alternative to advertising by producing television commercials. Media sites are seen by hundreds of people every day. Conveniently placed banner ads place a company's name and products within a continuous view of social media users. Exposure of a business on social media sites allows consumers to post comments to other users stating satisfaction or positive opinions about that brand. Additional customer support sources could be placed to heighten consumer happiness. Despite the extra exposure a business could also retain a negative impact on profits. Negative commentary is always a possibility when users are allowed to post comments. Also use of social media requires an employee or employee to maintain the site, filter for viral damage, and maintain banner ad links.



5. How has the Internet changed the way many Americans consume information? Explain the importance and value of the availability of information on the Internet.

Typically Americans want all information possible when researching a subject. In the past, people were content to wait until the six o'clock news to learn about international and domestic events of the day. That is no longer the case today individuals want instant access to news on a variety of subjects. In corporate circle current information is power and most people want the newest information at his or her finger tips. Smart phones, laptop computers, and 24 hour news channels meet that need.

The Internet is portable, available to everyone, and holds limitless amounts of information. The recent events in Egypt showed how some governments try to censor internet content. However, there is no off button for the internet so citizens were able to share the details on social media sites such as Facebook.


6. How might you determine if information found online is trustworthy? Describe credibility issues with information found on the Internet.

One must examine the source of the information to determine credibility. Typically one can ascertain reliability by the extension used in the web-address; those that end with -.gov, -.org, and -.mil are among the most trustworthy. Websites such as CNN, FOX news, or even the Library of congress' website provide bountiful information on almost any topic. Wikipedia claims to be a free online encyclopedia but allows anyone to edit or add commentary. Competent authors, of reference material, usually provide the reader with his or her source of information to assure credibility. Some websites appear trustworthy but contain more conjecture, opinion, or manipulated information than actual facts.



7. In what ways have politicians used the Internet in campaigning and in staying in touch with constituents? What is the overall effect of the Internet on politics?

Observation of the 2008 Obama/McCain presidential race proves the value of social media. Both candidates used social media to inform voters about their political platforms. Obama had 844,927 MySpace friends while McCain only had 219,404. On Twitter, Obama had over 118,107 followers compared to a merger 4,942 following John McCain. Social media allows politicians to reach out to the people, gives the people the opportunity to ask questions and allows political candidates to dispute misinformation or rumors involving his or her campaign. This connection also presents politicians in a familiar setting that allows voters to see the candidates as a normal people like themselves. The 2008 election proved that the Internet is a crucial campaign tool, one that must be embraced for future success.



8. Newspapers, once available only in print, have evolved into 24-hour multimedia operations. In addition to newspapers, briefly describe the evolution of movies, television, Internet, books and magazines, and media companies throughout the last century.

Before the invention of the television newspapers were the only source of world and local news. Once television news became popular the battle began for news sources to present the story first. The appearance of newspaper reporters as experts on the television news in order to promote the newspaper for which they work. Newspapers routinely update their website with up-to-the-minute progress of Prominent stories. Promotional videos and still photography of movies and television shows commonly appear on popular websites in the form of banner ads. Routinely studios produce multiple previews to promote upcoming releases to stimulate interest in their website and future projects. Television shows, books, and movies are available for purchase or to be viewed online via online stores such as I-Tunes. Electronic formats of books is a relatively new concept. Flat screen viewers like the Kindle and the Nook allow avid readers to carry multiple novels, magazines, or even textbooks in a small portable device. Most pre-internet media sourced have refocused sales to target internet audiences.





9. What is media convergence? Provide an example of media convergence and explain the media elements that are being combined. Explain how the combination of media elements in your example may be useful and to whom.

Media convergence is the coming together of two forms of media to either promote on another or to create a new product. Books and television were merger with the invention of Oprah Winfrey's book club. Each selection announced became an instant best seller. Even works that had been published years previously had sales revitalized by the promotion of the book club. Many books have made the transition from mere words to images in the form of feature films. Popular books such as the "Harry Potter" made the transition to blockbuster films earning millions of dollars in both movie ticket sales, home viewing products, and book sales. Another media converge may be on the horizon is between television and computers. Many believe that in the future individuals will no longer need both as separate devices.



10. How has media convergence changed American culture?

Media convergence has created hunger for instant or portable information and entertainment. Laptops, cell phones, and blackberries have allowed Americans to immediately find and share information with small or large amounts of other people. Cell phones will send mass e-mails without a user having to be near a internet Wi-Fi hub. For many Americans anger, stress, and anxiety have increased exponentially with this attitude of needing the newest information now. Some business professionals enjoy the benefits the Internet providers of communication across the world via teleconferences and e-mail. These advances lessen travel requirement of many positions. Movies, television programs, and books have become portable out of necessity rather than technical advancement.



11. Explain how music and culture influence one another. Provide an example of a song or album that affected culture. Provide examples of songs with cultural references.

Musicians usually release music relevant to the time in which they live. Recording artists in the 1960s took cues from the hippies seeking peace and the end to the war in Vietnam. Musical styles change form time period to time period in popularity. John Lennon's Imagine spoke of world peace. The song challenged listener to imagine the abolishment of greed, hunger and adoption of world-wide tolerance and brotherly love. Lennon dreamed of a time when people would hunger more for peace and love than material possessions. Also he wished for the metaphorical lines that separate people such as religion and race would be erased. American Idiot by Green Day discusses how American blindly accept all information and trends set forth by the news media. Many Americans rushed to purchase emergency kits, plans, and supplies for the possibility of imminent terrorist attacks the media repeatedly stated was possible after the September 11, 2001 attacks.



12. A big part of how pop music affects culture involves how it is distributed. Briefly describe how pop music and music distribution has changed over the last century.

Distribution of popular music has changed significantly from it original means. Music recording evolved quickly from the initial attempts using a needle and foil covered cylinders, to beeswax cylinders that restricted playback to more durable vinyl records. Records used the analog method of imprinting grooves into the record's surface. Quality was then improved by the real to real cassette players. The portable cassette and player were the first musical inventions that were easy to mass produce. Portability and ease of the ability to record music form the radio helped to increase the cassettes popularity. Compact discs or CDs, released in the late 1980s, replaced cassettes. CDs improved the sound quality of purchased music due to its digital recording method. The creation of homemade CD was also easier than cassette and often less time consuming. Today the invention of the MP3 players like the I-Pod has made music portability and sharing easier than ever. MP3s or music files can be purchased and loaded on to MP3 player or even cell phone for playback anywhere at any time.

Negative Effects of Mass Media on Teenagers

“The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses”
(Thinkexist, 2010). The mass media, including news, movies, magazines, music, or other entertainment source has become a part of daily life for many people. As the quote mentions mass media and its power are capable of influencing people’s mind and behavior. Contents in the media introduced to young people make it difficult for them to distinguish between what is real and what is not, as a result stimulating confusion and blind imitation. The mass media plays an important role in the increase of violence, sexual activity, and risky behaviors among teenagers.
The first effect of mass media on teenagers is violence. Aggressive behavior is the first example of violence in the media. Aldridge argues that, teens who watch violent movies may behave in an aggressive way towards others for example bullying and fighting in school. This is important because there are high risks of teenage developing into aggressive behavior that may last into adulthood if they are not being supervised on what they see on TV . Fearful of the world may also occur for those who watch violence television programs. According to children and television violence, teens that are being over exposed to violent on television may worry about becoming a target of violence. The relevance of this idea is that teenagers will more likely grow up thinking that the world is a scary place and that something bad will happen to them . Imitative behavior is another major effect of seeing violence in the media. According to Weldon, two teens from Johnstown, Colorado, killed a 7 year old girl by beating her to death. The teens claimed that they were imitating moves from a video game called “Mortal Combat.” This is an example case which shows that violence in the video game may lead to an imitating behavior.
Sexual activity in the mass media is another negative influence on teenagers. The first example is early sexual intercourse. According to Stockwell, a research shows that teenagers who are exposed to a lot of sexual content on television are more to likely to have sex by 16 years of age than those with limited exposure. This shows that the teens may be influence to have a sexual intercourse while they are under age . Early sexual intercourse may lead to teen pregnancy. According to Coffey, the RAND Corp. study shows that there is a link between a high exposure to sexual content on television and teen pregnancies. Researchers interviewed 2,003 teens during a three year study period and found that 744 teens said they had engaged in sexual intercourse and 718 of them shared information about their pregnancy histories. A total of 91 interviewed teens said they had experienced a pregnancy or had gotten a girl pregnant. This study shows that teenagers with high exposure to sexual content on TV were twice likely to have been involved in a pregnancy as teen. Lastly, sexually transmitted disease may also be a result of watching a lot sexual content on television. According to Parent Television Council website, teenagers who watch many sexes on TV tend engage in sexual behaviors more often and tend to have more sex partners. This is an important issue because these teens become sexually active earlier in life are putting themselves at higher risk for STDs .
The third negative effect of mass media on teenagers is risky behaviors. First example of a risky behavior is drinking and smoking. According to kidshealth.org, a recent study by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) found that alcohol ads on television have increased by 30% from 2001 to 2006 and underage kids are being exposed to them more than ever. Although cigarette ads on television have been banned, teens can still see their favorite TV and movie stars smoking in movies which may often imitate behaviors of their favorite people. Alcohol ads and smoking on television makes risky behaviors like smoking and drinking alcohol seem acceptable . Another example of a risky behavior is racial stereotypes. Vaughan states in his article, “The media portrays many inaccurate stereotypes about various races.” In America, many movies, television shows, and news often show African American and Hispanics as being less intelligent, more vulgar, and more violent than the Caucasians. For example, a movie Star Wars Episode 1 portrayed the character Jar Jar Binks as an idiot who many thought resembled a minority. This racial stereotyping in the media may influence young people to become prejudice against other races or even other gender . Profanity is the last example of a risky behavior which may develop from the mass media. According to the Parent Television Council website, the use of foul languages on television programs and movies has been increasing. Teenager are bombarded daily with more and more cruse words and swearing in the mass media such movies and music. This negatively influences many teenagers because such language seems to become more widespread in the entertainment media.

Gap Analysis: Telecommunications Industry

The telecommunications industry and other United States manufacturing sectors have been severely challenged by continuously competitive market place. The future of telecommunication and the manufacturing of goods is truly at risk. With consumers demanding more for less, high infrastructure costs and outsourcing most can barely keep up. Deregulation, digitalization of services have made telecommunications one of the most volatile growth industries in history and one of the more extraordinarily competitive.
The inspiration of outsourcing has been a round for years but there are many challenges that still remain. Competitive pressures, increasingly rapid pace of technology, dwindling product life cycles and stockholder concerns have forced more companies to streamline operations globally. On the contrary, union workers struggle to keep pace with a changing mark place that strongly supports outsourcing. This phenomenon has led to many issues within manufacturing for United States (US) organizations including but not limited to massive job loss.
While many manufacturers have reduced the quantity of jobs, many are also turning to unconventional measures as a means to preserve as many jobs as possible. Some organizations are reducing the benefits of worker while others are delaying salary increases and decreasing hours. When business does recover these moves can lead to a substantial pay off. Behlen Manufacturing Co., a metal fabricator, avoided massive downsizing by reducing factory worker’s hours and solicited salaried employees to take a 10% pay cut, The Wall Street Journal recently reported. When orders increased late last year, the firm was able to restore hours and wage levels, and moved to meet the demand with its experienced workforce undamaged. When the economy does revitalize, companies that have eliminated a generous quantities of laborers may be unable to respond quickly enough to meet the over-whelming demand, consequently leading to lost sales and decreased market share. If possible, the job eliminations should be avoided; however the layoff is not the only area of concern. As noted by John Di Frances, a Wales, WI-based management consultant, substantial layoffs carry concealed costs that are never fully known. Declining morale and disrupted customer relations among those costs frustrate the remaining employees who often can not absorb the responsibilities of their departed coworkers. The result is that workers create short cuts wherever possible contributing to more quality complaints and product robustness concerns .
Through beliefs and values a code of ethics forms the building blocks of organizational behavior with an organization. Values are intimately connected with moral and ethical codes, and determine what people think should be done. The value set is composed of rights and duties. Rights and duties are the opposite ends of a given spectrum. Management has a duty as an employer to ensure reasonable standards of health and safety for employees. Generally it would be reasonable for workers in the more developed economies are more aware of their rights than workers in the less developed countries. The practice of "sweat shops" and the employment of under age workers are more commonplace in countries where workers are uncertain of their human rights. It is for this reason that in certain European countries large retailers are beginning to adopt the ethical Fair Trade concept within their retailing division.
Throughout many centuries, there have been on-going differences amongst corporate management visions versus the labor movement. The business union view has been almost continuously dominant. The Gompers-Meany vision has been solely organized on the basis of skill and craft. In this vision unions focus primarily on the immediate economic needs of their members during production. The selected leaders act as agents with employers for members, whose primary role is to provide resources and to support an agenda determined by those leaders. These unions accept the political choices offered by the major parties and search to secure the best deal possible. The unions strive to increase labor's share of the wealth but accept that capital is entitled to a greater controlling share. Their leaders believe there must be a partnership between labor and capital from which both can succeed. Opposing this vision has been social-movement unionism advocating a labor movement that is inclusive, in which unions act as an agency of worker empowerment based on democratic member participation with leaders who are accountable to members.
Stakeholders are identified as shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, lenders, and society. The notion of corporate stakeholders has become greatly accepted. Others have investigated the appropriateness of stakeholder theory. In that research stream, the use of stakeholder theory to develop corporate-level strategy is common. Within organizations, the role of stakeholder extends beyond the strategy but into the establishment of performance goals. The performance goals set by a manager are influenced by the pressures exerted by the organization's stakeholders. This suggests that a process might exist within organizations whereby stakeholder interests are recognized and included as key components in the establishment and development of performance goals.
There has been considerable interest in recent years in stakeholder theory at the corporate level in organizations. The notion that stakeholder interests are key strategic assets of an organization could lead to the establishment of corporate performance goals. Using this approach at the manufacturing level would allow for both the addition of the interests of the internal stakeholders at a higher organizational level (vertical flow-down) and the interests of other functions such as those from marketing (horizontal cross-flow) and any other entities that have vested interests in manufacturing.
The United States lifestyle has created an indirect affect on the manufacturing industry when it comes to wages. One important aspect to foreign competition is price, which has a major impact on wages. Aligning company's resources with foreign suppliers of less quality driven products could complement the companies bottom-line, which could translate a competitive edge. Outsourcing to only foreign suppliers may not be completely necessary, but outsourcing to local suppliers could be the difference to profit versus loss. Outsourcing to a local company that is already set to manufacture a specific product may save capital from investing in a completely new directive.
A skilled worker base directly effects productivity and capital equipment downtime. Many industry leaders and manufacturing organizations are making strides to proactively focus on training internally and externally. Capital equipment suppliers are making it standard on purchases to train operators for the machine and train people to program. The expense of communication and time to communicate has becomes extremely inexpensive. Computer aided drafting (CAD) designers are creating software to create the most efficient machining practices possible, along with shop floor integration for cutting down lead times.
Despite the uncertainty associated with recent estimates of job losses, most observers agree that the trend toward off-shoring sector of production and jobs is likely to continue. A variety of economic, technological, and regulatory factors are driving this shift in production and jobs. Lower production costs in foreign countries are a major cause of off-shoring. Although the costs of land and other resources may be cheaper abroad, the main difference between the U.S. and developing countries is labor costs. In the U.S. the cost of benefits and health insurance is expected to be increasingly higher. The true difference in labor costs per unit of output may not be as large as these wage figures suggest, however, U.S. workers have high average levels of productivity. High average productivity by U.S. workers reflects our advanced technology and large amounts of capital per worker. The cost savings from off-shoring also might be reduced if the firm incurs higher transportation and telecommunication costs or management spends more time on service data security.
Conclusively, outsourcing is defined as hiring a third party to perform a task that would typically be performed internally. Outsourcing has become directly affiliated to the term "cost effective”. Visions of low labor costs, less liability, transfer of responsibility, a continuous workforce, and flawless electronic communications have created increased interest in outsourcing, mainly outside the U.S. From legal research and document organization to customer service have been given to business seekers in foreign countries in an effort to demonstrate the current shift in the economy. Lost in the rush to outsource, however, has been a reasonable assessment of the potential liabilities associated with this activity
.
With this activity there are many stakeholders at risk, including the organization that prompted the outsourcing activities. There vested interest lie on immediate goals while not foreseeing the ultimate impact of union workers and controlled labor. This can lead to a decrease in market share and losing the true interest of stock holders after businesses volume increases to a full-filling capacities.

The Media: Creating Controversy to Make a Quick Buck

It seems that the world likes controversy because it is everywhere; on television, online, and in the newspaper. In this technology era, we can’t to get away from controversy, due to easy access on our smartphones, tablets, and lab tops. Controversy can be found in many situations in our lives and found in many subjects in the media, for example sex, religion, politics and a lot of time when it comes to race. The first topic discussed will be what is controversy? Next, is controversy need in the media? Then, why is controversy used in the media and is it necessary? As well as should controversial content be removed from the media and would removing controversy content make a difference in any way to the audience. This essay will also discuss how media presents different sides of the issue and how the media affects public opinion on the Travon Martin murder in Florida. Discussing these topics will also help us understand how to decipher controversy, in the way of does controversy help resolve or exacerbate controversial situations in the media.

Controversy is a lengthy public disagreement or debate over many conflicting opinions. In the media there is no shortage of controversy. It seems that all controversy are over the following topics, politics, religion, sex, economics, finances, culture and race (P. Ferreira, 2013). I would not say controversy is needed in American or even the world. However America and even the entire world were built on controversy (Davenport, 2012). Since we all do not share the same opinions in every aspect or major topics in the world, because of this controversy is created sometimes voluntary and involuntary. What the media does is bring all opinions from within America and around the world to a large group of people, which in turns creates controversy out in the open to the public.

Controversy is need in the world, because without it we would not know or learn all other aspects to a specific topic. For example, the crime in America is higher than other countries in the world. Some people would say that it is due to the exorbitant gun-ownership in America (Davenport, 2012). However other people’s opinions say it is not guns that kill people it is people that kill people, and other say it is the people that locate guns illegally that commit most of the killing in America. What is the truth is there a right answer to a topic like this? Here is where the media comes in. The media tells all sides of the story giving views a change to make their own opinion or conclusion to topics. I will not say that the media gives all sides of the story at once so people can make a clear choice, but they do give all side to the story eventually. This is why the media is so good of creating more controversy (Davenport, 2012). More controversy more views, more views more advertising and it goes on and on. But this all rolls up in to one unlikeable answer MONEY. Money controls the world just like controversy keeps people talking and that is needed. So to come back to the question is why is controversy used in the media, is it necessary and is controversy need in the media? To all these questions the answer is yes and no. Yes, controversy is needed because controversy opens up people’s minds (positively) to what they have never thought of and the answer is no because it can open people’s minds up to negativity they never fathomed. See even my answer is controversial. That is just the way the world works.

Should controversial content be removed from the media and would removing controversy content make a difference in any way to the audience. With these two questions I could not find anything online. However in my open controversy should not be removed from the media and even if we wanted to remove it, they is no way our society would allow it. The concept of news is to report what is going on in the world with an unbiased view on everything the news reports (Vivian, 2011, pp. 216-217). What these journalists do is tell the public what they want to hear and that alone is controversial in itself. When journalists report “their” news it is a form of ethnocentrism (Vivian, 2011, p. 220). The news displays this method in many ways; an example of two ways the media controversy is that they report news through for main stream America (social norms and beliefs of America). Secondly they report the news only through American eyes. For example when the news reports about the Middle East and how we should help them change their government to more of a Western government. This is an example of journalists displaying ethnocentrism. The news/journalist not only gives us their unbiased opinions on world news they also display it her on American soil, for example the Travon Martin murder in Florida.

Travon Martians undeserved murder in Florida turned into major controversial news. Travon Martians death was headline news for months in the papers, on television and online. Here is a little back ground on the story. Trayvon Martian was murdered in public in his own neighborhood in February 2012. Trayvon was walking from 7-Elleven convince story. Trayvon was on his way to his father’s house, which he was living with at the time. As he walked home he did not know he was being watched by a neighborhood watchman named George Zimmerman. While he was watching Trayvon George called 911 and stated the following; "This guy looks like he's up to no good or he's on drugs or something... "It's raining, and he's just walking around looking about." The man tried to explain where he was. "Now he's coming towards me. He's got his hand in his waistband. And he's a black male...Something's wrong with him. Yup, he's coming to check me out. He's got something in his hands. I don't know what his deal is...These assholes, they always get away (Weinstein, 03)." George Zimmerman confronted Trayvon Martian, and a scuffle broke out. In the end Zimmerman shot and killed 17 year old Trayvon Martian (Libaray, 02). This was just one version of many articles I have found and for some reason all the articles found on Trayvon Martians death and George Zimmerman trail are somewhat different and have a unconnected spin on each both Martian and Zimmerman.

It is amazing how their can be so many different stories one actual event. The murder of Trayvon Martian was not different. First article discusses how Trayvon Martian was a “…an unarmed 17-year-old African American student—was confronted, shot, and killed near his home by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain in Sanford, Florida. Since Martin's death and the revelation of more details, the case has drawn national outcry and sparked hot debate over racial tensions, vigilantism, police practices, and gun laws in addition how Zimmerman stated racist comments and was a racist person. (Weinstein, 03).” The next article states 17-year-old African-American high school student who lived in Miami Gardens… Florida after receiving a ten-day suspension from Krop Senior High School. The suspension stemmed from the discovery of drug residue in Martin's book bag… George Michael Zimmerman … part-time student at Seminole State College and a neighborhood watch captain …married to Shellie (Dean) Zimmerman and is the son of Robert and Gladys Zimmerman (Libaray, 02)”. Last article found spoke about How TV news failed Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman, and American people (Spero, 07).” This article spoke about how Fox news was pro-Zimmerman and supported him as a super-star and also how NBC was sued by Zimmerman family for painting Zimmerman in a false light for airing and editing the 911 call made Zimmerman the night of Martian’s death (Spero, 07).” All of these articles where bias for the ratings which in turn created and still creates controversy.

The media creates controversy with every new broadcast they air. The reason the media can do this is because of Freedom of speech and with freedom of speech they can air in every avenue they want, TV, newspapers, and the internet. Due to the news have all of these avenues it is easy for use (society) to find it all due to new technology Facebook, Blogging, and Twitter just to name a few. The easy access to all this information is also due to all the gadgets we have smartphones, lab tops, and tablets. Due to the easy access to all different information just like the Trayvon Martin murder opinions are set and then change and then changed again. The negative part of the media is when they spin their inaccuracy and bias opinions it can affect the public in the wrong way. We all know that common sense in not common and people can get it in their mind to do something about what they read and sometimes it can be violent. Understanding and being able to decipher what is true or not is hard but as a person to know what is true and what is wrong. We just have to be diligent however we do have free will and all.

In conclusion, the media is the media and it will never change. The media needs controversy to keep their audience and to reel in advertising money. Controversy is a part of America we were founded on different opinions and will continue to do so even when it affects people in a negative why like in the case of Trayvon Martian and George Zimmerman. Freedom of speech is a great thing but it is also negative. Using ones common sense is a must to decipher right a wrong and now is a good time to start.