Issues in Advertising

     Over the years, advertising has been hit with many forms of opposition. Some opposition as come from concerned citizens. Other opposition has come the government itself. When the government was involved, specific laws were put into place to restrict advertisements. Even though ads have restrictions, they are still making a lasting impact on those that watch them. Many people are concerned that the lasting impacts are more negative than positive.

One of the most disastrous ad campaigns
ever featured the Oldsmobile in 1989. The company
alienated their loyal older customers
while failing to attract the younger generation. 

From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia
/commons/0/02/Oldsmobile_eighty-eight_1958.jpg

 Many issues have been over what was being advertised. These issues stemmed from advertisements for beauty products, tobacco, and alcohol. These many issues have caused problems for advertising agencies. But even though some ads are faced with opposition from the public, people continue to watch the ads and continue to be influenced by what they are watching. 

     One major issue that has recently been brought up in advertising has been eating disorders. Many say that the models that advertise popular beauty products, such as shampoo, makeup, etc., have given girls and women an unrealistic standard of beauty. The models in these advertisements are much thinner than the average woman.

Ads such as the one shown above emulate how
a woman should look. These models are "perfect",
but can women truly reach the "perfection" in these
ads?

From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons
/6/61/DouglasFerguson_RichardAvedon_Revlon,1985.jpg

They emulate perfection in everything that they do. Their hair is perfect. Their makeup is perfect. Their bodies are perfect. Girls and women that watch and see these advertisements tend to have low self-esteem and insecurities. They will do anything, even something harmful, to obtain the beauty pictured in ads. This may lead to eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia. Nowadays, some ads feature women that are normal, everyday women. They aren't perfect. The standard of beauty according to advertisements is changing. But, there are still some beauty ads that tell women the only way to be beautiful is by buying their product and looking like their stick-thin models. 

     Another huge criticism of advertisements has been its promotion of tobacco. Tobacco companies have done a great job of targeting certain consumers. For example, the Joe Camel cartoon character was updated to attract a younger crowd. Joe Camel had sunglasses and hip clothing, emulating the cool, hip person you could be when smoking his brand of cigarette.

Joe Camel turned into a super cool character.
His new look attracted many from the younger
generation.

From: https://c2.staticflickr.com
/4/3843/14816055091_c809b21bf2_b.jpg

 Tobacco companies have tried to target other groups as well, but have failed in the process. In the mid-1990s, the government became involved with tobacco advertising. New reports showed that tobacco companies had known that nicotine was addictive in the early 1950s and never told the public. Agreements were made between the tobacco companies and the government. One of the provisions of the agreement banned the use of cartoon characters in advertising. It also prohibited sponsorship of many events by the companies and banned the companies from giving away tobacco merchandise. These provisions crippled the tobacco companies only a little. People were still aware of the different brands of tobacco and still bought their favorite brands.

     Tobacco was not the only product that was and still is under scrutiny by the public. Alcohol was and is to this day under scrutiny. Just like tobacco ads, alcohol ads have been restricted. They no longer use cartoon characters to attract a younger crowd.

Alcohol advertisements have been under scrutiny for
heavily targeting college students. 

From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia
/commons/7/7a/Alcoholic_beverages.jpg

 Instead, beer companies have found a clever way to advertise their brands. Coors and Miller employ student representatives to get their brands out there or as they call it "brand awareness". These students tell the beer companies when their college or university is holding a special event that might be linked to a beer label. Alcohol companies have found creative ways to reach their target audiences. Even though restrictions have been placed, alcohol advertisements are still an issue with many. 

   It is easy to blame advertisements for the problems in the world. Some can say alcoholism is rampant because of the many different alcohol commercials. Others can say tobacco ads are causing lung cancer and eventually death. Advertisements do influence us. We see an ad and are instantly affected by it. Beauty products, tobacco, and alcohol ads are major issues in advertising. Until we, the consumers, realize that advertisements do not have to control our lives, the ads will have an ever-lasting effect on all of us.

What is the significance of third and fourth screens in relation to television?

The color TV was a major milestone in television history. 
From: https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4085/5170714201_c337636c0e_b.jpg

     Television is ever changing. Just like every other kind of technology, television is always evolving and improving. In the beginning, television was simply a dream. How could we transmit images from place and send it to another? Was it even possible because television images could not physically float through the air? Eventually, the first television picture was transmitted electronically in 1927. From there, television really took off. Different television stations were introduced to the public. People could buy television sets for their home use. Color television was invented, which changed television forever. Cable services were introduced to the home, which allowed people to get more channels for a certain price each month. Finally, third and fourth screens became popular. Television continues to be one of the main forms of entertainment in America today. But, as time goes on third and fourth screens may take over television. 


   

Smart phones are fourth screen technologies that
are making a huge impact in the television industry.

From: https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/
8320/8032182566_788694e8da_b.jpg

 Third and fourth screens are important to television history, but what are third and fourth screens? Third screens are computer screens. Fourth screens are technologies like iPhones, iPads, other smartphones, and mobile devices. With the rise of new technology, people are able to watch movies and television shows in more places than just their homes and movie theaters. Computer screens and smart devices are called third and fourth screens because movies screens are the first screens. Television sets in the home are the second screens. This order of "screens" is based on how we view content. Third and fourth screens are important because they interfere with television viewership and cable consuming. More and more people are watching movies and television shows on third and fourth screen technologies. The first and second screens are still the most popular, but television may see a change in the near future as technology continues to improve with third and fourth screens. 

Hulu started Hulu Plus, a service that streams
hundreds of movies and television shows for $8 a month.
From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/
commons/thumb/7/76/Hulu_logo.svg/1280px-Hulu_logo.svg.png

     Third and fourth screen technologies have created new online experiences ans services. These services such as Netflix and Hulu Plus have put a dent in television. These services provide their customers with a vast collection of movies and programs (original and television) for a small price each month. These third screen services have become wildly popular recently. People can watch Netflix, Hulu Plus, and similar services on their computers, smartphones, and other smart devices anytime they want. The convenience of these services attracts many people. They can pay a small price each month for popular television shows and movies on their phones, tablets, and even their televisions without having to be tied down to one network provider. Many people have gotten rid of their television provider (Comcast, Direct TV, AT & T) in exchange for a paid subscription service. People can watch entire seasons of television shows in one sitting with these services. 


   

Direct TV is a network provider that still reigns over
third screen sites. 

From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/
wikipedia/commons/a/a9/The_DirecTV_logo.png

 The problem with these services is that they do not provide customers with many popular television shows and movies. Netflix gets rid of many movies and television shows after a certain amount of time, even the most popular movies and shows. Sometimes on Hulu Plus, customers cannot watch certain episodes of television shows without providing account information from their network provider. It is these few drawbacks that causes these sites to be called "catch-up services". "Catch-up services" are services that people use to catch up on missed episodes of their favorite television shows or movies they may have missed. As of late, people have not replaced regular cable TV for these services. But if these services begin to provide the most popular shows and movies, television and movie theaters will have major competition. 

     Third and fourth screen technologies have changed the television industry forever. They have changed where you can watch show and movies and how you watch them. No longer do people have to watch movies in movie theaters or TV shows on their television sets at home. Today, people can watch their favorite TV show wherever: on a bus, in a restaurant, and even in the bathroom. Television sets may be a thing of the past just like landline phones. If we can watch our favorite TV show anywhere with our third and fourth screen devices, why do we need to watch TV programming on a stationary television set?

     

     

     

How Has Sound Recording Changed Since It's Beginning?

    We can't live without music. Music is a form of art for some. For others, music is a way to express how they are feeling without having to say anything. The music industry has grown and advanced way beyond belief. Music, itself, has been around for centuries. Sound recording, however, has only been around for about 200 years. 

Music is how we express ourselves without having to
actually say anything.

From: https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:
ANd9GcTb_QXOGwznpUlLsznn-zbHCOlHN94yd-LPndAFJsmEKcL9DJIl

Sound recording is how we are able to listen to songs over and over again. Sound recording is how we can hear songs on the radio without the artist being in the studio. Sound recording is how we listen to music today. Without sounds recording, we would not be as advanced in the music industry as we are currently. It all started with a funnel and a hog's hair bristle.

Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville is credited with conducting the first
experiment involving sound recording.

From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia
/commons/3/33/Edouard-L%C3%A9on_Scott_de_Martinville.jpg

     Sound recording started in the 1800's, specifically the 1850's. A man named Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville was expriementing with sounds recording. He used a hog's hair bristle and a funnel to produce a sound recording, but he could not figure out how to replay the sounds back. De Martinville's attempts were technically the first sound recordings even though he could not play them back again. 

The graphophone was an improvement
from the phonograph. 

From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons
/thumb/d/df/Graphophone1903SalvadorVelez02
.jpg/1058px-Graphophone1903SalvadorVelez02.jpg

    In 1877, Thomas Edison invented the phonograph. A phonograph was a machine that used metal cylinders, tin foil, and needles to play back recordings of his own voice. Edison intended to use the phonograph as a sort of "telephone repeater". Two men by the names of Chichester Bell and Charles Sumner Tainter improved the phonograph's idea by using wax cylinders instead of metal cylinders and calling their machine the graphophone. These two machines were the first sound recording machines that actually played back recordings. 

The gramophone was a huge improvement from
the graphophone and the phonograph. 

From: https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/155/358123519_dd59ce3740_b.jpg

     In 1887, a man named Emile Berliner invented flat disks (records) and a machine called a gramophone that played the disks. The flat disks were made of zinc and coated with beeswax. Berliner also developed a technique that allowed him to mass produce the records he invented. The records Berliner used could be easily duplicated from a master copy compared to the cylinders Edison, Bell, and Tainter used that required separate recordings for each cylinder. 

Victrolas were popular around 1910 and
used as elaborate furniture pieces.

From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/
commons/thumb/f/f2/VV-110_Victrola_192
1.jpg/359px-VV-110_Victrola_1921.jpg

     Time goes on phonographs and gramophones go out of style to be replaced by Victrolas. Victrolas were early record players that have to be primed with a crank handle. In 1925, electric record players replaced Victrolas because of the popularity of electricity in the home. Record and phonograph sales were declining a few years later because of radio and the Great Depression. 

    

Cassettes and portable cassette players were
huge players in the sound recording industry.

From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Tdkc60cassette.jpg

   In the 1940's, audiotapes were invented. These magnetic sound recording devices allowed the mixing of instrumentals or vocals from one location to another. By the mid-1960's, cassettes and portable cassette players had been developed. Portable cassette players allowed audiences to take their favorite music anywhere. In 1931, Alan Blumlein invented the stereo. The stereo allowed two separate tracks of sound to be recorded. 

Cds have become obsolete thanks to websites such
as Spotify and iTunes. 

From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/
commons/thumb/6/66/Obsolete_CDs.jpg/320px-Obsolete_CDs.jpg

     In the 1970's the biggest recording advancement was created when Thomas Stockham made the first digital audio recordings. In 1983, compact discs (CDs) were created. CDs used digital audio and recordings to sell music. The switch from analog recording to digital recording was one of the most important advancements in sound recording history. It was this switch from analog to digital that we move on to the digital age that we are currently familiar with.

Napster was popular for their free file-sharing service
before they were shut down.  

From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/
thumb/4/44/Naps_Logo_Black_Alpha_Kopie.jpg
/799px-Naps_Logo_Black_Alpha_Kopie.jpg

     After the creation of digital audio recordings, the MP3 file format was created in 1993. The MP3 file format allowed digital recordings to be condensed into smaller files. File-sharing became a big thing when Napster created a free file-sharing service. A trial through the U.S. Supreme Court  declared that free file-sharing was illegal. Napster was forced to reinvented themselves as a legal service provider. 

Services such as iTunes have allowed users to
buy and download music right to their personal devices.

From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/
wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Benz_Darkness.png

     Digitally downloading music was the next big thing. It was made possible in 2003 by iTunes. iTunes is still a prominent way to buy music, but many people are now streaming music through their phones and tablet devices. This is made possible through websites and apps such as Spotify, Rhapsody, Google Play Music, Amazon Prime, and Pandora. Some of these services, like Amazon Prime, require payment in order to receive their music services. Others like Spotify and Pandora allow users to stream music for free, but with limitations. Digitally downloading music has become the popular way to get music. As technology advances, the sound recording industry will advance as well.

     All-in-all, the sound recording industry has grown and advanced tremendously since the creation of the phonograph in the 1800's. We have gone from single cylinder recordings to streaming music from our iPhones. The scary thing is that our technology will only become more advanced. What will the next big thing in sound recording be? Only time will tell. 

     

     

How Has Digital Technology Affected Journalism?

       Digital technology is something that has grown within the past few decades. I can remember when my parents bought me my first cell phone. It was a Virgin Mobile phone that I basically used to play games on because none of my other friends had cell phones. I was about 9 years old. Since then, digital technology has grown immensely. Everyone walks around with a computer in the palm of their hands. We can obtain an enormous amount

Examples of older cell phones that the world
hardly sees anymore thanks to smartphones. 

From: https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/
181/382030798_1446f69da3_b.jpg

information almost instantly. We can talk to and visually see other people when they are in different states and even countries than us through the use of programs like Skype and Facetime. The internet has evolved, as well. It has gone from dial up and DSL to lightening fast internet. We can actually get on the internet while someone is on the house phone. The growth in digital technology has had both positive and negative effects on the world. Positive effects include allowing people to have a plethora of knowledge at their fingertips and easing the way people can communicate with each other. Negative effects include lessening face-to-face communication with other people and creating a world that is completely absorbed with digital technology that we can't go an hour without being on our smartphones. There are the positives and the negatives. We can see how drastically digital technology has affected our everyday world, but how has digital technology affected journalism? 

CNN is a news station that is known
for its reliability and speed when  breaking
news occurs. 

From: https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?
q=tbn:ANd9GcTwYVii7nqpm0QudMLEY5D
YVddRhIeXz89L9bPMxJ2KtmiD-OYM2w

     One of the most basic ways that digital technology has affected journalism is by how information is being transmitted to the audience. Yes, there are still newspapers and magazines. But, more and more people are reading news articles and breaking news stories on their smartphones and tablet devices. If they are not reading news articles, they are watching news videos from the news station of their liking. Nowadays, there are plenty of news stations to choose from. They all, for the most part, report the same stories, but everyone has a favorite. A few years ago, people had to wait until they got home to watch the evening news on their television at 6 o'clock every night. Now, you can watch and read the news at any time of the day. People can read news written by journalists the second they post it online. There are news apps that will alert your phone when a new story is posted. 

Tablets are one of the newest digital technologies
that people are using for news. 

From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia
/commons/7/74/Zinglife_10%22_Android_Tablet.jpg

Because it is so easy to obtain the news, younger people are starting to read it as well. I know personally, if I did not have the CNN app or my "news" app on my Iphone that I would not be in touch with any type of news except for celebrity news. Before I kept up on the news with my apps, I would let my friends on Facebook alert me of what was the most important stories of the day. Online blogs, news website, and apps have allowed news stations and journalists to update their audiences with news every second of the day. New digital technology has allowed people to receive news at a faster and more convenient pace. 

Email is one way that journalists can obtain information
for their stories. 

From: https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/
3231/2753484458_826b1603fc.jpg

     Another way digital technology has affected journalism is by how journalists can obtain their information. Before social media and the internet were popular outlets for journalism, journalists were forced to get their information from other sources. They had to go directly to the source and interview them or call them on the phone. They could send letters or go to secondary sources. While it is true that journalists still use these approaches to create their news stories, today they are able to use obtain their information in many other ways. 

Are journalists invading people's privacy now
more than ever?

From: https://c2.staticflickr.com/8
/7044/6779368830_f46e68b2f0.jpg

Journalists can use private emails, Facebook pages, Twitter and Instagram accounts, and even voicemails to gain the information needed to complete and verify their stories. Because of all of this new digital technology, it raises the question of whether journalists are invading people's privacy. Is using personal and private emails to verify information for a story invasion of privacy? The growth of new digital technology has raised more critical questions for journalists here in the United States. New digital technology has opened new doors for journalists, but it has created new problems as well. 

Citizen journalism has taken the world
by storm and cut into the world of professional
journalism. 

From: https://farm1.staticflickr.com/
122/290701877_0abc2ffe75_o_d.jpg

     Digital technology has created a whole new type of journalism in its wake. This type of journalism is called "citizen journalism". Citizen journalism is exactly what it sounds like, normal, everyday citizens becoming journalists. They are not going to school like a profession journalist does, but they do obtain unbiased information and report it to the public. Normal, everyday people can get to places that journalist may or can not. Normal people can use their cell phones to create stories of breaking news that they just experienced. Sometimes, it is the everyday person that reports a news story before the journalist does. Digital technology has allowed people to become the unprofessional journalist and create stories that people want to read. When people read citizen journalism, it is taking away from the professional journalism. Although citizen journalists do not have schooling or professional training, some audiences might prefer the citizen journalist over a professional one. Again, digital technology has made a huge impact on the world of journalism today.

     All-in-all, in my opinion, digital technology has helped journalism more than it has hurt it. Digital technology has opened more doors for journalists to get their stories to their audiences at a faster pace. People are more interested in the news now more than ever. As digital technology becomes more and more advanced, we should see an advancements in journalism as well. Journalism cannot thrive without digital technology nowadays. As long as people are interested, journalism through digital technology will live a long and prosperous life. 

ABC Family: A New Kind Of Family

Disney Channel is a sister channel of ABC Family.

From: http://th07.deviantart.net/fs71/200H/i/
2011/344/2/6/logo_disney_channel_by_lizethaz-d4ipz3a.png

     ABC Family is a cable channel show on network television. ABC Family is operated by ABC Family Worldwide, Inc. ABC Family Worldwide, Inc. is wholly owned subsidiary of the The Walt Disney Company. Its sister channels include ABC, ABC News Now, Soapnet, Disney XD, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNEWS, ESPN Classic, ESPNU, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and the Live Well Network. Mr. Thomas Aschiem is the companies current president. ABC Family appeals to people of all ages, from children to adults.  

The cast of The Secret Life of the American Teenager,
  one of ABC Family's hit original TV shows. 

From: https://c2.staticflickr.com/
4/3116/3181262184_ecac03669b.jpg

     ABC Family has an impressive portfolio of original shows. Some of which include Pretty Little Liars, Switched at Birth, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Bunheads, and many more. In addition to their original television shows, ABC Family also airs movies from major studios, such as Disney and Warner Brothers. Around Halloween and Christmas, ABC Family plays movies and TV episodes of their original series that coincide with the holiday. During the month of October, ABC Family has a special called "13 nights of Halloween" where they play TV episodes and movies that are Halloween-themed. Starting in December, holiday-themed movies and TV shows are shown. Many original, holiday ABC Family movies are shown during this time as well. Recently, ABC Family has started something called "Fun Day". "Fun Day" is only on the weekends and only shows Disney and Pixar movies. 

     Today, ABC Family is the family-friendly TV station that the whole family can watch. The Walt Disney Company completely transformed the station, when they bought it. Surprisingly enough, The Walt Disney Company did not create the station itself. The station started out with a man named Pat Robertson and a dream to get the Lord's word out.

Pat Robertson, the creator of CBN

From: https://farm6.staticflickr.com/
5294/5407293368_3f0afd69fd_o_d.jpg

    Pat Robertson started the Christian Broadcasting Network after a talk with a missionary changed his views on life. Robertson quit his job with W.R Grace in the 1950's. In 1977, Robertson began the broadcasting of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). It was during this time that The 700 Club was born. The 700 Club was, and still is to this day, a Christian news-magazine show and a prayer hour. When Robertson started his presidential campaign, his son, Tim, took over the station and changed it's name to The Family Channel, in order to obtain more viewers. The Family Channel's popularity began to rise. In 1990, a new company, International Family Entertainment, bought The Family Channel for $250 million. 

    In the mid-1990's, another new company was formed called Fox Family Worldwide, Inc. (FFW) This company was formed to combat the cable station Nickelodeon. FFW bought International Family Entertainment, thus obtaining The Family Channel. Fox Family Worldwide, Inc. was appealing to an older audience, mostly 50 years old and older. Many attempts were made to try to appeal to children and teens through the use of cartoons. All of their attempts failed, however. Fox Family Worldwide's profits continued to drop dramatically until the very end. Many high-ranking executives abandoned the network. The company turned out to be a disaster. 

The Walt Disney Company saved Fox Family
Worldwide from ultimate destruction. 

From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/
wikipedia/commons/5/5a/The_Walt_Disney_Company.png

     Things were looking brighter in 2001 for Fox Family Worldwide when The Walt Disney Company acquired the company for $5.2 billion. After The Walt Disney Company obtained Fox Family Worldwide, they put FFW in charge of the ABC Television Group and changed its name to ABC Family Worldwide, Inc. 

    In the beginning, ABC Family was used as a "secondary outlet for a range of programs" (ABC Family Worldwide, Inc. History). As time went on, ABC Family developed a new identity. It was no longer the Christian prayer station or the failing cartoon station that it had previously been. ABC Family became the station that is known for its family-friendly original television shows and original holiday movies. 

Katie Leclerc, the star
of Switched at Birth.Switched at Birth also
 plays on ABC Spark. 

From: https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/
8661/15782447329_a2ee98f602_b.jpg

     Today, ABC Family boasts to reaching over 97 million homes. Along with its popular television station, ABCFamily.com "provides a variety of interactive entertainment and community features, from rich, fan-centric programming-including blogs, viewing parties, webisodes, full episodes of the network;s hit programming, along with the sneak peek exclusive previews and behind-the-scenes clips" (Media Networks, The Walt Disney Company"). ABC Family has become wildly popular with people of all age in the United States. In Canada, ABC Family Worldwide partnered with a Canadian entertainment company to launch ABC Spark, the Canadian equivalent of ABC Family. 

    ABC Family is the television network that targets audiences of all ages. It plays enjoyable original television shows, original holiday movies, and movies from other popular studios. ABC Family has become the definition of family entertainment. It is safe for the whole family and is one of the most popular networks on television today. 

Media Effects: What Have We Learned?

     Media effects research and cultural studies have had long histories in the United States. There have been many different types of research, analysis, and studies conducted throughout the years. Some of the early methods included propaganda analysis, public opinion research, social psychology studies, and marketing research. All four of these methods were extremely important to modern day studies of media effects research.

This is an example of a tv parental guideline
created because of early social psychology
studies.

From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons
/3/35/Black_TV-14-LS_icon.png

     The first method, propaganda analysis, was a method important during the first World War. Researchers studied how governments used propaganda in everyday life to try to advance the war effort. Another method, public opinion research, went a step further than propaganda analysis and focused on how mass media affected public attitudes and opinion. Researchers conducted surveys on various topics in order to provide insight to the public's opinion. Researchers still conduct public opinion research today. The third method, social psychology studies, focuses on the individual rather than the public. An early study focused on how the motion picture influenced the behavior and cognition of frequent movie attendants. This study led to the creation of organizations that began to monitor movie content. The last method was marketing research. Marketing research started when companies conducted surveys on their consumers. The companies were able to "keep tabs" on how, where, and why the consumer spent their money. These four early methods for media effects research was the just the beginning of many years of studying and research. 

The book that challenged the hypodermic-
needle model.

From: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons
/8/8e/War_of_the_Worlds_original_cover_bw.jpg

     From all of the research, analysis, and studies conducted, researchers have learned a great deal about mass media and how it is affecting the public and individuals. Three major theories created by researchers following the early research on media effects were the hypodermic-needle model, the minimal-effects model, and the uses and gratification model. The hypodermic-needle model centered around the idea that media directly shoots their beliefs and content into their victims. One study that challenged this theory was when a radio broadcaster read War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells like a real news report. The results disapproved the hypodermic-needle model. The second theory, the minimal-effects model, focused on the idea that people expose themselves to media that they are most familiar with and retain only information that they had before the exposure to the media. The problem with this theory was that it assumed that passive audiences were acted upon by the media. Other studies have been conducted that prove that audiences are usually active when using the media rather than passive. The third theory, uses and gratifications model, studied how people use the media to satisfy their needs. This theory never became too popular because it addressed the function of media and not how media has impacted the public. 

Albert Bandura, the scientist that conducted
the "Bobo doll" experiments, thus developing
the social learning theory.

From: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia
/commons/c/cc/Albert_Bandura_Psychologist.jpg

     Now that we know all of this important information about the history of media effects research, what does this mean for us? In other words, why is this important? Through all of these studies we can see exactly how media affects the public and the individual. Many different theories have been proved and disapproved throughout the years. Theories such as the social learning theory, agenda-setting, the cultivation effect, the spiral of silence, and the third-person effect are contemporary media effect theories that give us more insight into the relationship between the audience and the media. 


      I think the real question everyone wants to know is what have we learned from all of this research? Do we truly know how media affects us? I think the answer to that resides with the surveys and experiments being conducted to this day. I do not think that we will ever know how much the media affects us. Everyone is different. Everyone is affected differently by the media. We are all shaped by the media, but we are all affected differently. The media affects me differently than it affects my sister. 

Does this tv show create murders
 and criminals?

From: https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/
6187/6069074735_a425c8887c.jpg

She is more impressionable. She has grown up in a world that has always had cell-phones, PCs, and the internet. I have not. We are affected by the media differently. One person might use the media as a excuse for their bad behavior. For example, young boys might say they were fighting because of a TV show they saw or a movie they watched. But, is that true? Were the young boys fighting because of the media or because they are naturally aggressive? Do murderers commit murders because of a cop show or because they were born with that instinct? It is hard to determine the effects of media on its audience. The more studies and experiments researchers conduct, the closer we are to an answer. But as for now, we can only study the past and hope for the best in the future. 

    The pictures below are all examples of types of media that affect and shape our everyday lives. We do not usually notice that media is affecting us, it is all the time. We should be more aware of how media is affecting us and what the media is trying to put into our heads. 

https://static.pexels.com/photos/3066/
smartphone-mockup-mobile-phone-screen.jpg

From: https://c1.staticflickr.com/
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Propaganda: The Evil Within Our Society?

 What is propaganda? How does it affect our society? Why is propaganda such a big issue in our lives today? I have pondered these questions the past few days after watching Psywar, a documentary about propaganda in the United States. From this documentary, I have come to realize that propaganda is a far more serious issue than society thinks it is. We live our lives being affected by it without even noticing its influence on us as a society. Is it good? Is it bad? The only way to answer all of these questions is to dig deeper into its past and and realized how big of an issue propaganda really is. 

Just one of many war propaganda posters during WWI.
It creates a feeling of patriotism, doesn't it?

Propaganda can be defined as information that can be biased or misleading to sway opinions  in the direction of a particular view point, especially in politics. At a first glance, propaganda seems to have a negative connotation. I would wholeheartedly agree with that statement. Personally, I have always thought that propaganda has always been used in the negative sense. I've seen signs advertising war and political campaigns trying to sway my opinion in their direction. These advertisements try to create a certain feeling inside of me that will sway me towards their opinion. 

A young women in the 1920's smoking. 

Most of these propaganda techniques are negative because their intentions are not always pure. For example, a few decades ago, smoking was becoming bigger and bigger. In order for the cigarette companies to earn more revenue, they began advertising commercials and photo-ops centered around women smoking. The cigarette companies didn't care about the effects of cigarettes on the human body or how the secondhand smoke affected the environment. All that they cared about was selling their product and propaganda was used to up their sales. 

The larger-than-life statue of Saddam Hussein being
 pulled down by a mob in Iraq. 

The idea that public opinion is so easily swayed by the media is a horrendous thought. For many years and still today, we are influenced by what the media "informs" us. If we were to dig deeper into the stories and articles, we would see how many lies we have been told. For example, in Psywar, many events were discussed as been "set-up" and "staged" in order to manipulate the public's opinion of the matter. Some of these events included the rescue of Private Jessica Lynch and the mob that pulled over the gigantic statue of Saddam Hussein. We believe most of what the news medias tell us. We rely on news stations to bring us hard-hitting stories that seem important at the time. They shape our thoughts, actions, and beliefs. When we hear a story, we automatically create an opinion, usually in line with whichever news media we are watching. 


Not all of the propaganda used in the media today is a bad thing. Yes, there are still political campaigns that use propaganda to get us to side with them. Yes, there are still new media outlets that blur the truth. There are a few uses of propaganda that are positive. The campaign to try to stop people from smoking is a positive use of propaganda. The video and the ad below are two examples of how propaganda can be used in a positive way in the media. Not every attempt to use propaganda are negative. 

I wake up everyday swayed by public opinion and the media. Just when I think I am ready to vote for one political candidate, an ad pops up on my tv and negates the reasons I wanted to vote for him or her in the first place. I see a commercial advertising the effects of the toxins in cigarettes on the body on tv. I walk down the street and see advertisements for cheap packs of cigarettes. My head is just spinning. After watching Psywar, I realized how much I have been swayed by the media and how much propaganda plays a role in my life. I cannot go one day without some type of propaganda being thrown in my face, whether it be good or bad. Is propaganda evil? In some ways, it is. When it is used in a negative way, of course I see it as evil. When it is used in a positive way, propaganda is a tool that is helping society. Propaganda will always be used in the media. Whether it be in a positive way or a negative way, propaganda will always be in our lives.