Speaker: Steve Jackson

TRUTH

Communications: the process of transferring meaning

Sometimes there can be errors in the search for truth.

Examples:

Swift Boating

Jason Blair

The Bell Curve

Walter Duranty

Subjective vs. Intersubjective

Speaker: Wangari Maathai

Maathai was born to a farm family in Kenya. Probably most famous as a 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, she has held many highly respected positions and achieved many notable accomplishments throughout her life. Regarded as a found of the Greenbelt Movement, she has led a persistent struggle for democracy through the idea of developing and maintaining a sustainable environment. Through her hard work, over one billion trees have been planted around the world today. She believes in “thinking globally and acting locally.” One of her main messages for us was to seriously think about reducing, reusing, recycling and (probably not thought about enough by most of us, including myself) being thankful for what we have.

Advertisements

While the idea that “sex sells” in by no means a new concept; it was interesting to see just how many of the ads brought in by classmates banked on this concept. Often seeming irrelevant to the product being pushed, a scantily clad man or woman was most definitely the most used means of sales. It was interesting to see also that women were used to sell to both men and women, while men were used primarily to entice women to a certain product.

All the President’s Men

The Watergate scandal is something that I have only been vaguely familiar with for a long time. It was a nice opportunity to watch this film about how the scandal was brought to the public’s attention. It demonstrates how powerful journalists can be, and also how big of a risk they can be taking – not only the journalists themselves, but also their editors and the newspaper as a whole. Such daring and investigative journalism, gone wrong, can certainly leave for damaged or even destroyed reputations. However, gone right, a journalist can go down in history for uncovering something important.

Fahrenheit 451: The Danger of Books

Quite simply, the danger of books in Fahrenheit 451 is that they lead to knowledge. Knowledge leads to ideas. Ideas lead to thinking and thinking leads to individual thinking. In a society where everyone is expected to do only as they are intended to do, individual thinking would be a very dangerous thing. Without books, it would be much easier to control the thoughts people have and the knowledge that they possess. This sort of backwards brainwashing stops the thinking before it is even allowed to begin.

Chapter 7 Knowledge Claims

1.) “Entrepreneurs quickly realized that drawing the middle and upper classes to movies required something more attractive than a sheet hung in an abandoned pawnshop.”

This idea led to what the book refers to as “movie palaces.” Seattle’s 5^th Avenue Theatre is used as an example of this. I thought that this point was worth mentioning because it differs from some of the other media forms we have talked about. For example, newspaper began as something that only the wealthy could afford and later was able to trickle down to the masses as the cost was lowered. Going to the movies originally seemed to be something that appealed more to the masses, and gimmicks had to be employed to attract the wealthier consumers.

2.) “Film has generally been called a director’s medium.”

The book explains that, while it certainly takes hundreds of people to make a movie, the director is designated as the main author of a film. The director’s techniques for making a film can make it what it is. The angle or distance from which a scene is shot can make or break it. The director must make sure that all aspects of the movie work together to make it a success. Today we have what the book calls “celebrity directors” who may be known for their techniques. Sometimes we may watch a movie and instantly know who the director is, even though we never once see him on screen.

3.) “Despite the development of made-for-television movies, pay-per-view, and home video, the movie business has continued to thrive.”

This is interesting and unique because it seems that this is one of the rare media forms that has not been strongly effected by developing technologies and competition. Americans still love to go to movies and they still love to buy them.

Chapter 10 Knowledge Claims

1.) “Most publishers employ acquisition editors to seek out and sign authors to contracts.”

This section of the chapter was interesting because I was previously unfamiliar of the process in which publishers and authors join forces to publish and distribute a book. These acquisition editors might work with book agents or simply read through manuscripts that have been sent to the publisher directly from a writer. These editors are often the same people who handle the rights to works. They may be the ones who work with others to adapt a book to a screenplay or into some other form.

2.) “While copy editors attend to specific problems in writing or length, design managers work on the look of the book, making decisions about type style, paper, cover design and layout.”

As an English major, and someone who is interested in one day working in some sort of print media, I appreciated the opportunity to learn about all of the different people involved with bringing a book to its final product. I think that often when we think of a book editor, we fail to think about the fact that many different people work together to ensure that a book’s components tie together in the end to create a success.

3.) “In terms of selling books, two alternative strategies have worked for a number of years – book clubs and mail order.”

I remember being in elementary school and looking forward to the book club events being held in our library, as well as the monthly Scholastic pamphlets that my teacher would distribute to the class. Most book clubs use cheaply priced introductory books to lure people into them. Once someone has joined they are expected to buy books from the club at regular prices. Book clubs do offer benefits in that they often have lists of recommended books, as well as things such as online chat rooms in which members may discuss the books that they have purchased and read.

Chapter 9 Knowledge Claims

which offered occasional investigative articles but covered a wide variety of topics aimed at a broad national audience.”

The book gives some examples of general interest magazines that still exist today – Reader’s Digest, Life, etc. It then goes on however to discuss the fall of general interest magazines. It seems that as many different media forms evolved (radio, television, print, etc) demand came for specialization that would satisfy the individual interests of consumers. In looking at all of the niche magazines of today, it is obvious that magazines are able to be very successful by specializing in certain interests.

2.) “The most widely circulated ‘elite’ magazine in the twentieth century was The New Yorker.”

The New Yorker was founded by Harold Ross in 1925 and openly catered to those of the upper-class. The magazine made no excuses for being “uppity” and found success in its venture to be the choice magazine for society’s upper-crust. I thought that it was interesting to read about the magazine because it seems that today so many forms of media are concerned with presenting themselves in a way that would offend any potential consumers. This case is interesting because I think that the fact that they were so adamant about being a magazine for only the elite, the elite were that much more interested in subscribing.

3.) “The advertising and sales department of a magazine secures clients, arranges promotions and places ads.”

In reading about the circulation and sales of magazines, I’ve learned that the main source of income for magazine publications is in the advertisements that companies pay to place in them. It could probably be said than that without the advertising and sales department of a magazine, the magazine would not be able to survive. You could have a staff of the greatest journalists and photographers of all time, but without the means to get the magazine funded and sold, it would never have the opportunity to be successful.

Chapter 8 Knowledge Claims

1.) “By the late 1820s, the average newspaper cost six cents a copy and was sold not through street sales but through yearly subscriptions priced at ten to twelve dollars.”

In these times the cost of a newspaper subscription was too much for the average American to afford, and nearly all subscribers were affluent. As technology allowed for cheaper production costs, more and more people were able to afford a daily paper. Paper sales also became a common practice in the street. It seems that, just like newspapers, many different forms of media and communication began as being only available to the wealthy. A more modern example of this might be the MP3 player. Originally very expensive, today many different companies offer inexpensive versions of the music players.

2.) “Labeled the era of yellow journalism, this late 1800s development emphasized profitable papers that emphasized human-interest stories, crime news, large headlines and more readable copy.”

The idea of yellow journalism is said to be similar to sensationalism. Sensationalism is what today’s tabloids stem from. These types of stories may be about celebrities, crime, disasters and scandals – things that are likely to pique the reader’s interest but may not have very much educational value or merit. Even in looking at today’s newspapers and magazines you can see that American readers are still interested in these same sorts of articles.

3.) “With the rise of radio in the 1930s, the newspaper industry became increasingly annoyed by broadcasters who took their news directly from papers and wire services.”

This conflict caused a major battle between radio and print journalism. Newspapers tried to protect their work with copyrights and lawsuits. As newspapers pressed for rules that would restrict radio broadcasters to commenting on their stories only, the path was paved for today’s talk radio shows. It’s interesting to see how, in this and other chapters of the book, we can see how the different forms of media and their offspring grew out of conflicts.

Chapter 6 Knowledge Claims

1.) “Unlike recording, radio and broadcast television, cable television’s earliest technical breakthroughs came from a fairly anonymous and practical group of people.”

The advent of cable stemmed from a problem facing appliance store owners whose customers lived in either remote or hard-to-reach via broadcast signal areas. In order to increase their sales they began to build antenna towers that would enable their customers to pick up the signals from their television sets. They then strung cables from those towers into the customers’ homes. This created a new market.

2.) “By the early 1970s, particularly with the advent of communication satellites, it was clear that cable’s growth could no longer be limited to small, isolated communities. With cable’s capacity for more channels and better reception, the FCC began to seriously examine industry issues.”

The first measure taken by the FCC, as discussed in the textbook, was to reaffirm must-carry rules. This meant that all cable operators were required to assign channels to carry local broadcasts. The point of this was to make sure that smaller, local channels had the chance to benefit from cable. The FCC also took steps to make sure that cable channels carried programs dedicated to education, government and other public issues.

3.) “The second basic cable service to dramatically change the world’s cultural landscape was MTV.”

MTV was started by Warner Communications in 1981 and purchased by Viacom four years later. Today MTV has stations around the world and boasts hundreds of millions of viewers. Just as our culture and values have changed throughout the years, so has MTV. One of the ways that the book demonstrates this idea is by discussing the fact that MTV, in its early years, provided little airtime for black musicians. Today MTV’s music lineups feature musicians of all ethnicities.

Chapter 5 Knowledge Claims

1.) “Like radio in the 1930s and 1940s, early television programs were often conceived, produced and supported by a single sponsor.”

Some of television’s earliest shows were sponsored by a single company (Goodyear TV Playhouse, Buick Circus Hour, etc). As time progressed, stations grew frustrated with the amount of control that these sponsors held. Out of this frustration stemmed the structure that we are familiar with today – multiple sponsors paying to air commercials embedded within television programs.

2.) “Syndication, selling TV stations the exclusive rights to air TV shows, is a critical component of the distribution process.”

Each years thousands of executives from TV stations to buy and bid over television show rights. These rights are usually bought in two or three years increments. These syndicated programs are most often used to fill the time chunks outside of primetime. The use of these shows is often a cost-efficient way to keep viewers happy and watching.

3.) “In addition to problems faced by our public broadcasting system, the original ideal of “universal” television programming serving as our cultural yardstick has also been undercut.”

With the invention of cable, the VCR, DVRs and others of the like, it is easy for individuals to tune in to programs covering their own unique interests. As inventions like this continue to become available, television watchers are less likely to tune into the same programs as their peers. The idea that television can unite people by drawing them to similar programming will likely become an idea of the past.

Chapter 4 Knowledge Claims

1.) “As a medium for mass communication, radio broadcasts offered the possibility of sending voice and music to thousands of people.”

I thought it was interesting to learn that the term broadcasting was originally used to describe the process in which farmers cast seeds over a large area of land. With radio the idea is still similar, but instead refers to the transmission of radio signals. Prior to this invention, wireless referred to person-to-person contact (i.e., telegraph, telephone, etc).

2.) “In the 1920s, as radio moved from narrowcasting to broadcasting, the battle for more frequency space and less channel interference intensified.”

The popularity of radio called for regulation. In 1924 Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover ordered that radio stations share time and schedule time brackets for things such as news reports and weather. It was later ruled that Hoover did not have the right to keep stations from operating. As problems persisted, the Radio Act of 1927 was enacted and was shortly followed by the Federal Communications Act of 1934.

3.) “A key development in the radio’s adaptation occurred with the invention of the transistor by Bell Laboratories in 1947.”

The first transistors were sold by Texas Instruments in 1957 for around $40. Sony followed shortly with the pocket radio. In the 1960s these tiny radios were produced and sold for a low enough price the average American could own one. Unlike the television, these radios could go anywhere. It was around this time that radios begun to be installed into new cars.

Chapter 3 Knowledge Claims

1.) “In 2001 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the music industry and against Napster, declaring free music file-swapping illegal an in violation of music copyrights held by recording labels and artists.”

It wasn’t long ago that I remember flipping on the nightly news to see that the Napster battle was the top story of the day. At fourteen I remembered hating the ruling, not because I really had any understanding of the legalities behind the issue, but because I could no longer download my favorite music for free. I dreaded being forced back to spending a large chunk of my weekly allowance on $19.99 CDs. Fortunately for me, the demise of Napster only led to the birth of many other file sharing programs, and I now download my music for free from Limewire.

2.) “Another reason for the growth of rock and roll can be found in the repressive and uneasy atmosphere of the 1950s.”

The political agenda of the 1950s encompassed a number of things, among them the Cold War, the Red Scare and the atomic bomb. The book explains that young people were desperately searching for some means of escape. First came the Waltz, then the cakewalk, the Charleston, the jitterbug and so on. With the 1950s came the advent of rock’n’roll.

3.) “In the 1950s, legal integration accompanied a cultural shift, and the rock and roll industry’s race and pop charts blurred.”

The book explains a number of ways in which rock and roll was a part of the times. The music was able to find success in both high and low culture, from both men and women, and in both white and black social circles in the north and the south. Until then, and until rock and roll, it was not common for a single style of music to find such widespread success from such varying audiences.

Chapter 12 Knowledge Claims

1.) “Daniel Boorstin coined the term pseudo-event to refer to one of the key contributions of PR and advertising in the twentieth century.”

The book used the examples of pre-game shows, interviews, and press conferences to demonstrate the idea of a pseudo-event. While I was familiar with these types of happenings, I never really gave much thought to their purpose. The basic idea is that they will draw public attention to the main event. The book discusses how many of these events are planned around the schedules of local news outlets to ensure that they will be on the scene to report when they begin.

2.) “In many firms government relations has developed into lobbying: the process of attempting to influence to voting of lawmakers to support an industry’s or organization’s best interests.”

In Washington D.C. there are more than 34,000 lobbyists registered. The book breaks this down for us and explains that this equals an incredible sixty-three lobbyists for each member of Congress. Some of the most common techniques used by these lobbyists in their attempts to draw up support include phone banks and emails. These practices are commonly used in what is referred to as Astroturf lobbying. In this form of lobbying, activists lead people to believe that their ideas are supported by many (even millions) of citizens.

3.) “The relationship between journalism and public relations is complex.”

In this section of the book the author talks about some friction that exists between these fields. It is mentioned that while many journalists make the leap from writing to public relations, it seldom happens the other way. Aside from the friction though, it is explained that journalism and public relations remain reliant on each other.

Chapter 11 Knowledge Claims

1.) “Critics found that some agencies used subliminal advertising. This term, coined in the 1950s, refers to hidden or disguised print and visual messages…”

I thought that this section was interesting because I had heard of subliminal advertising/messages, but really knew little about it. I was most curious about its effectiveness. According to the text, research has found that ads using this technique are really no more effective than the regular advertisements we usually see.

2.) “Breaking away from these bigger agencies, many of these creative individuals formed small boutique agencies…”

I enjoyed reading this section as I think most people can appreciate those who are successful in venturing away from some of the overpowering larger industries in the business world. The book demonstrates how lucrative many of these smaller, more personalized advertising agencies are. One example mentioned was the Minneapolis based Peterson Milla Hooks, who is responsible for the Target Corporation’s slogan, “expect more, pay less.”

3.) “In managing space and time constraints, advertising agencies engage in a variety of persuasive techniques.”

In this chapter the book discusses a number of different ways in which ad agencies attract the attention of consumers. Famous person testimonial is one that I see quite often - whether on television, in print or on the radio. I am an avid reader of fashion magazines, and when I read of the snob-appeal approach, a number of ads popped into my head. I found the idea of irritation advertising to be funny, especially because the book explains that, while certainly obnoxious, this technique remains effective.

Knowledge Claims: Chapters 16, 13 & 15

Chapter 16

1.) “A recent international survey of the news media in 192 countries, conducted by the human rights organization Freedom House, reported that about 73 percent of the world’s people lived in countries with a less than free press.”

The book continues to say that there are 71 nations that have virtually no press freedom. While I was aware of the fact that the United States was a country that allowed much more freedom of the press, I was not fully aware of how very few countries also share this freedom. This statistic led me to think about the idea of free speech in regards to the idea of free thinking. Just because citizens of other countries are not legally allowed to vocalize some of their thoughts, I wonder if they are in fact as free thinking as Americans can be. I wonder how much they are really affected by this idea of controlled press and media.

2.) “The biggest single legal worry that haunts editors and publishers is the issue of libel, another form of expression that is not protected as speech under the First Amendment.”

This section of the chapter cleared up an idea that I did not fully understand prior to this reading. Slander differs from libel in that slander is defamation of character in spoken word, whereas libel refers to defamation of character in written or broadcast form. I can understand how a journalist would have to be careful of this because, as the book explains, there are many different ways that instances of libel can occur. It would seem to me that it could be easy to misconstrue information that would in turn translate falsely into an article or broadcast.

3.) “One of the major criticisms of recent criminal cases concerns the ways in which defense lawyers use the news media to comment publicly on court matters outside the presence of a sequestered jury.”

This fact is one that I instantly identified with. Just recently I have had a friend become involved in a fairly serious case that gained quite a bit of local media coverage. It angered me to see how some people were presenting things to the news outlets that they were interviewed by. I found the things they were saying to be untrue and certainly one-sided. It seemed unfair to me that this would be allowed prior to the case. How can it be allowed for someone to so easily take a shot at swaying the opinion of the public – even before any real evidence has been presented?

Chapter 13

1.) “During the rise of industry in the nineteenth century, entrepreneurs such as John D. Rockefeller in oil, Cornelius Vanderbilt in shipping and railroads, and Andrew Carnegie in steel created giant companies that monopolized their respective industries.”

The book defines a monopoly as a company that dominates production and distribution in a particular industry, either nationally or locally. In 1890 Congress passed an act, the Sherman Antitrust Act, to outlaw the practice of a monopoly. The company that first came to mind as a recent example of this was Microsoft. I wondered upon reading this about how our economy might be different if this act was never signed into law. I would assume that prices would go up and innovation would go down, as these companies would not be forced to compete.

2.) “To understand the contemporary story of media economics, we need only examine the transformation of Disney from a struggling cartoon producer to one of the world’s largest media conglomerates.”

This point interested me because, only being familiar with the Disney Company of today, I had no idea that it was once a struggling entity. Even after the company raised its head above water, they were only breaking even because of the extended period of time it took to produce hand-drawn cartoons. Beginning in the 1950s, Disney began to venture into other areas and became more successful as a whole. This is an example of the chapter’s idea of diversification, and how it can be beneficial to a company. Today I can think of many companies that own and produce a variety of other companies and products.

3.) “American VCR, CD, DVD, and TV manufacturers lowered costs by moving production plants outside the country.”

This idea is one that has been discussed in many of my college classes. On one hand it would seem to benefit us, as Americans, to outsource production to other countries where products can be produced for less money because we, in turn, will pay less for them. However, this loss of jobs for Americans here is also harmful. This debate seems to be one of economics and ethics. Is it right for American companies to hand off jobs to citizens of other countries? If these companies continued to produce their products here would they be able to compete with other companies who had less production expenses?

Chapter 15

1.) “In 1985, the popular heavy-metal band Judas Priest made headlines when two Nevada teenagers shot themselves after listening to the group’s allegedly subliminal suicide message on their 1978 Stained Class album.”

The book continues on to say that the parents of these teens lost a lawsuit in which they sued the band for liability. I remember when this same issue arose shortly after Columbine. Personally, I do not feel that bands should be held accountable for any actions their fans might take. It seems ridiculous to me to blame a band or a song for something such as this. I feel that upon more research these teenagers probably had more going on in their lives that had a much greater affect on them then the CD’s they played in their stereos.

2.) “Another mass media phenomenon – the cultivation effect – suggests that heavy viewing of television leads individuals to perceive reality in ways that are consistent with television portrayals.”

This made me stop and analyze myself and how I might be affected by my television watching. When watching television I usually find myself either disagreeing or agreeing with the ideas that are portrayed, and I like to think that I still think independently regardless of any swaying the program I’m watching might be trying to do. However, after reading this part of the chapter I wonder if this really is true, or if I am more affected by what I watch than I think I am.

3.) “Developed by German communication theorist Elisabeth Noelle-Neuman in the 1970s and 1980s, the spiral of silence is a theory that links the mass media, social psychology, and the formation of public opinion. It proposes that those who find that their views on controversial issues are in the minority will keep their views to themselves…”

This idea is not one that I have ever formally learned about in a classroom setting, but have definitely experiences among friends and classmates. It was interesting to read that this idea had a name and had been studied. It makes me think back to the idea of free speech. Although we have it in this country, some people will probably always be afraid to act on it, for fear of appearing different from their peers.

Knowledge Claims: Chapters 1,2 & 14

Chapter 1

1.) “The invention of the printing press and moveable metallic type in the fifteenth century provided the industrial seed that spawned modern mass communication.”

As explained in the chapter, up until the introduction of printed word by the printing press, books and other forms of written communication had to be written by hand and were therefore expensive and time consuming. The introduction of this more efficient and affordable form of communication allowed for distribution to more people – not just the wealthy. This larger circulation is what first started the idea behind mass communication. Today people of all income levels and lifestyles can find access to up-to-date information, probably making us the most well-informed society ever.

2.) “New electronics and digital technologies, particularly cable television and the internet, have developed so quickly that traditional leaders in mass communication have lost some of their control over information.”

This point seems accurate, but throws me slightly with the book’s usage of the word “control”. To me it seems that the major networks would be losing influence as they have to compete with other outlets of media who may be able to lure followers away. The word “control” seems a bit strong. Either way, it is certainly interesting to compare the number of different information sources available to media consumers today in contrast with those available just ten or twenty years ago.

3.) “Throughout twentieth-century America, critics and audiences took for granted a hierarchy of culture that exists to this day and can be visualized, in some respects, as a modern skyscraper.”

The book uses the metaphor of a skyscraper to symbolize America’s “low culture” and “high culture”. High culture is said to represent the fine arts (ballet, opera, etc) and low culture is said to represent the mass favorites (pop music, video games, etc). The book also describes the taste of the masses as questionable. While not only offensive, I find this statement to be an oversimplification of the likings of Americans. It seems unlikely that most American’s could be placed on the spectrum accurately, as I suspect that most would vary in taste.

Chapter 2

1.) “Although many branches of the internet still resemble dirt roads on the information highway, the rapid technology advances that accompany the new routes pose a major challenge to cable television and the more traditional media.”


The book explains that the internet was originally created to serve as a military communications network. Today it is common for the average American to log on multiple times each day. As this form of communication becomes even more common for the masses, it is likely that people will turn to it more and more for information. This reliance on the internet will certainly draw attention away from cable television and other more traditional media, posing a challenge for them to compete with the more instantaneous media source.

2.) “Even as the Internet matures and becomes more accessible, wealthy users are still able to buy higher levels of privacy, spreading access and capability than other users.”

I found this point interesting because even with the amazing amount of progress that has been made since the earliest days of communication, similar problems are still presenting themselves. Just as the wealthy were the only people able to buy the original hand-written books, the books explains that wealthier users are still more able to take better advantage of today’s media outlets.

3.) “The cultural shifts of media consumption have shaken up old cultural industries and created new markets and practices.”

The book discusses the idea of convergence. An example of this would be the want of the consumer to get music from the internet. While the music industry would of course prefer that consumers buy compact discs in the store, Apple shortly made it possible for its users to download music from the internet using iTunes. As different needs are presented, companies will create new ideas to meet them, often using the different forms of mass media to meet them.

Chapter 14

1.) “In modern America, serious journalism has sought to provide information that enables citizens to make intelligent decisions.”

This point from the book made me think about the everyday stories that I read and how they often seem to lend themselves to bias. The book goes on to talk about how this idea of serious journalism has been “partially derailed.” With so many outlets of information today, especially internet sources, it is easy to stumble upon inaccurate information. One must be careful of where they gather their information from. This idea from the book makes me curious about the pre-derailed journalism and I wonder if this journalism really was successful in being just that.

2.) “Although newsworthiness criteria are a useful way to define news, they do not reveal much about the cultural aspects of news.”

The stories we see on the news do not often portray the usual aspects of our daily lives. The news is filled with the more sensational stories that are going to draw our attention and keep us watching. Watching the five o’clock news is not likely to give you a taste of the culture that makes up the life of the average American. The stories we want to see and the stories that are going to intrigue us is what the media outlets are going to produce and play.

3.) “To achieve the truth, journalists often straddle the line between ‘the public’s right to know’ and a person’s right to privacy.”

This is an interesting point and one that I often wonder about when watching the news of reading a story in the paper. The book explains the choices a journalist must make in order to sell a story and remain respectful of the subject. I thought it sad, but realistic, that a journalist must constantly be aware of the fact that by not being pushy, they could possibly forfeit information that a competitor might be able to get. As a consumer, I will admit to the pleasure of reading a juicy, information filled story.