News, trust, and “truthiness”

This week our class was required to investigate our other classmate’s blog and see what the general impression is on satirical news reportage. After reading many of my classmate’s blogs, it has become apparent to me that satirical news reportage is equally as reliable as traditional new reportage.

            Classmate Kaitlin Sanderson (http://kaitlinsanderson.wordpress.com) shared a similar idea as that of mine in stating that satirical news provides a different perspective on important information. She states, “Though they are mocking and criticizing these events, they also can be very informative and don’t necessarily hide or sugar coat facts to their viewers.” Kaitlin is saying that satire news puts a different twist on getting information out there, but yet it is still giving the same important information. She believes that it equally important because it is just a different way of reporting the news. 

            Another classmate Lynden Boston (http://boston94.blogspot.ca/) also has the same impression I shared on how satire news gives comic relief to the public sphere. It is said that satirical new reporting, “used to just help release the tension that is building up with the audience”. Boston believes that this type of reportage is used to lighten the mood because sometimes traditional news can leave a heavy weight on someone’s shoulders. She also believes that satire news is a good way to get a different perspective of information.

            Further, when reading through classmate’s blogs I began to see that many students would rather watch satire news then traditional news because it keeps them entertained. Classmate Tori Gligic (http://torigligic.wordpress.com/) says “Personally, I would rather watch a satirical news reporting, which would give keep me updated on what I need to know around the world, yet still keep me laughing and intrigued”. This type of reporting I think is great for the public sphere, especially for much of the younger population who doesn’t enjoy watching the traditional news because they think it is boring. Satire news reporting for any age still gives the important information about the world that is needed to know, but it does it in a away where it keep the audience engaged and entertained. It can also make news more understandable to the viewer as it places a perspective that is relatable.

            To conclude, I think that many of my classmates would agree with me when I say that satirical news reporting is equally as reliable as traditional news reporting. It provides the same important information, while giving another perspective with comedy that keeps people entertained.  

Is the fake news the real news?

This weeks blog is asking us our perspective on culture jamming and whether or not we believe it is a useful addition to the public sphere or not.

Individuals who block the media and change the true meaning of a message by bringing up different points on something in order to make consumers think twice about a product or service are using culture jamming. The textbook sates, “the objectives of culture jamming often include consciousness raising (raising awareness of social and political issues) as well as using the media to criticise the media and dominant culture” (214). I believe that culture jamming is important in today’s world. Much of the news focuses on one side of a story giving of bias view, culture jamming allows for the public to see another opinion on something. Shows like The Daily Show or The Rick Mercer report use entertainment and comedy to provide another opinion on a story. I think that these satirical news reports in some ways provide the public sphere with a sense of relief and a summary of a different perspective regarding an issue, but this summary is done in an entertaining way.

People are becoming more and more dependent on factual new for many reasons such as hearing about world issues, the weather, or local reports. Watching the news has become engraved into many people’s daily routines. Though the information that is reported from the news is very important it can also instill many fears into peoples lives. I think that the use of satirical news is a good way to view another point through “comedy [that] can be subversive as it attracts attention in memorable ways and allows jesters to challenge authority” (223). These programs also use the “use of humor [which] might suggest to audiences, though, that the issues themselves shouldn’t be taken seriously”(223). I think that satirical news provided the public with relief from all the heavy information of news that is constantly being reported.

Cultural jamming examines the whole view of an issue while providing comedic relief of an issue about the media sources that are reporting the issue. I think that adding comedy to these shows gives them a distinctive aspect, which draws people in to them. I believe that the public is at no harm from these shows because people are still gaining information of popular topics, but it through comedy and different points of views.

O’Shaughnessy, M., Stadler J. (2012). Media and Society Fifth Edition. Victoria, Australia: Oxford.

Demonstrable demographics

In this week’s blog, we are asked to find similarities and differences between the different strategies that other ads used for hailing and interpolating. My blog last week was based on an ad by Nike encouraging women to be confident in themselves and promoting that they are still able to maintain a feminine side while participating in sports. Based on reading multiple of my classmates blogs, I noticed that many of the ads were geared towards encouraging women to look the perfect way like the models seen in a makeup or skin care advertisement.

            While reading through different blogs, I came across Shannon McGinnis’s blog. McGinnis discusses how the media is beginning to discourage young girls from participating in athletics she states “Sadly, we live in a world that teaches girls to judge their worth by what they look like rather than their abilities” (McGinnis, 2013). The focus on the preferred or perfect look is becoming more evident everyday. Teens today are more focused on their appearance rather than showing off their true potential in sport.  This is because there are so many ads that are focused on the beauty of girls such as makeup and fashion ads. Teen girls worry more about how society will perceive them rather than showing off their other attributes such as sportiness, strength and passion.

            Ads that are hailed towards teenage girls more often then not are about beauty or having the perfect body. Females are encouraged to look feminine rather than “sporty”, Classmate Madison Bygrave talks about the effects that wearing cosmetics has on women and how it makes females feel more confident while wearing make up because they believe they are seen as being more attractive.  Bygrave notes, “we are willing to “enhance” the way we look, in order to fit into our gender roles and come across as attractive” (Bygrave, 2013). Due to the media, females are being greatly encouraged to change who they are so they can enhance themselves and feel confident in the way they are portrayed by others. 

            The media is becoming increasingly powerful.  Brittany Noel says “not only is the media influencing our self image, but it is also enforcing our gender roles”. The media encourages femininity and this is affecting young female’s self-confidence. Young women now are under great pressure to present themselves in such a way the media sees to be what the perfect teen female looks like.  McGinnis’s also states “At a young age, the media steps in and enforces that, “gender is central to identity” (2013). The media is enforcing this “ideal” view of women on girls at such a young age which discourages them to participate in things such as sports because the media portrays being active and participating in sports as a “masculine” activity, and young females do not want their identity mixed up.

            Stereotypes in advertising are creating an unnatural picture of the ideal female. Many ads are directed towards the teen female demographic, which is affecting the way that young women think, act, and look. The messages in the ads are not always about the words used, but rather the picture that is presented.

References

Bygrave, Madison. http://mb12qe.wordpress.com/2013/11/07/what-the-hail/

McGinnis, Shannon. http://www.sm13hm.blogspot.ca/2013/11/cpcf-1f25-what-hail.html

Noel, Brittany. http://cpcframblings.blogspot.ca/2013/11/what-hail.html

What the Hail

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1ighxU1vYw

            In the blog post for this week, we have been asked to find an advertisement that is targeted at my own demographic. The link above, which I chose for my ad showcases the “Nike Voices” advertisement; this ad targets females of all ages from young to elderly. As in the Nike slogan is “Just Do It” this ad demonstrates how females are able and capable of being active, no matter of gender, age, race or ability. Females, while maintaining their feminine side, can also be strong, fierce, and passionate about something that may have been previously viewed as a male dominated activity. The ad is promoting how confidence and passion can motivate someone to do their best.

            In the Nike Voices ad, there were multiple ways that I was interpolated into the message of the ad. Sports and athletics have always been a large part of my life.  I connected right away to what the females in the ad were conveying. Nike focuses on the female population in this ad and they are giving motivational reasoning’s to “just do it”. I believe that Nike is encouraging the women population to just believe in themselves and go for something with confidence. O’Shaughnessy (2012, p.189) writes, “We live in a culture that glorifies the individual, encourages us to believe that every person has unique qualities.” Because we are all unique and different I think that the ad is drawing women in and letting them know that with the confidence you can show your individuality and “just do it” and by promoting their product, you can be successful. Being an active participant in many co-ed basketball and baseball teams, I continually had to just show my drive and dedication for the sport in order to get the ball or the bat during the game and equal playing time. Without this passion and drive to just do it for myself I would have gotten nowhere with the sports.

            Ideology also shows up in this ad. O’Shaughnessy (2012, p.184) also says “Ideology is internalized by us. If we accept values... then we carry those ideologies as a part of who we are.” This is saying that if women are not afraid to believe in themselves and they act out with confidence then they can “just do it” despite any limitations that they may feel they have. Having to show my drive and dedication has also helped to change and shape the values that I have now. Having to continually push myself to prove myself to my male counterparts on the court has made me value the hard work I have put into my athletics.

            Personally, in being a female who has been athletic for their entire life, I understand this commercial and it give me more of a drive to just do what needs to be done in any situation that is thrown my way. This is especially when people are in doubt of me, it gives me more of a passion to just do it and prove them wrong.

O’Shaughnessy, Michael, and Jane Stadler. Media and Society. Fifth Edition. South Melbourne, Australia: Oxford, 2012. Print.