How Do Media Professionsals "Know" Their Audiences?

When professionals want to know how they are being perceived they go about it in several ways. One way is the product research method. They work backwards to see how internal and external forces had an impact on their content. This form of research is based on participant observation, case studies, and thorough tests. A great amount of fieldwork is done to find out what day to day factors have on the media they are producing. They depend on other media professionals to work with them in this process. In some cases these media professionals are observed by researchers; once they have been observed the two can work together to determine how they are being viewed. Many professionals already know somewhat of what they are looking for from former jobs they have had as interns, or junior reporters.

The political approach is one that focuses on economic and political power. An example of this, is how much power media conglomerates have over a production, and aiming their media towards them.

The critical theory is also a method commonly used. This is based on professionals engaging in production that they know supports of the popular groups. By doing this they know they will have a large audience in favor of their new media.

The liberal pluralist perspective is also used, it differs from the critical and political approaches. This recognizes how complex organizations are and how creative professionals have to be in order to do their jobs. This approach believes that these media professionals should not give in to the ruling class, or dominant group. They should create a media that they want to.

Bitmap vs. Vector Quiz

Money is Debt

The movie "Money is Debt" demonstrated the current economic crisis in a way that was clear and easy to understand. I like the fact that it is described through animations and graphics; this made it easier to pay attention to, and it was visually pleasing. I like the fact that Paul Grignon, the creator, is not someone you hear about on a daily basis, yet he made this very enlightening movie.

These issues are generally not taught in school, and if they are they're not discussed in detail. The reason for this is because those few powerful people in charge of the money system don't want people to know the truth behind where the money in our economy is actually coming from. Money is continuously being made, but there is nothing, such as gold to account for it. As more and more money is being circulated the farther we are going into debt. Some people want our money system to go back to gold; it's hard to imagine making that kind of change at this point in time.

Another part of the movie that I found interesting was when it said that without debt there would be no money. This was a hard concept to grasp at first, and crazy to think about. It's scary to think about the amount of debt the country is in and how long it will take for us to recover. The amount of debt should be a fear to Americans.

I would recommend this movie to anyone who wants a better understanding of how money is distributed and circulated. It discusses these issues in a way that is easy to follow. These topics should be taught in school, so that future generations will know the state of the economy and how we got there.

For my animation I chose to use Time Warner. Time Warner by itself is very popular, and they own a variety of well known companies, the ones shown in my project are just a small number of them. Many people depend on, and use these companies services on a daily basis. Throughout my whole animation the Time Warner Logo remains stationary in the background, and in each frame a new logo appears, while the rest move around. At the very end, they all go away and the sole Time Warner icon appears.

Medium is the Message

For my medium I chose to use the telephone. It was invented in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell, and is something that many people depend on, on a daily basis. The content is people using the phone to communicate with others in all different places. For my example, I was thinking in terms of businesses and companies using the phone to correspond with one another. The phone allows business men and women to relay information to each other and with other companies across the world. The message is making sales and agreements with others nationwide.

Media Globalization Quiz

1.) The use by these media conglomerates of new information and communications technologies:

Today it seems that just about everyone has a cell phone, even children still in elementary school. This new technology is pushed on the community as a whole by the numerous commercials and ads seen on a daily basis. When children watch their favorite shows on TV, many times the main characters have phones, and are attached to them. This makes those young impressionable children feel the need that they too need a phone. Look through the ads on any given day especially a Sunday, and count the number of ads you find for different phone services. There are also billboards, and commercials on TV constantly stressing the "need" of a cell phone. As discussed in class, some adverting companies send text messages, and make calls to cell phones trying to promote their product of service. If you have your cell phone with you, even if you are away from all other media sources, it is very likely that the media and ads are still going to be pressed upon you. With technology improving daily, you can now access the internet with your phone, and the number of ads you now see will increase tenfold.

2.)A greater amount of homogenization and standardization in certain media products produced and distributed by the global media industries:

If you were to travel to Australia, Germany, or even China, it can be guaranteed that you will find the familiar golden arches "McDonalds" without having to look too far or hard. McDonalds has become so popular that I would be shocked to find someone that hasn't tasted one of their "delicacies" or at least heard the name. I remember when I was younger; McDonalds Happy Meals were served on airplanes. They have been marketed so well, that even miles above the ground you can still eat their food. In class we talked about how other countries are having McDonalds products somewhat Americanized. Now people across the world can have the Western burger, and be like those of us in America who like to indulge in extra greasy food. By doing this in places across the world, it is potentially making other places lose a sense of their own culture. When I travel I like to see and try new things. When places like McDonalds homogenize themselves it makes everything too similar and causes it to lose its appeal. In my economics class one year we learned how everything at McDonalds has to be done in a certain way and meet a set criteria, everything is regulated down to the amount of ice put in a cup. Everything is the same.

3.) The promotion of the ideology of consumerism, which is therefore bound up with the capitalist project:

The media is currently, and has been for a long time, wrapped up in body image. Apparently you can never be "skinny enough", or this is at least what many are thought to believe. There are constantly ads for gyms, diet pills, and trainers. When you go to the store and look at magazines at the checkout, there are always pictures or articles on the covers comparing stars to one another, and who is the thinnest that week. By doing this and constantly being shown these images and ads, consumers many times think that it is ideal to be this size and do what they can to be thin, sometimes taking extreme measure that are unhealthy. The media knows what they have to do to draw others in and believe certain things. 

Media globalization is becoming a fear and should make people start to think. There is a concern that large industries may take over and make everything the same. I think that there is a good reason for this worry. One example in the book that demonstrates homogenization is the image of "Mcnikecolasolf", this is an example of large companies dominating other countries. What will the world come to if all different countries suddenly have and distibute all the same stores, products, and food? Culture can be lost if globalization continues to dominate the world.

Miley Cyrus

Is her audience what is presumed to be a traditional male-dominated, rock-and-roll audience, or have they significance for female fans?

Miley Cyrus is currently extremely popular among female fans across the globe. Girls of many ages strive to be like Miley and follow her every move. Although Miley is a performing artist, she also has a very popular TV show on Disney channel, Hannah Montana. Because of her show she has been able to draw in even more fans of many ages. I’m sure that some boys also like Miley, and think she is attractive, but for the most part, her fan base is female dominated.

 

Do her fans constitute a specific subculture as would many fans of Marilyn Manson, Morrissey, or The Cure?

Because Miley Cyrus’s fans are so young, I wouldn’t say that they make up a very strong subculture as could be seen among other popular artists. Her fans do however have many similarities with one another. For the most part they are young females, who like to be “girly”. You could probably find her fans supporting her by wearing her t-shirts, accessories, or even a blonde wig to look like Hannah. 

Media Globalization

The famous lightning bolt is a symbol which fans recognize immediately as global phenomena Harry Potter. The book series was first introduced in September of 1998, and has become increasingly popular over the past 10 years. The series consists of seven books, and follows Harry through his seven years at Hogwarts, a school of witchcraft and wizardry. The school is in London, where wizards from around the world with all different backgrounds and ethnicities learn magic. The series has translations in so many languages, that it has estimated total sales of over 300 million books across the globe. As popularity continued to grow, Warner Brothers turned the series to the big screen. The first movie was released in the United States in November of 2001, and in over 60 other countries worldwide. To date there have been six movies released, and the seventh and final movie is due for release in the summer of 2009.

Fans around the world await the arrival for the newest movies and books. Lines form hours in advance of a new realease with growing anticipation. There are countless websites, blogs, and even podcasts available, so that Harry can be readily available with the touch of a button. There is also a plethora of Harry Potter paraphernalia. Children chose to dress of up of their favorite characters for Halloween, many have Harry toys and games, even bedding and Potter clothing are a popular item. The series is popular among many age groups; children and adults have both grown to love the series and characters. Harry Potter will continue to bring entertainment and amusement to their global fan base for years to come. 

For my illustrator project, I found a magazine cover of Mark Spitz, a former Olympic world record holder. This summer in the 2008 games, Michael Phelps was able to beat Spitz's record for the number of medals won. For my project I made several slight changes. The first obvious change is the picture. The minor changes I made were the date of the magazine, the price, and the year issued. The original had a head line about the the economy in 1972, so for my issue I wrote "Soaring Gasoline Prices". This summer gas prices were a heated issue, and there were a ton of magazine and newspaper headlines centering around the problem.

I chose to use Harry Potter for my media globalization collage. Harry Potter is a popular name around the world, and can be seen many ways in the media. The books are published in many different languages, and fans wait in line for hours anticipating a new arrival. This popular series has also been made in movies by Warner Brothers, with the actors well known for their popular roles. Beyond just books movies, there are many toys and games geared for its fans. You can easily find Harry Potter clothes, costumes, video games, and even food. Harry's round, bottle cap glasses have become a signature icon for the series. Other shows such as The Simpsons, South Park, and Saturday Night Live have used this popular series in some of their episodes, which shows just how popular this obsession has become.