The Day Music Died Quiz

A.) 1.) DVD piracy in Hollywood (economic consequence):
The explosion of free movie downloads coupled with the hype around YouTube and 
other video sites have caused a decline in box-office revenue and DVD sales. According to a LEK report, $18.2 billion of losses have been incurred to the $44.8 billion global revenue figures for the movie industry in 2004 have been stemmed 
from Internet piracy at $2.3 billion, another $2.4 billion from street sales of bootleg DVD’s and $1.4 billion from films being illegally copied in movie theaters. The American movie business is in big trouble. Movie theater admissions and DVD sales have both dropped significantly. Jobs have been cut by powerhouse entities such as Warner Brothers and Walt Disney. With the increasing easy of downloading videos from the internet, these growing concerns of movie and DVD sales show no signs of retarding.



I don’t doubt that DVD sales and theater attendance are on the decline as a 
symptom of the internet and increased popularity of illegally downloading 
movies, but in an attempt to better understand why this is occurring, we should 
look at the movie industry over time. In the years since I have been alive, 
movie prices have spiked dramatically. Eight to ten years ago, movie prices 
were half of what they are today. The internet now allows us to view movies 
ahead of their release and at a much discounted price, essentially free. In 
America, we are all about convenience and getting what we want at the lowest 
possible price. The internet has made this possible and the increased price of 
movie tickets and refreshments are not helping the industry from a teenagers 
point of view. 



2.) Books and bookstores (value consequence):
Andrew Keen expressed a concern around the technology that has emerged allowing the digitization and infinite copying 
of texts leading to a, “overthrow hundreds of years of copyright protection”. There is 
concern around the idea that due to the lack of security around intellectual property from piracy, texts should be free. It sounds as if all attempts to 
prevent this should be stopped since we can’t do anything about it anyway. In 
essence, great works of writing are no longer important, instead, the way they 
are linked and change is made to the original text is important. 

Kelly argues that, “instead of making money on the sales of books, authors can sell performances, access to the creator, personalization, add-on information, sponsorship, periodic subscriptions – in short, all the many values that cannot be copied.”

I think this concept is a little extreme. Books are not copied nearly as much as DVD’s are. For one, they are much harder to copy and there is less of a demand for copied books. Kelly’s idea of writers becoming performers and promoting add-on information would take away the value that authors add to society. Writers are not performers; they are writers. This switch from script to action would hinder our literary world as we know it. I believe the value consequence of books that we are now faced with is generation x not reading as much as they use to. As we were confronted with in the Frontline program featuring the internet, many teenagers no longer read the books they assigned to read in school; instead they use spark notes or use other methods of research to understand the texts they are required to for school.

3.)

 Another institution that is being threatened is American television stations. More and more people are using TiVo, DVR’s, or downloading shows through the internet using software like Torrent or Azureus. The number of commercials that are played in between show segments has risen dramatically in an effort to earn the studios more money. People are realizing how much they are being bombarded with advertising propaganda and have found a loophole by watching these programs online. As a result, the revenues for local broadcasting companies has fallen, “9 percent in 2005 to $16.8 billion”.

Whether is be from lack or time or lack of interest, American’s are steadily finding new ways to watch the television shows they enjoy. I certainly agree with Andrew on the threat that this poses to broadcasting stations. The world of entertainment rakes in large sums of money for America and with the easy of downloading hit shows, this puts the television stations in a rough spot. I don’t that TV will die out, but as lives become busier and busier, I believe television will be cut down for the older generations but blossom for the younger generations especially with the increase of advertising toward them and progressing laziness.

B.) These among other consequences that may or already have risen from the Web 2.0, Andrew Keen makes a comparison of these to Sir Thomas Moore’s novel, Utopia from which the quote, “sheep are devouring men” refers to laws that banned peasants from the fields which in turn formed the underclass. A correlation is drawn between computers consuming journalists leaving them jobless and with low incomes. The idea of computers relates to the peasant. Keen is implying that many people are being hurt by the webs advancements. And these advancements are leaving them without jobs and no jobs to go into after the loss of their favored jobs.

Frontline: The Internet

The documentary by Frontline about computers and technology ratified the belief that kids are smarter than most of their parents and teachers when it comes to being technologically savvy. I have experienced this at Marist with some of my professors not knowing how to work the overheads or how to manage the volume on a computer monitor. This is also prevalent in my household with my mom who has her own laptop (courtesy of my dad) but she doesn’t know how to operate and therefore never uses it. My dad however, is very technologically able which has been passed on to my sister and I. One symptom of the Internet and personal computers is that teenagers in today’s society do not read books as much as their parent’s generation did. While I agree that this is a symptom of the internet, I also believe that Greg Bucotta, a student at Chatham High School is right in saying that teenagers have less and less time now a days. We are trying to complete so much in one day that we need another means of getting the information at a faster rate. As a result, we use spark notes in lieu of reading the book and complete our homework half an hour before it’s due. Greg attended a maritime academy in the fall of 2007 where he was prohibited from using a cell phones or a computer for the first two months. Greg’s parents believed that this was going to be hard for him, and they were probably right. Cell phones are everywhere nowadays which is astounding because two decades ago they didn’t exist and fifteen years ago they were the size of a household phone. Almost every adolescent has a cell phone in addition to an iPod. The down side of this is that even when you have a physical place that you interact with people you still have your cell phone or iPod with you. You are essentially always connected to some mode of technology. The phenomenon’s of My Space and Facebook have over one hundred million users combined. These entities provide a profile page about the user, exposes students to a wide array of personalities and networks, makes relationship status and pictures available that would probably not be considered ideal if their parents, teachers or employers were to see them. In addition, violent videos have been posted that create hype around student insubordination but can be beneficial by acting as proof of what happened and where the confrontation began. The Internet can ruin someone’s chances of getting into college or getting a job. The information that we all post on the web can be accessed by a wide range of people and has the potential to alter the path one intended for their lives. An example of this is the kids who take pictures of themselves with minimal clothing on or do things in pictures that once accessed can destroy a reputation. An example of this occurring was what happened to Jessica, a fourteen year old who reinvented herself as a gothic model online named Autemnedows after she was faced with a difficult childhood with few friends. She says that she was online all day
long. It was her world separate from reality that allowed her to escape to a realm where people thought she was beautiful and became well known. She experience people at school saying that her friends had seen her online and how breathtaking her pictures were. Unfortunately for Jessica, her principal found out about her alternate world and called her parents to inform them of the pictures that the felt were extremely provocative. Jessica’s parents decided to act by watching her delete all the photos she had on the computer, which was devastating for Jessica because to her, those pictures represented her and meant everything to who she was. Jessica’s parents over time allowed her to 
recreate her online profile and they began to realize that the internet is a tool that kids use to open up and invent themselves as someone. Another student, Sara described the internet as, “it’s something to do”. Sara feels that when she is online she is the real her. Sara uses the internet to stay in touch with friends through instant messaging as well as for school related purposed like most kids her age. What many people, including her parents don’t know is that Sara uses the internet to aid her anorexia. Sara looks for help and encouragement through the internet to maintain a thin physic. The idea of the “Ana Psalm” to me is horrifying. You’re placing your faith, almost like a religion, into something that is dangerous to yourself and your body. Another student, Ryan Halligan was being bullied at school so he sought out his father who taught him how to fight as a method of self-defense. As his training progressed, the bullying seemed to stop; but another unknown problem ensued… cyber bullying. Ryan had apparently made a friend online in junction with the internet to plan out his suicide. He used a website that helped him determine the “best” way for him to follow through with his intentions. The hardest thing his parents faced was Ryan’s suicide especially after things seemed to get better. After his death, his father had gone on his online account to learn what had happened by instant messaging his friends. He learned that Ryan was a victim of vicious attacks being called “gay” and a “loser”. A girl from his class would play games with boys online by flirting with them and then later telling them it was a joke. Ryan was one of these boys. “The internet is always a willing listener” said Parry Aftab who talks about the appeal of the internet. She also verbalized the idea that once you hear words over and over again you being to believe them, which may have been a cause in Ryan’s suicide. Ryan and Sara both used the internet to learn how to supports their choices and needs. Ryan’s dad believed that the computer and the internet helped to amplify the pain and suffering that teenagers face. Ettam Skinner, a mother of four, is what she would consider a cautious parent 
but her children would deem her as overbearing. She has located the only household computer in the kitchen so that she can keep an eye on what her children do or watch while on the internet. Ettam’s involvement in her children’s lives has driven her children away from the relationship they once shared. Many parents are blaming themselves for giving their children a computer to put in their room, which is a legitimate concern but some kids abilities to make judgements may be underestimated. Many kids are not looking for trouble and know how to avoid unwanted solicitations. While kids may engage in a lot of risky behavior online, the riskiest of behavior happens in person. Being online can only go so far, but this doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t find a happy medium of security. It just cannot constrain the freedoms of today’s youth to the point where they are shut off from their families and all communication is lost except for online.

The Persuaders

I believe we are headed toward a future that is very uncertain in terms of politics, marketing research, and the overall state of the economy. It seems it has been relatively easy to convince the American people that times will continue to change for the better, technology will improve, and morals and ethics will rebound to what they once meant in the mid to late 20th century. While this may sound good on paper, to today’s average young adult this ideology is unrealistic. Companies have shown that they will pay exorbitant amounts of money to learn just what it is that captivates consumers and learn what drives their purchases and desires. As long as the times keep changing and generations become more diversified there will always be a new demographic to better understand. It is understandably out of our reach to know just how far the techniques of persuasion might go but my guess it that there will be a point when the amount of research that we conduct today on marketing will become obsolete due to a lack of information to analyze. It would be easy to disagree with my reasoning since marketing research is a science and science is rarely complete but I do think that there is so far that you can reach into the psyche of teenagers and young adults. I think there will be a point where we understand how difficult it is to comprehend adolescent’s decisions and reason because they are trying to figure out themselves on multiple levels.

Other than the obvious theory of consumerism and capitalism going hand in hand for almost a decade, Americans have become so wrapped up in their world of instant gratification from watching television vs. reading because we can receive the information at a rapid rate with less effort. There may not be a specific characteristic that Americans have that makes us more susceptible to various advertisements and messages but I believe it is more of an epidemic that has spread throughout the United States making us believe that we need much more to survive than we actually do. I think we bring all of the advertising be a subjected to on ourselves because we listen to it in the first place. In some ways we have given up our ability to think for ourselves or to see through messages that are meant to portray a distinctive thought in our minds as unrealistic or a fallacy. Our own laziness has perpetuated corporations desire to better understand what drives us and our reptilian brains. Whenever you buy a product you are associating yourself with that brand whether you realize you’re doing it or not. The video, The Persuaders, explored the idea that American’s are seeking and finding a sort of identity in buying or joining a brand or product. People of all ages but especially teens are in a struggle to learn who they are and learn what will make them “cool”. This is where the philosophy of the Merchants of Cool ties into The Persuaders. We will go to extreme lengths to be accepted by our peers even if it means following a path or using a product we don’t get complete enjoyment from.

The common elements in the persuasion or selling strategies of advertising and marketing is repetition and the creation of a connection with products that we are compelled to need. Consumers strive to create an emotional or empirical connection that the consumer can relate to and will then hopefully become loyal. This connection can be made through television, magazines, radio, or word of mouth. The majority of the stuff we accumulate over a lifetime is mostly unnecessary to our existence and over time serves less and less meaning. In an attempt to avoid the trickiness of advertisers and their campaigns we must be very self-aware of what we are being exposed to on a regular basis. It would be a good idea to frequently check in with yourself especially when you are making a purchase and as yourself, do I really need this? What benefit will this product provide me? Is the benefit worth the cost? You could begin this by not watching or listening to the advertisements that are playing in between television programs and radio shows. It would be naive to think that the average person could be subjected to the amount of advertising that they are and believe that they could filter what they hear on their own. We need to demonstrate autonomy at all times by blocking out what we are faced with in terms of advertising and the massages they portray in an attempt to make us believe we need superfluous products.

Merchants of Cool

I have always understood why large corporations and entities dedicate so much time, money and resources in an attempt to better understand teenagers likes and dislikes but after watching this video I still had one of the same questions… Why? If the marketing media is always trying to pinpoint what is cool to then sell that image, but it is “uncool” by the time it is discovered then why spend so much time learning about something that will soon become obsolete. Of course I understand that the revenue earned from the research that is conducted makes it all worthwhile, why can’t we just accept the mentality that “cool” is always changing and will be determined when something is truly a fad. Sex is inherently everywhere we turn and young teenagers and adults cannot escape it but that doesn’t mean that we should promote promiscuity and the ideas of perfect bodies to today youth. Teenagers are bombarded with around 3,000 advertisements a day, which should raise no doubt around the idea that they run today’s economy. With over 33 million of us spending an exponential amount of money like never seen before, we have the media and disposable income to blame for our savvy spending. I believe the media and the corporation that promote the exorbitant amount of advertisements we’re exposed to have gone way over the top in terms of their tactics and techniques of product exposure. This consumer spending is not wholly benefiting our society. We are deeply affected by affluenza- A made up word pertaining to the need to continually consume worthless possessions because we think they solve other problems we are faced with. However, just become some may feel that this marketing approach has gone to far it doesn’t show any serious signs of slowing. Any according to the corporations in charge, why should it? They are generating more sales than ever and are extremely successful at what they do. My friend who interned at Sony two summers ago got an inside look at how the music industry truly works. The average person assumes that we the consumers shape who makes or breaks it as a star but in fact it is the large companies like Sony and Epic Records who find someone to fulfill a certain image and then they promote their material and design to us so we can hopefully like them and then, tada! Another star is born. But of course now I am studying to way they are studying me and my generation of music loving teens, so in the end it is appears to be a large never ending ring of research and appeal.

Media Professionals

There are two main strands of production research about how media professionals “know” their audience.

1.) Constraints

Professional Ideologies

Work practices


They are 
interested in learning and understanding more about how the creativity or 
agency of the media professional is constrained by both organizational as well 
as external forces.

2.) More textual orientation in that it attempts to combine an understanding of 
the former concerns with an in depth analysis of a specific media text or texts. Researches, in many cases, have worked backwards from the finished media 
product or text to better understand the internal and external forces on the 
media professional that have potentially shaped its content.

Negative audience responses might be categorized as a possible constraint. Since many media professionals learn about their audiences through product research, a negative response only lets them know about their dislikes, not likes. The idea of “author-text” tradition in literary criticism coupled with the attempt to understand the relationship between a media professional and her/his text should raise a question about whether their understanding of us is really an understanding or if we are being shaped by them to think what they want us to think.
This question should be supplemented by thinking about why media professionals and given the information that they are by media conglomerates. The concept of “dumbing down” content or picking a program for its entertainment content rather than educational function This is all in the greater attempt to satisfy the audience, but is it really beneficial? It is hard to say what is idea for such a diverse audience when all of the information is owed by these large corporations which allows them to shape it in whatever way enables them to earn revenue.

Bitmap vs. Vector Quiz

Money & Debt

The video Money and Debt covered a vast amount of information in forty-seven minutes. From the origination of banking to our current need for debt to maintain a well functioning economy this video was an eye opener for where money comes from. The concept of money and debt is so prevalent within today’s society and something we should all be attuned to. The animated graphics add a touch of humor to a very serious situation economically and were more engaging than other documentaries of it kind. The economic development and desired stability globally were better understood throughout the film. The quotes streaming throughout the segment offered a positive supplement to the information about money and monetary reform. This video took the taboo subject of debt and money and transformed it into an easy to understand depiction of what is true. A lot of issues were highlighted that I was completely unaware of. I had frequently questioned how banks had started and while I knew how they generated revenue and that they depend on us, I didn’t know that the concept began centuries ago. This is a video that I will bring up as a topic of discussion at cocktail parties and will encourage people to watch and watch more than once. It is one of those films that they more it is viewed, the more will be learned. Anyone who has an interest in where we have been and where we are headed should watch this simple, funny, and captivating film!

Altria Animation

My animation encompassed a lot of brands that are under the parent company of Altria Group. Altria is most known for their cigarette sales, mainly Phillip Morris, so the first three frames area selection of their top selling cigarettes. The frames then continued as they faded into some candy and food brands that Altria carries. I came to my conclusion for the ordering of the frames by beginning with a product that the majority of us knows can kill and ended with a brand that is frequently advertised to children. Let it be said that this is not a deliberate attack against Altria, I just find it scary that a company is building brand loyalty on various levels with different age groups. I even found an advertisement for Altria (not made by the company) that showed a child no older than five smoking a cigarette. Not only was she smoking, it looked all too natural for her. Altria has introduced a lot of great products into our market over the years, but we just need to keep our eyes open to products that are not as beneficial to our society.

Magazine Cover

I chose to re-create an existing magazine cover of People magazine that showcased Matt Damon, Patrick Dempsey, and Oprah. I modified some the original text from the magazine in an attempt at a parody. I tried to make the image as similar to the original as possible although there were some slight variations. Overall, I think my attempts were successful and I created a visually appealing image compared to the actual cover.

Media Globalization

1.) Consumerism: One main theme of media globalization is the promotion of consumerism, which closely links, if not directly to capitalism. Media globalization allows people around the world to be exposed to myriad advertisements, marketing campaigns, products, commercials, and brands sometimes without even leaving their home. Capitalism has fueled the idea of consumerism because some large multi-national corporations like MacDonald's, Coke, Apple and Nike create ad campaigns geared toward media globalization that target a wide range of people who then contribute to capitalism. The media constantly portrays what is deemed to be an appealing lifestyle through consumerism. As technology continues to grow and more and more products are introduced into society, we should ask ourselves as what point must we stop? Or better yet, will consumerism ever stop? We have become so overloaded with superfluous junk in our lives because we are convinced that the things we own are necessities thanks to some powerful advertising corporations.
Ideally, we should be able to look at information we are being fed by the media and determine what is a positive influence and what we can do without. Unfortunately, these companies did not get as big as they because of there lack of understanding the human psyche. They have mastered what will market or promote a product or idea to a central or global setting.
2.) Information and communication products within the global system have spidered quickly throughout the world due to ongoing changes and developments. The Internet alone allows us to communicate with other around the world as well as have an array of information at our fingertips in seconds. When the computer was first introduced it society it was an anomaly to the world of technology. Looking back on that development, the now seems obsolete since we can do more things on some phones than we can do on computers. The word phone itself has become a misnomer based on all that can be done with a hand held device that used to be reserved the highly affluent and were hard to attain.
We should be more attentive to what is being broadcasted to us and have the ability to critically assess if it is a helpful or hindering approach to technology and growth as a society as well as individually.
3.) So we all know that there are a select number of organizations that dominate the industry. To name a few of these conglomerates, VIACOM, Disney, Time Warner, and the all too synonymous news corporations, we should ask ourselves who regulates these giants? The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) plays its role in preventing crude language and inappropriate images from leaking onto the airwaves but who regulates what these corporations do? These companies operate in a highly unregulated environments and since they own the information, they can bend it all they want.
It should be concerning to us as citizens that there is not much control over what is distributed by these media powerhouses. Without someone to say what is and is not okay, we have opened ourselves up to the idea that every image and idea that is portrayed to us is appropriate and condoned.

Viacom

I chose Viacom as my example of new media. Viacom, short for video and audio communications is a media conglomerate with its hands in cable and television networks, production and distribution of movies as well as a controler for several major new channels. Viacom is an example of media globalization because they provide global entertainment to a diverse audience. Viacom encompasses a wide variety of respected brands, some of which can be seen above. No matter the age, sex, race, religion or sexual orientation Viacom has something to offer everyone 24/7.

Madonna

Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie has been in the lime-light for over thirty years, continually proving her ability to mold with the times as an ever changing pop musician. Born in Bay City, Michigan, Madonna’s career began when she moved to New York to purse a career in modern dance. Today she is recognized multi-nationally and has attained a high level of success and has a slew of awards to back up her distinction. Her music reaches all age groups with her catchy, but at times provocative lyrics. Madonna is an example of media globalization because she is not just an artist, she is a dance, actor, model, religious advocate (Kabbalah), fashion icon, and a Pepsi product spokesperson. From T-shirts, to CD’s, replicated dolls, movies, and myriad other promotional trinkets, Madonna is everywhere. Madonna has set a musical standard in the world of pop music that many predecessors to her have not been able to accomplish. Despite Madonna’s at times promiscuous image, she is still considered a legend for singing about issues that are considered taboo in society. For example, her song American Dream sings about the pressures of society placed on celebrities to be skinny and fit into a distinct image. Madonna is an icon that has made her stake in the world of music and shows no signs of receding.

Female Artist

1.) What demographic factors such as age, class or ethnicity shape their fan base? A wide range of ages, sexes, ethnicities, classes and personalities listen to Sarah McLachlan’s music. She has dedicated a lot of her time to heightening the awareness of poverty in countries and has donated a lot of money made from her concerts and music videos to help solve hunger in third world countries. She was born in Nova Scotia, Canada and has not forgotten her roots. She travels home frequently to put on promotional benefits. All procededs from her video “World on Fire”, went to providing various countries with animals, computes, food and books. She founded the Lilith Fair Tour, which showcased female musicians in the late 1990’s. While this particular instance related to women, many men listen to her music too. 2.) To what extent does your audience appropriate or localize the main themes of their songs in terms of either their own personal experience of their own cultural context? McLachlan is known for her emotional ballads, which she has won many Grammy Awards for. Many of her songs relate to personal experiences that she has had in her life about love, relationships, her family, friends and various things she has lived through. People can relate to her music because of the heartbreak and joy many have felt at one point or another. She is an extremely talented musician with a lot more music to write and share with the world which will hopefully others will be able to relate to as they have in the past.

Medium Message

When Henry Ford introduced the Ford Model-T, he set a precedent for transportation. The Model-T was owned by middle class Americans and was considered the first affordable automobile. The medium for my project was the Model-T car and its introduction into society. The content is the person that is/was in operation of the vehicle and/or more specifically the passenger because it allowed them to be transported. The message is the social cultural change caused by the medium as described by McLuhan that occurred when citizens were enabled to transport themselves with the help of a machine they could own. The Model-T was the first automobile that was mass produced on assembly lines which increased production exponentially. For the first time people could travel (at a faster more efficient pace) and span greater distances. This led into what we know today as mass transportation which leads to my last picture of heavy traffic flow throughout the roads of the United States.