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.