RTF Blog Assignment # 4- "All in the Family"

     The TV series “All in the Family,” contains differences and similarities with a contemporary family-based TV situation comedy.  Consider a scenario in which a person contains a certain ideology, and this person’s family and friends do not necessarily agree with his/her ideas.  Moreover, the character Archie Bunker plays the role of the father in the TV show, “All in the Family.”  The show tends to focus on his views of the world, and the problems that evolve whenever his views are challenged.  In doing so, “All in the Family” covers controversial topics that were common in the previous decades when the show was aired.  The theme song of the show was played before every episode.  This theme song is about Archie missing the times when the people in power’s views matched his world views.  In contrast, contemporary family-based TV sitcoms don’t tend to joke about society’s concerns of serious issues, and opposing world views.  TV sitcoms today try to relate to the audience in terms of what events are occurring today in the twenty first century.   Such as how much more open-minded our society has become through the media.  The episode our classed viewed of “All in the Family” dealt with the issue of sexuality.  Today’s family sitcoms do not oppose and ridicule as harshly on views of an individual’s sexuality.  Instead, today’s shows are more open-minded about this topic and while in “All in the Family” Archie portrays his opposing views on the issue. In addition, the family sitcoms today do not necessarily demonstrate the “correct” way to function as a family.  There are now more diverse family lifestyles in different sitcoms.  Unlike “All in the Family” where it showed the father as the head chief while the other family members played their typical roles, the family sitcoms today may demonstrate completely different lifestyles and roles of each family member.

     There are as well some similarities between “All in the Family” and today’s family sitcoms.  Families shown in today’s sitcoms, and the family in “All in the Family” both contain a series of flaws.  These numerous flaws within the family provide access into relating with the audience of each show.  It is hard to seek a perfectly functioning family in today’s world.  Therefore, “All in the Family” and family sitcoms today both learn to deal with common, real life problems/conflicts that arrive in their episodes.  In return, the audience of these shows can receive whatever lesson is given at the end of each episode and use it in their daily lives.

     One of the issues that “All in the Family” deals with in which family sitcoms today don’t is the use of racism.  “All in the Family” used slang terms in order to target and represent specific races or stereotypes.  This includes the terms “fags” for homosexuals and other slang terms for specific races. Even though “All in the Family” intends their slang remarks to be jokes, in today’s sitcoms there is a much lower level of racial slurs and prejudice remarks.   

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_in_the_Family

RTF Blog Assignment # 3- Technological Change

     One of the main forces that shaped the influence of the radio industry in the 1920s is technological change. Technological change seems to be the most influential force of the radio industry in this time due to the formation of the wireless communications medium.  Radio was indeed the first wireless communications medium.  A man named Guglielmo Marconi developed basic principles of electromagnetism in the 19^th century in which our technology industry uses today.  This includes broadcast television and cell phones.

     Technological change has influenced the media in our world tremendously throughout history.  The printing press is one of the earlier examples of technological change in our society.  The printing press enabled mass communication, and the mass production of printed media.  Moreover, this early breakthrough in technology influenced future communication technology to be created, such as the radio.  Furthermore, technological change is continuing to be a driving force in media industries to this day.

     In the 1920s, technological change affected the evolution of the U.S radio system throughout World War 1.  During World War 1, the U.S Navy took over all radio.  This then forced manufacturers to pool patents in order to improve equipment.  The patent pool allowed the technological improvements of radio to become available to the public.  Instead of radio be used by an operator, it became wireless due to the technological changes.  Eventually, the creation of over 500 radio stations emerged in this decade.

-Here is an image of a man in World War 1 using Marconi wireless equipment.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/marconi/exhibition/images/In%2520the%2520trenches%2520sml.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/marconi/exhibition/worldwarone.htm&usg=__0neyzTbr7j_RpVgSXmeetSwqY1s=&h=500&w=434&sz=147&hl=en&start=0&sig2=pjP3-ZFkxkne41KFKn2DNQ&zoom=1&tbnid=XE4KgG0tCvwwHM:&tbnh=144&tbnw=125&ei=CLKfTMSmGIj6swPd753WAQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dradio%2Bworld%2Bwar%2B1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D666%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=315&vpy=163&dur=483&hovh=241&hovw=209&tx=100&ty=125&oei=CLKfTMSmGIj6swPd753WAQ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0

Blog Assignment #2- Cultivation Theory

     There are numbers of examples in which demonstrate the relations between the media’s worldview and real-life experiences.  A term that clearly defines these relations is known as cultivation theory.   “Cultivation theory argues that mass media exposure cultivates a view of the world that is consistent with mediated “reality” (Straubhaar, LaRose, Davenport 417).

     For example, a survey was given to tabloid news readers and broadsheet news readers.  A tabloid is a smaller, local, newspaper that covers entertainment.   Crime stories are included in these newspapers a long with gossip columns.   While broadsheet newspapers consists of a much larger format which covers more news rather than just entertainment.  The survey showed that 43% of tabloid readers believe crime has increased greatly over time while only 26% of broadsheet news readers believed so.  The survey also pointed out that tabloid readers were more than twice as likely to fear being mugged as broadsheet readers.  This example clearly shows the concept of cultivation theory due to the view created by the mass media on the tabloid readers.  Furthermore, there seems to be a correlation between the exposure of violent crimes on tabloid readers, and their real-life views/experiences of violent crime.  While on the other hand, very little exposure to violent crimes on the broadsheet readers caused them to be less affected by the media's world view.  Since the fears of being victims of crime increased significantly on the tabloid readers compared to the broadsheet readers, the tabloid readers’ real-life experiences confirmed the media’s view of violent crime.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2003/jul/17/pressandpublishing.politics

Blog Assignment #1

     The concept of hegemony consists of an underlying consensus controlled by the people who own the means of production.  In doing so, the people who own major corporations can maintain their domination through the use of hegemony.  The media is greatly influenced by the concept of hegemony due to the underlying consensus being portrayed in today’s advertisements.  The media reflects the ideas given by the owners of major corporations.  Furthermore, I now have a better understanding of advertisements through the concept of hegemony. 

     After watching the crest advertisement below, I can see how the concept of hegemony was used within the commercial.  There are hidden messages in the advertisement which show women’s arousal to the product of Crest.  The Crest advertisement below(see link) shows Ryan Seacrest getting ready to work on a set with another woman.  During the process of him getting ready he uses the product Crest to help make his breath smell good.  As he is using the product there is a written message at the bottom of the screen that says, “Whitens teeth by removing surface stains.”  Later on in the advertisement it is easy to tell that this isn’t the only message that is being displayed. Once Ryan is shown on the set with the other woman, the woman becomes aroused due to Ryan’s teeth and breath.  In doing so, the woman moves closer into Ryan as he speaks.  Therefore, the hidden message in this commercial is dealing with woman’s arousal to the product of Crest.

     Examples like this commercial help me better understand how hegemony is used in today’s media.  Whenever I think of the term “hegemony,” I think of the ability of major corporations to control the underlying messages in today’s media.  These corporations affect the advertisements in our media by helping determine what is shown to the consumers of our economy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuYQrCvPv_4

First RTF Blog

I am taking RTF 305 in order to begin learning about radio/television/film.  I am interested in both video production and radio.  I feel this course is a highly important because I need it in order to pursue the field of  RTF.  I am hoping to transfer into the school of RTF next semester.

-I haven't read many blogs before, but here is one that I find interesting.  I interned for the Bobby Bones Show last summer, and I recently found one of his blogs about his 45 day workout routine.  Here is the link.
http://bobbybonesworkout.blogspot.com/ 
and here is a link to a video he made about his final workout.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdvjwn0H2sQ&feature=player_embedded