Thank You

To be honest I took this class as an elective and I didn't think any more of it when I registered for the class, but now I'm so thankful that I did. This class has been eye opening for me about issues I don't even know existed and has made me aware of how much just an ad can effect individuals everywhere. I will never forget watching "A Girl Like Me." I hope that I'm able to carry the knowledge and awareness I've gained from this class along with me in my career and correct the mistakes advertisers are making with stereotypes, gender portrayals and sex issues. Thank you for a very insightful class this semester.

Broken Hearted

After viewing A Girl Like Me on YouTube.com my heart breaks that these girls don't know how beautiful they are. Who is raising or influencing these young girls to make them believe white skin is more beautiful than dark skin? I just want to wrap my arms around them and tell them a million times you are gorgeous! I would love to know how we can reverse the negative portrayals these girls seem themselves as.

GLAAD

Current Issues
http://www.glaad.org/eye/stories.php#ucc_ejector

I think what is so great about our country is being able to have the freedom to believe in what you choose, however in regards to the issue in the above link I believe you must also be kind and respectful of others, even if you don't believe in what they do. I don't believe an individuals sexual preference should have anything to do with being in the army. If someone is willing to put their life on the line and fight for their country they should absolutely NOT be ridiculed, but praised for their heroics.

GLAAD Eye on the Media
http://www.glaad.org/eye/index.php

I think it's a good thing ABC has created this transgender character on Ugly Betty, because I think the more exposure people have to something the more likely they are to accept it. When people aren't exposed to certain things I think they tend to shy away from it, because they aren't educated about the matter, so the more common it is the less foreign it seems and hopefully less people will ridicule. Dirty Sexy Money, a new show on ABC this fall, also has a transgender character. So, I think by having these characters on prime time television shows people will see they're human too and should be treated as so.

The Influence of Hip Hop

Regarding the article For Clues on Teenage Sex, Experts Look to Hip-Hop in the New York Times.

I'm curious to know if the researches took into account the home life of the teenagers studied. My personal belief is the more unstable the home life of the teenager the more susceptible they are to being influenced by any amount of things, in this case hip hop. I have not only wonderful parents who have provided me with the necessities and so much more, but I've always been surrounded by role models. I can listen to hip hop music and not be affected by it - I don't grind up on men on the dance floor, do drugs, or have promiscuous sex. I think teenagers are confused enough as it is and if they don't have a stable home to keep them grounded and level headed then they can be influenced by the lyrics of hip and hip and think something like doing drugs will give them a better life.

So, yes I do think music should be censored and so should the videos that go along with it. And I think if something is illegal then it should NOT be allowed to be shown in music videos, movies, etc., on television.

Responsibility is the word that comes to mind, people have got to start taking personal responsibility for themselves and the people they effect.

Reporting for Ratings

In regards to article "Compelling murder mystery didn't have made-for-TV ending" in the Dallas Morning News by Jacquielynn Floyd.

I understand that people make mistakes, but I don't think this is an issue about making a mistake, but rather an issue about making ratings. This isn't an attack just on Jacquielynn Floyd, but FOX, CNN, Greta Van Susteren, Geraldo Rivera, and all the other media outlets that partake in reacting before investigating. If the media reported there has been a murder and we're unsure of the facts at this time it would be very cut and dry, but by reporting it like FOX did as "[a] bizarre murder mystery in Texas[,]" they've created hype and people become more compelled to hear the story. The more people interested the better the ratings. I think it goes back to the basic principle our mothers taught us growing up think before you speak. Earlier this week I was beyond irritated when NBC and ABC were reporting breaking news about a women in a doctors office holding people hostage - they were both reporting the story, but had conflicting story lines, were showing different places at where the incident was occurring and what was supposably happening. It ended up NBC was correct and it was occurring at my doctors office. I think because media is so determined to be the first to report and to get on the scene they don't actually take the time to report accurately.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/localnews/columnists/jfloyd/stories/101607dnmetfloyd.341673a.html

Lets Talk About Shoes

After viewing http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/11/fashion/shows/11SHOES.html I can't see the pornography that has been suggested is depicted in the shoes. I view the shoes more as a piece of art - it's a piece of sculpture. The shoes illustrate the principles of design I learned in my first art class over a decade ago: balance, proportion, rhythm, emphasis and unity. I do understand the depiction of pornography used in designer ads where the models are reclining back, nude, and only wearing shoes. That I understand, but the shoes themselves they're just shoes. I guess my question may be how do you distinguish between art and pornography?

Interested

In Chapter 8 of Sex in Consumer Culture they report how MTV's "embedded commercials contain a a relatively heavy dose of sexual content." It makes me wonder although MTV has the highest average seconds of sexual content in commercials per program if they took into account MTV also has commercials that promote safe sex. The only commercials I ever see for condoms is when I watch MTV - I've never seen a condom commercial on NBC, ABC, or CBS. So, yes MTV does have a high level of sexual content in both their programming and commercials, but they're also playing commercials about condom use, preventing pregnancy, and negative consequences of unprotected sex. On NBC, ABC, and CBS during prime time it's full of sexual content, I'm not sure I've seen a show without it, but I don't see any commercials promoting safe sex - now granted, in recent times I have seen a commercial for planned parenthood, but I think tip toe around the subject. I also think shows have somewhat portrayed the consequences of unprotected sex in pregnancy terms such as the characters of Miranda in Sex and the City, Rachel in Friends, but I do think they need to make more examples and more in relation with diseases.

Watching

In regards to Ken Burns "The War"
“This is a great victory for the Latino community and for our veterans and their families who have sacrificed so much for the defense of this nation,” stated Rivas-Rodriguez, a journalism professor at the University of Texas at Austin who leads the project that documents the Latino role in the war. I'm not sure there is a great victory here - Ken Burns is only including two Latino stories during the 15 hour, seven parter series. If they sacrificed so much for the defense of their nation aren't they entitled to more than just two stories? I think the campaign made a tremendous stepping stone in getting PBS and Ken Burns to change their mind, but I think there needs to be more Latino presence. I didn't watch last Sunday, but I will be tuned in this Sunday to see how much light they shed on the contributions of the Latino community during the war.

Ashamed

I've never thought about news reporting and disabilities until reading this article (http://www.spj.org/dtb5.asp). The only time I've seen disability issues on the news was covered in an inspirational type story. I shouldn't admit that I didn't even think about "the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, tragedy, most reporters missed stories about the failure of building evacuation plans to include wheelchair users." Last week during the anniversary of 9/11 the media covered the progress we've made as a nation to be safer and the lives of the police, firefighters and the children of the victims, but I never heard or read a story about people with disabilities. I think this relates to the fact that media doesn't regularly report disability issues and we're programmed to only think about what's being covered. I think there is a real need for public awareness, we're talking about 20% of our nation's population being completely being disregarded by journalists.

Disappointment

The news coverage on September 11
I can't understand why we are fighting a war on terror when we have Bin Laden on every TV screen. Aren't we giving him the media coverage and attention he wants? Aren't we suppose to be fighting against him? When I turned on the TV, especially on this day, I should be remembering the lives that were lost, supporting our troops (regardless if you're for the war or not we should support these men and women), our countries accomplishments since that tragic day and looking toward the future of our great country. Instead I feel like the media captured the fear Bin Laden wants to create by playing his tape and telling America what still needs to be done for our safety. I just don't get it.
On to a not so serious topic, Britney Spears . . .
I'm not a Britney Spears fan, but leave the poor girl alone. If I wasn't so addicted to The Hills I might have to ban MTV. They clearly weren't rooting for Britney to have a come back, they wanted her to fail and get all the ratings that went along with it. Isn't she 25? Okay, I'm close to that age and I can't imagine having two boys, being divorced and having no stability in my life and then having it publicized to the whole world. She needs to be left alone, so she can figure stuff out, I imagine that's hard to do when you have bulbs flashing in your face 24/7. And what is with being so hard on the way she looked? After I have two sons I hope I look like that. She probably should have worn more clothing, but I think it kind of goes with the Dove Beauty campaign. Women don't have to look like Britney did when she was a teenager to be gorgeous. But I do have to say Britney put some underwear on or if you don't want to then wear pants.

News Habits

I get my news from various sources depending where I am when I want to get it. If I'm at home I either watch the local news or FOX News station. If I'm at work, in class, at Starbucks or somewhere I can't access a TV I get my news online. Every now and then on my way into work or class I pick up a newspaper, but to be honest it's usually to do the crossword or Sudoku. I either watch or read the news at least once a day, unless I'm on vacation when I try to escape from it all. I probably spend on average 30 minutes to an hour seeking news. I tend to want to know the weather, the latest on the war, the celebrity gossip, what's the latest on Capitol Hill and the traffic.
I've never thought about media and their coverage of race or gender or sexualities or disabilities before. I think as far as gender goes they typically concentrate on males more - I hardly every hear of a woman committing a crime they tend to mostly be the victims. I could be wrong, but I think the news tends to show the minority groups more in the wrong than in the right.
I'm excited about being in this class for the Fall semester and applying it to my real job come May 2008.