What Have We Learned?

In this class, I have discovered many facets about the mass media around me. For the most part, I focused on the news found on the internet. The many things that can be learned about the internet are so vast and would take so long to discover everything. The news can be accessed from nearly anywhere in the world since wireless interrnet became available, and the availability of the internet has affected many other businesses such as the newspaper and television news. The news found on the internet focuses not only on a national level, but also a international level. We can learn about events happening in China or Europe and any other part of the world. The impact of the news can have a strong effect on our decision making. We can learn about events that will be life changing such as the 9/11 attacks, or about the state of the stock market. For many, the news is a need to know thing, but other stories may not be so necessary. Some stories just are fun facts and have no real impact on our lives. The news keeps us updated to the changing world around us. Internet news is updated very often whereas newspapers or TV news comes out at certain times of the day. The news is always changing, and it is good to know about what is happening so that you can stay safe and be prepared for events to come.

From Book to Movie

How many of us read the books before we go to see the movie? I can't say that I do. One book that I read after I saw the movie was The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. I watched the movie a few times before I read the book. I found that there were quite a few things left out of the movie. It would be very difficult to cram everything in the book into the movie. The movie lasted three hours and only had maybe half of the stuff in the book. Another book I read after I saw the movie was the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. This movie had more than what was in the book.
In both of these cases, I enjoyed the movies more than the books. I think this is true for many today. I've noticed that no too many people read for pleasure anymore. Movies have become more popular than books. I know this is not true of everyone, but I noticed that it is becoming a trend. Do you enjoy movies more than books, or books more than movies?

What Kind of Movies Do You Watch?

What genre of movies do most people go to see? According to boxoffice, most movies seen by people around the world are rated PG-13. Twenty of the top thirty one movies watched are PG-13. These movies were rated according the gross earnings the movie made. The top two movies of all time according to this list were Titanic and the Dark Knight. Many of the rated G movies had a tough time making the top 50 (only 5 made it). If these numbers are true, this shows that people in general like to go and see movies packed with action and some violence. The list mentioned above only shows the money that was made on these movies, which shows how popular the movie was but not necessarily their thoughts about what they just saw on the screen. To warn people of the content that is contained in these movies, the Motion Picture Association of America designed a rating system.

The ratings on these movies do not tell whether the movies are good or bad, they give guidance to those who may want to see these movies. Many movies on the Box Office list that are PG-13, I would say, are good movies to see, but may not be appropriate for younger children to see. This also does not mean that G rated movies are for kids only, nor Rated R movies for adults only. The ratings allow people to form a general idea of what the movie may contain so that they can form their own judgements. What category do most movies that you view fall under? What limits do you set for yourself when it comes to movies you are willing to watch? Do you consider the ratings before watching?

E-mail vs. mail

One mode of communication that isn't talked about too much anymore is mail. This medium can take a day or a few days to reach the desired person you wish to communicate with. E-mail though can send a message in seconds. So why do we still have the mail system? Well, more than just letters are sent through the mail. Without mail, businesses like E-Bay could not function. Packages are sent all over the world through the mail. One limitation of e-mail is that it is not able to send anything more than written information. Packages and such cannot be sent electronically. Companies like UPS deliver packages and can also track the package so that you can know when you will receive it.
Written letters are not sent as often anymore. I know I have not sent a letter to someone for quite some time now. There are many similarities between mail and e-mail. They accomplish the same goals in their own ways. One business that relies on both mail and e-mail is the card making business. There are cards that have a written message and there are also cards that can hold a sound message. Such cards are able to record a voice message and repeat it for the recipient. There are also e-cards that are similar. Each are fun ways to communicate with others.
The mail still plays an important role today, but e-mail is much faster in sending a quick message. Mail can't match the speed of e-mail, and e-mail can't completely replace the mail.

Are Some News Stories Really 'Need to Know News'?

There are many stories that can be found that may be good to know, but we cannot do anything about them. Some stories are not really something we need to know about. Much of this news is just disappointing and does not help us in any way. I learned of a car accident in Texas that killed five kids. Though this story is tragic, what can I do about it? Would I be better off not knowing about such accidents? What do stories like this one do for us? I find these to be depressing and I would rather not hear about them. There are other stories that are told that may be seen as entertainment. One story I found is about a man in Kenya who fought off a snake that attacked him. This kind of story, to me, seems to be a fun fact that you can tell a friend, but nothing more. Are these stories placed on a website to entertain readers in place of magazines or newspapers? I think that there can be sites that have these kind of stories, but they should not be on the same page as news about our country that really matters. News websites, in my opinion, should only have stories that have some significance to the reader. Other fun stories can be found on other pages. When I want to find out what is happening that would have some kind of effect on me or those around me. News posted on a site that everyone looks to for important news should post items that will have an effect on the most people.

Music- Jars of Clay

One of my favorite mediums is music. I listen to so much music during the day that if I didn't have it, life would be too quiet. Music makes us think about certain topics that we may not think about otherwise. One band that I particularly enjoy is Jars of Clay. Their music is very uplifting and the words are very convicting and true. Their songs sing about their faith in Christ, and his work in our lives.

One thing I like about the band is that they live out what they sing about. I think that is very important for a band to do. Jars of Clay is the founder of the Blood:Water Mission, which is a missions work in Africa. They strive to help fund the building of wells to give clean water to those in Africa and to help with their medical needs. HIV/AIDS is a major problem and many are in need of medical help. Taking on such a big project shows that Jars of Clay means what they sing about. In their song Light Gives Heat, they sing about the needs of many in Africa. I think that through their involvement overseas, it makes their music more meaningful. When I hear their songs, I'm reminded of what they stand for and what I stand for. Music is a very powerful tool in communicating our thoughts and beliefs.

Presidential news

   When we want to hear the news, there are many places we can look for it. For local news we can look to our newspapers, and for nationwide news we can watch the news on TV or find it on the internet. When we think of news we usually don't think about hearing it directly from the President of the United States. One of the first Presidents to be heard by the people was Franklin Roosevelt. His 'Fireside Chats' gave the people information about issues the country was facing at the time. During FDR's presidency and even a few times before, he gave a speech that was sent through the radio. Since radio was still fairly new for the public, this was a rare opportunity to hear the President himself. FDR gave a total of thirty speeches over the radio where he would inform people about current problems in the US. 

    Since then, other Presidents also have given speeches over radio, on TV, and now on the internet. President Reagan, George Bush Sr., Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama all have given addresses to the people concerning news of the country. When the President tells us about the issues or problems that they are dealing with, we should be able to trust them because they are leading our country. We know that if a President were to say something he will not do, it can cost him his position and his reputation. When we hear the news directly from the top, we can get an idea of what our leaders are doing to take care of the issues they present. When we listen to news stations on the radio, or TV, or the internet, we listen to the stories about what is happening, but when we hear the news from the President himself, we are listening to someone who tells us the news and also has the power to do something about the issues he had addressed. 

A Flood of News

One characteristic of news is that it needs to be constantly updated. There are many news organizations trying to vie for the news story before others get to it. This competition is good for the viewers, because they always receive updates at a quick pace. If a news organization were too slow, they would not receive as many viewers because news gets old quickly. One example of news people need immediately at times is the weather and the effects of it. The flooding around this area is something residents need to hear about as soon as possible. People need to know what to expect when conditions are bad. The faster residents can see the news the faster they can react. This is why speed is important to news crews.
When news organizations compete against others, they need to get the facts quickly before giving them out to the public. Major news stations need to be accurate in their findings because they are held accountable for the content they publish. Journalists have a difficult job because their job is to be fast and accurate, unlike blogs which are not required to be either. There are professional bloggers though, who work from a distance, yet still deliver their news. They can be found on most news sites .
News has to be fast to keep up with the times, and accurate to build people's trust in them so they return for more news. The news keeps flooding in, but there is always more to find. It's amazing journalists don't burn out.

blogs vs. other news

Blogs have not been around very long. The first blogs began appearing in 1997, but didn't become widely used by the general public until 2000. Blogging has changed the way many view news. Anyone can create their own blogs and share whatever information they see fit to share. This had a direct effect on other internet news. There are some big differences in the accuracy of what is written.
While blogs share the news based on the people's opinion, other news organizations share information that is researched. Blogs contain information, but they also include a lot of opinions and the blogger's own views on the subject. Bloggers also can write whatever comes to their mind. The information they post could be completely wrong. They don't have to run their ideas past an editor or have someone decide what is important to write. The information posted is exactly what the writer wants to say. Others may criticize what they write, but that does not force them to change.
A news organizations, on the other hand, must research the news topic widely and pass the story through many editors before it makes it onto the website. Organizations are held more accountable for what they write because many people trust their sites. If too many mistakes are made, then their business suffers. Employees for a news site are paid for the work they do, so if they don't do well, they can be fired. A blogger writes for their own reasons. They aren't paid, and if the information they post is inaccurate, they might receive negative comments. No one can fire them because the blogs are written on the blogger's own time.
Blogs have been seen as a source of information, but they cannot be trusted for accurate information. News emlpoyees write for a living, posting information they know is true, and can be trusted over bloggers.

Foreign News

Foreign news was not always available to people. Before Morse code was sent in 1844, messages had to be carried by hand. During the period of Colonial America, for example, messages from America to England took weeks or even a month to deliver depending on the weather. Messengers would have to wait for a ship to carry them across the ocean to deliver whatever news they had. Even with the telegraph system, the signals could only travel a certain distance. It wasn't until radio that the general public could hear about news that happened from other countries. The Pearl Harbor attacks in 1941 were able to be heard a few days after the event. Later TV allowed people to view the news in addition to radio announcements. All of these inventions were not able to give news right away.

The invention of the World Wide Web gave access to news anywhere on the planet that had connection to the internet. News that was documented on the other side of the world could be viewed minutes later. News about foreign affairs can be read at any time and people can be allerted to any dangers that may be threatening. We can also find joys from internet news too. The Summer Olympics could entertain many watchers on the internet. Events happening throughout the day could be seen if they were missed earlier. The internet has allowed anyone with connection to see what is going on in the world. Secrecy is becomming hard to find. The world became a bit smaller due to the impact of internet.

Ads on internet

Do you ever get annoyed by pop-up ads and other advertisements on the internet? Why are there more ads on some sites than others? On certain sites, more ads are displayed because they receive more traffic. On CNN's website, the right side of the screen has a few ads, but on Facebook, the almost the whole right side is all ads. It seems like these ads only bug people instead of help to sell something. Well, these ads do more than just fill space on the screen, they are the majority of the income for the site.

Advertising is a large part of a website, TV program, radio broadcast or nearly any other form of media. Companies spend millions of dollars so that people will see their company name and product. The majority of spending is on TV ads. Five times more money is spent on TV ads than internet ads. Why? TV ads are much bigger and noticeable. A TV ad takes up the full screen, not just a part of it. TV ads are also unavoidable unless you turn the TV off every time an ad comes on. An internet ad can be ignored because it is only a small part of the webpage. Internet ads also need to be clicked on for more information. The viewer controls what ads they view. This is why more money is spent on TV ads. TV ads are costly, but the price per viewer is low. Internet ads are relatively inexpensive ("$0.60 pay-per-click or $1,200 - $1,800 a month for aggressive campaigns (does not include search engine optimization) or $200 to $1,200 per year per banner ad on websites" (www.iesmallbusiness.com/resources/Major_Media_Types.doc). Advertising is essential for a website or other programs to function, whether we like to see them or not. Without ads, we would not get to enjoy some of the media we use.

Cell phones and news

Cell phones are becoming a big part of many lives today. There is a statistic that there are two billion cell phones throughout the world. That means that about one out of every three people in the world have access to their own personal phone. That's a lot of phones, and more are sold every day. On these phones, some can access the internet, take pictures, and create videos. This can greatly affect news output. People with newer phones with internet can receive news at any time they wish. If people could be alerted to important events such as severe weather and problems in area at any time anywhere, phones would become a more important part of people who own them.
Not only can worlwide news or domestic news be spread quickly but also personal news. Phones that are able to take pictures or make videos and send them out to others. Personal news can be created by anyone with a phone and shared with anyone else with a phone. This type of technology opens up many useful possibilities. Parents can be alerted about their kids if something were to happen at school, or college kids far away from home can send their parents updates about how they are doing at school. Much information can be sent using these devices, but there are also some disadvantages. One survey found that 30% of people thought that the cell phone was one invention they hated the most, but couldn't live without. With this technology, disturbing images and unwanted messages can also be sent. Along with this, people can receive messages at times when they are busy and the message interrupts important tasks. Phones can disturb meetings and ring during movies or other inconvenient times.
Overall, cell phones have made life easier for those who have them and information more accessable to many.


http://web.mit.edu/invent/n-pressreleases/n-press-04index.html
http://www.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=stream1
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/27/BUG2IHECTO1.DTL
http://www.accuconference.com/blog/CellPhoneStatistics.aspx

TV and newspapers vs. Internet News

News on the internet has changed the way we view news today. TV news and newspapers each have their strengths and weaknesses, but internet has combined their strengths to make news easier to access for viewers. Internet news is like a newspaper; it has organized articles about various topics such as sports, economics, and other general news. On the internet, more news about foreign events can be accessed, and more topics can be read such as: health, technology, entertainment, and others. The internet has allowed more news to be posted. If newspapers wanted to distribute more news, they would have to use more paper and ink, which would increase costs. The internet has unending space to place more articles. Internet can also include video clips to tell the stories. The main reason TV news is so effective is because of the accompaniment of visual images to tell the stories. Internet news include clips so that viewers can read the news and if they want more, they could also watch a clip that expands on that story. The combination of reading the news and watching reporters tell the story while at the scene, give internet news an advantage over TV and newspapers. This news is available 24/7 unlike TV news or newspapers. Tv news is only displayed a few times a day, and newspapers are printed and delivered once a day.
Why are newspapers and TV news still used then? Well, there are some things that internet news doesn't have. Most local news is not available on most internet news sites. Most local events are only covered by TV and newspaper reporters. Also, not everyone has internet. Some people rely on the newspaper for their news for the day. Others find their TV news to be more interesting. Both TV and newspapers reach out to different audiences where internet can't reach. Newspapers have comics and puzzles that require a physical page. Papers are also more portable and don't require electricity.
While internet news contains more stories and combines features of TV and nwspapers, it has not fully taken their place.

Magic bullet theory and news

Media of all sorts affect how we think and live. In researching for a project, I've learned about how media affects our minds and causes us to take action based on what we see and hear. The theory states that everyone is directly affected by the media around us. This is true whether we recognize it or not. The things we view and hear influence our actions and shape our opinions. This theory is also true when we consider the news we watch.
When listening to the news, whether on TV, radio or, on the internet, we mold our opinions on certain topics based on their presentation. One rule about news is that it contains others' biases. The newscasters perform their job by presenting the stories of the day. Certain people decide what news is important and what isn't because they do not have time to cover everything. In addition, the people telling us about the stories include their own comments and emphasize some parts of the stories.
The news we hear contain others' opinions, but these opinions affect our own thoughts. This is most easily seen during the presidential campaigns. People in the newsroom have their own thoughts on each of the candidates. If you base your opinion on candidates solely on what you hear on the news channels, your opinions will nearly match those of the news. News stations tend to focus more on one campaign more than the other. They say plenty of good about one yet will give the other little attention. After hearing so much about those candidates, people's opinions toward that person will likely lean in his direction. There are people who research the candidates in other places, but others have formed their thoughts already on what they have heard. It is hard to change your mind after you hear something for the first time. First impressions are important. If you hear something one way on the news, it is likely you will hold that opinion yourself if that is the only opinion you have heard.
Listening to the news will not shape your whole outlook on everything, but may have some influence on your views. The news gives their story, but it is important that you listen closely to what they have to say. Do not take everything they say as truth. They are only human and can make mistakes too. Factor in other opinions, and get a second opinions as well to get a better picture of what is going on.

Perse, E.M. (2001). Media effects and society. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers

The Internet and News.

The World Wide Web (www) was first introduced on August 6, 1992 by Tim Berners-Lee. This was not the beginning of the internet though. The internet had existed a few decades before the World Wide Web existed. The definition of internet is an electronic communications network. The internet and the World Wide Web are not the same thing, but they both work together. The WWW made it easier to find things on the internet.

http://websearch.about.com/od/whatistheinternet/a/worldwideweb.htm

The internet is the big picture and the web is all the different pieces of information you can find on the internet. The web made it easier to find information on the internet by giving each site an address. Certain information can be found by typing in a specific address into the WWW. This greatly simplified the process of finding the information you want to find. The development of search engines, like Google, makes finding an address much easier.
Because the WWW has made information easier to organize, news can be easily found by typing in the address for a certain news station. News can be found all in one place instead of having to search through millions of pieces of information that may have nothing to do with what you are looking for. Because businesses can place all their information in one place, you can then determine whether a site is trustworthy or not. More popular sites gain credibility because their information has been accepted by others. For example, There are many people who do not trust Wikipedia for accurate information because anyone, whether credible or not, can place information on it. News sites such as CNN's are trusted by more people because the site is only updated by specific CNN employees. This makes a site more trustworthy.



http://websearch.about.com/od/whatistheinternet/a/historyinternet.htm

CNN Online

CNN's website is a great place to find global and national news. Many topics can be explored which include: world news, United States news, Politics, Crime, Entertainment, Health, Tech, Living, Travel, Sports, and business. Each category contains the latest stories or hot topics. Some of the stories have and article, and others have videos or pictures that tell the story. In world news, you can search for news by continent or look at the top stories from around the world. Blogs are also written by CNN newscasters from other countries. In Politics, The latest news on foreign or domestic leaders is given. Barack Obama's inauguration is posted on the site now. In Entertainment there is information about different books, TV shows, movies and music artists. Links to these can show specific news about a particular medium. The Health category has many tips for healthier living and keeps you up to date on new treatments and research. Blogs are written by doctors about medical news. A Question and Answer segment addresses frequently asked questions about diet and fitness, mental health, and tips for living well. You can find information about the newest gadgets and technology on the Tech column. You can learn about the newest items and find out how you can buy them on this page. Scientific discoveries are also located on this page. The sports column takes you to Sports Illustrated's Website where you can find scores and photos of your favorite sports team. On each of the columns is a poll question where you can share your opinion on different topics of each category. There are also links to the TV programs of CNN news.


http://www.cnn.com/
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/?cnn=yes

Thoughts on Past Eight Years

I have noticed during President Bush's terms that he has been criticized for many things he has done in office. I have seen countdown calendars that spoke harshly about his terms in office and displayed pictures where President Bush was caught in strange poses and made to look stupid. This should not happen in this country, especially while he is still in office. A majority voted to have him in office, and the rest of the country had to live with it. It has been that way for every election. There were also campaign ads that tore apart what Bush had done for this country. There had many ads that put down his achievements. Bush had two very difficult terms to say the least. There were natural disasters, terrorist attacks, a recession, and other problems that he had to take charge of during his terms. He is not perfect and has not made a perfect decision every time. Why do people mock him and add to his difficulties and stress, and why is it so hard for people to find some way to appreciate what he did? How many of us could have handled so many of these situations better? I thank President Bush for his service to this country.
There are also other officials and service men and women who should be respected and not torn down because of their service. Commercial ads should not focus on the negative aspects of the opponent, but rather on what the candidate plans to do right. Fellow Americans should not put each other down to gain a position of leadership in this country. Someone who wants a position of leadership should not display how well they can criticize an opponent's goals, but should focus on what he will do for the good of this country. A campaign that does not focus on other's faults shows the true character of the candidate.



http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/