Walter Cronkite: A Witness to History

On Friday night, July 17th,2009 legendary CBS News anchorman Walter Cronkite died after a long illness at the age of 92. In a world without the Internet and a 24-hour news cycle, Americans trusted Cronkite to provide the news every evening for 19 years. A 1972 poll showed that Mr. Cronkite was more trusted than the president, the vice president, members of Congress, and other prominent journalists.

He reported many events including bombing in World War II, The Nuremberg Trials, combat in Vietnam War, the death of JFK, Watergate, and the Iran Hostage Crisis as well as the extensive TV coverage of the U.S. Space Shuttle and American's landing on the moon.

Since his passing, a number of high-ranking politicians, including President Obama, as well as a number of top television executives and prominent journalists released statements praising Cronkite and his incredible career.

Obama said, "His rich baritone reached millions of living rooms every night, and in an industry of icons, Walter set the standard by which all others have been judged. But Walter was always more than just an anchor. He was family. He invited us to believe in him, and he never let us down."

When Cronkite first started his career as a journalist, it seemed an unlikely fit. He was named host of "You Are There" in which key moments of history were recreated by actors. Cronkite was depicted on camera interviewing "Joan of Arc" or "Sigmund Freud." But somehow, he managed to make it believable. Cronkite's achievements were remarkable for a man whose beginnings were anything but remarkable.

While Cronkite kept a lower profile in his later years, he did make a significant contribution to the "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric" with his voice being used during the opening of the broadcast since its debut in 2006. This bridged generations and signified the newscast’s strong link to its storied past.

As Cronkite said on March 6, 1981, concluding his final broadcast as anchorman: "Old anchormen, you see, don't fade away, they just keep coming back for more. And that's the way it is."

What a remarkable journalist. He was one America could trust, rely on, and look up to...which says a lot about a journalist. He stayed calm while always maintaining his integrity. He will forever be remembered.

Teton Dam Disaster Media Coverage

The Teton Flood Museum is an extensive collection of flood memorabilia including but not limited to films, photos, and other items related to the Teton Dam disaster that occured on June 5, 1976. There are also many pioneer relics, depicting the lives of early pioneers, an Idaho opal/agate collection, North American animal head collection, World War I and II items and...what I liked viewing most were some of the first film cameras, radios and even the second television that was ever in Rexburg!
It was so interesting to see these displays of antique technology but also to see how the media, 30 some years ago captured and handled the Teton Dam disaster.

The Local media first appeared at the site just a few hours after the dam had collapsed. They were right there to document what was going on and to inform those who were still in their houses, to evacuate. In the museum there is a video you can watch of the media's coverage of this devastating disaster. The communities immediately downstream, Rexburg, Wilford, Sugar City, Salem, and Hibbard, suffered horribly. Thousands of homes and businesses were destroyed. One estimate placed damage to Rexburg, population 10,000, at 80 percent of existing structures. Thousands of livestock were lost and fertile farm land was demolished! The 1970's video covers victims' individual stories as well as the reconstruction and rebuilding of each of the towns. The Teton Dam disaster is able to leave a legacy behind because of this media coverage and the complete capturing of the tragic event. Although, the museum theater itself only holds a small amount of people you can purchase the video through Time and watch it and broadcast it to whomever you would like. I really enjoyed going to this museum and learning more about the History of Rexburg as well as the history of our media technology and to see how far we have come in the way of production, style and editing.

How to Save an Amsterdam Movie Theater? With Web Video, of Course

The ingenious idea of "taking web films to big screen" was conceived when Dagan Cohen, head of the creative department at DraftFCB, met Barbara Wijn, managing director of De Uitkijk in Amsterdam. She told Dagan she had a very difficult time keeping the cinema afloat because of the cinema's practically invisible location and being in the heart of Amsterdam, it was hard for her to compete with all those huge comfy cinemas that have popped up all over town...and although De Uitkijk focuses on art-house movies, thus attracting a very specific crowd, people are spoiled nowadays and don't like cramped cinemas with crappy chairs anymore.

The solution to the problem is a unique form and mixing of content that has created a whole new reason to visit De Uitkijk. The (online) members of Upload Cinema are asked to submit online videos, based on a monthly theme, that are freely accessible on the internet.

The editorial staff then select the best films. The result is an art-house-worthy compilation of extremely diverse stuff that is only matched by the theme, shown on the first Monday of every month. In June, for example, the theme was "messing with the brand." It brought together the best unauthorized, banned and spoofed advertising on the web. The concept is so successful that art house cinema's all over the world have requested to adopt the format!

The reason why Upload Cinema is truly creative is that it merges two domains that usually lie miles apart from each other. Upload Cinema has been completely innovative by bringing the two together producing an entirely new form of quality content that is happening to work for anyone who accidentally stumbles upon it. Very cool...I would totally attend one of these movie experiences!

The Youtube Presidency

As of November 14, 2008 Barack Obama has been implimenting videos online to inform the American public of topics from the beginning of his campaign to the now weekly Democratic addresses. The addresses, typically four minutes long, are turned into YouTube videos and posted on WhiteHouse.gov.

"This is just one of many ways that he will communicate directly with the American people and make the White House and the political process more transparent," says spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

President Obama is using these more mainstream ways to communicate with the American people who would not otherwise be informed, people like college aged students who are not watching the news or reading newspapers.

This online presence of White House Admin has not only been utilized by President Obama but also by President Bush. Bush updated online information on WhiteHouse.govduring his presidency, which offers RSS feeds, podcasts and videos of press briefings. The site's Ask the White House page has featured regular online chats dating back to 2003, and President Bush hosted one in January after a Middle Eastern trip.

So what's next from the Obama White House? A behind-the-scenes online video exclusive of the State of the Union Address? A text message reminding us to turn in our taxes? Who knows...

A Look Back on How People Look Forward

It is dangerous to make predictions for the future of media.

In 1913, Lee DeForest sold the stock of his Radio Telephone Company by making a prediction that, “It would be possible to transmit the human voice across the Atlantic before many years".

In 1946, Darryl Zanuck predicted, “Television won’t be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night”.

Boy were they wrong.

The question now is, is the internet the new media landscape for the future or will it be something completely new? We need not be naive to the new innovations and break through inventions that may spark a completely new way of producing and consuming media.

It is important to learn the basic foundations of technologies of the media in which new technologies will be based off of because only new innovations and inventions will tell where the media will be in the future.

The Leading Media Technologies or
The Basis of New Technologies are as follows:
-Satellite
-Fiber Optics
-Digital Coding
-Microprocessor
-Wireless

Can You Still Be Productive With Old Technology?

The answer to that is simply, No...you just can't be. Just as you would not want to take a rickety and rusty old car onto the interstate you would not want to go back to the early format and software of computers. It just isn't going to cut it...but we will get into that later.

Ideally professionals in the communications and technology businesses are here to make sure that users get their jobs done more efficiently. That means they need to be able to cover all of the bases when it comes to the basic needs of the end user.

When PC's first came our many of the functions that we take for granted today like video, email and Instant Messaging were either just beginning or didn't exist. Computers did simple things like replace typewriters with word processing and calculators with spreadsheets. Today, PCs are complete communication tools and users do multiple things at the same time.

The bare bone minimum things a computer has to do today include:

• Email
• Word Processing
• Spreadsheets
• Databases
• Web surfing
• Audio/video playback
• IM

That means you can probably rule out any of the 8 bit machines of the first microcomputer era. the first Apples and computers that came out in the 80's might be able to do a few of the things on the list, but they’re too antiquated to do much more than be tasked with simple single things. Even if you move into the early 16-bit PC era, anything DOS based is also pretty much useless today. Again, you might be able to use it to do half the things on the list, but that’s about it.

So as for software and machines between 1970's and early 1990's, the problem is that work and the expectations now are changed radically different. Users access multiple data formats with different applications running simultaneously. It would be torture to get anything done on a DOS machine today.

Surviving The Crossover Into Mass Culture

In the past year, Facebook has evolved from being an essential element of a student's life to becoming a mainstay of mainstream culture and the most popular website in Canada! In reading this article at CBC News I learned that Facebook is a disruptive forcen, in that it changes our ability to use and understand the internet in interactive ways that only a small minority have used before now. No longer limited to academic environments, can Facebook survive the crossover into mass culture and the pressures of commercialization?

1. Already, many people are using Facebook more often than e-mail as a primary means of communicating with friends and contacts online. With Facebook playing the role of a visual phone book, some people who have resisted signing up find that it can be the easiest — and at times only — means of reaching people.

2. An integral ingredient to this ongoing success and staying power lies in Facebook's decision to open up its social networking platform to developers in a way that is free to use and relatively flexible. Lately, Facebook has gone through some updates with their security and privacy controls.

To quickly explain what Facebook has up to in developing a better site, think about how you currently can set your privacy controls. Each control is in a different location, and therefore could be easy to miss. (In other words you don’t have privacy).

The new privacy update will gather the controls to one location and allow you to specifically modify whom you send status updates to as you send them. As you are changed over to the new privacy settings, Facebook will provide you with a transition tool to help out.

The transition tool notifies you of your current settings and allows you to change them before copying them over to the new privacy page.

3. The rapid growth of Facebook is comparable to the emergence of Google from a student project at Stanford to becoming the dominant search engine and largest media company in the world. Even though the utility of a search engine is perhaps more evident than that of a social-media platform, the power of collaboration and the strength of social networking are such that the potential of Facebook should not be underestimated.

Facebook is a disruptive force, in that it changes our ability to use and understand the internet in interactive ways that only a small minority have used before now. There are still many questions to whether this type of communications power, now in the hands of so many regular people, will emerge as a complete new way to utilize and employ the internet in our business, communication and social needs.

In The Public Eye

Once you become rich and famous you are going to have to learn to deal with the paparazzi. The paparazzi are determined and very good at what they do so there are many instances where you will have to grin and bear it. The paparazzi simply put treats people as commodities. These opportunists make money at the expense of others’ privacy and happiness. Love them or hate them, what would celebrity magazines do without them? The paparazzi supply celebrity-hungry fans with photographic reference of all the highs and lows of politicians, actors, actresses, singers, athletes and other personalities.

At first blush, there seems to be little downside to high salaries, fabulous parties and millions of people knowing your name, but in truth, celebrity exposure can cause a great deal of damage if it isn't handled properly. Many celebrities are unable to engage in basic tasks without being mobbed, and gossip columns and paparazzi can intrude upon their lives to the point of breaking the law. While there are a number of upsides to fame, celebrities need to find ways of coping with public life if they hope to persevere. So how does a celebrity deal with public life?

Well, every celebrity is an individual, and each one deals with public life differently. The need to acknowledge the reality of their condition is paramount, as is the ability to strike a balance that reduces the stress and anxiety it may cause. We've all seen examples of what can happen when a celebrity can't handle exposure: drug and alcohol addiction, public outbursts, and an overall deterioration (which ironically feeds the very attention that is contributing to the problem in the first place). The key to survival lies in understanding boundaries, setting firm lines and knowing where and when to behave in a public forum.

Invasion of Privacy?

In this image made available Tuesday Oct. 2, 2007, from evidence presented at the inquest into the death of Diana Princes of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed. The head of Diana Princess of Wales, in the rear seat, her bodyguard Trevor Rees left, and driver Henri Paul are seen shortly before the car crash that killed Diana, her companion Dodi Fayed and the driver in Paris Aug. 31, 1997.

The deaths of Princess Diana, her companion Dodi Fayed and their driver, Henri Paul, on that tragic night of August 31, 1997 were, after six months and almost 250 witnesses, found to be caused by the gross negligence of their speeding driver and pursuing paparazzi. Because the accident happened in France, no British charges could be laid against the photographers.

Nine were charged with manslaughter in France, but the charges were thrown out in 2002. Three photographers, Jacques Langevin, Christian Martinez and Fabrice Chassery, were convicted of invasion of privacy for taking pictures of the couple and were each fined one euro in 2006.

Although Princess Di used publicity for her causes, she often appealed to the press to give her and her family space to live.Princess Di was used to being the most photographed woman in the world, but her linking up with Dodi al Fayed had thrown the scavengers of celebrity into a heightened state of alert. They wanted pictures that would pay and they would stop at nothing to get them.

If there is any doubt that the world of photography had gone insane, moments after Princess Di had been pronounced dead, the dilemma facing some British publishers was what to do about the pictures taken that fateful night. The National Enquirer's Coz said he would not purchase any such photos, in an effort "to send a message." Someone may well publish a picture from the tunnel, and to keep blood off its hands, the public must avert its eyes. We can blame the press only if we stop watching.

Media Censorship and a Free Press in America

"No government ought to be without censors & where the press is free, no one ever will."

-Thomas Jefferson

Since this country was founded, we have had a set of unalienable rights that our constitution guarantees us to as Americans. One of the most important rights that is mentioned in our constitution is the right to free speech. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” These are the exact words used by our country’s forefathers when they made these amendments in the late 1700’s. Movies, books, music, thoughts, ideas, and literature are all things that have been censored in this country. Censorship exists to some extent in all modern countries, including the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

The U.S. Government has the ablility to censor anything that poses a threat to National Security, Military Operations and war, or that poses a "clear and present danger."

All are under the influences of censorship when they post their findings and opinions into the mass media. According to Peter Phillips, Director of Project Censored, Media corporations have been undergoing a massive merging and buy-out process that is realigning our sources of information in America. Conglomeration changes traditional media corporate cultures. Values such as freedom of information and belief in the responsibility of keeping the public informed are adjusted to reflect policies created by bottom-line oriented CEOs.

Media owners and managers are motivated to please advertisers and upper middle class readers and viewers. Journalists and editors are not immune from management influence. Journalists want to see their stories approved for print or broadcast, and editors come to know the limits of their freedom to diverge from the bottom line view of owners and managers. The results are an expansion of entertainment news, infomercials, and synergistic news- all aimed at increased profit taking. For example in 1997, the new CEO of the Los Angeles Times found it necessary to assign a business manager to each section of the newspaper in order to insure that a proper profit-oriented product was developed and to help maintain a corporate climate that reflected the management desires of the board of directors.

Keeping democracy safe in America requires an informed electorate and a strong watchdog press. But major media today are tending to favor news stories on sex scandals, celebrity events, and crime, leaving less or little room for analytical news on important social issues. If privately owned commercial media will not meet the task of keeping democracy safe, then it is time for a strong public supported national news system.

Harry Potter Phenomenon

The Harry Potter series is arguably the most successful children's literary franchise of the past century. The young wizard has been a household name for some time and the legion of fans continues to grow. Read by an extensive age range, and printed in over 49 languages in over 200 countries, Harry Potter has worldwide appeal.

What is it about Harry Potter that drives adolescents crazy with anticipation as they wait for the next novel or movie in the series? I believe it is largely due to the author's style and detailing of the experiences at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

JK Rowling has created an elaborate cast of characters and an environment for them to inhabit that appeals to adults and children alike. In each book, Jo Rowling introduces and describes the characters in such a way, that we wonder not only about their futures, but also about their pasts. We desperately want to know more about them, their emotions, and their relationships. The fantasy aspect of the wizarding world expands the imagination, and transports the mind to new and exciting places. The magic portrayed in her books opens new realms of possibilities within the plots. Anything could happen. Also, there are so many themes running through her books which creates a wider range of appeal and relatability. These elements have bred passion, obsession, creativity and a new or renewed interest in reading!

This perfect combination of storytelling had made JK Rowling, Harry and all the other characters at Hogwarts successful, believable and loved by all.

Go see the 6th movie of the series, HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE - In theaters July 15!

Not For Us to Judge

Kirby Heyborne (Singles Ward, RM, The Best Two Years, Saints and Soldiers) recently acted in a commercial for U.S. Brewer Miller. In spite of the big freak out many members of the LDS church seem to be having, they forget he is an actor, he took a job and at the end of the day, that's his choice, not ours. He is trying to make a living, support his family and to provide other opportunities for him to get jobs that he actually would really like to play in the future. It is interesting that we often see an actor portraying a character in a movie as pretend, but in commercials, or advertisements, we see it as endorsements. So, in essence, it's easier for us to watch a guy like Kirby portray characters that are doing things against our beliefs rather than seeing them endorsing something. I'm not sure that they two things are all that different though. Kirby is acting in the commercial as much as he's acting when he takes that drag on that {herbal} cigarette in Saints and Soldiers. BUT it was his individual choice to choose both of those parts and his choice alone. When I am a professional and have job offers and opportunities come my way I may take them or I may not but based on who I am and what I feel is right for me and my family is up to me. Being in the mass media is a very public career and one must be prepared for exposer and opportunities that you know yo can deal with. It is up to our own code of ethics and integrity to choose which jobs to take. Kirby's beer commercial is just one example...How many members of the church work at casinos? Sell alcoholic drinks or cigarettes to people? Or farm barely and sell it to beer manufactures? I don't see everyone getting in an uproar about them. It is not for us to judge but for us to make our own valid decisions in our lives and career.

Moral Corruption

It is crazy how accessible pornography is on the internet and it really frustrates me. Not only is it often free but it is also available when those who do not even desire to find or see it, see it anyways in banner ads or pop ups! Children are at risk from "YouTube-style" websites which offer free access to pornography without proper safeguards. A number of sites have developed which provide instant access to explicit photos and video clips but make little or no effort to stop children viewing them or warn users about what they are about to see.

Can a government legitimately prohibit citizens from publishing or viewing pornography, or would this be an unjustified violation of basic freedoms?

This question lies at the heart of this debate that raises fundamental issues about just when, and on what grounds, the state is justified in using its coercive powers to limit the freedom of individuals who so choose to post and view such explict matierials.

I believe all pornography should be banned because its sexually explicit content is obscene and morally corrupting.

The state is justified in using its coercive power to uphold and enforce a community's moral convictions and to prevent citizens from engaging in activities that offend prevailing community standards of morality and decency. Governments also have a responsibility to prevent citizens from harming themselves...but a mature adult who is voluntary engaged in an activity which they judge to be desirable and which causes no harm to others is hard to debate on these terms.

This on going debate seems to be ever increasing. Must pornography continue? Should pornography continue? This is up to a wide range of people on both sides of the issue and a moral and ethical issue for parents, children and families who desire to keep these degrading materials out of their homes and lives.

Posthumous Works: A Bigger Success?

While saddened by his passing and well aware that Mr. Mays leaves behind a huge void as America's foremost pitchman, DRTV marketers cite numbers showing that his ads are producing response rates as good, or in some cases better than, before his death. Mr. Mays, they believe, would have wanted it this way.

It is interesting to see the upheaval the death of a well known celebrity has on a society and a culture. Suddenly there is more of an interest in that person and people gravitate towards their actions and doings in their life when they are already gone. YouTube montages have recently been created and people are Googling his name like crazy...It makes more sense to me that someone should be more interested in someone's life before they are dead but I guess realizing it at all, at any time is a good thing? People die martyrs for their products, albums, books, movies, television shows and even commercials which turns out to be a good and maybe a bad thing for networks who continuing airing things in a seemingly good or bad taste depending on the way you look at it.

According to Adage, Mr. McAlister, president of Media Enterprises, Philadelphia, said Media Enterprises resumed airing ads for the Mighty brand featuring Mr. Mays on Monday, and that the family is expected to issue a statement soon endorsing the continued use of Mr. Mays' ads.

"Those are among the last two commercials Mr. Mays did. Two others that had been produced for Church & Dwight Co.'s Orange Glo the company has decided not to air, Mr. McAlister said.

Continued airing of the ads may seem in bad taste to some, such as numerous commenters on Twitter. One ad that continued running last week, including Tuesday on CNBC, is particularly jarring, as it starts with: "Hi, Billy Mays back again for the Awesome Auger."

Future Trends in an Online World

2009 is going to be the year that Social Influence Marketing truly goes mainstream. With TV converting to digital cable, people being addicted to iPhone Apps, Search engines refining themselves and Skype being a growing trend we are seeing the new future of social media. This year phones are getting smarter, online ads are getting smarter and research measurements are entering the digital age. Due to this increased complexity in marketing we are being challenged more than ever. These opportunities will open more doors to brand and content owners in increasing and establishing a new online, digital outlook while closing doors to other businesses that are not moving with the changes. It is definitely worth it to recognize the trends and shift of the communication around the world and the impact it is having on society as well as in the home. The Web environment has witnessed tremendous growth with embeddable and moveable content that is both interactive and engaging. We are no longer limited to one dimension….but this is only the beginning of the growth of the internet and social media. Inventors and creators of these new innovations to browsers, multi-touch screens and interfaces still have a long way to go in discovering and exploring the Internet’s ultimate potential. {Read this year’s Razorfish Digital Outlook Report for more}

Mommy Blogger$

Mom blogs are poised to become the next big “It” when it comes to the internet–they’re gathering power like no other blogging niche and will only get bigger and better.

A lot of Mommy Bloggers are former professionals who have decided to spend more time with their kids and blog to keep those business, marketing, and writing skills sharp….offering support and creating support networks for those dealing with illnesses, tragedy, and strife; to build a brand around a business they are launching; to offer product reviews to other parents looking for information; to educate others based on their own experience about adoption, autism, living simply, being more green, and a myriad of other topics. The majority of Mommy Bloggers aren’t simply dabbling for fits and giggles.

5 Reasons Why Mom Blogs Are The Blogs To Watch,
from ProBlogger.com

1. Moms blog from home

You don’t need a PhD, an office or a small business loan to start up a blog and it’s a job that they can do while the kids are napping or away at school

2. Moms need the sociality of the net

Women want–no crave and demand–social interaction and for those of us whose office is our home the internet and blogging opens up a new world of friendship, debate, learning and conversation.

3. Moms have a wealth of material to use

Tech blogs are just about technology, celebrity blogs are strictly about celebs but a mom blog could focus on parenting, protecting the environment, politics, crafts, food, homeschooling, gardening, household products, design, travel or just funny stories.They are usually ritten with an emotion and personality which connects with readers in ways that other niches often can’t and they speak about subjects that naturally carry strong emotions: home, family, marriage, children, the environment–all of which encourage dedicated readers.

4. Moms are record keepers

Blog means “web-log” and most blogs are started as online journals. Moms naturally tend to be the record keepers for their families whether it’s a newsletter, scrapbook or photo album and more and more women are turning to blogs as an easy way to keep their family’s diary.

5. Mom blogs wield economic power

Moms are trusted for their opinions and who pass along information on what products, services and ideas are the best. Moms want to know which products work and which don’t; they want to give an opinion on what’s worked for them and share their experiences with others and advertisers are just beginning to discover this advertising pot of gold. Because women are generally the buyers for their homes in everything from clothing to food to minivans mom blogs talk about things that can be bought and sold, products that can be promoted and services that most households need.

Google & The Future of Books

I read an article by Robert Darnton from the NY Review of Books, and learned that for the last four years, Google has been digitizing millions of books, including many covered by copyright, from the collections of major research libraries, and making the texts searchable online. The authors and publishers objected that digitizing constituted a violation of their copyrights. After lengthy negotiations, the plaintiffs and Google agreed on a settlement, which will have a profound effect on the way books reach readers for the foreseeable future. What will that future be?

The other day I was writing a book review for my Sociology class on the book, "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down," by Anne Fadiman, {Highly recommend this read!} and I was trying to directly quote a paragraph in the book that I vividly remember reading but I could not find the page it was located in the book!! I thought to myself, "I wish there was a google search on my book so I could find the exact words to write into my report." Then a lightbulb went off! "Duh you can search Google Books"...and sure enough my book was on there and I was able to search a few keywords that lead me to the exact page my quote was found. This right here is the ultimate future of books. Google Books is highly accessible and easy to reference! Great stuff!

The Bachelorette Drama

K so for all you die hard Bachelorette fans...I found a much needed post by RealitySteve.com as I was trying to find closure to this week's episode. After watching I kind of had this pit in my stomach feeling..."Arrrghhh I just want Wes out of there...Can't Jillian see him for who he really is??" He is always saying the dumbest things and It makes me so angery. I am sure this is how the producers wanted me to feel exactally and I dislike them a bit for this. I hope this roller-coaster ride is worth it in the end cuz I'm still hangin on {as I am simply sunken down in my couch watching this storyline all unfold!}

I have found the role of editing of sound and camera snippets on this show to be very interesting. I have often questioned if what we seen portryed on TV is really what in fact, truly, verbatim happened...And as I have read on blogs pertaining to this show this question and interest is for good reason. A former "Bachelorette" producer, who has wished to remain anonymous, has spoken up on this subject how there is a difference between what is filmed and what actually makes in onto the air.

"Everyone always ask if what we see on TV is really what happened and for the most part it is but, going back to the film 100% and air 1%, the viewer is only getting to see the really good stuff and, even still, if the stories are many we are going to edit them down to the most compelling bits, therefore leaving out (often times) how somebody goes from seemingly normal to totally coo coo pants."

The people cast on these types of shows know very well what they are getting themselves into and it often costs them part of their character.

So even if some of you out there are still responding, “Hey, I know it’s fake, but I like the drama”, I don’t know what to tell you. Even the drama isn’t real. Maybe if Juan and David really hated each other, it’d be more interesting. But they don’t. It is all a producer driven storyline to entice the masses into watching their show. I'm sure the producers of the Bacherlorette don't always like their job but it is their job to chop up the show and make it as interesting as possible and if they do not do their job "right" then ABC will find someone else to replace them. TV productiong is a cold, hard world...one not for the faint in heart.

Project Natal

Microsoft announces Project Natal motion controller for Xbox 360! Project Natal is taking the Wii a step further, allowing game users to control the action on screen with full body motions. It is uncertain when the technology will become available, or what it will cost...but I have heard it is expected to be released in late 2010.

One technology demo I have witnessed via YouTube is that of Milo and Kate (shown above.) It is a game in which the player interacts with a young child (Milo or Milly, selected by the user at the start) and his/her dog Kate. It is played by using items and passing him/her virtual items from real life actions. When I first saw this demo...it was a little freaky to see such a character on screen that you can fully relate and interact with. It is a smart game that memorizes what you have played with it in the past and what your likes and dislikes are as you hold conversations with Milo or Milly. It made me think of Elder Bednar's talk on what is truly reality. Now a days, the media is becoming more and more engaging and interactive. People may come to have better relationships online and in their on screen games than they do it real life the more and more immersed they are in these kinds of technologies. It is frustrating to think about where this new game could take society because of it's high fidelity attractions. This new technology is really innovative and such an interesting concept...but I'm not sure I will be running out to buy it anytime soon! They say this new Project Natal is a motion controller for Xbox....but I say it could turn into a mind controller if we aren't careful.

Amusing Ourselves to Death

Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business (1985), is a scintillating analysis of the effect of television on society by Neil Postman. It has been translated into eight languages and sold some 200,000 copies worldwide.

Television has conditioned us to tolerate visually entertaining material measured out in spoonfuls of time, to the detriment of society. In this eloquent, persuasive book, Neil Postman alerts us to the real and present dangers of this state of affairs, and offers compelling suggestions as to how to withstand the media onslaught. Before we hand over politics, education, religion, and journalism to the show-business demands of the television age, we must recognize the ways in which the media shape our lives and the ways we can, in turn, shape them to serve our highest goals.

I have not entirely read this book but I enjoy it's insights into what Postman sees in the effect of television's entertainment value as a "soma" for the contemporary world. He sees contemporary mankind surrendering its rights in exchange for entertainment as he criticises this media. The effects of Television, good or bad, have been fortold from the very beginning. Ray Bradbury has said, "I wasn’t worried about freedom. I was worried about people being turned into morons by TV."

With such intensely stimulating entertainment available all around us in our very own living rooms, are we all going to turn into compulsive consumers of mindless entertainment with atrophied souls, stunted emotions and a total inability to interact meaningfully with other human beings, as Bradbury prophesied? I'm not exactally sure this is true but the more and more we consume media the more it will effect us in someway or another whether it be now or in the future we will see a change in our behavior and thoughts. It is important to consume things that are going to make you the person that you want to become. If you don't, you might as well sit around in your pajamas all day watching TV!

iPod Touch Possibilities

The mantra at Apple these days is iPhone, iPhone, iPhone. But what about the iPod Touch? Okay so the iTouch isn’t a phone or texting machine…but it does do all the rest an iPhone can do! iPod Touch puts music, movies, websites, and now games and applications in the palm of your hand. There is a huge growing and transitional market for new iPod Touch {and iPhone} applications. With the ever growing rate of smart phone purchases…now is a great time for application of these apps. You can download them wirelessly and use them right away. The accessibility and immediacy of these apps is genius and with the arrival of the newest 3Gs iPhone…tens of thousands of iphone purchases, along with the creation of new apps, will allow marketers to reach an even broader consumer base!

The widgets and other applications that were little more than digital window dressing a few years ago have exploded into a vast new advertising venue. Many apps now draw millions of users each day at the same time they’ve become a broadly networked social medium in their own right. And, that, in turn, has given rise to a new sort of apps-only media-buying agency. {AdAge, The New World of Apps Only Advertising}

Wayne Pitout, Chief Executive Officer of iTouch, commented, “This is a great opportunity for us. I believe iTouch is in an excellent position to take advantage of the growth expected in mobile internet services. It is clear that with the greater proliferation of 3G mobile phones and the broadband capabilities this will bring, we are at the beginning of an era where accessing information and entertainment on one’s mobile will become more widespread than on the PC. This has already happened in Japan and South Korea and will have the same impact that broadband brought to the internet (generally referred to as Web 2.0). As part of the For-side group, we have benefited from international support and funding in order to consolidate our market position as well as add to our stable of operations around the world. I think, now as an independent company we will be in a very powerful position to leverage this growth opportunity.”

The iTouch currently generates in excess of $230 million in revenues on an annual basis. It now has operations in 13 countries and provides services in a total of 22 countries across three continents.

Now the biggest debate is whether branded apps should be toys or tools…

Craig Cooper says,”Depends on the marketer’s need. Financial services? Probably leans tool. Entertainment industry? Toy. There is no one-size-fits-all solution in adland despite the efforts of evil research fiends to find one. But whether toy or tool, what the app really needs to do is reinforce the marketer’s overarching brand message. Otherwise, it is just a waste.”

I agree…It’s not branded tools vs. branded toys, anyway; it’s branded tools vs. branded games. Branded Apps are very hot right now. Clients want them because they are cool and agencies want to build them because they want to be cool. The iPod Touch is even making these apps more accessible and affordable for those who do not want to pay the monthly phone bill and internet charges of the iphone. So what can we make of all this? The iPod Touch is in a great place right now for where the future of Apps and Smartphones are going.

Smartphone Rises Fast From Gadget to Necessity

Steve Lohr with NY Times Top Technology news stated yesterday in this article, "In today’s recession-racked economy, penny-pinching is a national pastime. But people are still opening their wallets for smartphones." How could this be? Are we becoming obsessed with image, media and it's connectedness? For the most part...YES! "The smartphone, analysts say, is the instrument of that connectedness — and thus worth the cost, both as a communications tool and as a status symbol." Smart phones are projected to increase 25 percent this year according to Gartner, a research business. Fast gotta-have-it-now expectations are becoming the social norm. Smart phones are expensive but we are seeing a growing trend of penny pinchers purchasing them! A woman who says she pinches pennies got an iphone simply for her job.

She says, shet got an iPhone allowing her to be online no matter where she was, without having to lug a computer around. “I absolutely got it for the job search,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s really an expectation, but if another job candidate returns an e-mail message eight hours later, and you get back immediately with a message hat says ‘Sent from my iPhone,’ I think it has to be a check box in your favor.”

This story says loads about increasing popularity of BlackBerrys, iPhones owing as much to sociology as technology...and this is definitely a message the wireless industry would like to reinforce.

I personally love my iphone and it's convenience of instant emails and internet where ever I go. It has turned a phone into a super mass media at your finger tips kind of phone! Some days I feel it is an extreme necessity. I am not an overly materialistic person...but when I image myself not having it....I realize how much I really do use it and how much it comes in handy. This summer I will probably be getting a new less popular and culturally talked up phone...and will probably sorely miss my iphone. But hey...a phone's a phone right?

The wireless industry's key is making sure smart phone technology helps you carry out the tasks of daily life instead of interfering with them. It’s about balance and managing things. Pretty sure I am going to have to find other ways to write down my homework, take notes during devotionals and speeches, and being able to access my emails whenever and where ever. I will let you know how that goes. In the mean time....do you think smart phones are a neccessity or another bother of a gadget trend?

Things as They Really Are

Jacob 4:16 "Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old."

What I got out of Elder Bednar's powerful talk on the use of Mass Media is going to be very beneficial to me as a communication's professional and as a member of the LDS church. {Click here to listen/watch a re-broadcast} I found I need to be more aware of what I am consuming and to what extent I am involved so that I will better be able to stay in-touch with reality. Also, I found it is important to listen to the spirit and to prioritize. We should be deciding what is best for us to be doing right now. If we spend all our time online with games and social media we will be missing opportunities to learn vital things to are more important to our eternal progression. In class we talked about how there is not even enough time in our lives to do all the worthy things that we want to do. This talk reminds me of the cumulative effect. It is important to consume things that are going to be a benefit to us later. We need to be aware of who we are becoming. We don't want to look back and regret forming more interpersonal relationships or forgetting those who are closest to us to a social media online. It is important to view things as they really are and not as how they seem to be.

Also, the correlation between our bodies and the way we use the media that Elder Bednar brought to our attention is one that we should pay particular attention to. Elder Bednar taught that Satan seeks to influence us to misuse our bodies...they only thing he does not have. In minimizing the importance of our physical bodies in God’s plan, he distorts our view of body image and urges us to defile our body outwardly and inwardly. He invited us to learn "by study and also by faith" the ways we can discern what is and isn’t correct in relation to the proper use of the gift of a physical body.

Perceived Value Difference

The perceived value difference between magazines vs. newpapers is a major factor in the flat lining trends we are seeing in these two businesses. Trade magazines are doing a much better job of staying afloat than consumer magazines are and magazines in total are doing a lot better compared to the newspaper business. Since magazines arrive periodically to homes and newstands across the nation, the information in them is more entertainment than informative. This gives a bigger leeway into the fact the information provided within magazines has less potential to be outdated. Newspapers have a greater chance of being thrown out faster than magazines because they are made of cheap paper, have less valuable long term information and take up more space. Magazines have more pictures and diagrams and are contemporary and colorful where as newspapers tend to be more drab with longer articles of information. These days people are looking to get news fast from the easiest place. Magazines and Newspapers take more time to read and look through but Magazines give more opinions on what is out there versus Newspapers that are meant to inform and make aware. There are definitely some perceived value differences between Magazines and Newspapers that are effecting their consumption in this society of fast pace audiences that consistently want the here and now.

More Effective Creative Briefs for Mass Media Audiences

Here are some guidelines for experimenting with a new, improved creative brief to be more effective for mass media audiences:

1. Think simple. The more sophisticated the brief, the simpler it should be. The more glissandi and grace notes the piece has, the harder it is to play.

2. More spaces to fill present a greater opportunity for bad poetry. Avoid theoretical definitions; keep the language at the 8th-grade level.

3. Write in clear, declarative sentences.

4. Test out the chosen version with products or services you know well. If you can get all the key ideas in, you're good to go.

5. Every fact or observation you add to the brief must be useful and actionable. If not, leave it out.

6. Does the final brief say what you want it to mean?

7. Write a couple of bad ads directly from your brief. What would the headline say? What would be the key visual? Is that the beating heart of your story?

This article on how to improve creative briefs was quite informative and quite the fun read. Howard Margulies said, "When you write a creative brief, you're not filling out a form. You're crafting the story of your product and its reason to exist and thrive in the world. This is the first, and arguably the most important creative act of the entire process. And yet it's often approached with all the delight of passing a kidney stone." But actually the more tight and formatted your creative brief is the more creative and free your creatives can be because you give them more options and ideas to go off of. Filling out a creative brief should not be a dreaded thing. If you just get everything out of your mind and onto the paper...to you it may just be a brain dump but to others it may be their biggest inspiration. I am not saying creative briefs should be outrageously spantaneos, we still must keep clear objectives and and meet the goals we are setting to make to inspire and give the most correct brief to our audiences. Creative briefs are important to get a set standard for the approach a company or campaign will take. To be effective in reaching mass audiences, a creative brief need not be lengthy and drawn out but catchy and have that "boom effect" to capture your intended audience and pull them into the product, service that you are selling/provide them.

The Great Web Site

…More an Art than Science…

“The more I research websites — the more I realize that many important factors com together in a way that is difficult to describe.” -DMS

Wow I feel exactally like that just as I read about these new rules of Marketing and PR. There is so much that goes into making a news release, blog, podcast and all other types of online media. It really is a learned art with so many intricate details. The rules and limits of the web aren’t just speewed out in a list or textbook just anywhere. You can’t find a compelete list of how to do it all…anywhere! The rules and limits to online media are being pushed beyond anything we have ever known and there is no telling where the boundaries will end. They are changing and morphing everyday. The Art of it is having to stay on top of it all and intune with what media professionals should be intune with….new upcoming media that is ever changing! My mass media text book {for Comm 140} is becoming outdated even as I am typing this. It is incredible to me how technology and the media around us is growing at such a rapid growth. The history of technolgy is not just walking or even running up a hill…it is skipping with leaps and bounds to what we have today.

3 Uses of Blogs

According to David Meerman Scott, these are the 3 {Marketing & PR} Uses you should think about beforestarting and writing a blog…

Marketing & PR Uses:

1. To easily moniter what millions of people are saying about you, the market you sell into, your organization, and it’s products.

2. To participate in those conversations on commenting on other people’s blogs.

3. To begin to shape those conversations by creating and writing your own blog.

It is important to get a feel for what is already being said in the blog world and how current users are already going about creating and writing their blogs. Some blogs are getting so big their readership is larger than some newspapers….shouldn’t this be a sign that what they are saying has some value we should be looking into? …then by participating and getting involved with those blogs, you are already establishing a “face” and persona in which people will be drawn to if/when you are continually adding your opinions to their blogs…This in turn leads to a plethora of opportunities for opening your own blog to expose new and unique avenues to your readers and to explore and enrich the blogosphere! Seriously blogs are the new pink. Everyone should be paying more attention to what is going on with them and how you can improve and make new of your own blogs and websites.

News Releases

An insight I had from reading David Meerman Scott’s New Rules of Marketing and PR {NRMP} is that News Releases…in order to be effective need to be updated regularly…not just when important and huge news comes up. This way you will have followers by the time big news really does hit. This can apply to basic Twitter accounts to Fortune 500 company’s news releases. Also, these news releases need to apply directly to your audience so they feel it is news perfectly fit for their consumption. These are just some of the New Rules that blogs and website should be applying to fit this ever changing media and readership. As our world is advancing more and more each day through the internet and blogosphere we need to be open to applying these rules and finding ways to improve that will best fit our product and in turn…what will best fit our audience.

New Official Mormon Radio Station

Monday May, 18th 2009, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints launched a new radio station called Mormon Channel which broadcasts online 24-7. Originating in Salt Lake City, Utah, this new LDS Church radio station broadcasts both new and archived audio content as well as content from third-party organizations. You can subscribe to podcast feeds of specific audio programs and at some point in the near future a Facebook Widget and iPhone Application will also be available. How cool is that? The church is very good at "staying up to par" with the latest media developments and trends so they can be the most successful at using the newest technology that is available. The internet's world wide reach is great for the church in that those who are looking to know more about what we believe in can access the church in ways easier than ever before, through even their very own home computer. There is no doubt in my mind our Heavenly Father has inspired men to create such a versatile and useful technology, the internet...and if used for good can be an extrememly powerful tool in even spreading the gospel. Awesome stuff!

Direct Niche Advertising is SO Possible

The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly, by David Meerman Scott is a fresh new look at the biggest growing ways to use and implement the internet. This book provides an A to Z assistance and view of the new online marketplace. In reading the first chapter I am most impressed with the online marketing options he fully explains to us, showing us how they work and why they are important. The old rules of marketing and PR are ineffective in an online world. It is interesting to see how websites are improving and implementing these new rules already. “Prior to the Web, organizations had only two significant choices to attract attention.” he says, the first to buy expensive advertising or get third-party ink from the media. But this is not true for the internet. Now we are about to work directly with customers and we find a trend for, in my own words, a sort of niche/mass media advertising that is completely possible with the internet. While it is available to anyone through the internet, if can be directed and developed to meet a single customers needs. The relationship can be more personal. Instead of high volume billboard views to everyone, we can market the smallest of audiences and capture exactly what they want to see. Awesome!

Mobile Marketing: Is ‘App-vertising’ the Answer?

According to an article on AdAge posted by Garrick Schmitt, “half of the top mobile applications are games — and engagement for apps averages nine-plus minutes per session.” So what does this mean for advertisers? New and exciting oppurtunities to get into our brains! App-vertising is a great way for brands to get their product out in the online world while putting a creative and fun spin on their campaign. No other media can do what mobile marketing can do! It is still a very new medium, but one worth implimenting! A few years ago people were scared to use their phones for anything other than calling and texting, but now thanks to Apple’s iPhone and Apps Store we are seeing at least 20 applications being downloaded to each phone. The possibilities are endless. You can pick up an iphone and shake it to make a milk-shake, or watch an interactive movie or play a mini-racing game while you wait in the doctor’s office. It is definitely opening doors to a new revenue stream for the brands and agencies. “The trick is to make it interesting and worth downloading. And keep it fresh, geez.” says, chadschomber of Black Earth, WI. & I ditto that.

Trident’s Beyonce Dance Debuts as No. 2 Most-Watched Viral Video

Abbey Klaasen with AdAge.com said that every week since Samsung’s “LED Sheep,” T-Mobile’s “Dance” and Cadbury’s “Eyebrow Dance.” have been launched have appeared on the chart. “According to Visible Measures analysis of its data, all three have had remarkable runs. Over the course of the campaigns, T-Mobile’s “Dance” has logged more than 18 million total views, Cadbury nearly 12 million total views and Samsung nearly 10 million total views. Meanwhile, Durex, whose “Get It On” ad graces the chart again this week, has had almost 11 million views.” With the widespread popularity of camera phones and the ability that every one has of uploading a video, YouTube has made celebrities out of small people and documented some the most random yet most viewed videos to the day. The Youtube phenomenon has taken those without cable to new levels of entertainment. One of my favorite viral videos is harry potter puppet pals…now performed at talent shows all over the country. You know a video is popular when everyone and their dog is making remakes and posting them in reply to the video. In the week of April 27, 2009, the ranking is home to three new ads: Trident’s “100 Single Ladies Dance” makes a strong debut in the No. 2 spot, and the Boston Bruins playoff promotion (akin to last week’s Cleveland Cavaliers spot) and Marshall’s round out the other marketers bowing on the chart, in the Nos. 9 and 10 spot, respectively.” Go check em out (and then show them to everyone and their dog), you won’t be dissappointed.

Hulu’s a Big Splash, but Is It a Long-Term Business?

“Hulu hasn’t just grown since it launched 13 months ago; it’s exploded.” Hoag Levins from AdAge.com says. “It streams more online video than any other site except YouTube.” It is viewed as by many as a symbol of a bright new future for traditional television but some are wondering about the long-term strength of its business setup. It is hard to say how Hulu and other websites of its nature will be paid for. Right now Hulu is 100% advertising while YouTube is around 10% advertising. Hulu is a giant step into the realm of portable, watch-it-wherever-you-go-at any-time television. But with the cost of producing TV, what is going to happen when millions go to the internet to watch Hulu and traditional TV suddenly tanks? It is a hard thing to measure and seems that it’s only good for picking up additional profits after real air time. This shitft will move the focus of advertising and find what content viewers are really interesting. Just because a few things in the business model don’t seem to click right now, the internet is an unavoidable source for this mass kind of media and there is no telling when it will stop.

Cell Phones as a Mass Media Device?

by Joshua Brockman

NPR, All Tech Considered

"The sound — and sight — of cell phones is all too familiar in airports. And it's likely to become even more of a presence as many airlines move toward a paperless check-in system by expanding what customers can do from their Internet-enabled mobile phones. It's part of the industry's continued emphasis on self-service." Says NPR digital news writter, Joshua Brockman. Mark Shalz, a trainer for Graystone Associates Inc., in Kansas City, Mo., says it would be "a lot more convenient" if he could handle all of this from his BlackBerry. I would have to agree. It would be way more convenient and such a complement to technology, not to have to carry around another thing, if all your ticket information was available on your cell phone. This fact alone clearly shows the new frontiers technology is bringing us to. "Airlines including American, Delta, and Continental are testing mobile and smart phone check-in technology at more than a dozen U.S. airports. And a number of foreign carriers have already implemented it." The idea sounds great but there still might be a few kinks in the system with this move to self-service. "It will become almost like a pocket travel agent or a pocket travel assistant," says Rob Boruki, a solution manager for mobile travel and gaming at NCR. But regardless of how fast or how smart your phone is, there's still no guarantee that you'll whisk through security." I am enthusiastic about where this technology transition will take us next. I am hoping for vacation to Hawaii??! :P

Powerful Effects Theory

The classic example of the application of the Powerful Effects Theory was illustrated on October 30, 1938 when Orson Welles, and the newly formed Mercury Theater group, broadcasted their radio edition of H.G. Well's, "War of the Worlds." On the eve of Halloween, radio programming was interrupted with a "news bulletin" for the first time. What the audience heard was that Martians had begun an invasion of Earth in a place called Grover's Mill, New Jersey.It became known as the "Panic Broadcast" and changed broadcast history, social psychology, civil defense and set a standard for provocative entertainment. Approximately 12 million people in the United States heard the broadcast and about one million of those actually believed that a serious alien invasion was underway. A wave of mass hysteria disrupted households, interrupted religious services, caused traffic jams and clogged communication systems. People fled their city homes to seek shelter in more rural areas, raided grocery stores and began to ration food. The nation was in a state of chaos, and this broadcast was the cause of it. [Source: Katz & Lazarsfeld (1955)]

It is evident that the media has a very powerful and direct influence on us. Once we make a decision to accept a type of media message for what it is and then consume it, it impacts us. Whatever previous opinions and beliefs you have will effect how you react to a media message. If you make a decision to believe what is being broadcast on the radio and then hear that an alien invasion is taking place, you are inevitably going to perceive that message as being true and you will react to it's message. However, the receivers can be invisible as they can choose not to accept the message put across through the communication and the message can be terminated at will. It is all based on our past experiences and exposures to the types of messages that are being communicated.

Selective Retention

Selective Retention is a minimalist theory that says we are most likely to retain messages that agree with our view of the world. We will tend to perceive things according to our beliefs more than as they really are, and react accordingly. According to an article from Illinois State University, Selective Retention is the personal filtering of what we see and hear so as to suit our own needs. ISU also says, Much of this process is psychological and often unconscious. A good example of this is, being accused of only hearing what you want to hear when say your mother asks you to do something. Well, in the sense of the media this fact that is quite true. We simply are bombarded with too much stimuli every day to pay equal attention to everything so we pick and choose according to our own needs. Putting this theory to use, makers of the media should beware of showing people 'compelling evidence' when their beliefs will still turn them away. A time when I have seen selective retention apparent in my life was when my husband and I were at a friends house. Our friend decided to put on a movie, one that we would never have chosen on our own time because of the content and we were utterly turned away from the movie because of it's light mindedness and seemingly sea-level maturity. We left early that night and I realized that movies such as those are movies that do not agree with our values and beliefs so we will never turn to them for a source of information let alone a source of entertainment.