Mainstream Media & Alternative Blogs

Today’s discussion on the mainstream media’s view on alternative news was very enlightening. When I think of mainstream media, or MSM as Jordan states, I think of ABC, MSNBC, CNN, FOX, etc. I never really took into consideration that blogs about news-related material, such as war, could be seen as a threat to our major news networks.

There are definitely pros and cons to using blogs or alternative sources of information. Like we discussed, it is awesome that bloggers are able to give us the ‘inside scoop’ on what is going on. By living in that area, the blogger may experience the turn of events themselves, and their personal account makes the event more real for the reader. If mainstream media would be willing to rely on bloggers, they would not have to send reporters to certain areas. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Bloggers are not typically journalists, so it can also be refreshing to read a story from a completely different point of view.

Even though blogs provide insight, there are definitely some cons. The person blogging may be biased because they are talking about their life and how the event is affecting them personally. The person blogging may not understand the event from a ‘worldly’ view. By this, I mean that the blogger may be so caught up in his or her own life, that they cannot apply what they are experiencing to the entire event as a whole. Additionally, the blogger may not be seen as credible because they do not have any sources to back them up.

This is just the tip of the ice berg when it comes to mainstream media and alternative news blogs. I agree with Samantha in her blog post, ‘Blogging Not a Crime.’ Opinions may be fed into blogs, but the reader also has the responsibility to pick out fact from opinion. I believe readers also need to use that same responsibility when reading mainstream media. A journalist has the responsibility not to be biased, but humans are not perfect. This being said, every writer should try to censor themselves.

Culture Jamming Continues

I didn’t realize that culture jamming/pranking is such a large issue. While looking online, I found many more sites of groups that try to “prank” to make a statement. I really like this idea, because it is ‘out of the box.’ I also think it’s cool because the people that come up with these ideas are really creative. They are willing to live a little on the edge. Unfortunately, I don’t think there has been a nationwide culture jamming prank that has made a long-term impact. However, if it became a widespread idea, I’m not sure it would be as fun anymore. People would be expecting the pranks, and the surprise factor would be out of the window.

http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd

Adbusters is a culture jamming group that has some really great ideas. One of their ideas is “Buy Nothing Christmas.” They encourage people to give family and friends a ‘gift exemption’ card, ask shoppers “What would Jesus buy?”, and dress as Santa and meditate in the middle of the shopping mall. This is a very innocent and creative way to protest the fact that we are extremely materialistic when it comes to Christmas.

“Buy Nothing Christmas” struck me because I’ve had a family member ask us to give nothing but our time as a gift for Christmas. It was a totally new idea for my family. We enjoyed it, but we also know that it didn’t stop us from buying gifts altogether. I think this goes to show that culture jamming is exciting and it does send out a message, but it doesn’t always leave a lasting impression that will change society as a whole.

This stemmed from “Buy Nothing Day.” The site states… “A few people start breaking their old patterns, embracing what they love (and in the process discovering what they hate), daydreaming, questioning, rebelling. What happens naturally then, according to the revolutionary past, is a groundswell of support for this new way of being, with more and more people empowered to perform new gestures unencumbered by history.”

I applaud groups for doing something different, even if it continues to stay local.

Counter Cultures

Our discussion on Tuesday, February 22, was really interesting. When I first read Frank’s article, frankly, I was a bit confused at which direction he was pointing. But I’m starting to see where he is coming from with ‘The Conquest of Cool.’

The different counter cultures our country has experienced remind me of trending topics on Twitter. According to Frank, counter cultures are a myth. If so, the movement of a group of people to dress or act a certain way is still noticeable. Much like trending topics, the ‘hippies’ or ‘hipsters’ are popular for a certain period of time. They cause the most discussion when people are talking about the latest style, or what is “in”. After a while, they fade out.

Our country literally does ‘buy’ into these sub-cultures. Companies sell products that help people who want to ‘stand out’ have the ability to do so. Like we said in class, though, when people try to stand out, they usually end up blending in. I have a few friends that are hipsters here at Ball State. They even shop at Goodwill to find the best hipster clothes and accessories.

One of their friends even made a ‘Hipster Starter Kit’ as a joke.
Here is a sample of their Hipster necessities they have posted online:


Even if our society is truly encouraging people to ‘feel unique’ by buying into retail, I don’t think we should think of it as a bad thing. It’s done with good intent. If anything, people are just testing out a new style. Who is to say that they will dress or act like that for the rest of their life?

Rich Media, Poor Democracy

The documentary, Rich Media, Poor Democracy, really stirred up some feelings and beliefs I hold about the news industry.

America truly is the land of the free and home of the brave. There are good people out there that want to make a difference and leave a lasting impression. Unfortunately, money really is a driving force in our country’s economy. There are dozens of multi-million dollar companies that are always wanting more, more, more. Then, there is the small 10-person run company that promises they just want to work to serve others. As honest and just as that small non-profit may be, they still need money to survive.

This really is how our country works. So it makes perfect sense that CBS, NBC, and ABC are profit minded. Each company wants to be the best and will work their tails off to get there. After all, haven’t we all grown up learning that it’s best to be at the top?

Robert McChesney’s prediction of the quality of 24-hour news coverage is acceptable. If journalists are constantly just searching for the “big” story to come, coverage of other stories may just be mediocre. But how can we say that journalists in America are not as qualified as those overseas and that all of their work is basically trash?

News comes down to the journalist. It comes down to the contacts they can make and the research they can find. It comes down to how much heart they put in the story. If a journalist is there for the right reasons, they are going to do what needs to be done to report the best possible story. The CEO’s of the previously mentioned companies are the ones to blame for the lack of content and depth in a story. Remember, money is making them look good. I really hope Robert McChesney recognizes that there are great, important stories out there full of relevant content; some American journalists have done a great job of reporting them.

And as for these “fluff” stories, who’s to say they’re not important? We’re reading, watching and talking about them; obviously they’ve left some type of impression on our society.

Why We Should Study Popular Culture

Sellnow states, “Because it is impossible to avoid popular culture, we must become educated consumers of it.” Before college, I may have disagreed. I’ve always enjoyed television and music, but I felt that focusing on those things wasn’t necessarily “correct.” I thought I was supposed to be buried in history books, or studying fine arts. Obviously those things are important, but now, more than ever, I feel popular culture has just as much importance. And the more I learn, popular culture includes subjects such as history and fine arts.

As Sellnow discusses, popular culture helps shape beliefs and behaviors. Teen Mom on MTV is a great example of shaping behaviors. Teen Mom follows teenage girls who are usually trying to finish high school while balancing the birth of their first child. Twenty years ago, it was a big deal for a girl to show up at her high school pregnant. Now, it is so much more common. This show does not promote teen pregnancy, but it does allow girls to feel more comfortable, knowing that other girls their age are sharing some of the same experiences. I have many friends who are addicted to this show. Teen Mom is important popular culture because it is real. It is something that is happening all across the country. It’s almost as if people are more willing to talk, and share struggles they are having because we see real people struggling on television.

By becoming educated consumers of popular culture, we are keeping ourselves aware of what is going on in our country. Sure, some “texts”, such as reality television shows, can be seen as trashy and a waste of time. But a lot of popular culture also has great motives behind it. I’ve watched multiple celebrities contribute time and money to Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Extreme Makeover brings a crew of people in to completely re-build dream a dream house for a family that deserves it. This show has been extremely successful. It shows how kind our country can be towards families that need or deserve help.

These are just two of the thousands and thousands examples of popular culture that can be studied. Popular culture is important because it’s real. We might as well consume it, because it’s not going anywhere.