watch TV (it's required)
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
PBS...A Good Thing
I believe I have nine blog post…at least I think, so this will be my tenth and last. The reading we had consisting of
Friday, May 9, 2008
Non-commercial Television Blog #9
Quality TV Blog #8
Disintegration: Cable to Youtube Blog #7
Television's Prime Blog #6
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Children's Television
Reality TV- This could be you!
Monday, May 5, 2008
Sesame Street 1972
I'm almost offended by last weeks reading and how people could think Sesame Street is bad for their children. They compare it to Mister Roger's Neighborhood and explain the differences that make "Mister Rogers" a better choice for youngins. What would you rather watch as a child, Sesame Street or Mister Rogers? I covered some research about Sesame Street in Media Processes and Effects and it shows through two studies that Sesame Street is an effective television show for kids 3-5 and helps them learn before they attend school. Their ability to pick up numbers, and the alphabet were higher than those who didn't watch Sesame Street. Isn't that rewarding considering your child can enhance their cognitive learning before they set foot in school? The big picture is that a child's viewing habits can effect them in so many ways. Whether they watch educational programming, violence, or cartoons, it's going to have a lasting effect on their actions and attitudes. A lot of it will come down to the parents and how proactive they are in their childrens lives to monitor how much TV they watch and what they're watching.
X to the Z goes to console
While makeover television gets more popular, i'll continue to laugh at the fact that X to the Z made it onto Xbox 360 and Playstation consoles. I have no idea how I was in the dark about this, but this game looks absolutely retarded. I just happen to google Pimp My Ride images and found this screenshot from the console game. I might be on my way to Family Video or Blockbuster later to get my Pimp My Ride fix in. Not. The show was dumb, the only part that was worth watching was to hear Xzibit's laugh. Maybe i'll link a video later if you don't know what i'm talking about. While Pimp My Ride was really popular and made it 4 seasons, the first makeover show I remember watching was the original Extreme Makeover. Before Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, I remember watching this show with my parents and seeing people getting makeovers to look totally opposite than what they did before. I thought it was kinda cool at first, but little did I know that many shows that were twice as dumb were to follow. Is this just a way for celebrities to rejuvenate their careers? Pretty sure Xzibit's music sucked and now he's on to acting; see Derailed.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Broadcasting to Broadcasters
Addressing broadcasting, narrowcasting, and microcasting, unless you’re a business major, only becomes really interesting when you look at its future. Unlike the 50’s, when daytime TV catered to female audiences, Saturday morning catered to children, and primetime catered to the man of the house, our world today is shaped by a much more diverse group of spectators. As Nate addressed in class, not even the Food Network is catering to an all-female fan base anymore. I mean…you saw Giada’s low-cut shirt, right?
Today, advertisers have taken the position of narrowcasting. Commercials aren’t broadcast to “men coming home from work” anymore. They’re broadcast to “Hispanic men, 18-34 years old, working blue collar jobs in the Midwest.” It’s really a new level of advertising that marketing and advertising grads are probably still beaming about. Unfortunately, they probably still haven’t gone far enough, for their tastes or maybe even our own.
As Lewis and Parks addressed, TiVo and the connections we make on DVRs may take advertising to a new level. No longer will they narrowcast, they’ll microcast, baby! They’ll understand that even though I’m a college student and am slotted into a neat little advertising demographic, that advertising Busch Light to me is completely useless. A) it sucks, and b) who the hell thinks it’s a good idea to crack open some cheap beer while zip-lining in the mountains…honestly. Anyway, these DVRs will retain a form of virtual memory and advertisers will probably start buying rights to access them, yada yada, etc. The more interesting thought is “Do we hate this or do we want this?” Furthermore, “In the end, aren’t we really just convincing ourselves things are easier and making more work for ourselves?” Look back to the invention of television and women in the house for some back-story. Or…read my response paper to see what I think. You know you wanna.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Neo-Liberalism and Makeover Shows...when did this class turn in to "The Soup"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4TdPxOXuYw
Fan Fiction
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Jealous Bitches
You know what, guys? Just shut up already about The Hills. You're all just jealous. It's not their fault that everyone wants to be them. I mean, come on, Heidi and Lauren are practically self-made celebrities. They worked their way to the top just like the rest of the lighting guys, Steadi-Cam operators, and directors on set. It's not their fault that some 22 year old P.A. got hired to follow them around with a hair light for 18 hours/day. It's yours for not applying to be that guy.
I don't care what you say...The Hills is quality programming. It tells the real-life stories of teens and the hardships of what it's like to live on the Sunset Strip. Finding somewhere to eat, choosing guys based on facial hair patterns, and selecting an accountant that's not “all old and boring” can eat up a lot of time. I mean, it ain't all Chanel and BMW's – one time on the show Lauren had to ride in a Toyota...and the air conditioning didn't work. Talk about a rough day...yeesh.
I mean, it's not like you guys couldn't be little go-getting entrepreneurs as well. I'm sure Audrina, Whitney, LC, and Heidi sat down one day and had a pre-production meeting about how much people envy their lives. I know...how could you not, right? I mean, with the exception of eight guys in black following them around all day with boom-mics and HD cams, it's perfectly realistic. Of course, that is if someone doesn't mess up their line – then you'll need to re-shoot Lauren's over-the-shoulder shot. It's going to be a bitch to resync that with the other cam, though. Oh...and there was one episode where they had to stop because Spencer got trashed and crushed his lav mic, but besides that....I mean, the conversations are real. Well...maybe not all of them on camera, but when you see “The Hills: Behind the Scenes”....that's when you get to see the real stuff they couldn't show.
So stop judging them. It's not their fault that their reality is so much cooler than yours. They earned it...and their better actors than you'll ever be. So take your jealousy and shove it. There's a 73% chance re-runs are on right now, so I guess I've got somewhere to be.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
You Are A Star!!!
It doesn’t really matter whether or not you like reality TV shows or not because they’re here and I don’t see them going anywhere. They’re easy ways for people to become stars, washed up stars to comeback, and their high ratings and cheap budge make producers giddy. You can’t turn to a station without it having some form of “reality” based concept going on; whether it’s VH1’s Rock of or Foodnetwork’s Top Chef. Some people want to come home and watch something funny, interesting, and most importantly not have to think. People, well most people, have jobs that consist of thinking and can be relatively stressful, my dad would always say, “I figure out problems all day why the hell do I want to come home and think hard some more?” That’s probably why he watched Animal Planet a lot. I see myself falling along these lines because I watch relatively dumb downed shows throughout the day because I don’t want to have to keep up and make my business to watch. If you’ve never seen an episode of Flavor of Love well your in luck my friends because they recap everything before episode and show repeated marathons basically all day long.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Amazing Star Wars Lightsaber Fight
Crazy fan culture. These guys demonstrate their Star Wars skills with a 5:00 minute long video to show their dedication to Star Wars. From what I know, Star Wars probably has one of the biggest fan cultures out there and fans show their appreciation through conventions, fan made videos, and countless other endeavors that they engage in. Some take it to the extreme and dress the part, others use their film producing capabilities and make fan videos like the one posted above. I guess there's nothing wrong with that if you're really passionate about it. You'll have your followers of certain shows or sports teams, and it'll depend on the person to how extreme they take their fandom. The question is, do some people take it too far? If they do, how far is too far? How about naming your kid after Luke Skywalker. Are conventions too far? I don't know because i've never been to one, some might think it is. Even the videos, are these people living in a fantasy world of their own? For me, it's probably a little too far when you name your kid after a fictional character. I cant' really comment on the conventions since I don't really know what they're about. Fans will be fans, and they'll express their appreciation any way they can.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Crazy Fans
Fans perform reenactments, go to conventions, and produce their own scripts; have they gone too far? I don’t think so and like Epley said the creators of the films/TV series are realizing this to (George Lucas). Fans of Firefly want to continue on the “legacy” by creating a webpage and naming themselves Brown Coats…do it! I see not a whole lot of difference in fans that wear cub’s hats and shirts compared to fans who where a band shirt or have a tattoo. It’s the year 2008 and reality is not as cool as we had pictured it so people still try to get their fix of imagination by going to conventions/concerts and actually participating in events with others who feel the same. Marge Simpson says there’s an age limit, but yet I see both my almost 50 parents suiting up their gear to participate in a Jimmy Buffett concert…yeah they’re Parrot Heads. Holding on to something you truly love and admire isn’t a bad thing at all no matter what age you are. Do others go a step further and to the extreme when it comes to Fandoms? Yes, but who else are we to watch on YouTube doing crazy stuff, and who else are cartoon writers suppose to make fun of? Little do we know I think we need people that go to the extreme in liking a specific thing because it’s something different (like the Star Wars video we watched, that took major production and input to create) and some of us are not willing to do it but if someone else is we’re willing to watch. I go to live events and concerts, I spend quite a bit of money on them…is it a waste, maybe, but you only live once.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Hybrid TV
Not just for women, the Food channel accommodates to men as well. I made an emphasis to bring this up in my presentation, showing that it's not just women's TV. The food channel retains the feminism, but also can have an effect on men as well. I think it's a great hybrid network that combines convenience, humor, and diversity all in one. I have slowly become more and more addicted to the Food channel as I've begun to make it apart of my daily schedule the last two weeks. Women still get the ideas for quick and easy dinners, gourmet dishes, and tips from decorated chefs. Men get the eye candy of Giada and Sandra Lee, not to mention an appetite from all the diverse foods. Rachel Ray brings it home with quick ideas for easy dinners and lunches, while Emeril hosts his live TV show with humor. One of these days i'll get crazy and attempt to emulate one of their dishes. As the "Working Woman" came into her own, a network like the Food network makes perfect sense in our crazy daily lives.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Mass Market?
In all of the discussion of the mass market, I couldn't help but constantly question the idea of if a mass market actually exists. While it is impossible to flip on the TV and see the same commercials everywhere, there seems to be a select few that no matter what network you are watching, these commercials are invading our lives. The most successful advertising campaigns use television, internet, movies, and all other forms of technology to sell their product. At the risk of seeming like a complete fanboy, the Apple adds are almost like a plague on our society. It seems as though you cannot watch a day of television without seeing one "I'm a Mac" ad. However, these are not only on television but on internet popups as well. Now, the big question comes, what is the point of all of this and how does one determine if a particular advertisement is part of the mass market? Well the obvious answer is when a mass amount of people have seen an ad. When my mom is telling me about how thin a Macbook Air is, well clearly this form of marketing has spread to popular culture.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
This is a Public Service Announcement…
After class yesterday Epley posed the question relating to, “Do we need to be advertised in a mass culture sense?” First of all just being advertised things you prefer is kind of creepy thinking about the example Epley used involving the Teddy Grahams. A billboard changing right before your eyes to suit your advertising preference…what happens if four people are in a car, does the billboard wig out and self destruct? Either way hate ads and large scaled events or love them, they give us all (as people of this lovely society) something to talk about and vibe ideas off one another. TV was invented as a form of entertainment for families, not just one Joe Schmo. The example of bringing up a conversation revolving around the final NCAA tournament game was brought up, and whether or not you care about the game or not it is a form of common knowledge at this time of the year and is to be used as an “ice breaker” to a conversation (take that away from society then there’s going to be a lot more awkward elevator moments OUTSIDE OF ELEVATORS!!!). TV’s and computers are going to become way more user friendly in the future in ways I can’t really comprehend, but in my eyes advertising on a mass audience scale will always be around as long as there’s jobs, schools, and other social encountering places. People might watch TV by themselves, but saying something out loud during a program is a lot cooler/normal when others are around to comment back. Watching Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentiis alone (acceptable), watching the Super Bowl alone (creepy/pathetic). The internet and online gaming is already showing signs of what happens when people are only exposed to one form of media and the after affects are disturbing, just talk to someone who plays World of War Craft (it’s a hole other level).
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Feel Good TV
Last week we talked about the four ways to approach quality when talking about television. A lot of people said money played a factor in what people feel is quality TV and also location of residency. In my mind, cable/satellite TV is so cheap these days that even the hobos out in the boonies of
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA8Vm4SWgeE
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Koala-ty-V
Koala Bears - Amazing videos are here
Look at how cute and cuddly they are. It’s adorable, isn’t? God, I could just watch them for hours. They’re eerily human-like, with their opposable thumbs and arms and up-right sitting. I can really relate to them. Sitting there, eating. Hours upon hours of sitting and eating while watching koalas.
Shifting gears a bit, I watch Smallville. Wow, it feels good to finally put it out there. I watch Smallville. I’m not proud of it, but I’m tired of living a lie, living in fear of what people would think if they found out. Well, I watch Smallville. But I am not a fan. I was for a little bit. The first two seasons were acceptably week, season three was averagely good, and then season four was pretty damn good (I may be off a bit on the seasons as I power-watched the first six seasons in a fit of depression). They’re on season 7 now, and I mainly watch out of curiosity as to how the show is still on and how bad they’re going to let it get. It’s on the WB or CW or whatever it is now, but it’s still on. It’s not that they jumped the shark (Clark still can’t fly), but it’s more like they decided to show a picture of a shark and then a pair of water skis and just kinda let the viewers assume that they had already jumped the shark and there was a reason for it being so bad. It is the antithesis of Arrested Development, un-witty, un-original, and still going. It just kinda seems like Billy Joel had it right all along: only the good die young, and those that are or at least considered good are drug out longer and longer until they are old and crippled and have no honor left. Well, that second part wasn’t really a part of his song, but you know what I mean.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Quality TV and Me!!!
But after thinking about it... I decided that in a sense that parts of this idea may be true (certainly not in all cases) but I still will continue to honor artistic/creative merit and enjoy the same things I always have, and that I will use that new knowledge only to argue with those who think they have a better taste of "quality" than my own in regards to television. Actually the next day I think it was, one of my friends, who constantly must state his opinion about the quality, credibility, or mainstream vs. independently produced entertainment content, was sprouting his usual "people have no taste" or "I just have good taste" argument so I countered this time with a "your taste is relative" and "your simply being sold what people assume you will think is quality" kind of thing. While I do not totally buy into this new argument it was quite fun using it to belittle him by playing devil's advocate and maybe next time he'll think twice before making fun of me for watching How I Met Your Mother!!!
I recognize the "four ways to approach quality" and can see how they relate to the TV I watch. I would consider some of my favorite shows such as The Office, Arrested Development, 30 Rock and Lost (Lost has many quality qualities, but I'm still not sure if it entirely qualifies) to be in the "quality" category because they are all very distinct in their production and narrative and reward their niche audiences with self-referential humor and "in-jokes." It is very rewarding to "get it" and to recognize reoccurring jokes, gags, or plot lines.
The coolest thing happened to me at work the other day (well maybe not so cool but cool in the sense that nothing interesting actually happens at work to begin with) when a lady called and asked if we had any seasons of Lost for sale. Then she asked, "Well.. do you watch the show? Can I ask you some things?" She went on to ask me all about Danielle Russo's background, the purpose of the hatch, why the 'Others' had kidnapped Walt and why they want to have babies so badly, and my opinions on where the plot is leading. We talked for a good ten minutes, and she just kept saying "wow" and wished we could talk longer. I was like the "Lost wiki" in this woman's mind, and I have to admit it felt totally awesome and rewarding. I just felt it related so well to what we had talked about in class.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Quality Television
1. Don't date men that have dread locks and disregard general hygiene practices.
2. If your boss offers you a trip to Paris for work don't say no just so you can spend the summer with a guy.
3. Most men that live in California are scum...STAY AWAY!
Okay so there I made it pretty clear that The Hills probably isn't really quality. But what shows really teach people anything? I know that there are shows for little kids that teach them colors and the history channel might teach you something useful, but other then that what really gives you the "quality" that everyone is talking about? I personally think that there isn't one show that everyone can decide on and say is quality. It is an opinion that will vary person to person. We will probably never know what real quality television is because no one will ever be able to agree on it.
I love Ellen
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
If TV Said To Do It...You Do It!
Every person has a favorite show or genre of shows that you find interesting and watch every week; like Epley says, “You schedule watching it into your life.” If you don’t please tell me what you do instead, because we live in
–noun
1 | a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies. |
2. | an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult. |
3. | the object of such devotion. |
4. | a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc. |
5. | Sociology. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols. |
6. | a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader. |
7. | the members of such a religion or sect. |
8. | any system for treating human sickness that originated by a person usually claiming to have sole insight into the nature of disease, and that employs methods regarded as unorthodox or unscientific. |
The 48-Hour Sales Event: Everything Must Go!
It's not so much that there isn't quality programming anymore. The problem is that there is so much other shit on your standard 80 channel cable hook-up that you've got to spend way more time sifting through the crap to get to the quality. Think of it like a TJ MAXX.
My Beefs with Quality Television (or lack thereof)
Nothing is real on reality TV. Everything from Man vs. Wild to The Real World reeks of staged events and over-scripted dialog. When you see how the show is made and how Survivor is filmed 500 feet away from air-conditioned Mac editing bays, it seems to take the wind out of our falsified tension-building sails.
Nothing actually matters. Entertainment Tonight, ESPN, and CNN 24 Hour News are all guilty in some form or another. Shows like Entertainment Tonight and E! News do nothing more than show you explicit and semi-normal photos with an “I can't believe they did this” slanted storyline. ESPN takes the honor of being able to drag a storyline out better than any other station in history. For the most recent examples, see Brett Favre, steroids controversy, or the NFL Draft. All of the 24 hour news stations have this amazing power to create stories when there is seemingly nothing else to talk about. All day and all night, these stations need to be talking. By this point, I have seen every possible angle of the 2008 Presidential Election spun from every type of person imaginable on CNN. I really just want to tell them that nothing matters anymore...at least until November.
The television “directed” at me doesn't relate to me. Honestly, how many 21 year olds can relate to the life that is led on The Hills? The show shows 20-somethings leading posh, BMW driving, credit-card dependent lifestyles where the most controversial issue to ever have surfaced revolved around “those ugly socks that I can't believe Jason wore with those shorts.” I mean, yeah, people want to be whisked away once in a while to their own little fantasy, but is this the kind of fantasy we should be promoting to our 12-24 year old demographic? It smells like awkward combination of silicone and Chanel.
Nobody wants to cut the bullshit. The important issues that matter for the development of our own well-being aren't ever brought up. Instead, people with the power to actually do something would rather not be so controversial or not choose sides. What we need is a live show that springs unscripted questions on important people. Sure, you'll probably only get one show out of the deal, but you'll have some amazing and not-so-amazing answers that truly reveal how a person in the spotlight thinks without cue cards.
Like I said before, there is quality television. It's just that right now, I don't have the time or resources to sift through the clearance bin. I've got more important things stimulating my brain...like chewing gum, for instance.
Barack Obama Disciplines America for "Acting Like Children"
A few thoughts:
I wish I would have numbered my blog posts
I wish I would have known they are graded individually rather than the previous statement of “basically if you post all your blogs, you'll do great”
I wish I watched more TV so I could understand you kids and your crazy pop culture references
I have watched no more than three significant programs in the last week. One involved the raising of gorillas in Cameroon, one involved UNI's very own Deric Mickens winning Tila Tequila's Fantasy Couple Contest at South Padre, and the final and most significant program was Barack Obama's speech on racism and diversity in America entitled “A More Perfect Union.”
While I will gladly stand proud for participating and taking interest in the American political system, I would by no means classify myself as a political revolutionary by any stretch of the word. I feel my powers are better utilized at calling out people on their bullshit and pointing out the cold, logical, and sometimes unwanted, rationale behind an issue. Let me tell you this...if every American spoke about issues of racism and discrimination as Mr. Obama spoke about it on Tuesday, America would be a very different, and most likely better, place – and yes, even on television.
Barack Obama addressed racism and diversity in America as every American should – with a cold truth and a smooth baritone voice. He addressed the scared black man that grew up in the South during the Civil Rights Movement. He addressed the illegal immigrant looking to better his family's well-being. And he addressed the confused white man – a man that can't express fears about a downtrodden urban community without being labeled as racist. Just as America uses statistics and polls to avoid the larger issue, so too does the American television industry.
The television industry makes the mistake of addressing race and diversity quantitatively - “...only 6.4% of owners are minorities, while only 3.7% are women, and only 12.9% of television news anchors are black, while 2.1% are homosexual, but only 10.4% can afford to hire a part-time gardener...” When it comes down to it, it's not a matter of statistics or regulation - it's a change in lifestyle and culture. Sure...everyone wants to live in a happy world full of equal representation and ownership, but it doesn't work like that. There were “network families” and personal relationships rooted long before any issue of diversity in the media ever came up.
In my opinion, the issue of minority and queer television is a textbook “band-aid issue.” Sure...we can flood the market with “classic black programming” or “notably queer personalities”, but rather than asking why these programs aren't on network television, we should be asking why the American public doesn't tune into these programs on network television. It is often said that the public interest determines the programming, or sometimes even that the programming determines what the public watches. I believe that by this point we've all come to the realization that it is a double-edged sword and the relationship flows both ways. Whether it's the producers or the viewers that don't “approve” of alternative programming seems to be a moot point. It's time we all just cut the bullshit and talked “as if we were adults.”
In case you're interested. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWe7wTVbLUU
Monday, March 24, 2008
Spiegal Blog #5
Reactions to Videos Blog #4
Saturday, March 22, 2008
dare we watch "The Hills"?
From Gawker:
"The Hills is masterfully crafted, beautifully shot arch melodrama. You bring me the best of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and I'll show you its parallel on The Hills. It's a picture of self-involvement and social anxieties that could be seen as representing the minds and experiences of many young people, only writ large and ludicrous. So you don't hate it, you just don't understand it yet."