Axe has nothing on 007

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 Sesame Street and overall “kids” programming seemed as usual to me. People getting all upset about a show that millions of people like and try to find the “behind” meaning of what is really going on with the show Sesame Street. My question is, “Where can I find a job like that?” I mean come one, what classic show don’t you know of that was happening during the 70’s that didn’t consist of drug users creating it? I say give Sesame Street a break, they’re a non-profit program on PBS, we should be looking more closely in Blues Clues or Dora the Explore and other money hungry shows that are hot right now. In the time of Sesame Street we were worried about Communists and today we’re worried about terrorist, much difference, not really. Sesame Street is a great program that enables children to get some practice before school, plus people aren’t teaching them…Muppets are and that’s cool, considering how a show like Mr. Rogers couldn’t be successful in today’s word due to his resemblance an online predator. Either way shows on PBS are way more educational in a sense compared to shows on Nickelodeon, from Arthur, Reading Rainbow, and Real Science! (come on you can’t beat that lineup). I don’t have kids to worry about currently, but Epley my man you do, and highly take in consideration what you let your kids watch because knowing a little about you, you’ll probably let them what as much TV as they want. Curious George, Dragon Tales, to Sesame Street they all are either informational, educational, or entertaining. I watched them and I turned out alright...some say.

Non-commercial Television Blog #9

So I feel all this debate over Sesame Street and children's programming is somewhat useless and unneccessary. They are arguing over whether it is more beneficial for children to learn cognitive skills or learn to use their imaginations. Obviously both these qualities are necessary for children to develop into moral and responsible adults. Can't we agree that most educational children's programming is doing more good than harm? Another thing about this debate is the emphasis put on these television shows. I don't think exposure to Sesame Street is really going to improve a child's chances of having a better education. I guess at least they are trying to educate kids, but I feel more of the responsibility should rest on the parents. Parents too easily pawn there kids off on the television set. Some television watching is alright for kids, but a lot of it is not all that stimulating or educational, and too much of a good thing is still too much. If parents paid more attention to what their kids were watching it would not be so detrimental. At least Sesame Street is not part of this capitalistic controlled children's tv. They aren't making this to get rich, instead they are offering more of a service to parents. Parents can sit their kids down in front of the tv and put Sesame Street on and know that it is at least better than other children's tv. And now the government doesn't want to fund public tv anymore. Well that is just riduculous considering that the amount they spend is so little in comparison to their other expenses. A show like Sesame Street should be complimented and held in a higher regard than regular children's programming, it should be supported by both parents and the govenment, not picked apart and ridiculed.

Quality TV Blog #8

So the entire semester we have been bouncing this idea around about quality television. What is quality tv? Who decides what can be called quality. I read Pieper's blog and I agree with her comments about your comments (Eply, that's you). Maybe you were right. Maybe I am being dupped by network executives. Maybe I do scoff at people who watch Rock of Love, Girls Next Door, basically any show on MTV, or the E channel for five hours a day because I feel more intelligent. But just because I am being marketed and sold to just like the cultural dopes who watch crappy tv doesn't mean I am going to change what I watch. I like what I like. Everything that is on tv is on there to do one thing and one thing alone, to make money. I am just happy that some of the shows offered on television do provide me with what I consider quality entertainment. I am not saying that Six Feet Under is any better than America's Next Top Model, oh wait, I am saying that. But why shouldn't I say that. I have a right to my own opinion. I believe that what most scholars consider quality tv is fundamentally better than other programming. It seems to dig deeper into the human experience and provides a better protrayal of human emotions and interactions. Not to mention the comedies that are considered quailty. It seems I like quality dramas because they dwell on personal experiences and feelings more. I like quality comedies because they use more refined techniques of story telling than the average one-liners. What it comes down to is this, whether or not I am being dupped dosen't matter. I am just glad that some of the people out there that are making television are making it in a way that appeals to me, even if I am to be sequestered as a high-cultured, academic, hipster wananbe.

Disintegration: Cable to Youtube Blog #7

So in this blog I am going to once again get bitchy about American society, and why not, it is so easy. Television is scared of the internet and I can see why. But mark my words, television or some futuristic form that is similar to television will always be around. There is no way to escape it. Right now television seems to have a relationship with the internet, only the internet is wearing the pants. The internet holds all the power, but the television is the pretty counterpart that is fun to look at. Anyway, it's great for fans to be able to go on-line and access material related to their favorite shows. It also allows them to connect with others that enjoy the same show, and to talk to other fans. But this idea of the intenet functioning as a valuable social and culture space I just don't agree with. I wish it could be, but let's just put it out there, the internet is a huge marketing ploy. The idea of personal tv and target marketing is the next step in our capitalistic society. This step worries me. I am just down right sick of it all. I don't want to be a consumer, I don't feel that I am a consumer. The only thing I ever spend money on is gas, food, rent, and bills. Why am I the target demographic? I don't need or want to have all this consumerism pushed in my face. It basically just makes me feel bad about my life, as if my life was insuperior. If I had my choice I would probably move into the mountains and get away from all these overbearing forces that make me feel like I need to buy to feel happy. Why not try feeling happy through something else. I obviously have no idea right now what I am trying to say and this blog makes no sense, but I will just say this, the meaning of life, at least mine, is not found in a prepackaged world picked out just for me.

Television's Prime Blog #6

So it's been awhile since we talked about Gitlin, but this idea of hegemony keeps coming up. In his piece he talks about how television promotes the partiarchal, white, way of thinking. Well, of course it does, it's run by partirarchal white males. He talked about changes in the way that the hegemonic thinking is inserted into television programming from the different eras. In the 50's and 60's it was obvious. But then in the 70's it changes. Shows start including social issues in their themes. But this is a trick, they are domesticizing the problem. They're are talking about them, but aren't really talking about them. We think things are changing on television or in society, but it seems that the people in control are just tweeking their ideas and presenting them in a new way. What I am trying to get at I don't really know. I just feel that hegemony is everywhere and it always has been. The problem I believe is that everyone allows it to work. Members of our society don't challenge whether the American dream is a good dream, instead they immerse themselves in it, they strive for it. Maybe the problem is this American dream. This idea of success is what seperates us from each other. It positions us as competitors, instead of bringing us together or whatever. Television is obviously a vehicle for this to happen. We are presented with countless shows that reinforce this idea of reaching for the American dream. Television also is all about advertising. In Gitlin's words it turns us into a market rather than a public. I see this as one of the major problems in America. It's all about the stuff that you have. Everyone is so busy trying to attain material posessions they are distracted. No one feels connected to one another anymore, no one cares about anyone else except their immediate family. It's all about the benjamins for most Americans. We're all individuals. Right, who cares if your an individual if there is no one there to appreciate your greatness. Who cares who suffers as long as you have what you want. This is the problem with American society.

Children's Television

The reading from last week really made me angry. How in any way, shape or form is Sesame Street bad for children to watch? For the most part everyone I grew up with watched it and I think we all turned out fine. Shows that they have now are even worse for kids then Sesame Street ever could have been. Sesame Street taught kids things that really were good for them. What stuff does the Teletubbies teach a child? Sesame Street taught colors and numbers. The characters on the show were pretty cool and fun to watch. The best show for a kid to watch today would be Dora the Explorer I think. This is because it actually teaches kids Spanish while still being educational. It is an easy show for a child to watch because it's fun and there is a monkey in it that is pretty fun, too. PBS has a lot of quality shows for kids today. Arthur is great because there is always a lesson that comes with the show. There is also a show with a clown girl on PBS and that is pretty entertaining. She shows kids how to clean up in one minute and also does exercises like stretching during the show. Minus the part that she is a clown, it really isn't to bad of a show. I think that with your twins, Epley, you should start them off with some good old Sesame Street and then slowly move them up to the Wiggles once they can walk. The Wiggles are pretty fun and they tour the country doing live shows. Just an idea though!

Reality TV- This could be you!

The reading from the week of reality television didn't surprise me much. What we talked about in class and what the readings said was that it could be you. You can be on a reality television show if you wanted. Lets think to this year and the girl from UNI that was on Big Brother. Now I have never watched that show, nor did I when she was on it, but none the less it showed me that hey I can be on television just like this other girl from UNI. Then came spring break and MTV's trashy shows from spring break in Florida. That is when another UNI student was on television and ended up winning some couples contest. I have heard from various people that the guy wasn't actually dating this girl and that they just were models together. Which then goes to show me that reality television is a bunch of crap. What happened to great television shows that were about family and actually had some talented actors/actresses in them? I miss the days of the Brady Bunch and Wonder Years. Now don't get me wrong I do love the trashy shows that occupy the television time, but I also like watching good shows that have some special meaning in the end. I think I am probably out of luck with that because I feel that television won't be turning around and going back to producing higher cost shows anytime soon. Another thing that really bothered me in class was when Nikki was talking about volunteering on the set of Extreme Home Makeover and she said that Ty was never even there until the last few days before the big reveal. I think that that is pretty shady of him. People think he is such a great guy cause he is helping make someone who has a shitty house so much better and in all reality he doesn't do anything to help really. This needs to be put in a little disclaimer at the end of the show so people know about it. I think that I am going to go apply for the Real World and try to get on there and then I can report back about how unreal it really is.

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.

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.

Neo-Liberalism and Makeover Shows...when did this class turn in to "The Soup"

Honestly, the whole time the in class discussion was going on, I couldn't help but think how great of a script this would make for a new show on E!...hosted by Joel McHale. First off, starting with the cornucopia of ridiculous known as neo-liberalism...how in the fuck does Uncle Sam rationalize in his mind that we the people are better off paying $4.00 for both a gallon of gas and a gallon of milk. If this is a glimpse into the future I see us inevitably arriving in a world where we roam the countryside in our beat up and outdated vehicles, raiding villages for the necessities that we can no longer afford. Yes, I realize that this is somewhat of an over-exaggerated idea that will more than likely never happen...there is still a chance. So this is what I am going to propose...to counteract the gas prices, the government needs to push Toyota to make the Prius cool. I know, I know, it doesn't relate to television, but if the government pushes people who are making un-cool things to add a little bad-assness we will all be better off. I remember seeing an episode of Made where the lead singer for this band Attila who wanted to become a model. This guy was built like me...was all scruffy and had gauged ears, probably about 7/8". Anyways, he went on Made and instead of making him lose all of his uniqueness, they actually allowed him to be himself. They just cleaned him up a bit. I believe he got surgery on his ears which runs about $600 for the pair simply because they are not desirable in the fashion world.  The point of all this? This person is STILL the lead singer for his band and is still the same person he once was. He may attempt to pass as a high cultured citizen but he didn't lose all of his cultural capital within the music scene for "selling out"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4TdPxOXuYw

Fan Fiction

I love the idea of fan fiction and the idea that it could possibly become a mass culture. Watching some of the Star Wars fan fiction films I was somewhat surprised that the creators were actually re-creating a setting that was EXTREMELY similar to the "real deal". The main problem I can see with this sort of creative leeching is that quite frankly, those who are participating in the production of fan fiction process are stealing ideas and creating them as their own. While this may be protected under the many variables within copyright infringement, I understand why the original creators could possibly be upset. For example, if someone creates a piece of fan fiction and the production quality is lacking this could give a bad name to the original creators. While it may be a unique concept...some people aren't able to discriminate between two pieces of media. If I were in George Lucas's shoes I wouldn't someone shooting a fan fiction film in Hi8 and proposing that it is test footage for Episode 7: Jedi FTW. 

The other aspect of fan fiction that I see is the idea of Rip and Remix culture. Ever since Com Tech I have become a complete fanboy of Girl Talk. While this doesn't relate to television, I feel that this is quite possibly more important and risqué than fan fiction. Basically, since it consists of content producer ripping sound files and remixing them to their satisfaction, it is actually using the hard copy of what was originally created. Not just the idea. This hard evidence could stand up in court in a greater way than simple fan fiction.

And now...BROKEBACK TO THE FUTURE!!!

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.

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. America’s Next Top Model has ran each season every weekend for the past month. The brand “reality TV” will be with us for a quite sometime and probably get worse. So many people want to be on TV and are willing to upload videos via website to get there faces seen and most reality shows are viewer friendly in which you can go on their webpage and vote for certain cast members, hell there’s even video dairies up on their websites is people really can’t get enough. Mixing cultures, religions, and people who think they’re God’s chosen one you get dramatized television that going to keep viewers tuning in every week. Sure producers and editors edit what type of storylines to go off of, but it seems to the cast themselves full right along into it. Put me and 6 other people (half of them being girls) in a house, supply us with alcohol, and not make us have realistic jobs…where do I sign?

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.

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.

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.

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.

When does this all become too much? That question is somewhat hard to answer as it is nearly impossible for me to image flipping on the television and seeing and ad for Cherry Coke just because I am jonesin' for one. I somewhat have mixed feelings on this due to the fact that I would love to avoid seeing the god-damned Mazda Zoom-Zoom ads...but do I really want my thoughts broadcast to television networks? The hypothetical "what ifs?" get to be a little much to answer.

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).