Reflection

Song for ya'll:) Heart of Me by Green River Ordinance

In this last blog post, I want to reflect on what I’ve learned throughout the Media Studies course. Coming into the class, I had never thought critically about news sources and the mediation of the news. I also did not regularly follow a daily newspaper, radio show, or a news television station. I signed up for Media Studies because I knew that media was something I really needed to focus on in order to gain a more well rounded understanding of the society in which I live. Media penetrates every part of our lives, from driving with the news on to showering and using branded shampoo bottles. Therefore it is critical to learn about the media’s formidable influence and the mediation techniques used to deliver information to the public. By taking Media Studies, I hoped to understand the news, advertisements, and American popular culture from a new, critical perspective.

During the first few weeks of class, I developed a new curiosity about the news, which I hope to continue growing throughout Senior spring, college, and my adult life. I’m the kind of person who gets easily caught up the current setting and situation. For instance, when I have essays to write, integrals to solve, and lab data to analyze, it’s too easy for me to slip into the closed PA world. Before taking Media Studies, I didn’t always keep up with the news and only learned about worldwide events through conversations with others. As a citizen, however, I must focus my attention inside and outside of my immediate surroundings. I must be more actively aware of global events in order to make better-informed decisions. I can’t let myself get sucked into a world shrunk to the size of PA, a college campus, or an office space. Regularly interacting with a news source is integral in expanding my perspective outside of the boundaries defined effortlessly by my current circumstances. It is also just as important that I interact with the news in responsible ways, meaning that I can’t believe everything I read, hear, or even see. Reading Manufacturing Consent and talking about the mediation of news in class has made me realize how complicated it is to interpret the news. Quick journalism tailored for an online newspaper that constantly updates its stories also degrades the quality of the news I read. For instance, in Manti Te’o’s case, the pieces of his story didn’t line up, yet reporters failed to sufficiently fact-check them. Among others, the influence of business and government as well as the demand for speedy news impacts the mediation of the news. These influences distort facts and make it difficult to peel back the layers of crummy journalism to find the nugget of truth underneath, assuming that it even exists.

            The representation of truth via advertisements is also something I’ve learned to think more critically about. Too frequently, advertisements propagate ideas and social constructions that are offensive and not acceptable. But the messages can be so subtle that the viewers don’t consciously realize that they are internalizing them. For instance, before we discussed the Super Bowl commercials in class, I’d watched the Audi commercial where a dad gives his teenage son the Audi for prom night. Since the boy doesn’t have a date, lending him the Audi is supposed to repair the son’s damaged masculinity. The car makes the boy bold and courageous. He strides into the prom, walks up behind the prom queen, and kisses her on the lips as she turns around. When I first saw the commercial, this entire scene did not surprise or offend me. I just thought it was interesting that Audi would center its Super Bowl ad around a teenager when most of its consumers were wealthy, middle-aged men. After discussing the ad critically, however, I felt offended and angry that the boy assertively smooched the prom queen. Moreover, I felt angry that when I first saw the commercial, I didn’t think twice about his disrespectful actions. If a guy I didn’t know walked up to me and kissed me, I would definitely be angry, and I don’t think anyone has the right to control who someone else kisses. The message the Audi commercial sends is that girls are fine with being swept away by guys in physical ways. Without critical thinking, repeatedly seeing messages like this desensitizes my ability to feel justly offended by them. I’ve learned to analyze commercials and not subconsciously internalize what I see as acceptable.

            Finally, I enjoyed examining why society idolizes celebrities. If news sources are supposed to give the citizenry the necessary information to make safe and smart decisions, why are celebrities newsworthy? Why did the Oscars receive constant news coverage and space above the fold in The New York Times? One answer to these questions rests in the glue of American society, consumerism. The glamorous gowns, private jets, and sleek cars of celebrities reflect the pinnacle of consumption back to the laypeople. Since the newspaper needs advertising revenue to continue hobbling along in the news industry, the stories that most people see (the ones above the fold) should ideally inspire consumption. The paper wants the celebrity photos to inspire people to purchase goods in hopes of attaining a life like the stars have. I also think people are obsessed with celebrities because they symbolize many societal values: wealth, physical attractiveness, and power. Because many people strive to attain these traits, they are obsessed with the misfortunes and successes of the stars that have already achieved the goal. Celebrities seem rationally silly, but they are important to us because news sources emphasize them and because they, in myriad way, embody many people’s aspirations.

            Without critical thinking, the media becomes a controlling and manipulating force. Understanding how to approach various branches of the media, including The New York Times, Super Bowl ads, and celebrity culture, is essential for controlling the influence of media on my life.