Wednesday, January 27, 2010

What is Media Literacy?

How well do you understand the media you use in your daily life? What is the impact of media on society? on the economy? What is your media usage? Based on your own personal experience and what you have read in the text, write 200 words on the class blog about this subject.

14 comments:

  1. I think I understand the media in my daily life pretty well. Media is, quite literally, everywhere and it sometimes feels impossible to get away from the constant advertisements, yet I recognize the efforts media and advertising companies make for each person to be well informed about whatever is new.

    If we were without media, the world would be much more empty, we would not know what was going on elsewhere. In addition, humans would probably be much less unified, as media is sometimes supposed to group people who have similar interests together. Media keeps everyone “in the know” and up to date with events, fads, weather, and whatever else we could possibly want or need to know. It makes life today much easier than ever before.

    The economy relies heavily on media. If it weren’t for advertisements, many companies would only be heard of through word of mouth…a medium that would only make the product in question travel so far. More profits have (and will have) been made with the help of advertising, and therefore the economy can continue to thrive.

    My media usage is certainly much too much. I spend most of my waking hours either on the computer or doing schoolwork, which sometimes, is combined. Media is a huge part of my life, as I have grown up understanding and learning how to use the Internet and computers. I find that life would simply just be too weird without the ability to have all kinds of media at my fingertips.

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  2. I understand most of the media used in today’s world, at least the basics such as Internet, television, and radio. Those three ways of communication are what our society thrives on. Most people today are media literate even those who once only got their news from a newspaper are now going online to read their newspaper versus actually purchasing a paper copy, showing the fast change in ways to get the news. Throughout my daily routine I am surrounded by media when driving by bill boards, pop-ups when trying to check email, to commercials on television, being media literate allows me to understand the messages that are being sent out by the media to the public.
    The economy relies heavily on media it allows people to understand and be aware of our countries financial state. By doing so it can also advertise ways to help the economy grow not only through direct commercials but in subtle ways as well. The media impacts every aspect of society in today’s world. From what we wear, to where we go out to eat, to medication we buy, to how we perceive information. In such ways for example the media can make a small issue become an important one to society just by broadcasting it in certain ways. By the media making big deals about small issues it causes the public to actually believe these issues are important, showing the power the media has on how to get into the viewers head, this is just one way media impacts society among many others.
    As stated in the text the more media literate one is the better we are at being able to distinguish unimportant issues from actual concerning information. There is so much information being scattered around that one must be media literate to not get over whelmed. Media makes everything today much easier than it once was it allows people to get information in a matter of seconds on any subject anywhere in the world. Considering the fast changes that have already taken place in the world of media they continue to grow making it so that media is everywhere and available by the touch of a button.

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  3. I understand most of the media used in today’s world, at least the basics such as Internet, television, and radio. Those three ways of communication are what our society thrives on. Most people today are media literate even those who once only got their news from a newspaper are now going online to read their newspaper versus actually purchasing a paper copy, showing the fast change in ways to get the news. Throughout my daily routine I am surrounded by media when driving by bill boards, pop-ups when trying to check email, to commercials on television, being media literate allows me to understand the messages that are being sent out by the media to the public.

    The economy relies heavily on media it allows people to understand and be aware of our countries financial state. By doing so it can also advertise ways to help the economy grow not only through direct commercials but in subtle ways as well. The media impacts every aspect of society in today’s world. From what we wear, to where we go out to eat, to medication we buy, to how we perceive information. In such ways for example the media can make a small issue become an important one to society just by broadcasting it in certain ways. By the media making big deals about small issues it causes the public to actually believe these issues are important, showing the power the media has on how to get into the viewers head, this is just one way media impacts society among many others.

    As stated in the text the more media literate one is the better we are at being able to distinguish unimportant issues from actual concerning information. There is so much information being scattered around that one must be media literate to not get over whelmed. Media makes everything today much easier than it once was it allows people to get information in a matter of seconds on any subject anywhere in the world. Considering the fast changes that have already taken place in the world of media they continue to grow making it so that media is everywhere and available by the touch of a button.

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  4. I understand most of the media in my daily life. Aside from twitter, I use all other forms of technology to stay current with events. It is almost impossible to get away from media because every opportunity to influence people’s decisions is being utilized. Everything from the sides of busses, billboards, magazines, and even the side space of websites are covered by ads. It seems like everyone is trying to persuade you to try certain products. Because of this overwhelming variety of ways that the media targets people, it makes it very easy to stay up to date with new products and what is going on in the World.

    The media also has a very strong ability to influence society’s view of current events. Depending on the source you get your news from, there will be a different spin put on the stories. Fox news for example will give a conservative interpretation, while the New York Times will tend to look at it from the Democrat’s point of view. That is why networks are willing to pay stars such as Conan O’Brien and John Stewart huge money, because if they can target jokes towards a certain party it could possibly make the difference in a tight election.

    Personally, I feel that I use media about the same as an average college student. I use my laptop and phone to organize my schedule and homework, as well as watching TV from time to time. I listen to music a lot on the radio and my ipod but other than that my media usage is pretty minimal.

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  5. When I am at Roger Williams, the first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is go boot up my computer. I check the weather, Facebook, or email. For me, doing this is a way to keep in touch and stay connected with friends and family at home, and a way to know what is going on in the outside world. I don’t have a TV in my dorm so my intake of the news is limited to the Internet and a weekly subscription of Time Magazine (which by the time it arrives is hardly news). My understanding of these media is limited to necessity– I only use the things that I need to.
    The media’s influence on society can be argued positively and negatively. I think what it comes down to is the way each individual uses certain media, and how much they are willing to be influenced by it. Because media does have such great power to influence people, we need to hold on to the ability to question the media without constantly giving in to what we hear or read.
    My media usage is limited mostly to my computer and phone. My phone to stay connected to family and friends, my computer to stay connected to the rest of the world. I consider my media usage minimal compared to many peoples nowadays, still, I fell like I am always connected.

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  6. I believe I have a fairly good understanding of the media. I understand that media is everywhere and can be both helpful at informing, also very bias. I can see these and recognize most of them, but not all that is why I feel I have a good grasp on the media around me.

    The media has a major impact on both the economy and our society. The media is interwoven in everything that we do. It helps to keep people informed on the world and up to date on new events and products. Without the media I do not think people would be as informed and products would not be as well distributed, therefore hurting the economy. Though some of the messages sent are exaggerated and can mislead people into buying specific products and feeling a certain way pertaining to events.

    I feel my media usage is about the same as the average young adult. I am constantly on my phone or computer which contains much media. Also I watch television form time to time and when I go out there are many billboards and other forms of media such as posters on buses and cars as well as shops in the city. The radio is also on constantly when I am at work.

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  7. I’m pretty confident that I basically understand the media I use in my daily life. Everywhere I look, there is extreme amounts of media and advertising. No matter where I go, there is always media incorporated into some aspect of the atmosphere.

    I think that it positively affects society, but it is also very negative. With media around, such as a television at dinner time, it is hard to show full interest in the things going on around you. But, on the other hand, it positively affects the world because it unites the people of the world and keeps everyone up to date with the events that happen everywhere at anytime.

    The economy wouldn’t be able to strive without media. Everywhere we look there is constant advertising happening. Without advertising, companies would have limited ways to promote their products; thus resulting in the economy being unable to strive as their products wouldn’t sell as well.

    I incorporate media way too much into my life. I have a blackberry, and I am constantly using it for everything I do. Although it is a helpful tool, it is distracting to other people around me and sometimes myself because I use it so much. But without my computer or blackberry, I feel like I’d be completely lost in the world we live in today.

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  9. I feel that pretty confident in my ability to understand media and technology. I feel like the majority of our generation feels that way. Society doesn’t really allow you to not understand media. Especially now, all kid’s toys and learning assistants are either interactive video games or games for your computer. No one just uses flash cards to learn their ABC’s and multiplication tables. I think everyone is acclimated to the new media, I mean my 75 year old grandfather can send e-mails and do online banking. At the same time, the younger generations are still better at figuring out the solution to a technological problem. Professors often look to the class and ask what to click or if they should x out of something.


    I do agree that media and advertisements are constantly in your face, but I never feel pestered by it. The magic bullet infomercial on at 3am isn’t hurting any one. The American society loves their easy fixes. We need the advertisements to keep us spending money and keep our economy in check. We need to think that we can buy 3 dvd’s and lose 20 pounds in a week. Honestly I don’t think that product placement actually works, just because fifty cent is drinking a mountain dew in his new video doesn’t mean I’ll buy it.

    My own personal use I feel is pretty average for a college student. I might have a bit too much love for my blackberry but other then that, I use my computer often I’m not big into television but I watch Netflix. I never feel that I can’t get away. I have no problem just reading a book for an hour and not picking up my phone or creeping on facebook.

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  10. I believe that I understand the media I use in my everyday life. Almost every day, I spend at least a small amount of time watching TV, surfing the web, listening to the radio, and reading magazines and newspapers. While living my everyday life I understand the different ways companies use media to advertise their product or even a particular person.

    Media has a huge impact on our society, which can be positive and negative at the same time. Without media we would be unaware of important information such as: local disasters, crimes that have occurred, or even something as simple as knowing the weather. Everyone is capable of understanding today’s media and technology; however the younger generations seem to have a better understanding of it. The only negative sides of media in today’s society I would say are when we invade celebrities’ lives 24/7, so news channels and magazines have interesting stories for us average people so they can make more money. Media is what helps the economy stay strong and without it, I think it would suffer.
    I would say that I do spend too much time viewing the media, however not any more than any other college student. It doesn’t bother me that I spend hours watching TV, or surfing the web because when it comes down to it, I still get all my school work done and a lot of my media usage deals with staying in touch with my friends and family or keeping me entertained.

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  11. I think that overall, I understand the media I use in my daily life well. I’ve also always been interested in the impact of the media on people in society and how it affects different people. The media keeps us up to date with things, entertains us but also advertises items and shows things off. Sometimes, I think this aspect can be frustrating to people but I think it is inevitable because the media is literally everywhere we go nowadays. It’s basically impossible to truly escape the media at this point.

    Overall, I think the media can have a negative and positive effect on society. Positively, the media keeps people in touch, up to date and entertained. People find out what’s going on in the world from all different sources of media as well, which is also really convenient. You can also access the media at mostly anytime during the day or anywhere. We have cell phones, computers, newspapers and more that all keep us updated with not only things happening in the world, but what’s happening with our friends, family, and even celebrities. Negatively, I think that the media can sometimes ruin peoples’ body image and self-confidence, based on the celebrities people see on television, advertisements and photos in magazines. Economically, I also think the media can pressure people into buying things like weight loss products or beauty products, but this is good for the economy when something is popular. The economy can also thrive with the help of the media with the use of advertisements, commercials and more.

    As for my media usage, I probably use the computer and Internet to stay connected the most. When I use the computer, I go to many different websites so I experience many different pieces of media daily. I use Facebook, Twitter, and I check Perez Hilton everyday. From the Internet, I can keep in touch with my friends and family, but also get updated on news on Twitter, and check gossip online at Perez Hilton. I also use my phone to update Twitter and Facebook, but overall use the Internet as my main source of media. However, I don’t feel that I use the computer or my phone too much, but that its just part of my daily routine.

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  12. Media has a tremendous impact on society. We are drawn to it, and empowered by it. People in modern day America immerse themselves in media. I understand that media plays an important role in some ways, but in others way I despise it. The media is useful for weather, political information, other updates, and some nice relaxing entertainment at the end of the day. It also provides the people with necessary information to live their everyday lives.

    It is way too easy for leaders of large companies and government agencies to abuse the power of media. Subliminal advertising can unconsciously affect the way we act and what we buy on an every day basis. There are many truths in media, but even more lies. I find it interesting what lengths some companies will go to in order to keep their misfortunes out of the news. How many of you have heard of the movie Food inc.? It is a documentary by Robert Kenner about the secrets within the major corporations that monopolize the American food market. Consumers have been left blind to horrible conditions, chemicals, and processing techniques that are regularly used on our food. Government agencies like the USDA and FDA consent to these hidden atrocities because profit is apparently now more important than consumer health, and we wonder why America struggles with so many health issues…

    The media directly impacts the economy. It is a necessary tool to reach the targeted consumer. Commercials and advertisements are being overused especially since our countries latest recession started. I almost feel like companies are begging us to buy their products. On the other hand I like when I see I product on the TV or Internet that I want, so I can’t complain. I try to limit my personal exposure to the media. I watch about an hour of television a day and I am always up for a weather update or some local news, but by far as young adults our biggest vice is the almighty Internet!

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  13. I feel that I have a strong understanding of the use of media in my daily life. Personally, I tend to feel engulfed in the media throughout my day. If i am not on the computer or watching television, then i am receiving text messages or listening to the radio while i drive my car. I live in the city, so i constantly see billboards and advertisements for me to buy products. Sometimes it feels like the only time I can escape the media is when i am asleep.

    The media impacts society in a positive and negative fashion. It allows anyone to be able to access information quickly and also allows people to communicate with anyone at any time almost; however, the media also tries to persuade us to buy products which has a positive impact on the economy.

    My media usage is fairly average for a college student, I feel. I tend to be staring at a screen for a solid portion of my day, but i try not to spend too much time plugged in. Even though the media allows us to attain information easily, it is sometimes best to turn off the computer and go outside.

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  14. Humans are social beings, so communication is a major factor. We communicate messages with different combinations of words, music, print, and images. Media is everywhere, and even when we aren’t using it or looking for it, it surrounds us. It’s safe to say I understand the media I use in my daily life, simply for the fact that it really has become a huge part of my daily life.

    I haven’t gone a day in years without sending a text message, watching tv, chatting on Facebook, reading online articles, listening to my Ipod, or flipping through a magazine. There’s always a way to stay connected, keep up with current events, and be entertained through the use of media.

    The media is a way for people to communicate a message to an audience, whether it be a friend, a certain population of people, or the entire nation. Because of the media’s ability to reach audiences on such a large scale, it greatly affects society and the economy. The media dictates what people hear, see, and feel about ideas or events, so in this sense, it does affect society as a whole. Economically, the media has the power to advertise products and brands, allowing them to be more recognizable to the public eye. Media has become a crucial aspect of our daily lives. It allows humans to communicate with each other, as well as convey messages that would not be nearly as widespread otherwise.

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