In my interviews I found that most people had similar opinions and ideas of what "media" is. Most of them, however, didn't think of video games, music, or advertising as types of media. The most common answer I received for "What is 'media'?" was that it is a transferring of information through many different mediums. I found that my mom and Keith, teacher fresh out of college, seemed to understand the enormity of the media the most.
The answers i received for how media impacts my interviewee's lives were quite interesting. Keith was the only one who formed his own opinions from things he's seen in the media. My grandpa only really said that the media told him what he should wear each day with the weather report. Everyone else uses the media to keep up on current events and fashions around the nation. My grandpa's interview was the most amusing because he didn't seem to be very fond of the media.
The media has always been controvercial. My friend from highschool, Janna, thought that it was because the media shows so many different opinions being portrayed. My grandpa said that it is controversial because the media has been known to be untruthful. I thought that it was odd, but maybe fitting, that my grandpa was the only one who thought of the media as untruthful. He has been alive the longest and has seen many of the media's truths and lies throughout history. The controversies we usually think of are, however, strictly related to the news media.
Overall, the interviews showed me that people's idea of media is seemingly limited. Most people only think of media as the "news media". Music and literature and other mediums aren't viewed, by most people, as fitting the description of "media".
-Melynda J.
Friday, January 23, 2009
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Just a side-note, I really like your picture :]
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your thoughts. Your grandpa sounds rather amusing and he had some good things to say about the media. In my interview I found that people had a very narrow view of what media is similar to your findings. I noticed that everyone I interviewed was skeptical of the media but they go along with it anyway. Your grandpa was very correct when he said they tell me what the weather is like and tell me what to wear. He totally exemplifies the idea that media is a dominating influence in everyday lives. Your points on the controversial aspects of media reporting are very good, and I agree with you saying your grandpa has been around longer so he's seen more. I think we may need to go back to the older generation for info on how they way things should be in the future.
ReplyDeleteGood blog...