Good Night and Good Luck

After seeing Good Night and Good Luck I can see how many people who were within the media actually view the establishment of the mass media. It seems that many reporters back in that time period were fearful of the government control and hysteria surrounding the Red Scare. It was also a time when the government was going after anyone they could who was involved in the media and label them a communist. The ability of the U.S.S.R to steal the secrets of the atomic bomb from the Americans was the beginning of the paranoia that anyone who was in the U.S could possibly be a spy for the Russians. The reporters felt that too much government control would lead to the end of our freedoms and would lead us to a similar situation that the people in Russia were in. 

I feel that this movie has many valid points and is a good representation of the times. I also feel that it is a good way for people today to look at how the media controls the way we thing about things and how the government is able to establish a certain hold over us as well. 

The Obama Deception- YouTube Video

So, for the YouTube video that I had to write about I choose a video that had an extreme title and I figured it would be interesting and somewhat controversial. Despite my previous posts on how I feel that conspiracy theories are bogus and how they are held together with shaky theories, I do find them quite fun. This video outlines the Obama Administration is part of a greater international government which actually is in control of everything. This states that the last real President of the United States was JFK and we all know what happened to him. It also talks about how the world is run by the military industrial complex and that they are run by the heads of the world banks.

This stuff is the kind of conspiracy theory type program I would expect to see on YouTube. I would not expect to see it on TV just because it really pushes the limit of what most people could take as relevant information. It also seems that the corny music and mediocre editing don't do the film that much justice. I think that parts of this are comical, with a scene with a news crew leaving a hotel where a press conference is going to happen and saying that they are being tailed when the guy gets out of his car and goes to Moes. I would ask to take a look for yourself, its long so just sample it if you like but it is pretty interesting if not entertaining.

Feminist Blog

I went to a blog titled Feministing.com and I was surprised by what I found. There was a post right at the top of the page for sex advice and how people wrote into the blog with sexual questions and they were responded to by whoever runs it. There is also plenty of stuff about gay and transexual rights and I thought that was also an interesting subject topic but at the same time I figured it was something that would find its place on a feminist blog. I personally have never visited a feminist blog and so I wasn't sure what I'd find while I was there. The second post from the top was about how New Hampshire is not very interested in Transgender rights. The post does bring up some good points and the people who are voting for gay rights in New Hampshire are also voting against laws that protect transgendered people from discrimination. This is a great post because it definitely points out the inconsistencies of politicians and how bureaucratic our government really is. 

The more I read and understand what people right on blogs the more I feel like this is the future of how we get our news. It doesn't make sense to buy into the crap that is on T.V and this stuff is written by people who really care about the issues. They may have biases but at the same time they are private individuals and should be allowed to have those. It helps me get a better idea of how a person of that mindset thinks about particular issues and rationalizes their thoughts. 

Hannity and Colmes

One word comes to mind after thinking about what I had viewed, "Clowns". This is not because these men are conservative nuts or because they lack the professionalism that people in the news should have. Who the hell would interview someone who believes that 9/11 was a conspiracy? Did I miss something when Fox News considered itself a news channel? How can people take the news seriously or with any type of validity with crap like this on the air? I can only come up with one conclusion, it makes them money! These guys are as bad as used car salesman, use emotion, use a bit of touch up paint and you can fool anyone into believing what you're selling is the best stuff around. This is the garbage that people who may be emotionally attached to an issue can really get upset about and then decide that Hannity and Colmes are legit because they are standing up for "what America believes in and whats good for democracy". I look for the reason why they wouldn't do a story about something that really matters instead of interviewing a man who is insane and claiming that the U.S planned the attacks on 9/11 and its just a huge coverup. That's bull, the truth is that some people in this world don't like us, live with it. Grow up, stop pointing your finger at the government and realize that its just because mommy and daddy didn't love you and you want attention. 

Hannity and Colmes, you guys should know better than to do this to our country if you're all about protecting democracy and supporting the conservative right. This kind of infotainment is NOT news and shouldn't be on a major news network. Another thing, let your guest finish a sentence before cutting them off and going on a personal attack, you both are incredibly transparent and irritating. 

This relates to class because we talk about how the media is a business and how it really looks for great stories in order to get peoples attention. Fox is probably one of the best at doing this because they go to the extreme in almost everything they do. The best part is that, as long as you aren't oblivious, you can see that Fox is always about selling information to its viewership and maintaining its overbearing Republican overtones that have helped polarize the American public. These kinds of shows are dangerous to the fabric of the society we live in and should be shut down before they destroy us from within. 

The Girls Next Door

This show does nothing for the socialization of girls but make them think that being blonde stupid is what is socially acceptable. I do admit, it is interesting because I have always been curious what the inside of the Playboy Mansion looks like and how life is there. Then again, who really cares how the girl friends of Hugh live and what they do from day to day. This show is negative for how people should look at women because it shows them as objects of some multi- millionaire who has made all of his money through the exploitation of women. 

The real question is that in a society that is supposed to be sensitive about race, class and gender how is a show like this able to be allowed to show on T.V? One would think that there isn't a demand for shows like this but apparently it seems that the old formula stands strong, SEX = MONEY! I feel that in our capitalistic society the ability of a show like this to survive is based on the demand of people in great enough numbers that it will turn a profit. It has nothing to do with the moral high ground that we constantly try to refer to when speaking about how things in America should be and then what they really are. What this show really does is take a very primitive human emotion and exploit it in order to make money. Women are not the only ones that should be upset about a show like this but everyone who has watched it is technically being exploited for the good of some rich guy who owns the T.V network!  

6:00 News

For this post I watched New 4 New York which is an affiliate of NBC. The program starts off with the newscasters talking about how Swine Flu has hit more victims in the city but no one was seriously ill. They seem to break things down first at a local level then they talk about national events/international things. Then they'll talk about the latest in sports and entertainment with some fun or light hearted story towards the end of the broadcast with the weather. Its just interesting to see how and which stories make it to air and how the media feels what to label important or not important. A lot of the news is about things happening around us and our communities and many times there are negative stories about someone getting shot or so and so dying. It all is rather depressing but yet it still conjures up the public interest. Typically we'll also hear about public personalities or politicians making fools of themselves and for the better of our entertainment. The local news tends to come off as an informal look at the news and many times the newscasters tend to joke around or act foolish and then try to pull off looking smart or educated about a story topic to create the appearance that they are a legitimate source of information. I typically walk away from the local news with the feeling that I just lost that time and I will never get it back, I could have just as easily and more efficiently have gone online and seen the headlines.

Pandemic?

This article talks about how the possibility of the swine flu may actually be more dangerous than many are writing it off it be. As with pandemics of the past the Swine Flu may have a more violent second wave a few months from now when the disease may take on much more deadly characteristics. It is also interesting that some of the leading authorities on this disease are actually looking back to records as far back as 90 years ago on how to possibly protect ourselves against mounting cases and possible catastrophe. 

The interesting thing is that in class, we have discussed that the Swine Flu seems to be getting over played on the news and the media is just trying to milk this topic for all that it is worth. I feel like it only makes sense that the media would just love this story and that its a great way for them to make money By creating panic the media is able to exploit the masses and use fear to make themselves a buck. It also is an issue that can call into question the legitimacy of the media and if they are hurting our country with their constant coverage 24 hours a day. Give me a break, we live in America, we aren't Mexico. Mexico is a totally different country and the reason why people are dying there is because of overpopulation and unsanitary conditions. In America, if you get sick you go to the doctor, if you can't get better on your own, you go to the hospital. I think the media is just taking advantage of all of the worry wort soccer moms who freak out if their kid skins their shins while riding their bike. If you would like to buy into all of the hysteria please read this article on CNN it will help you sleep better at night. NOT!