Media, Truth, Biases in Mainstream and Independent media-One Bubble

We understand through the functionalist theory how the media works. Their function is: to help, relate, play, inform and influence. Although these entirely serve a good purpose they also divert our attention, avoid social action and increases passivity. Within all this there exists bias in the media whether it is Mainstream or Alternative/Independent media. The mainstream media are more concern with garnering profits whereas independent media focuses more on issues and how to deal with them. Atton (2002) stated that there is controversy to exactly what alternative media is since they operate like mainstream working under the guise of independent media. Some see it also as a replacement or complementing mass media

I mentioned this since sometimes it isn’t easy to know who exactly stands where. As mentioned in the last presentation in class “today’s independent may become tomorrow’s mainstream”. However, it is wise that we become media literate so we as consumers can think on our own and know what to look out for when we view or listen to media put out there, as well as, question and make sense of it.

In Andrew Blau’s “Deep Focus” a study on the future of independent media we see the different changes and range in which technology operates to enhance the experience of independent media and provide new ways of seeing and talking through these devices and upgrades. Consideration must be placed though on how we use them. As put out by our lecturer we need to move away from our dependency on Facebook since our time spent on it allows us to procrastinate or not prioritize properly.

The question put forth is what are we going to do? Yes we can continue blogging but what else. I think it firstly begins with being educated. We must be aware of how something works in order to deal with it. We can start by being critical consumers of media messages.

·         Learn how media works-understand the construction and production of media, how it distorts reality and know the difference between information and persuasion and what truth is and what isn’t.

·         Ensure that your usage of media is extensive in terms of variety.

·         Check the media’s credibility

·         Exercise critical thinking-beware of stereotypes, know that there is always more to be said on a topic and look at how the media generalizes things.

AFTER THIS WHAT IS OUR STAND AND WHERE DO WE STAND.ARE WE GOING TO BE SILENCED BY INJUSTICE OR LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD.WE ARE NEXT IN LINE, SO LET THE BUCK START WITH US AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN MAKE THE CHANGE WE DESIRE.

WAKE UP CALLS- I LOVE T&T INSPITE OF

Last Sunday I looked at the Express on the issue of the killing of the young man Atiba who was shot by police. There seem to be alot of missing pieces in the story and there are of course two sides, that of the police and also the villagers. But also what is reported and shown by the media, does it have every aspect as is truly depicted by both sides. Like everything else I don't know what to believe.I don't know who is running the country and with uproar everywhere concerning different issues makes me wonder what is going on and where are we as a country on the scales of development.

So Dr kublalsingh  is lifted out of  EMA lobby by police, TCL and other unions are protesting, infighting within political forces, more children are being abused and killed,bad roads, shootings, robberies.When are we going to stop and address them. It is too bad that we play blame games, give promises and do not live up to them and still say we love our country. What are we doing for our country? More focus is placed on other countries and working with them. For good development start fixing our problems at home and let our country start showing some integrity in everything we do. So we will get that respect not only from right home but outside our country.

Journalist Mike Wallace dead @93

Characteristically defined as someone who had character and charisma and exercised integrity in his field of journalism.
Question: are there any others out there willing to continue in the same sphere as Mr Wallace?

Election=fixing roads

My daily routine is somewhat monotonous.

Wake up around five and have devotionals. By six or seven my computer is on to get some work down
I check my emails for whatever notifications I may have missed from group members and do research (once internet doesn’t fail me).
8:30 no radio in my apartment (cheap phone=no radio) so I have to look at the TV for news updates.
9:00 Realised that Elmo and Ernie have practically taken over Sesame Street and TV Six is changing shows as fast as you can say Jack Robinson.
By 10 I am getting ready for school and won’t be back until around 8:30 or nine.
It is the same day after day for me but not in the land of politics supreme, which is governed by politricks and bacchanalia.

 What stood out for me this week though, was that election was on the way for the PP. There have been protests from one sector to the next but the outstanding one is concerning the poor road conditions in certain areas of Trinidad. It seems that elections= fixing roads. There have been talks by the PM that PURE is back on the scene and roads will be fixed and they also have the resources. What has me distressed is that a few months ago, in a headline on the front of the Express, the PM said in response to her constituents, that her family was also in the same position. Not getting to spend enough time with her. There have been many past calls to her but now she is on the scene assuring them when fires are being lit. I have seen many times around election roads being fixed, unfortunately some months after it goes back to how it was before. Road works has been a big issue in T&T for some time now and we need to look at that. There are always some new structure going up but drainage is not being sorted out properly and the result flooding. But Mr. Jack is back on the scene. The population in T&T is big and many of us have voices that can be lifted. So what are we going to about everything that is happening?

Identity-how it's impacted

When uncertain of whom we are, making decisions as well as communicating creates problems. Knowing our identity plays an important role in shaping who we are as individuals. McEwen (2000) states, that it defines our values, beliefs, behaviour and influences our interactions with others. Our core (inside) identity consists of our personal attributes and characteristics while our outside is recognised through race, gender and nationality.

Gender and sexuality are two dimensions of our identity, which is at the core of how we think about our identity as is portrayed through the media. It helps influence public perceptions on various identities and how individuals view themselves. Also it can be seen that exposure to media images leads to formation of stereotypes. A woman’s body parts are used to sell everything from food, clothes and cars. They are then seen as femme fatales, and sex kittens. Jean kilbourne argues that these images shown of women a certain way means that women bodies have become invisible and they learn to compare and compete with other women destroying their awareness. Jhally states that ads only show representations of people in a structure-it does not show people who are real but products that can be bought.

The Technological Imperative links identity with culture and technology. For everyday or time we go into a social networking or virtual world site we commit “identity tourism”. Just as media gatekeepers decides what to allow us to see and how much of it, we in turn hold back or give certain information of ourselves in line of how we want to be viewed. Also some people use photos of celebrities as their profile pictures on social networking sites (guilty myself). Isn’t this a form of identity theft since we do not have permission from them?

With the creation of different identities on these sites, maybe to fulfil a need or fit in somewhere,  what does it say about us and what about the impact on our lives? Does it change anything? Does it allow us to accept ourselves more? With media stereotypes do we lose or love ourselves?

media consupmtion-dreamworld

 Other work has consumed me that I have not been studying my media consumption nor have I really consumed anything (other than book work). However, in coms analysis yesterday we were shown a video called Dreamworld 3 by Sut Jhally. Today I watched the second episode which highlights how women and young girls are depicted in music videos.

Jhally shows the links between gender and sexuality and its connection to pornography. He talks about how women operate and dress in the dream world. The roles they take and the elements used in the music videos  that serve the men's desires or fantasy.
when we look at many of these hip hop videos its mostly african women in some sort of undermining role showing them in wanton acts and mainly for money.

Jhally proposes that there are questions we need to take into consideration and as we know it also goes back to who owns the media and how it benefits them. He also put forth that it does not represent the reality of african americam masculinity but we must consider what role does the images perform for the media conglomerates.

Last week I stopped and consider how many teenagers are taken in by the philosophy and lifestyle portrayed in the music industry. My younger sister is prone to listen to all those music that I refer to as noise and she will probably get taken in (if it ent happen yet). We have a lot of cursing (i know it's here) and outrageous fashion trends promoted in these videos that they swallow without questioning. We need to become aware and make others aware even our kids. what will happen next?

No confidence motion

So there is a lot of huffing and puffing and chest beating by members of the People's Partnership in rally of the Prime Minister over the Opposition's Leader call.There have also been much speculation of things backfiring or Mr Rowley resigning.

I think that he made a right move in calling for this debate.The PP have made a lot of promises that they have not fulfilled as yet and some to which they have given a specific timeline of fixing. Also the mantra by the said members seem to be "crime is down" but yet everyday the news headlines  say differently.

What I have seen so far is a lot of back and forth blaming by both sides and not focusing on the current issues. This is probably the best game a politician can enjoy. I do not believe in casting blame on past rulers for their mistakes. Yes they had a few bumps and error along the way, but once you have a job to do ,get it done. Prove that you can do something good for the country and its citizens  because the blame game keeps you distracted.

So we have to wait and see what the results will be like. It's high time we start being accountable for our actions in T&T.What will all these meetings by the government achieve?  Another issue is the ethics of our ministers both government and opposition.The motive probably behind these meetings  is that an election won't be called.hmmmm