2 Questions about Media Trends

WTFU 2012 (Obama campaign).

1. Some of the different techniques used to inform, attract and entertain viewers are using a celebrity, using a juxtaposition and using comedy. The celebrity used is Samuel L. Jackson, who is quite popular with many different groups of people. The juxtaposition used in this (soon to be) media trend is the fact that Dr. Suess's nursery rhyme style is put side by side with Samuel L. Jackson's profane language. When Samuel L. Jackson pops up in random places inside the household, it's a shock but it's also funny, which entertains viewers.

2. One of the messages communicated is that Obama is the better choice for a middle class nuclear family like the one that is portrayed in the video, which is the whole point of this video/campaign. Another message that the video sends across is that Romney's campaign choices will affect people of every age group in a negative way.

Trend Tracking

1. N/A

2. 5 current trends

i) iPhone

ii) Snapbacks

iii) Jansport backpacks

iv) Twitter

v) Jordans 

3.

i) The iPhone's target audience is teenagers/young adults because the phone allows users to access social media sites, while still maintaining the basic functions of texting and calling.

ii) The target audience for snapback hats are teens, because the hats are stylish because they portray sports team logos and team colors.

iii) Jansport backpacks are targeted at students, because they are stylish backpacks. Most students like being stylish while also practical, which is why Jansport backpacks are a hit.

iv) Twitter's target audience is anybody who has a social life or uses other social media sites. Twitter allows people to talk to their friends or 'tweet' and share updates easily with anybody using twitter. Twitter also helps celebrities speak to their fans en masse.

v) The target audience for Jordans are people who play basketball and teens, usually guys. While the Jordan is a basketball shoe, they have evolved into a culture and a style that many teens and some adults follow.

4. I have purchased Levis slim jeans because they were trendy. I often see people wearing them and I think that they look stylish in them, so I purchased my own pair.

PSA Comparison

Many things have changed since the PSAs "Are you Popular?" and "Dating Dos and Don'ts". In both of the PSAs, all of the actors being played as examples are Caucasian and middle class citizens. If either PSA was aired in our time and day they would receive harsh criticism for only displaying a certain type of person. Another big difference between the scenarios portrayed in the PSAs and scenarios in our modern day society is the lack of technology. Pretty much everything, from dating techniques and the language style would be different these days.

6 Media Questions, Sexting

http://www.athinline.org/

1. Who made - and who sponsored - this message, and for what purpose? - MTV sponsored the message, for the purpose of educating young teens on digital rights, cyber bullying and sexting.
2. Who is the target audience, and how is the message specifically tailored to them? - The target audience is teens/young teens. The message is specifically tailored to them because the questions in the quiz relate to situations that teens may find themselves in. Also, the site's message is reinforced by many celebrities and icons that teens can recognize and maybe even relate to. The site uses spelling and grammar that is commonly used in text messages, which lets teens relate even further.
3. What are the different techniques used to inform, persuade, entertain, and attract attention? - Some of the techniques used to attract attention are using celebrities to back up the message, and allowing the quiz to be shared by viewers on common social media sites.
4. What messages are communicated (and/or implied) about certain people, places, events, behaviors, lifestyles, etc.? - It is implied that every teen has a cellphone and a computer, and accesses social media sites. The questions are more tailored to people who are heterosexual, and are in a relationship/pursuing a relationship.
5. How current, accurate, and credible is the information in this message? - The message is quite current because it is related to technology such as cellphones, which nearly every teen has. The message is credible because MTV is a well known & trusted organization, which has a record of reaching out to teens.
6. What is left out of this message that might be important to know?

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/

1. Who made - and who sponsored - this message, and for what purpose? - The video is made by Common Sense. The purpose of the video "The Truth About Sexting" is to educate parents about sexting, in hopes that they can talk to their child/young teen about it.
2. Who is the target audience, and how is the message specifically tailored to them? - The target audience is parents of young teens, or young teens themselves. The message is specifically tailored to parents because it will give him tips about raising their children correctly, and it's specifically tailored to teens because it talks about positions that they may find themselves in sometime.
3. What are the different techniques used to inform, persuade, entertain, and attract attention? - One of the techniques used to inform the parents is giving examples of sexting that has been troublesome to young teens in the past.
4. What messages are communicated (and/or implied) about certain people, places, events, behaviors, lifestyles, etc.? - It's implied that viewers will either have young teen offspring with phones, or phones themselves. It is assumed that the teens are up to par with current technology.
5. How current, accurate, and credible is the information in this message? - The information is accurate, current and credible. The message is accurate because many teens are sexting and finding themselves wishing they hadn't. The message is credible because it comes from a website that many parents use to find tips for raising their children and young teens better. The message is quite current, because many teens own cellphones or computers and access social media sites.
6. What is left out of this message that might be important to know? - That sexting at a young age may be considered sharing child porn, and can lead to involvement of the law.

blog

media blog class 2 ez