“Cool” Concept

http://tenniswritercoug.blogspot.ca/

The “spiral of silence” concept is very intriguing. Media has the ability to provide a threat of criticism from a majority group (often the media outlet itself) that is powerful enough to silence people. This often affects minority groups and people who voice an opinion contradictory to the norm. Many know how media can affect lives, both for good and bad reasons; therefore, many fear to do anything to put them in a position to be a victim of media influence. The picture of a young lady with tape over her mouth with the words “speak no evil” is a classic example. What we get from this picture is that media have shut our mouths and eliminated our voices, because what we may have to say can be considered as “evil” towards the majority.

“Cool” Concept

http://tenniswritercoug.blogspot.ca/

 

The “spiral of silence” concept is very intriguing. Media has the ability to provide a threat of criticism from a majority group (often the media outlet itself) that is powerful enough to silence people. This often affects minority groups and people who voice an opinion contradictory to the norm. Many know how media can affect lives, both for good and bad reasons; therefore, many fear to do anything to put them in a position to be a victim of media influence. The picture of a young lady with tape over her mouth with the words “speak no evil” is a classic example. What we get from this picture is that media have shut our mouths and eliminated our voices, because what we may have to say can be considered as “evil” towards the majority.

“Cool” Concept

http://www.sessionmagazine.com/american-pin-up-artist-mel-ramos/

Cool concept I want to reflect on is “Objectification”. Which is where, for example a women’s body, is viewed as an object rather then what it really is, an actual human being. This often is seen through media advertisements and commercials. Media often devalues a human to levels only the object. For example, the coca-cola advertisement we see a fresh bottle of coke with a women standing behind it. On the surface, it appears to just be just a fully naked women leading against the bottle, but clearly the woman is not the center point of the ad. What the picture is trying to tell us is that a well figured woman is just as fresh and tasteful as a bottle of coca-cola. Our fantasies of a naked woman are quickly forgotten in favor of a full bottle of coca-cola.

 

Illustration #6-Concept: Desensitizing Dysfunction of Media

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/04/12/bc-prince-george-body.html

 

One of the many dysfunctions of the media is desensitization. This is where the audience has been exposed to so many articles about a topic that they no longer have any emotions or feelings towards the topic. This is often the case when it comes to sensitive issues, like murders and violent crimes. The media excessively exposes audiences to such sensitive topics that over time, it becomes a norm. For example, in this article, it talks about how inPrince George, a body that was body in a residential neighborhood. The article goes on to explain how he could have been the individual suspected of killing four other people in the area. We are talking about lives being taken away in the most violent fashion and about the most serious possible charges a person can face. However, we are so desensitize to the issue that the media makes it out to be just another news article about another somebody. Not only that but the fact that the body was in a residential area where children may be roaming around, does not affect us at all. We completely oversee the issue and continue on with details of the investigation. We become more concerned about statistical aspects that we show no sympathy for the victims of these people-let it be the body that was found or the four women that were allegedly murdered by him.

Illustration #5-Concept: Media Racism

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/04/12/george-zimmerman-makes-his-first-appearance-in-court-for-trayvon-martin-shooting/

 

Media Racism is the unintentional, inadvertent and unconscious exclusion of someone based on factors such as race. When media prints a story that puts a person in a disadvantaged stage in a manner that this is clearly publicized, it becomes source of media racism.  Although by reading the article, there may be no clear signs that clear discrimination but by decoding what is written, one may gain the feeling of racism.  To illustrate this, the article written about George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch guard who is being charged with second-degree murder in a controversial shooting of Trayvon Martin-a young African-American teenager. In this article, there are both parties, Zimmerman and Martin, however it can be said that both of them are being discriminated against or put in a disadvantaged position. In the opening lines of the article, Martin is referred to as the “black teenager”. He is not viewed as an African-American but rather as just a “black” kid. The media continues on by explaining Zimmerman as “who is white and Hispanic”. They refuse to describe him as a man who was born and raised inAmericaand is an American citizen. They totally disassociate him withAmericaand more as an outsider. Zimmerman and his actions are deemed to be done by an “outsider” and not be a law abiding American. Additionally, to create even more distance between Zimmerman and Martin, the article descries the people who were surveyed in the poll as “African Americans” but will not describe Martin as one, only as black. This is done to deceive people into a racist state of mind.Reading“black” is more related to racism then to read “African American”.  Anyone reading who put Zimmerman is a disadvantaged position because the unintentional belief is the killing was because Martin was “black”. These little well placed words and phrases unconsciously affect our perception. They alter our state of mind resulting into a biased opinion. This article is a prime example of how strong the effects of media can be.

Illustration #4-Concept: Issues in Social Justice-Human Trafficking.

http://www.invisiblechildren.com/

 Human trafficking has become a global issue. Defining human trafficking as the purposeful movement of any person(s) to places in which they are sold, or purchased into forced labor or bondage such as prostitution…(Armstrong, Tridico, Pellerito., Issues in social justice., 2009., p54), we see the negative lasting effects it may have and why it would be vital to combat against it.  Using mass media in a beneficiary manner, we can express the issues around human trafficking on a global scale to educate the public. Media is not always bad or has negative outcomes. Often, people will use the magic of mass communication to promote and express their viewpoints that may help the greater good of man kind. For example, in the “Invisible children” campaign, the promoters of this group have used a variety of mass communication tools to spread the word about an issue that potentially effects thousands yet had little coverage on.  The campaign is about using the power of media to inspire young people to help end the longest running armed conflict inAfrica. This campaign has used YouTube to share a video that demonstrates the problem, the action and the solution for their issue.  Without the use of such tools, very few amounts of people would ever know about Joseph Kony-who is claimed to be a ring leader. One major issue associated with human trafficking, in particular for the use of military bondage, is the allotment of foreign government to carry on without international pressure to intervene. With global media attention, this creates a situation where governments of countries that human trafficking occurs in are focused to take action. More then that, once “Invisible Children” has spread its message, foreign governments and individual agencies have prompted investigates themselves. All this shows the importance of media in a global scale.

Illustration #3- Concept: Issues in Social Justice- Feeding the homeless.

http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/349227–thousands-turn-up-for-union-gospel-mission-easter-brunch

 

Looking at how media plays a role in the issues of social justice, in particular the issue surrounding feeding the homeless, we can paint a picture that’s both fulfilling yet deceiving. With the growing pains and struggles of life that many may face, homelessness becomes a norm. Media often expresses the warm stories of how a few individuals help, support and volunteer their time for the homeless and poor. Media takes a global issue, being homelessness, and puts a spin on it that showcases the wonderful characteristics of a few people. The actual issue of homelessness is often ignored in favor of glorification towards an organization. In this article, all we read about is how wonderful is it to help the community, how great it feels to connect with fellow volunteers and how amazing the organization is by providing the food. It does not ever mention the fact that hundreds are facing issues which indirectly affect everyone in society. They “frame” around the negative aspects only to highlight the parts that showcase the “250 volunteers” is a positive manner. That needs to happen is the public need to be more media literate and understand that these articles become a tool used to hide the real message. The message being not that over 3000 people enjoyed a hot lunch but rather that, we have over 3000 people living in our community who are in desperate need for societies help in surviving. No one ever asks the question of why there are 3000 people going without lunch on Easter but rather just overlook the fact. This is not because people are ignorant to the issue but because media has displaced our attention away from it.