Analyzing the Media Economy

Does the government need to play a stronger role in determining who owns what mass media and what kinds of media products should be manufactured?


Yes, the government needs to play a stronger role in determining who owns what mass media and what kinds of media products should be manufactured because it will reduce the amount of control that one company or producer has on a source of media creating less room for creativity in media.

No, the goverment does not need to play a stronger role in determining who owns what mass media and what kinds of media products should be manufactured because it is all a part of a certain freedom and diversity that really defines American media.

Cultural Imperialism

Does the rapid spread of American culture worldwide smother or encourage the growth of democracy and local cultures?

Cultural imperialism does, in fact, smother other cultures because it puts a damper on these cultures. According to Campbell, "American culture in the international arena a kind of cultural imperialism that both hampers and the development of native cultures an d negatively influences teenagers, who abndon their own rituals to adopt the tastes of their American counterparts."

"Defenders of American popular culture can argue that because some of our culture challenges authority, national boundaries, and outmoded traditions, this creates an arena in which citizens can raise questions." You can also argue that it brings about similar worldviews or as Campbell calls it a "global village."

The Lesser of Two Evils

Question: Should the government step back and let market forces dictate what happens to mass media industries?

Yes: Media corporations become successful only when a lot of time and hard work are put into them. Therefor, when a company becomes successful they have truly earned it. So, if the government dictates what happens to the industry, there will become a sort of ‘limit’ put onto the amount of success a corporation can have. Ultimately this is punishing the company by not letting them reach their full potential. Smaller companies still have the opportunity to compete in the market and become successful as well. They just have to work harder to earn it.

No: If the government does not step in and dictate what happens, it is possible for one corporation to completely take over the industry. This would make it virtually impossible for any smaller company to survive, and competition could possibly no longer exist. In the end, without the necessary competition, we start to lose variety, creativity, and choices.

Analyzing Media Economy

Does the government need to play a stronger role in determining who owns what mass media and what kinds of media products should be manufactured?
No. If the government controls the media and what it produces, it is no longer regulated by culture; it would no longer be what the majority desires.
Yes. If the government took control, monopolies or oligopolies would no longer exist, and the system would give each company an equal opportunity to succed which is what America stands for.

Should citizen groups play a larger part in demanding that media organizations help maintain the quality of social and cultural life?

Yes, citizens need to play a larger role in developing the medias contributions to society to make American culture more diverse and less superficial.
No, citizen groups to not need to play a larger role in media development over society because there will be too much controversy over what is right or wrong in todays American culture.

OU JMC 1013: MR GREEN

ANALYZING THE MEDIA ECONOMY

Does the government need to play a stronger role in determining who owns what the mass media and what kinds of media products should be manufactured? No, the government should not play a stronger role in determining who owns mass media....The media is for the people, freedom of speech. Uncovering truths about the government and other scandals that go on that the american people have the right to be informed about. If the government would have had a stronger hand in the mass media nad the product that they manfacture do you think we would have ever know about the water gate scandal. We need good reporters and basically good people who are not being influenced by the government. We need people who feel they have an obligation to the America people thats what the media is for..

Does the government need to play a weaker role in determing who owns what the mass media and what kinds of media products shoud be manufactured? Yes the government should play a weaker role...instead of trying to contol the products that the media puts out, they should use the media as a tool for information on the things they should be trying to do as a government...Instead of trying to control what image we see as the mass media consumer...They should be trying to change there image and when they change there image there would be no need to try to control.

Should citizen groups play a larger part in demanding that media organizations help maintain the quality of social and cultural life?

Yes: It is through the media that our social and cultural lives are formed and in order to maintain a respectable quality citizen groups must express their opinions towards the media or or social and cultural lives will be destroyed by filth and rubbish displayed simply for higher ratings.

No: Our media organizations are built for the entertainment of its citizens not for their cultural beliefs and values, leaving the citizens to look for their interests in the multiple organizations of the media.

Analyzing the Media Economy

Does the rapid spread of American culture worldwide smother or encourage the growth of democracy and local cultures?

1. I believe the American culture worldwide smothers the growth of democracy and local cultures. It tries to force its beliefs and values on other cultures, so the American culture is seen as a threat by these cultures because it tries to govern the world. The American culture is viewed as dominant by these countries and cultures and this makes them turn and run the other way, rejecting America’s beliefs and values.

2. On the other hand, the American culture can also be seen as an encouragement of the growth of democracy and local cultures. Other countries need the guidance and resources of such a powerful culture. They have accepted the American culture and have taken advantage of its ways of life. Their economies have expanded with America’s help.

Survival of the fittest or Equal Opportunity?

Question: Should the government step back and let competition and market forces dictate what happens to mass media industries?

Yes: People are in their field because of a choice, it should be up to them to work their way to the top, and it is their fault if they get dominated by another company.

No: The governent should step in and make sure everyone has the same opportunities, including those companies at a disadvantage, kind of like an NFL or NBA salary cap in sports.

Monopoly isn't just a board game anymore

Question: Does the government need to play a stronger role in determining who owns what mass media and what kinds of media products should be manufactured?

Yes: The government should regulate who owns mass media (radio stations, newspapers, conglomerates, etc.) so that they ensure a monopoly isn't created in the industry and a variety of mass media can flourish equally on the market. By restricting and monitoring who owns big business, the government can control what products the media maufactures so that they don't create monopoly as well (apple ipods take note!).

No: It's a free country, and the mass media industries have a right to be owned by whoever has the power to successfully run them. Who is the government to say that specific people can own them or not, and for what reasons? A monopoly is a reflection of a prosperous and smart mass media (as Bill Gates can attest to), and if the government controls what is being manufactured, it takes away initiative of the businessmen who work in the mass media.

American Idol or American Scoundrel?

Does the rapid spread of American culture worldwide smother or encourage the growth of democracy and local cultures?

Yes - Through the diverse localization of American culture in numerous nations, many cultures see such widespread influences as a way of competition with America, increasing and encouraging the growth of democracy and local cultures.

No - Due to factors such as widespread labor factories' in other countries supplying Americans with "necessities" and foreign workers' being highly underpaid and overworked in those countries, American culture worldwide smothers the growth of democracy and local cultures because workers and/or members of the country see Americans as arrogant pigs who position the corporate jobs in America and globalize the cheap labor force behind the corporations.

consenting to control

Does the increasing concentration of economic power in the hands of several international corporations too severely restrict the number of players and voices in media markets?

Yes: The oligopolistic corporations that dominate the media industry limit healthy competition through their impact on prices and their subsequent control of the consumer.

No: The limited number of media corporations in power does not limit the voices represented in the media; public opinion is equally represented through a focus on diversity of opinions.

Analyzing the Media Economy

Does the increasing concentration of economic power in the hands of several restrict the number of players and voices in media markets?

Yes - The more control given to a few media companies, the less room for creativity and outside-the-box thinking, leading to formulaic, unvaried output from all involved.

No - Although seemingly bad for diversity, increased concentration can spur interesting combinations of styles, strategies and ideologies, resulting in an increase in voices in media.

.Analyzing the Media Economy.

In response to the question " does the media the rapid spread of American culture worldwide smother of encourage the growth of democracy?" one could answer it does both. American culture could smother growth throughout the world with what many people call "cultural imperialism." According to Campbell (page 473) "U.S. dominance in producing and distributing mass media puts a severe burden on countries attempting to produce their own cultural products." Think of it in terms like this: whenever you go out to Hastings, the amount of foreign films, CDs, or books is pretty limited. Whenver you go to another country (I've traveled to Korea, so let's say Korea...) you see nearly all the American movies as you would at Blockbuster. One may also argue that this spread of American culture can help and encourage the growth of democracy because our culture is constantly challenging authority, outdated traditions, and oushes boundaries, which can lead to other cultures and countries questioning their own culture. It also creates a "global village and fosters communications across national coundaries" (p 474).

OU JMC 1013: MR GREEN

Does the increasing concentration of economic power in the hands of several restrict the number of players and voices in media markets?
Yes-- with the massive conglomerations that characterize our media today, the power of what is seen and passed on to the consumer lies in the hands of a very disproportionate group that has gained way too much control and can easily limit individual voices and competition.
No—the conglomerations bring together knowledgeable and diverse companies that can ensure multiple voices and a varied media economy.

Analyzing the Media Economy

The government seems to play a role in everything in society. The control it has over the media is a different situation. The government should not have a "stronger role" in determining who owns what mass media and what kinds of media products should be manufactured. The Telecommunications Act regulated the mass media interference enough. It is now up to the Media to control its output. On the other hand the government should not completely stand back and put it in the media hands. Who knows what would own what when the situation would be said and done, which is why the Telecommunications Act came around. Although it took long enough to develop I think as far as how media is regulated things are pretty much under control. Children have access to media that is not regulated mainly because their parents aren't around to control this from happening. Also if people are upset with what is on in the media and what culture is portrayed as then "people" should be able to do something about it. In cases like parental advisory "people" do have a voice but they don't know where to start, so is this where the government steps in? Or would that be considering crossing its' boundaries? The spread of culture through media does influence other cultures. This is a positive reflection on our culture, there are McDonald's everywhere, but each McDonald's is different cultural. This is where media has a great influence globally. Even though media seems to threaten religions in some areas, it still can promote positive aspects on culture too, even if it's food.

Less is More

I think that the absence of key plot movers in "Cat People" reflects a very strong choice. It shows that the director and writers weren't afraid to take a chance and didn't underestimate their audience. Without something to visually recognize it could be difficult to follow the plot of the movie, but in this case absence added to the film's mystique. Others have done this before and since: the hunter in Bambi not being shown (just his gunshot), the mystery briefcase in Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, etc. And while absence might be construed as an excuse not to come up with an answer to the mystery, I think that it takes more thought, and certainly more skill, to create a level of uncertainty. Thus, the film succeeds in making a stronger choice by including (or not including) absence.

the wire

I was reading an article on SIN about the Wire at OU and the DJ made a good point: the Wire is important because it's OU student's media and we get to be a part of it. I think that university related media, such as The Wire, are very important ways that we as media "studiers" can play a role in the actual process while analyzing it in class. Resources such as this are perfect for putting our critical analysis skills to he test while having fun using media in an environment we understand and is still relatively small. It's provides a way for us to get experience in a medium without being submersed in it. We should use resources such as The Wire to become a part of media, rather than just talking about it.

Nealon's 'Author/ity': A more Paglian View

Nealon's chapter on 'Author/ity' is more similar to the view of Paglia, than that of Postman's, because it takes a more logical approach to creating theories. Nealon states that just because a writing does not have an author, it can still be very useful. Also, like Paglia, Nealon states that we can learn from many different sources, not just written classics that have established 'canonicity'. Postman states that you can only learn from definite subjects, like literature, math, etc. Similarly, I think Postman would agree more that one who authors becomes an 'author', their works should not be 'canonized', which is something that Nealon denies in his chapter. Nealon's more logical approach to these ideas reinforces Paglia's idea that people should be taught logically. For these reasons, Nealon seems to share a more Paglian view.

Nealous and Postman

Nealon’s views in his Author/ity chapter are similar to those views of Postman because both Nealon and Postman believe that reading allows individuals to interpret and process their own information, as well as make their own decisions. Both Nealon and Postman believe written mediums are superior because they force the reader to interpret information set before them by means of knowledge they have already acquired. It is evident that both Nealon and Paglia feel this way because both feel that written works have over time affected our culture much more greatly than television media.

Nealon - postman or paglia?

While beginning to read Nealon's chapter on author/ity, it seems as if his views are very similar to those of Postman's. But after further analysis, it becomes more clear that they are actually more along the same lines as Paglia's. Nealon, like Paglia, believes that words and pictures are more valuable in today's world than literature. In the chapter he talks about how Catholics learn from listening to the priest instead of reading the bible. He also mentions how TV is more of a reality than books are. These are key examples that prove both Paglia and Nealon's views on the importance of images and orality over authority. Postman's point of view doesn't completely disagree with Nealon's but there's not as strong of a parallel as Paglia's since Postman believes that books are more important than the media even though the majority of what we take in each day is from what we see on TV or hear from someone else who saw it on TV.

OU JMC 1013: MR GREEN

Nealon's ideas on author/ity I believe closely align with Paglia's view of the world and society because of how he suggests that an author of any kind can produce significant work that shapes our culture. For example, Nealon says that while literature authors are traditionally recognized, works by film and visual artists are just as profound and meaningful. Paglia asserts this point as well, including examples of dancers and sculptors, while Postman strongly argues that it comes from books and their authors alone. Nealon recognizes the author as an important figure, but also points out that works that are seemingly authorless, like Beowulf or possibly the Iliad, are still quite poignant. Postman views writing as the perfect medium and subsequently disagrees with the idea that any version of authorship can be significant.

Nealon and Paglia

At certain points while reading Nealon’s section on Author/ity it seemed as if he was conflicted over whether or not he associated himself the most closely with Postman or Paglia. However, after looking at the entire piece and assessing everything he said, it seems that he relates the most with Paglia’s views. This is because Nealon and Paglia both support the idea that a meaningful work of art does not have to come solely from literature alone. The range of what is considered art is not just limited to written work any longer, and great works of art can come from literature as well as films and visual works. For example, Nealon writes that the oral traditions of Native American’s can still be considered a work of art, even though it does not have an author. Also, Paglia believes that in the Catholic Church when the Priest verbally teaches the bible to his congregation, that it is also considered a work of art. Postman on the other hand would most likely not agree with this and say that the greatest works are from literature alone.

Postman, Paglia parrallels

Nealon initially supports a Postman view of culture, but acknowledges the presence of Paglian undertones as well. Nealon bolsters the concept that our culture finds its foundation on literature, but has been shaped by visual communication as well throughout the centuries. Nealon comments on a culture that is closely tied to a tedious balance of both literary and visual forms of communication. Nealon’s discussion of "Beowulf" reveals our cultural beginnings from a Paganistic world containing Dyonisian themes to the world we now know. His discussion of the loss of a known author in literature correlates to Paglia’s assumptions about an orally and visually motivated culture.

Nealon and Paglia

From the surface, it seems that Nealon correlates more directly with Postman, but after taking everything that was being said into deep consideration, I see that Nealon and Paglia's veiws go hand in hand. Nealon states that "... we are accustomed to presenting the author as a genious, as a perpetual surging of invention, it is because, in reality, we make him function in exactly the opposite fashion." Paglia states that "Television is actually closer to reality than anything in books." Paglia is obviously inferring that books are no where near to reality, because we all know T.V. is not parallel with our everyday life. Nealon is also stating the same view by inferring that the world choses who the number one sellers are, and society actually choses what they write about it. After all, we chose what sells.

The Optimism of Nealon and Paglia

Throughout his chapter on Authority, Nealon's reflection on authorship by his optimistic acceptance and belief in the importance of oral literature written into text and authorless texts' importance in literacy parallels with Paglia's acceptance and belief of importance toward a media form such as television. For instance, Nealon explains that the authorless Native American folktales are a necessity to literature and goes on by insisting, "even if you argue that Native American oral traditions don't count as American literature because they have no authors, you would still leave open the question of who the first American author is." Similar to Nealon, Paglia contradicts Postman by optimistically explaining his belief that television is basically a visual form of literature in which the viewer scans information and learns. These two opinions are very similar despite their differentiating subjects. Nealon emphasizes that literary works such as Beowolf and other authorless works such as Native American texts, some of which were written down from oral communication, can contribute to literature just as well as literature written by an author such as Hamlet which similarly reflects Paglia's reasoning behind how television can be used to learn information books do not visually illustrate. Authorless texts present information not found in texts with authors and likewise, television's being a "visual" for of literacy provides information not found in books. On the otherhand, Postman is blatantly not so optimistic as Nealon nor Paglia regarding other sources of "literature," and dismisses Paglia's optimistic insisting of the importance of television to today's literacy.

Respect My author/ity

Originally I was going to do this piece on Postman, but as I re-read the chapter of autor/ity, it made me realize that Pagila's views offer a greater undersatnding of author/ity than that of Postman. In the chapter its claims that, " even if you argue that Native Americans oral traditions don't count as American literature because they have no authors, you would still leave open the question of who the first American author is." Anybody can be an author, it is simply putting a story onto paper. So why wouldn't the Native Americans be authors, they told stories of their families heritage to generations after their own. Writing down words of a piece of paper does not designate one to be an author. Being an author can go anywhere from writing a epic like Beowulf, or retelling a story to your family and friends. Paglia makes a good points saying "Catholics are never told to read the Bible. Instead, they have to listen to the priest..." This makes me think of times before literacy was so prominent, and people had to depend on others for information. Not having or having an author cannot make a piece of literature any less significant. Some of the most significant pieces of literature, have no author, but this does not deface their meaning.

Nealon & Postman

Nealon's "Author/ity" chapter better reflects Postman's view on media, because of the intense focus on meaning. Throughout the chapter, Nealon discusses how authors of written word can give an audience a message and how that message can be contrued by the community. This message may or may not be what the author intended, but it is a message nonetheless. Clearly, this correlates with Postman's model, particularly in regards to an active audience. His view, the Apollian view, emphasizes thinking and interpretation; this is most definitely opposed to Paglia's model of the TV spewing forth the message in a non-stop, forceful way.

P.P.N.

Postman/Paglia and Nealon’s Author/ity
At first glance, we think Nealon agrees with Paglia, then switches his view to having a written tradition. But if we read even further, he talks about the oral traditions and seems to agree with Paglia, still. Nealon even says "if you argue that Native America oral traditions don’t count as American literature because they have no authors, you would still leave open the question of who the first American author is." He brings up the epic poem, Beowulf, which has no author, but is widely regarded in school everywhere. As Paglia argues, "In the beginning there was Nature" which is pictured as chaotic and supports her paganistic views. Beowulf, which is filled with imagery and many allegories to the Nature and the Bible, show Nealon’s argument leans toward Paglia’s claims. Nealon even says "we do not know substantially more about Chaucer of Shakespeare that we do about whatever author or authors Beowulf had. Nealon also states that the reader may or may not interpret their works the way they originally intended, which almost always happens in literature. Nealon basically says that our author/ity comes from an oral tradition which is the same as Paglia’s argument about our society as well.

Nealon and Postman

Nealon's chapter on authorship echoed ideas that were discussed in the Postman/Paglia passage. Nealon was closely connected with Postman's view of a literature-based culture, albeit later admitting that we have strong ties to a visual culture as well as a literary culture. Nealon believes that knowledge is reached through schools, and books are the basis of where we recieve our knowledge (in the school). And yet, he consented to the taking over of technology, as visual aids (i.e. powerpoints, instructional videos, etc.)are more predominent in teaching today. He also reiterates Postman on the unpredictability of a reader's responses. The material presented to them and how the audience reacts to it is uncontrollable, the author has no way to decide how his work is recieved and evaluated. Lastly, Nealon, agreeing with Paglia (this time), and believes that literacy will bring us back to our pagan roots. Nealon uses the book Beowulf (which is from oral tradition, and one of the first examples of early literature) to show that we had pagan-minded traditions that evolved to a Dionysian form of culture not unlike ours today.