new media and society blog 3

            What a lot of people do not know about me is that I'm not really here. My body may physically be in the United States of America, but where I really want to be is back in Uganda Africa, where my heart is. In 2008, when I was eleven years old I embarked on a mission's trip for three whole weeks. It was during the dry season of the year, so it was incredibly hot. I worked at an organization that took in children that needed health care and a place to go while their parents were trying to somehow make a living at a school the foundation had set up to teach them a type of trade that would allow them to make some kind of living, no matter how small it was.
            While some parts of the trip put me in a place completely out of my comfort zone, it was an experience I will never cease to miss. I miss the little lizards instead of the typical daddy-long-legged spiders we find on our ceiling in America, and I miss the simplicity of a life where everyone works together to take care of each other. In America we live in a lifestyle where we want everything immediately, at the snap of our fingers. In Uganda, everyone is grateful just for what they have. Everyone smiles, no matter what their circumstances and no matter who you ask, "How are you?" the response will always be, "I'm fine." even if they are not. It was the most selfless place I've ever experienced.
             Even though the people I was there to help had absolutely nothing, they gave me something. They gave me a feeling of happiness and joy that no matter what the circumstance or place in life you're in, you can never let the situation take you over, and choose to be happy anyways. Dancing with these people, laughing, running in the street like a crazy person, or "Mazungu" which means crazy white person, gave me the most happiness I'd ever felt. I was happy to help them, and help them with their hygiene, and just loving them because they were so genuine. I heard crazy stories of survival, and stories from witch doctors that changed their life around to reach a brighter area of life.
     I miss the weather, the content lifestyle that these people share even though they have nothing, verses in America where everyone simply strives to attain more of the most expensive brands of clothes, cars, the largest houses, etc. Africa taught me a lot and there is not a day that goes by that I don't wish that I could drop everything and move there. The happiness I felt of being around a happy group of people, brought me more than I could ever describe. I want to go back someday, maybe permanently, it's a dream of mine, but regardless of what happens, Uganda will always have a huge piece of my heart.

Blog 3

                  
      People form stereotypes based on various reasons, some of them being events containing specific circumstances or coincidences, outright prejudice, and sometimes without any reason whatsoever. Many of these stereotypes become adopted by society and in turn are integrated in media and portrayed as common knowledge and that thinking and acting based on these stereotypes is normal. However, stereotypes are not factual and the people that are targeted by them are affected more than you would think. This image, pictures a man being seen of as having relations or being apart of Al Qaeda, a terrorist Saddam Husane, terrorism, 9/11, as well as being a suspect just because he is Muslim. This picture is a perfect reflection of a typical stereotype that has been adopted as well as adopted by the media against Muslims, simply because certain terrorists that had involvement in 9/11 were Muslim. Due to the fact that Al Qaeda was formed with a group of Muslims, doesn't mean that all Muslims around the world are in fact affiliated with Al Qaeda or terrorist acts.
  Directly after the events of 9/11, the United States Government placed restrictions on flying and increased security in airports. Even though searches weren't executed on every single passenger, those of Muslim appearance or any sign of the Middle Eastern culture were immediately searched. Going beyond the routine search of being patted down, several of the Middle Eastern passengers were interrogated by federal government security officers based on appearance. In an article by forbes.com, author Scheneier describes a story "an elderly couple being given the twice-over by the TSA, pointed out how these two were obviously not a threat, and recommended that the TSA focus on the actual threat: “Muslims, or anyone who looks like he or she could conceivably be Muslim.”
  Not only did this stereotype affect the passengers being questioned, but it raised more concern and fear among the passengers having to ride with these people, once they were cleared to fly. I experienced this stereotype first hand when I flew to Africa in 2008, even seven years after 9/11 occurred. As a family of Middle Eastern people with two small children were approaching the boarding terminal, they were patted down and detained about five minutes later than my family an d I. When we saw them on the plane, finally they looked upset and one of the children with the family was crying. Just because they were of Middle Eastern culture meant that they had to be treated differently than everyone else at the airport that wasn't of their race? This broke my heart. If we are truly a country of freedom and equality, than even under certain events and conditions everyone, should be treated differently, stereotyped or not.
      If feelings of prejudice are being carried out and passed off as accepted by society in places such as airports, these feelings will not only continue, but possibly increase. If searches are to be being performed at airports, the passengers selected should either be random, or if they are chosen, they should be given a reason. In this way, prejudice at airports can hopefully be lessened and Muslim passengers can feel equal respect as any other passengers traveling.

Photo Blog 2- Africa and my heart

          This painting has sentimental value close to my heart based on my experience of traveling to Africa when I was eleven years old on a mission trip. In direct correlation to the Cognitive Theory, which describes mental activities such as memories or expectations becoming an impact of perception of a piece, this piece triggers a batch of memories.  Because of the culture I not only saw, but was experiencing face to face, this painting, through memory brings me back to Uganda, Africa every time I see it. This painting is a complete reflection of what the African culture is, mothers holding their babies in a wrap, covered and close at all times no matter where they are and what they’re doing, no matter how long the journey is. For me, this painting isn’t just a reflection of what African culture might be, but what it IS. Being able to witness this lifestyle and see it first hand for three weeks, gives me such an appreciation and value for everything it represents and the accurate interpretation of a distant nation that most people know nothing about. As far as other factors affecting my perception of this painting as part of the Cognitive Theory, sometimes a flawed expectation of the subject of an image painted can bring the viewer to an understanding of a false idea of the painting. However, with this painting of an African mother and her child, the exact image I had in my head of what African people and its culture would look like once I got there, completely matched up with this painting. Various pieces of literature, as well as stories and blogs about Africa express the deep hurt and needs the people of this continent are going through, almost perceiving them as a sad culture. However, this painting expresses the love and diligence those who are a part of this life survive and take care of each other. An African mother holding her baby in a wrap and running all over the village doing a million things to provide her family looks exactly as this image is conveying that it does. I love this painting, and at one point I had a framed piece of it hanging in my old room, calling me back to Africa every glance I had of it. 

Visual Communications- Photo Blog Post 1

Found on one the main street of Jamestown, New York, this image is one I have never been able to forget. This image has always brought a smile across my face, as well as deep in thought, picturing two people that I have loved through a television show as funny as that is. To me, this is not just a painting of a postage stamp on a building, but more of an icon of how one woman, and her partner in crime, her husband, captured the hearts of a whole nation, starting right here in Jamestown. Lucille Ball was born in Jamestown, and out of all the paintings and memorabilia dedicated to her in Jamestown, this picture is my favorite, and it will never leave my mind. As I visited Jamestown one summer, visiting the house that Lucy grew up in, and the museum dedicated to her and Desi's memory, this painting completed my experience. In our Visual Communication textbook, squares are described as "an unsophisicated or dull" shapes however, because of the people being captured within these four lines, this image is completely the opposite! I love this image because it describes in a simplistic way, the love Desi and Lucille Ball had for each other, and they are one of the reasons Jamestown is a special place, dedicated to preserving the memory of an incredible woman. As the painting is formatted as a stamp, it is conveying how Lucy put Johnstown "on the map" in a sense. As far as placement goes, Lucy, the more iconic of the two in the picture is picture in the center, fitting the social perspective, she the more important person. While the picture is not only about Lucy, Desi is picture beside her not only showing he was her support, but the love and fun they had together is what made this "team" so famous. Within these four lines I come away with a sense of jealously longing for the love Desi and Lucy had. Even though this is not the most vibrant colored picture out there, it doesn't need any more than it already has to develop character or attraction. As the piece is not specifically black and white, it does capture the coloring the couple had, in subtle tones; Desi being handsome and Cuban, and Lucy being red haired, and fair skinned you can tell from the color scheme pastel colors wouldn't reveal anything drastic. The colors chosen bring a depth not as bold as other pieces, but still brings a sense of attraction and thought to the piece. I think as other people visit Jamestown, coming for the purpose I did, they feel the same way when taking in this picture, and would share a similar love and appreciation for the couple pictured. I admire the way Desi is pictured slightly brushing his face against Lucy's, giving it a very classic look, representing the time period of class and sophistication, but still drawing a sense of love and adoration. This image is near and dear to my heart, and the second I heard about this assignment, I immediately knew this is the image I wanted to share.

How has the Internet Improved Society?

 The internet, or "the world wide web" as it is nicknamed, has revolutionized the world in areas of communication, journalism, research, music, business and many others. The internet has changed the way companies operate, the way we learn new things, the way we spread awareness, and without it, we would be missing the ease that it provides. Because the internet is a "world wide free broad cast medium for all" newspapers, broadcast stations, and bloggers can publicize their opinion or new found information within a matter of seconds to anyone with internet around the world (Doyle.) According to internetworldstats.com, 3,366,261,156 access the internet every day. With many people owning smart phones, their source for news is the internet. Along with this fact, those in journalism have pressure to publish online stories within an hour of an event occurring so its readers can access it. The internet has also provided a whole new avenue of opportunity for business. The web was found in the late 1990's as "a site of commerce that has of course continued to grow" (Read, 36). Through websites such as Ebay, Amazon, as well as various retail stores that have online purchasing available, the internet

has changed the way business is done, as the number of online customers only continues to grow. Through sales such as Cyber Monday, occurring around Christmas time, businesses have created opportunity for an incredible profit from those who would rather not brave the crowds at the mall, or those looking for specific sales. According to CNBC, over 131 million people shop on Cyber Monday, creating an incredible amount of internet traffic and sales, blowing profits through the roof. Because of the internet, culture has completely changed in terms of social media, the way people communicate and the introduction of slang, etc. There has been a shifted focus in phone calls, personal contact, and"traditional communication" between friends, family, as well as coworkers have completely transformed due to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Snapchat,etc.

As digitalinformationworld.com conducted studies concerning social media, it was found over 1.44 billion people actively use Facebook every month. Because of this fact, advertisers have countless opportunities to present their products, companies, etc. Once the realization was made that the Internet could be used for "more than business communication, but for business period," its worth was raised in the eyes of businesses (Read 36.) " Because of the internet's ability to project ideas, news, advertising, provide platforms of communication, it has completely reconstructed the way the every day person accesses news, learns of products and companies, as well as how they are able to stay in touch with those around them both in professional and casual circumstances. Without the internet, society would be missing out on major steps of advancement in marketing, business, and adopting ideas from those in other parts of the world in other countries and cultures. 

Works Cited

Ahman, IIrfan. "Fascinating #SocialMedia Stats 2015: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+." Fascinating #SocialMedia Stats 2015: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+. Digital Information World 2015, 1 Feb. 2015. Web. 03 Feb. 2016.

Ellyatt, Holly. "It's 'Cyber Monday': Here's What to Expect." CNBC. CNBC, 02 Dec. 2013. Web. 03 Feb. 2016.

Reed, T. V. Digitized Lives: Culture, Power and Social Change in the Internet Era. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

"World Internet Users Statistics and 2015 World Population Stats." World Internet Users Statistics and 2015 World Population Stats. Miniwatts Marketing Group, n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2016.

New Media and Society- Post #1
         Through this class, I hope to learn more about the channels of communication used in the media today and how to develop my knowledge and skills of them so I can make them useful to me in the future. Being a communications major, I know that it is imperative to have an in depth understanding of the different tools of media today and I hope that through this class, I will understand how to design and use these mediums to my best advantage.

 

Blog 3
Intro to Media Writing

                As CNN’s Jethro Mullen writes a follow up story on the crash of the Russian Metro jet Flight 9268 that occurred on October 31, 2015, killing two hundred twenty-four passengers, he does not report as if he knows all the answers. Even though this is a follow up story to an event that has already been reported, the journalist acknowledges that CNN does not yet hold all the hard facts and causes of the crash, and the need to report predicted causes of the crash are to be reported as such.  As Mullen writes, “There are a wide range of theories on what made the passenger jet plunge to the ground, killing all 224 people on board, but Russian officials say it's too soon to speculate on the cause.” He is following the SPJ Code of Ethics to inform readers that portions of this story are merely speculation and gathering possible causes of the crash, instead of reporting definitive causes. In one portion of the story where Mullen accredits the website Flightradar24, he cites the source and also describes the reliability of the site by describing to readers what they do. He states that the cite “tracks aircraft around the world”, which according to the SPJ Code of Ethics is important and is showing that Mullen is identifying sources clearly, while providing a sense of reliably. Because this story covering the crash of Metro jet Flight 9268 isn’t over yet, and there are no absolute facts known concerning the cause of the crash, CNN is continuing to follow up the story. This is displaying a follow up in the life of a story, paying special attention to ensure readers that CNN is committing to find the facts to a story until there is nothing left to report.  In the broadcast of this story, the anchor is conscious of citing anonymous sources, and even though it is a broadcast, citing every source that is a part of this story. In one portion of the story she says, “Citing an anonymous source, the cockpit voice recorder reveals a nonstandard emergency coming through.” Instead of just spitting off information, going for speed and to just name theory after theory and fact after fact, the anchor is showing how important it is that viewers know where CNN obtained the information of the story. Some broadcasts do not take the time or effort to cite every piece of information in a story and accredit each source where they gathered the information. This is very important in elements of Journalism because it is not only showing a commitment to reporting relevant information, but also giving the viewer “access to source material” as it says in the SPJ code of ethics. What impresses me about the broadcast to this story, even more so than the written piece to it, is that while CNN has access to the many causes of this crash, they do not just report one or two of them as fact, but rather go over everything they have found may be responsible for the crash. They do not just rush through the broadcast in order to get it finished, as well as show less of a sense of importance than any other story where they know all the facts. Even though this story is far from finished, it still receives the attention and a sense of urgency to report and follow up with it as any other story. While not all the facts are known, the anchor makes sure she states “what may have happened” or “what could have happened” to ensure accuracy and do not report simple theories, as facts in a story. This story, both in broadcast and piece formed revealed to me how careful CNN is about their work, and to following the SPJ Code of Ethics, that they do not excuse accuracy for speed of a broadcast (or written piece), that they always attribute the sources, and they are committed to correcting and updating a story during its entire life until there isn’t new information to report. And as a side note, I realized how CNN is a precedent in the area of media, and follows to a tee the SPJ code of ethics, and reports stories as they should, revealing commitment to every story to find the facts, and report them in an accurate way.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/03/africa/russian-plane-crash-egypt-sinai/ broadcast

Story- http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/03/africa/russian-plane-crash-egypt-sinai/ Jethro Mullen CNN November 3, 2015 CNN, Turner Broadcasting INC all rights reserved