Eva DiBara

Professor Frechette

CM 384: Reading Response #3

April 16,2021

Reading Response #3

Visual media consists of many different aspects to it like social media including

YouTube. YouTube can allow others to post their own content to gain subscribers and

fame. Also, the use of television is another kind of visual media, that can get people to

watch. Examples would be movies on tv that are owned by power companies, the news

telling people what is going on outside their home and multiple channels for different

people’s interest. With all of these technology at our fingers tips comes with

responsibility, like knowing what to say that won’t offend people their race or their

feelings. From reading the chapters 5,6,8 and 9, Media and Society, by Richard

Campbell, Joli Jensen, Douglas Gomery, Bettina Fabos and Julie Frechette, give some

major points to social media platforms influencing them to post online and creating

public accounts for fame and fortune. And the television/broadcasters using their

companies to influence the public on what they want them to hear.

In chapter 5, television and broadcaster are the main source to get advertisement

out to the public or political candidates’ campaigns to the public. But during the time of

1996, different broadcast station didn’t have enough time for these advertisements or

political campaigns. The popular news stations like “ABC, CBS, and NBS evening
programs (where most people get their news) devoted only nineteen minutes of total

airtime to the telecommunication deregulation act during this period (Campbell et al.,

2014, p.110). This is because of the government giving them this gift of more airtime

than before in return the broadcasters can’t discuss about the spectrum “gift” to the

public. After this the news broadcaster would constituently grow their airtime later in the

years. With this well-known and popular news broadcaster being watched by many, this

made others (advertisers and political campaigners) want to buy some time to show

videos off to the public. “Into the early days of television, politicians running for major

offices either bought or were offered half-hour blocks of time to discuss their views and

the significant issues of the day. As advertising time became more valuable, however,

local stations and the networks became reluctant to give away time in large chunks”

(Campbell et al., 2014, p.117). People have noticed the success of these networks and

news broadcasters that they wanted to get a piece for themselves. Especially when

these buyers are using a large chunk of their airtime for their own issues. With

politicians worrying about their image its tough worrying about individuals and the giant

media around them. From this “the nation’s telecommunications laws in 1996 requires

all TV manufacturers to equip sets with the V-chip” (Campbell et al., 2014, p.123). This

helped the politicians but also allowed parents of young children to block inappropriate

and sexual TV programs from them. With the TV industry and news broadcasters are

constantly growing, more people are seeing their potential plus they are making new

technology that will help others watch more.

In chapter 6, journalism is needed for broadcasters and news networks to help

write stories that the anchors can read and inform the audience. With this there are
specific standards that they need to follow, like needing the approval to say specific

things and having them go out to the public to see. During the “21 st century many “the

press” were under strong influences of corporate pressures” (Campbell et al., 2014,

p.140). The public don’t know what journalist have to go through when writing stories or

reports. Bill Kovach, was an editor of Atlanta Journal Constitution, resigned from his

position because of a story of Coca-Cola that was one of Atlanta’s longtime corporate

powerhouse. Kovach chose to resign from his job due to not letting him “practice the

kind of journalism that he wanted to” (Campbell et al., 2014, p.141). The story that he

was working on about exposing Coca-Cola was very important to him on letting the

public know than keeping his mouth shut. Bill Kovach now runs “the prestigious Nieman

Fellowship program for journalists at Harvard. Then later becoming the chair of the

committee for Concerned Journalism in Washington” (Campbell et al., 2014, p.141).

From leaving that terrible place and not shutting his mouth, he found better places that

wanted his voice and good journalism. Not being mad at him for finding a story and

being able to give that story to the public to read.

In chapter 8, mass media mostly television needed to be aware of cultural

blurring, taste reconsidered and subcultures as taste cultures. “Debates were sparked

by the widespread adaption of tv” (Campbell et al., 2014, p.200). Televisions and the

world of video is growing with reality shows, situation comedy or other movies.

Entertainment like television could be an art but, it’s not informative and it’s be

pleasurable and emotionally provocative. There are three critics named “Edward Shils,

Dwight Macdonald and Oscar that distinguished levels of culture- sorting out what made

art and folk culture different from mass mediated culture but also what made
“respectable” cultural forms like books, theater and classical music different from

television, movies and popular music” (Campbell et al., 2014, p.204). The levels are

about superior, mediocre and brutal. Each are very different in their own way but, each

are aware of what to say and not to say to offend others.

With the growing of young generation, social media has been their necessity to

live. PBS created a documentary called Frontline Generation Like. Teens being

exposed to social media apps, putting themselves out there and exposing themselves

freely. Using their own photos for post and profile pictures on the internet. Showing

others that they are the best they can be. From these posts all teens rely on the likes,

shares, and comments to continue their happiness on social media. Everyone can see

the amount of likes someone gets, this is very valuable to teenagers. If you don’t get

enough then what are you doing wrong and try to figure it out fast to gain more likes and

followers. These social media apps like YouTube allow anyone to post content on the

internet. Creating blogs for something you like and compete in competitions for being

the top fans of that interest. This can lead to celebrities noticing that interest and

reaching out or commenting on a post or recognizing a blog. This can boost the owner’s

feelings and making them realize of what they are doing people are noticing. A teenager

at the time named Tyler Oakley created his YouTube account to anyone that wanted to

listen. He is a vlogger on YouTuber and uses his platform to tell his audience about his

days. After posting videos on his page, he started to grow getting more and more likes

and subscribers. People like him because they might have something in common with

him or they like his personality either way they are helping his YouTube channel grow.

With Tyler’s interest in One Direction and the Hunger Games books, some brands might
reach out to give products so, the YouTuber can review them and giving back good

feedback. This documentary goes more in depth of social media being teens identities,

giving them more and more chances to be exposed by many brands and benefits from

the internet.

In chapter 9, “socializing influence representations are seen as the products of

powerful industries designed to shape the culture either through harmful means”

(Campbell et al., 2014, p.227). The 4 types of social influences are power, propaganda,

stereotyping and commercialization. All of these are represented in all media.

Stereotypes are about gender: female or male, race and ethnicity and class: rich, middle

class or poor” (Campbell et al., 2014, p.228-230). There is an article titled “Tip of the

day: The unfair and imbalanced culture of sexual harassment at Fox News”. It’s about

Bill O’Reilly was dismissed from Fox News due to several allegations of “calling him a

sexist, racist, xenophobic, homophobic and classist rhetoric” (Julie Frechette, Project

Censored). Over the two decades viewers have been more aware about Bill is against

“women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ community among others” (Julie

Frechette, Project Censored). There was evidence that Bill did all of these horrible

things but because he is a stereotypical white, rich man, he was able to get away from

his crimes. The stereotyping is not fair and shouldn’t be allowed especially during the

court of law. But Bill being a member of Fox News, only lost his job than to go to jail for

his crimes.

Being a celebrity or a famous news caster can always make mistakes and these

mistakes can be recorded by mass media broadcasters. Trump had made some failures

during his presidency that The New York Times found. But not all of the stories on here
are true. The journalist agreed that Trump was the “most evasive, ignorant, puerile

politician ever” (Nicholas Kristof, New York Times). The media would write false truths

to get people’s attention to the reading.

From reading the required chapters of Media and Society by Richard Campbell,

Joli Jensen, Douglas Gomery, Bettina Fabos and Julie Frechette, watching the PBS

documentary, reading several articles captured the ideas of social media platforms

targeting and influence younger generations with putting themselves out there for

everyone to see on the Internet not knowing the consequences and using television and

broadcasters to get your campaigns out to the public. But, also being able to speak

about important stories to the public through your own place that allows someone to do

that.
 References:

“FRONTLINE.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 18 Feb. 2014,

www.pbs.org/video/frontline-generation/.

Kristof, Nicholas. “Lessons From the Media's Failures in Its Year With Trump.” The New
York Times, The New York Times, 31 Dec. 2016,
www.nytimes.com/2016/12/31/opinion/sunday/lessons-from-the-medias-failures-in-
its-year-with-trump.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-
heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-
region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region&_r=1.

Project Censored. “Tip of the Day: The Unfair and Imbalanced Culture of Sexual
Harassment at Fox News - Censored Notebook.” Project Censored, 9 May 2017,
www.projectcensored.org/tip-day-unfair-imbalanced-culture-sexual-harassment-
fox-news/.

References Campbell, R., Jensen, J., Gomery, D., Fabos, B., & Frechette, J. D.
(2014).Media in society. Boston, MA: Bedford/ St Martin's