Entry #9 Thoughts on Media

As you probably know by now, sometimes I am given a topic to blog about and sometimes I get to choose.  This week my professor gave us the topic of writing about media.  This past few weeks in class we have discussed many different types of media and what kind of power they have.  Now I get to talk about media and basically my opinion of it.  

Since we began talking about media in class I have definitely paid a lot more attention to it.  I never realized there were so many different types of media.  I mean even words on someone's shirt is considered media.  I find myself really trying to figure out if there is a secret meaning behind what is on media related things.  Also, I have been actually watching the news with my dad and my opinion on that hasn't really changed.  Before I never used to watch anything on the news because I thought all they do is dramatize everything and make it look way worse than it is most of the time. Sadly, it still hasn't changed one bit. 

Here's an example of how all the news cares about is the views and making everything seem worse than it is.  I work at a high school and about 2 weeks ago there was a girl and her family who were all killed in a house fire.  She went to the school I work at and everyone was very very devastated.  The fire happened around 1 in the morning and the next day at school (so basically the same day) the news channels were there trying to get people to talk to them.  I was leaving work and they were waiting outside the parking lot asking people to talk about the situation.  They didn't even give anyone time to grieve about the loss of one of our own.  

This is a photo from the morning of the accident provided by CBS 5.

Like I said before, this is just a prime example of how the news only cares about one thing.  They need to start taking into consideration people's feelings and really make sure they are giving information that is 100% true. 

I feel like a lot of my friends and family are very much influenced by media.  We watched a video in class about different statistics about media.  It said that 93% of buying decisions are influenced by social media.  I can certainly see how this is the case.  Almost all of the things that are bought in my house my dad research's and makes sure it has good reviews and is well known.  

Since learning more about media it has really influenced how I think about it.  I pay a lot more attention to it than I ever did and I think it will always be that way from now on.  Thank for reading and... of course, happy blogging! :)