Stop Me Before I Click Again

According to a recent Taiwanese study, teenagers who are addicted to the Internet are also more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior. This medianote came from a Reuters Health article.

My Gamer Can Beat Up Your Gamer...

On Tuesday and Wednesday classes were presented a medianote about a recent federal court decision that struck down a California law that would restrict video game sales to minors. This brought up questions about whether violent video games cultivate aggressiveness in minors and adults and, if so, what should be done about it.

Why Not Bail Out Newspapers?

The first medianote of the Spring 2009 semester is a National Public Radio story about the French government possibly bailing out that nation's leading newspapers. It turns out that changing media habits and a weak economy is hurting newspapers in other countries too.

Questions discussed by Mass Comm 101 students were...

•Do newspapers have any real vvvalue to France, the U.S., or any other democracy? If so, what?
•What could newspapers do to attract yoounger readers?
•Does a newspaper bailout make any sense for the U.S. or France?

Go Punch a Koala

Today we discussed Super Bowl ads. As the telecast has evolved, the ads (particularly during halftime) have become almost as eagerly anticipated as the game itself. We discussed the best and worst in Super Bowl ads, and why it's such a big deal.

Questions that the class discussed were...

•What were your favorite Super Bowl ads?
•Why are Super Bowl ads so highly valued?
•What products are appropriate for Super Bowl advertising?
•What products would be inappropriate for Super Bowl advertising?