Students on Snowden

For the last MediaNote of the semester, Your Humble Blogger will downgrade his role to moderator and MC101 students will present the material. Given the continuing controversy surrounding Edward Snowden, we will discuss questions from the research paper in class.

•Why is Edward Snowden controversial? What did he do? How do his action’s compare with those of Julian Assange?

•According to your sources, why are Snowden’s actions a danger to the security of individuals, corporations, and nations?

•According to your sources, why is Snowden a force for openness, fairness and a better world?

•You be the commentator: In light of Snowden’s actions, is secrecy in government or in corporations becoming a thing of the past?

Arrested for Flashing (while fully clothed)

Cops are lying in wait for speeders. You want to warn oncoming motorists, so you flash your headlights on and off.

Does that make you a good samaritan or a low-level criminal?

That question is at the core of a Missouri case that also asks if flashing headlights to communicate is speech protected by the First Amendment. See this Yahoo! News story for details.

Questions...

•Why might the flashing of headlights be considered symbolic speech? What are other examples of symbolic speech?

•How is this case an example of balancing First Amendment rights against other considerations?

•Where would you draw the line between free speech and not jeopardizing police work?

Fangs and Fishnets

The emotional and intellectual lives of girls--how they view themselves, what they see as desirable, and what they want to do when they grow up--has changed in recent decades. And while there are still little girls who want to be princesses or Barbie, others are increasingly choosing playthings that reflect a different idea of femininity. The toymaker Mattel is finding that sales of its iconic Barbie line is falling, while its Goth-inspired "Monster High" dolls are becoming a surprise hit.

Could this have something to do with media? NPR reports.

Questions...

•Does media react to popular culture, or does media create it?

•What is going on in popular culture that likely fuels the success of Monster High?

•How do the Monster High videos help toymaker Mattel, even though the videos are likely free to watch?

•Are Barbie or the Monster High dolls potentially damaging to girls' self-image? If so, how?

Does the Internet Defuse Violence, or Encourage It?

Across America, the recent acquittal of George Zimmerman in the killing of Trayvon Martin has sparked intense, sometimes angry commentary. But there has been relatively little violence. Some experts believe that social media has helped to vent some of the anger that may have otherwise been directed to the streets. NPR discusses this issue on its Tech Blog.

By the way, here is a slide show of how various newspapers reacted to Zimmerman's acquittal.

Questions...

•Where in the traditional media have you heard commentary about the Zimmerman trial?

•Where in the online or wireless media have you heard commentary about the Zimmerman trial?

•Who are the commentators online, generally? How is this an example of disintermediation?

•What do you think about the idea that the Internet can be a giant vent for anger?

•Overall, do you think the Internet makes the world more peaceful, or more dangerous? Why?

Going on the Getty Field Trip? READ THIS!

The reservation number on your Getty Center flyer is incorrect. Use the reservation number mentioned below. Also, follow the procedure below to get a free parking validation. Below is the email Your Humble Blogger received from the Getty Center...

We have scheduled a 2:00 PM arrival time for 25 people on Wednesday, July 17th, 2013 at the Getty Center. The car parking confirmation number is 460836.

Students who car pool may obtain validation of the parking ticket by taking it to the Information Desk in the Museum Entrance Hall or the Parking Office at the Lower Tram Station. The driver and passenger(s) should go to the validating location together to verify that they car pooled.

Thank you and enjoy your visit.

Big Business (and Government) Is Watching You

Numerous MediaNotes have discussed the erosion of personal privacy that has occurred because of the Internet. We know that we are being watched, to some degree, when we surf the web or send an email. But how about when we walk down the street or into a store?

Increasingly, it is Big Business that is tracking us more than Big Government. The Los Angeles Times reports.

Questions...

•Should people be informed when they are tracked, or is that not necessary?

•When is data collected about us an invasion of privacy?

•How can information collected about us help us?

•Is privacy important enough for you to disconnect from the internet? What do you do to maintain some sphere of personal privacy?

Facebook Friend or Fiend?

Nineteen-year-old Texas Gamer Justin Carter wrote something stupid, ill-advised and over-the-top on Facebook. Unfortunately, Carter's comment was also threatening and occurred in the wake of several highly-publicized mass shootings. The result is that Carter is in a Texas jail awaiting trial and, according to his father, is regularly getting beaten up by other prisoners. NPR reports.

Questions...

•What are some of the disturbing things people say online?

•Why do people say things online that they would not say in person?

•Which better reflects a person's real intentions--online comments or face-to-face comments?

•What other types of online comments should police investigate?

•Do you feel police did the right thing in arresting Justin Carter?

Long Tail Studios?

CollegeHumor has 4.7 million subscribers, has won 11 Webby awards and is a leader in online comedy. It has amassed a largely teenage and young adult audience. This is an age demographic that is beginning to desert the multiplexes, but is frequently online.

This week, CollegeHumor will launch an assault on the traditional Hollywood Theater and multiplex system with the release of the movie Coffee Town. It will not be released to theaters or on DVD. It will be available only online. And it will bypass the massively expensive billboards, TV ads and other traditional promotion that is a hallmark of mainstream movies. Instead, it will be promoted through social networks and the CollegeHumor site.

It won't gross a tenth as much as The Lone Ranger, but it will cost less than a twentieth as much to make and promote. And it has around 4.7 million people who might give it a try.

Questions...

•What is good about seeing a big summer blockbuster like The Lone Ranger in a theater?

•What is good about seeing a movie as a paid download or video on demand?

•How is this an example of the Long Tail theory of media?

•Other than CollegeHumor, what are other groups and organizations that could make their own low-budget movies and show them, for a fee, to an online audience?

•Could a religion do this? How about a political organization? Could gun owners or environmentalists do this? How about a group devoted to the belief that UFOs are real?

Moodle and You

Mass Comm 101 has a modest presence on Moodle. PowerPoints are available, along with PDF versions of the syllabus and research paper assignment sheet. If you are unsure how to use Moodle, one-hour student orientation workshops are available. If you go, get a certificate of attendance and turn it in. You will receive two extra credit points, equivalent to a library workshop or supplemental instruction.

Moodle Student Orientations

M 7/1/13 3:00pm-4:00pm SG136

T 7/2/13 1:00pm-2:00pm SG136

W 7/3/13 9:00am-10:00am SG136

Found at: http://glendale.edu/index.aspx?page=3749

Redefining Television

What makes video entertainment television? And will video entertainment developed for smart phones and tablet devices be recognizably television, or will it be something else?

We will not have to wait long for answers to these questions. Makers of television shows and movies are now hard at work defining what video entertainment for the small screen will look like. The Los Angeles Times reports.

Questions...

•Is TV slowly dying?

•Is going to the movies slowly dying?

•What is a good length for a video episode made for smart phones and tablets?

•How else is video entertainment using the internet? How do these things enhance the main video?