Keep the News, Not the Profits

Some very fine organizations are operated on a non-profit basis. Private universities like USC. Non-profit health care systems like Kaiser-Permanente. And some news and cultural outlets like NPR. Now we can add the Salt Lake City Tribune to the list. Is this the wave of the future? NPR reports.

Questions...

•Has the Trump Administration been bad for all newspapers? Why or why not?

•What sorts of information do you get from your local newspaper that you can't get anywhere else?

•How are the finances of a non-profit organization different than a for-profit organization? Does it mean nobody earns a paycheck?

Did Gillette Cut Itself?

The following is a MediaNote Classic. This MediaNote was originally shown to students in January 2019.

Gillette razor blades have been associated with men and masculinity for as long as this blogger can remember. So--in light of the #Metoo Movement--it makes sense that the Boston-based company has given some thought to how men are portrayed in their ads. The result was this video. NPR reports on the backlash among some men.

Questions...

•What do you think of the message in this video?

•Are you surprised that the video has more dislikes than likes on YouTube? Do you think that means that most men are offended by it?

•Do you think this ad and controversy helps or harms the Gillette brand in the years ahead?

•What type of man should Gillette portray in their ads?

Living Through These Insane Times

Your Humble Blogger has been on this planet long enough to qualify for the Senior Special at Denny's -- and he has never, ever seen anything like what we are living through right now. With that in mind, today's MediaNote is about Coronavirus. The following is a brief video from the Center for Disease Control giving tips on how you and your loved ones can stay as safe as possible.

Take notes in regard to the following questions. You will take a short quiz on Canvas for attendance points...

•What are the six steps to prevent Covid-19?

•Why is the CDC a good source for information about Covid-19

MC101 Field Trips Cancelled

Due to the closure of the Glendale College campus next week, all upcoming Mass Comm 101 field trips (whether on campus or off campus) are cancelled until further notice.

Coronavirus Update

Glendale College classes (including Mass Comm 101)  will not be held on Monday, March 16 or Tuesday, March 17. Glendale College will move to online classes beginning Wednesday, March 18.

For traditional classes like this one, instruction will be through Canvas and will be synchronous. That means the class will meet online during the hours that it would have met in the classroom.

Most of your teachers (this one included) have never taught a fully online class before. Therefore, the quality of instruction is likely to be rough—at least at first. I’m sure there will be at least one laughable screwup. Hang in there and the instruction will get better.

For now, make sure you have a digital device that allows you to log in to Canvas. Instruction is likely to take place through the ConferZoom tool, so make sure you can get into that.

I am not an information technology specialist or health care professional. But I am a Mass Communications teacher, so I feel comfortable giving you this advice: Quality of information matters!

When you see something about Coronavirus, ask yourself “According to who?” The Glendale College home page (glendale.edu) is a good place to start. Pay attention to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) and local authorities such as the Los Angeles County Health Department.

If you read or see news articles about the topic, ask yourself if the publication or channel is reputable. Does it have a political agenda that is so strong that it taints the information being presented? Also, look at who is being quoted or cited in the article? Are they entertainers, commentators or top-level health officials? Quality matters.

If the shrill voices on cable TV or the Internet become too scary, limit your viewing or reading to a few expert, trusted sources. As a college-educated person who has taken at least a few weeks of Mass Comm 101, you are better able to navigate this challenging media environment than many of your relatives. Do what you can to keep them from going down the rabbit hole that leads to denial or panic. Either extreme is unproductive. You may need to be the family member who translates the latest expert information.

In closing, I am proud of you all. You are community college students. You are the workers, the upwardly mobile. In many cases, you are the first in your family to go to college. You have grit.

We’ll get through this.

Mike Eberts

GCC Response to Coronavirus

The multinational outbreak of coronavirus is evolving quickly. Glendale College is monitoring the situation and posting updates. Glendale College encourages everyone to subscribe to Nixle to receive campus related emergency notification text messages. Simply text the words GO GCCALERT to the number 888-777 from your cellphone.

The Times Are a Changin'

The following is a MediaNote Classic. It was originally presented to MC101 classes in June 2018.

This is a tough time to own a major daily newspaper. The Los Angeles Times--largely due to poor management under its previous owner--has suffered more than most. With a new owner and a new 21st Century newsroom, the Times is ready to reinvent itself. NPR reports.

Questions...

•What should a newspaper do, whether on paper or online? (what is its function)

•What things about a major metro paper (like the Times) should not be changed?

•What things SHOULD be changed?

•What insights might an immigrant to Southern California have that a native might not have?

•How can the Times be more relevant to young adults like you?

Time Change for SI on March 10

Your Humble Blogger will lead the Supplemental Instruction session on Tuesday, March 10 in AD217. Due to a scheduling conflict, the session will be moved up a half hour. It will begin at noon and end by 1 pm. Students should bring their books and notes as usual.

Alexa Is Listening

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently addressed the United Nations. Those in attendance thought he was going to speak about Brexit. Instead, he delivered a remarkable (and entertaining) speech about how the Internet and related digital technology is leading us toward a potentially terrifying future. We will watch the first 6:11 of the speech from The Sun, a London newspaper. Questions...

•Is this speech brilliant or bonkers? Why?

•Is it true that the human race is losing control in the digital age? In what ways might digital technology make our lives worse?

•What does PM Johnson mean when he says you can keep secrets from your family or doctor, but it's very hard to keep secrets from Google?

•What is your reaction to the statement that "data is the crude oil of the modern economy?" How is your data being harvested for profit on a daily basis?

•How do you feel about the "Internet of Things" (everyday items that have a connection to the internet)?

•What can we do to make sure that PM Johnson's worst predictions do not come true?

Talking About Coronavirus to Kids

It's scary to be a kid. Everyone is bigger and more powerful. Things are hard to understand. And when adults worry, you worry. Coronavirus is one more thing for kids to worry about. Factual information, clearly and calmly stated, can keep the fear that children have about coronavirus under control. NPR reports.

Questions...

•What (besides coronavirus) are kids afraid of?

•Have any of the children in your life expressed fear of coronavirus? What have they said or done?

•How can you and other adults be good role models for kids worried about coronavirus?

ADDITIONAL NOTE: If you need up-to-date, reliable information about coronavirus, visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website.