The radio industry was not always a mass music playing medium. In fact, no one really knew which direction it would go in the early 1900's. If it wasn't for the corporations and industries who oversaw and monopolized radio, it would not have been nearly as successful nor as dependent on music as it is today.
Industries and corporations always have a strong hand in developing new media. Television and film afterwards, saw this too when corporations would put advertisements through commercials or in the actual content of the show/film. But why does this happen? Well, advertising from these businesses causes a good deal of revenue to come to the heads of the new media. Placing advertisements in and around the show can get these programs and studios more money. In effect, this money can make new and better shows that draw more people in. The more people watch, the more chances a corporation has of a viewer buying their product.
In radio, this was not delved into until AT&T came up with commercial broadcasting in 1922. They charged the providers with a fee over how much airtime they had. Soon, everyone wanted in on this new way to advertise and commercials were developed very quickly. By 1927, radio had the shape that it does today. With content heavy on music supported by businesses' money and advertisements, these privately owned channels would soon follow to television where this trend would grow even more.
David Sarnoff was the first to propose that a radio could be a home utility which a family could gather around and listen to music or stories. The mesh of his prophetic vision of the medium and the businesses that would come later, made radio the dominant form of media from the '20's to the '50s. But without the institutions involved, radio would not have been successful in Sarnoff's format for quite some time if ever. Soon companies like GE, and RCA would share the patent of radio with AT&T and thus, radio would have the means to explore new genres of music and breed subcultures as well.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Blog Post 2: Theories of Media Impacts (Catharsis)
Through most of our lecture and most of Chapter 13, we have seen the media's hurtful impact on society and how it can mold people to believing certain fears. However, the media can also provide catharsis for many people, seeking a way to vent out their anger, frustration, and romantic tendencies through media.
Catharsis (in the context we are talking about) is when a person can live out their desires deemed by society to be abnormal through a programmed fantasy world instead of the real one. It is not difficult to understand why "shoot-em-up" videogames sell more than any other kind. It allows the player to live out these violent and antisocial desires in a world where there is no consequence for such action (and you are almost always the hero so it is for a good cause). The media can also portray catharsis through advertising to carnal desires that are again deemed abnormal by societal standards, yet a business that offers this can gain numerous members and, thus, plenty of money.
The advertisement we saw in class featuring scantly clad women with the slogan "Fitness. Fighting. Females" shows this kind of catharsis for men trying to vent their violent thoughts and sexual desires. Industries like wrestling, football, and pornography have reaped numerous benefits by appealing to this concept of catharsis. It may appear brutish and crude on the front, but can't it also prevent those from causing real harm? If they can do it in a controlled environment or through sport and internet, doesn't this prevent them from causing real violence in our world? In this sense, media can actually have an impact that doesn't harm or stereotype. Through this catharsis, people (especially men) can resort to this fantasy world of violence and sex instead of committing real harm.
In the end, while catharsis can not necessarily be proven, it can easily be deducted that this power the media has over our desires can limit harm to others in the real world. But at what cost? Appealing to these tendencies does, in fact, stereotype people as a whole. Is this concept of catharsis outweigh the damage advertisements do to men and (especially) women's images? Have they figured out exactly what men are made of (Fitness. Fighting. Females), and we are no more than that? I don't believe it. Catharsis is alive and well in games like Second Life and many shooter games, and the impact of that is greater than the stereotypes placed on us by advertising.
Catharsis (in the context we are talking about) is when a person can live out their desires deemed by society to be abnormal through a programmed fantasy world instead of the real one. It is not difficult to understand why "shoot-em-up" videogames sell more than any other kind. It allows the player to live out these violent and antisocial desires in a world where there is no consequence for such action (and you are almost always the hero so it is for a good cause). The media can also portray catharsis through advertising to carnal desires that are again deemed abnormal by societal standards, yet a business that offers this can gain numerous members and, thus, plenty of money.
The advertisement we saw in class featuring scantly clad women with the slogan "Fitness. Fighting. Females" shows this kind of catharsis for men trying to vent their violent thoughts and sexual desires. Industries like wrestling, football, and pornography have reaped numerous benefits by appealing to this concept of catharsis. It may appear brutish and crude on the front, but can't it also prevent those from causing real harm? If they can do it in a controlled environment or through sport and internet, doesn't this prevent them from causing real violence in our world? In this sense, media can actually have an impact that doesn't harm or stereotype. Through this catharsis, people (especially men) can resort to this fantasy world of violence and sex instead of committing real harm.
In the end, while catharsis can not necessarily be proven, it can easily be deducted that this power the media has over our desires can limit harm to others in the real world. But at what cost? Appealing to these tendencies does, in fact, stereotype people as a whole. Is this concept of catharsis outweigh the damage advertisements do to men and (especially) women's images? Have they figured out exactly what men are made of (Fitness. Fighting. Females), and we are no more than that? I don't believe it. Catharsis is alive and well in games like Second Life and many shooter games, and the impact of that is greater than the stereotypes placed on us by advertising.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Homework Blog Post 1: Hegemony
When I heard of the concept of hegemony, it immediately made me think of an AT&T commercial that has been aired frequently in that it shows how AT & T has the dominant cell phone coverage in the WHOLE world.
Hegemony is when one social order rules over all others. From iPhones and the newest technology, AT&T is by far the leading company in phone coverage. AT&T use many commercials, like the one in this example, to show how AT&T has dominated over the cultural aspect of Americans' phone coverage. It is a trendy cultural choice to get the newest technologically advanced phone and, since AT&T has coverage for the newest ones, it is no wonder why they so dominantly provide for America, and now the world.
The orange blankets going over all different parts of America show AT&T's relentless objective to make everyone have AT&T. This pursuit of hegemony makes the advertisement more serious and shows people staring in wonder at how AT&T controls world phone coverage. With this commercial played over by the beautiful song "From the Morning" by Nick Drake, it makes this more reflective and quiet (yet not subtle at all), almost making it seem like choosing AT&T is a life choice that will benefit you in the long run. AT&T is trying to show that, once part of a homogenous group, you will be emotionally satisfied as well as satisfied with your coverage.
Going this route, instead of a funnier or loud one like most commercials, is more effective at making the viewer actually take a step back and think about AT&T and their coverage. With a commercial trying so forcefully, yet quietly, to hegemonize their product even further it is hard not to be impressed with what they have to say.
Hegemony is when one social order rules over all others. From iPhones and the newest technology, AT&T is by far the leading company in phone coverage. AT&T use many commercials, like the one in this example, to show how AT&T has dominated over the cultural aspect of Americans' phone coverage. It is a trendy cultural choice to get the newest technologically advanced phone and, since AT&T has coverage for the newest ones, it is no wonder why they so dominantly provide for America, and now the world.
The orange blankets going over all different parts of America show AT&T's relentless objective to make everyone have AT&T. This pursuit of hegemony makes the advertisement more serious and shows people staring in wonder at how AT&T controls world phone coverage. With this commercial played over by the beautiful song "From the Morning" by Nick Drake, it makes this more reflective and quiet (yet not subtle at all), almost making it seem like choosing AT&T is a life choice that will benefit you in the long run. AT&T is trying to show that, once part of a homogenous group, you will be emotionally satisfied as well as satisfied with your coverage.
Going this route, instead of a funnier or loud one like most commercials, is more effective at making the viewer actually take a step back and think about AT&T and their coverage. With a commercial trying so forcefully, yet quietly, to hegemonize their product even further it is hard not to be impressed with what they have to say.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)