What is Technology Dependency?

Stop and think about how your everyday begins. I wake up by the alarm pre-set on my cell phone and before I could fully open my eyes, I turn my computer on and check my email/Facebook/Twitter and the news. This media communication happens in the 5 min I have been awake, before I could say “Good Morning” to my roommates or brush my teeth. Talk about technology dependency.

As our book explains it, “reliance on technology” in our everyday lives is technology dependency. Now more than ever technology has integrated itself in our lives and there is no escaping it. Our cell phones, iPods, iTouch, iPhone, laptops, iPads, etc are everywhere. As I was sitting in GHH today, I saw one of my good friends, Nick who was coming from class. He had no backpack, no books, just his iPad. I was a little in shock, however Nick explained how his iPad had everything he needed-note taking, eBooks, references, etc. This just shows how technology has become a replacement for a lot of things that was material being replaced by technology.

It will be interesting to see what our children begin bringing to class; it might not even be necessary to attend class physically. Who knows, time will tell. 

Technology Dependence

Technology dependence is a term that refers to just how much media and it’s various sources depend on technology. If you think about it just about every form of media relies on technology whether it be a newspaper or a radio broadcast. The book give a good example of technology dependence by describing how earlier forms of media relied on electronics to project the voice of the speaker. This same reliance on technology is true with print forms of media. In order to produce a magazine or newspaper, technology is needed to format the layout and physically print the final product.

All in all, media relies on technology just as much as we rely on technology to access whatever form of media we want. Without technology, media would be stuck at a standstill and there would be no consumers.

What is technology dependency?

In our ever-changing society technology seems to have taken over. With the rapid discoveries and constant renovations of technology we find we are relying on it more and as a result becoming technology dependant. It is almost impossible to go through a whole day without using any modern technology at all. This is such a different concept then what our grandparents and parent were used to growing up, but it is what our world has become. As our technology becomes more advanced it begins to take up more of our lives. One of the biggest changes that we face today is that change in communication due to the available technology. There is increasingly less interpersonal communications, meaning face-to-face communications. Instead people are relying more heavily on technology to stay connected to people and society. Using texting, phones, facebook and other forms of technology to communicate. In order to stay updated in all that is happening in our world, the truth is, it has become a necessity to be constantly plugged into technology. It will only get worse in the future. With more advances in the world’s technology we will increasingly see more dependency on it and in new ways.

What is technology dependence?

In today’s society, it can be said that many if not all of us rely on some form of technology in our daily lives. Whether it is our cell phone, computer, iPod, or television it seems one or more forms of these technological innovations play significant roles in our lives. Technology has helped to make tremendous advances in the way people receive and send information today. The ability to instantaneously connect and communicate with people around the world has created both an increase in demand and dependence in terms of technology.

Unfortunately the increased consumption via computers, cell phones, and televisions has created a form of detachment from reality and a dependence on technology. Andrew Kakabadse, Professor of International Management Development at Cranfield School of Management, stated, “Our research shows that technology obsession hinders spelling skills, implicitly encourages plagiarism, and disrupts classroom learning” (Kakabadse, Cellular-news). Although some argue technology has created a form of addiction, technology has shaped a global society, one that shares information and communicates through social networks like Facebook, blogs and YouTube. Those who criticize the innovations of technology and its effects, fail to recognize that technology is around us every minute of our lives. Technology now runs schools, businesses and households. Whether technology is ‘good or bad,’ it has created a sense of both dependence and importance in our lives.

"Technology Addiction Disrupts Teenage Learning." Cellular-news | Daily News from the Telecoms Industry. Web. 31 Jan. 2011. .

-Patrick Morgan

blog questions Jan 31, 2010 - caty draicchio

What is Media Literacy?

According to medialit.org, media literacy is defined as “the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in a variety of forms.”  Media literacy builds an understanding of the role of media in society.  It allows us to recognize forms, and allows us to study and understand them in a different way than we normally would.  We can control how we will interpret a certain type of media, it teaches us to question what we are hearing or seeing.
Media is all around us; we see it numerous times every day.  Media literacy allows us to sort through and analyze the messages we are receiving through these various forms of media, including television, radio, newspapers, magazines, billboards, etc.  We will learn to ask the purpose of the media we experience; who produced it and why?
In today’s world, mass media plays a huge role in how we perceive our society.  Today’s generation has no problem becoming media literate because they came into a world whose main form of communication is through mass media.  With the Internet, television, radio, billboards, cell phones, newspapers and magazines everywhere it is hard not to be exposed to mass media.  People use these sources as forms of communication to advertise or portray a certain idea.  We didn’t have to teach ourselves to be media literate, we just developed that way because it was what we have been surrounded with our whole lives.

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What is Technology Dependence?

In today’s world, I can’t think of anyone I know that isn’t dependent on technology.  Many people use cell phones, and e-mail as means of communication every day.  It is funny to think about how our society relies so much on technology.  Rarely do I see someone pick up a newspaper to see what is going on in our world, because it is so easy to look it up online with the use of a computer or even a cell phone.  Technology is getting more and more advanced each day and our society is becoming more dependent on technology each day.  Imagine if social network websites such as Facebook and Twitter didn’t exist, and imagine if we didn’t have texting: How would anyone be able to communicate???   Our society relies on technology so much that they wouldn’t know what to do if it was all taken away from us.  Who would have ever thought 20 years ago that we would now be able to call, text, email, record videos, and play video games on a tiny portable phone; but now we can’t imagine living without it.  Obviously technology helps us and makes things a lot easier, but to be honest I think it is ridiculous how much we rely on it.  I will admit that I too am dependent on technology, I use my laptop for everything, school, work, e-mail,  paying bills, shopping, communicating with friends.  I couldn’t imagine not having a cell phone, I literally check the thing every 5 minutes.  It is sad to see that our society has come so dependent on technology.

What is technological dependence?

Currently in the world today, technology serves as a major part of our lives. Everyday, we rely on technology for information and communication. Whether a person is using a cell phone, laptop, or television, they are relying on technology to be one with the world around them. If technology fails at some point, a person will not be able to obtain information from the outside world and communicate with others.

Another important factor of technology dependence is the advances in technology everyday. People are always looking for the new and improved technology. When technology becomes old, it becomes obsolete. It just acts as a background for the new technology being provided. By using the newer technology, people are able to connect faster and be more efficient. Sometimes people want more advanced technology when it is not available yet. This causes a lot of frustration for them. People are getting used to having the latest technology at their fingertips, so when they can’t have it, it is difficult for them to understand. Like these people, I have a serious “technology addiction,” so I understand what they are going through.

With new technological advances, the world depends on each and every step taken to enhance them.

What is Media Literacy?

The use of mass media in our lives plays such a large role that it is necessary to be literate in its language. Media literacy is the ability of a person to recognize messages that are presented in mass media. This recognition allows them to understand, analyze, and even question what is being presented to you. Everyday people see messages that have been slipped into the media whether they are obvious or not. Reading the newspaper, listening to the radio, and even half watching TV, people are constantly being exposed to many forms of media. Because of this constant exposure it is important to be fluent in the language of the media, so you can better educate yourself. Being able to recognize media messages makes people knowledgeable in the happenings of the world. These days due to the great expose most everyone is media literate. This is important, because it gives people a greater understanding of how people communicate. Not only do we use the typical forms such as speech, but we also use advertisements, news reports, and many other forms. Whether we consciously know we are absorbing information from the media or not, the process is constant. In order to be an active member in our society one must be part of our world’s biggest conversations and be media literate.

What is Technology Dependence?

According to "The Media of Mass Communication" book, Technology Dependence is how people rely on technology. More often than not, individuals use the internet to communicate rather than interpersonal communication. With mass communication it is a necessity to have technology available to communicate with mass audiences. Different technologies include, printing which is the printing press such as magazines and newspapers. Chemical technology which is photos and visual media that we see. Electronic technology was the very first of the media technology as the "The Media of Mass Communication" has stated. Eventually, digital technology became the "traditional" mass media people went to.

The Technology Dependence will always be with us because that is what our world is based off of today. With several changes in our technology, it is only a matter of time before we learn how to work with new machines and become dependent on them.

What is Technology Dependency?

Technology dependence affects everyone. It brings out the generation gap with more severity than in generations past. Each generation is more scientifically adept than the one before. However, inversely, the ability to live with nature and be able to act in a survivalist manner is even depending more on newer technologies. Gone are the days of fashioning your own equipment to go on a trek in the woods, now buying new space-age sleeping bags is easier than getting something cheap and old-fashioned. It could be argued either way, but the essential definition of technology dependence is this: as more breakthroughs in science are made, more people have more tools and toys to work from. It really shows a complete dominance of nature, more or less. A simple phone that fits in your pocket can be an entire workstation, whereas a computer that can play chess used to be as large as a room. Due to the rise in convenience of technology, we depend more on them to answer all our questions. Without the internet, I know I would be most likely completely unable to do much. It's not good.

What is Media Literacy?

Media literacy is any one person's competency in deciphering messages the media sends to them and their ability to apply it to their own lifestyle. According to wikipedia, media literacy allows people the tools needed to ask questions, critically analyze, and develop their own creative skills. It determines their ability to live comfortably within a society that is so heavily media-driven. There is a heavier and heavier demand these days within society for a person to be more media literate, due to the more complex systems used to advertise. As more technology is integrated with our daily and academic lives, the need for being able to understand and effectively use media to our advantage is getting more necessary. People of younger generations are getting more and more tech-savvy and media dependent.

What is Technology Dependence?

Technology dependence today is everywhere. No matter where you look there is technology. We depend on it everyday of our lives. We depend on technology in hospitals for precision surgery that doctors are unable to do with their hands due to the accuracy of the machine. We also depend on cars for transportation to and from places. We also depend on it for media purposes as a way of getting news. We depend on technology so much that it’s like a secret addiction that many of us don’t think that we have. But really everyone is a technology addict whether it be with phones or TV, etc. We all have at least one piece of technology that we use over and over again without realizing the addiction. It’s kind of scary to think that technology and robots are our future because we depend on it so much. Sometime in the future robots will be doing all of the jobs cause they are better working and get the job done when needed with quick and accurate results. Technology is all around us and there’s no escaping it. We incorporate technology into our everyday lives such that we write all of our papers on the computer and submit them online. But the only problem is that we depend on technology so much that what if one-day technology got wiped out for some mysterious reason and we had to depend on other things. I don’t think that very many of us would be able to survive without ours phones or Facebook. It’s because our generation grew up with the technology dependence that it would almost be impossible to grow out of it. We are only really educated in using technology and not so much with not using it.

What is Technology Dependence?

Technology dependence is a relatively new problem facing the world today. "Everyday people in our technology-driven world are finding the lure of constant technology use addictive. Psychologists have officially classified technology addiction as an impulse disorder that can be as socially devastating as alcoholism, gambling, sex and drug addiction." (LeClaire) It is a serious problem that the loss of technology even for a short time can create huge probelms globally. In today's world it seems as if everything is now run by computers. We connect with each other virtually instead of physically and rely on technology to recieve most of our information for the day.
Our education system is now founded on the use of technology with this blog as an example. The nation's security systems as well as the individual's also rely on technology to function correctly. At this point, humans have come to rely on technology for their survival. Today's youth have been grown and now completely depend on technology. It is now not uncommon to see an 8-year old weilding a smartphone. I truly believe that today's individual has to work to monitor themselves to rely less on technology on a day-to-day basis.
LeClaire, Jennifer, http://www.technewsworld.com/story/53102.html?wlc=1296494533

What is technology dependence

What is technology dependence?
Technology dependence comes from the huge impact social media has become within a person’s daily life. Technology dependence comes from the need for constant contact with the world and everything that is going on around you. Cells phones are a prime example of technology dependence, the ability to talk to many people and one time through SMS, looking at statuses and other comments online, they have the ability to gain as much information about the people around them as they would like.
Technology dependence can be seen across the board, the use of cell phones being a leading dependency. These devices take away from true communication skills such as holding a conversation. Technology dependence has made access much easier.

--Mike Bouchie

What is Media Literacy?

- Media literacy is a person’s ability to recognize how mass media works, how and what they produce and how they those things. Media literacy acknowledges the impact that media has on a person’s daily life. Someone who is media literate can recognize the effects of the media in their own life but choose to enjoy them. Mass media plays a major role in the daily life of people. Social media such as Facebook and MySpace is a major form of communication between many people. Media has its way of becoming a major part of everything because it is so easy and simple to use.
Media literacy is how messages are sent across large amounts of people through all the forms of social media. Media literacy is a benefit for learning because it allows for communication through many social medias.


---Mike Bouchie

What is Media Literacy?

Media literacy is the ability of the individual to find, analyze, and react to the information that is presented to the public on a daily basis. The European Comission of Media defines media literacy as "the ability to access the media, to understand and critically evaluate different aspects of the media and media contents and to create communications in a variety of contexts." (European Commission Media) One's ability to go through the media that they recieve and then ask questions and analyze this information determines literacy ability.
In today's constantly connected world, the individual is bombarded with informations. It is the responsibility of the reciever to go through this information and determine its value. Information presented through outlets such as commercials and public relations can be misleading and sometimes even false. As technology progresses, we recieve more information faster and analyizing this information becomes more difficult and also more important.
Media education has become a hugely important factor for today's media consumer. Education must begin at a very young age to prevent consumers from being taken advantage of by misleading information. Training individuals to become competent consumers of media and to practice healthy media consumption practices is a major issue worldwide. Without proper education, an individual will be left behing in a media-driven world.
http://ec.europa.eu/culture/media/literacy/index_en.htm

First Day Questions

1. Why are you taking this course?

I am taking this course because I have recently declared a major in public relations. I also find media and it’s various sources to be very interested and am excited to start learning more.

2. How much do you know about mass media? Can you list the various types of media you use?

As of now I know a decent amount about media from the electronic communications and writing for mass media course I took earlier this year.

The different types of media are print, radio, television, and internet,

4. What is the greatest impact media has on culture?

I feel that media has a great impact on the way we thing and act a society. It can influence what we look like, what we buy, and our views on pressing issues.

5. Do you know anyone that works within media? If so, who and where do they work? What do they do?

No, I do not know anyone who works within media.

6. What do you hope to learn from this course?

I hope to expand my current knowledge on media and it’s various formats. I would also like to get a concrete understanding of the different strengths and weaknesses of the different types of media.

What is Technology Dependence?

Technology dependence is the mass reliance on the media for vital information and entertainment. As things become more advanced and widespread, it becomes easier for people to gain access to massive amounts of information. With the production of the television and the internet it became much simpler to recieve things quickly. Much of human life is based upon these luxeries. Very few people leave home without either wtaching the weather or looking it up, and the vast majority of people listen to music from a variety of different sources whether it be the radio, an IPod, or via websites like Pandora or YouTube as a few examples.

Tim Berners-Lee created the World Wide Web, and according to The Media of Mass Communication his accomplishment will most likely overshadow the other forms of media in time. Without his invention, there would be no websites such as Facebook and MySpace. These websites are very common among the teen to young adult age groups and allow for much socialization without personal contact. On a campus like Roger Williams there is probably a very minute group of people, if any, who can say they do not belong to one of these websites. This constant use of media in any form consumes about 2/3 of the average person's day according to a study done by Ball State University. This constant and often subconscious use of the different forms of the media defines the technology dependence consuming today's day and age.

What is technology dependence?

I would define technology dependence as the reliance on technology that is necessary to perform many of our daily functions. The first form of technology that had a major impact on our daily lives was the printing press, which eventually led to books, newspapers, and other publications. These forms of mass media enabled people to become more easily informed of what was happening in other places. As advances in technology occurred throughout the world, communication became easier through different forms of media such as radio, television, and the Internet. These milestone technological advances changed the world.

Many people are dependent on the Internet for school, work, and entertainment. For example, there are many online classes and even jobs that require this type of mass communication. Even in traditional classroom settings, many professors now use much less paper and more online resources. This contributes to technological dependency because people are becoming more comfortable with the speed of delivery. Also, the Internet is inexpensive to use which makes it a more desirable form to spread media. It is evident that people are going to become more technologically dependent as they become more competent at using all of the different forms of mass media.

What is technology dependence?

Compared to past generations, today’s society has become so dependent on technology that our way of life is substantially different compared to our parents and grandparents’ generations. Mass media has become a part of our daily lives that in order to attain the information the media is providing, people really do not have any choice but to use some sort of technology whether it be the internet, television, or the radio to receive the information. Not only does the media somewhat force our society to become dependent on technology, but also work and school requires our generation to use these various forms of technology in order to complete tasks and work. These various forms of technology are everywhere that it is hard for one to not constantly utilize them.

A study done by the Ball State University found that people spend 68.8 percent of our waking ours in the media while utilizing these various forms of technology. Many people multi-task while using these different forms of technology. One form of technology that seems to be used greatly by our society is the television. The television has been around for decades and people are becoming more and more dependent on it. The television is the perfect source for entertainment, learning about current issues around the world, and learning how to do some everyday tasks such as cooking, just to name a few things. In a study done in 2004 by the research firm Veronis Suhler Stevenson found that people watch television a total of 3,584 hours per year. Compared to the generations before us, television viewing has increased dramatically and is still increasing. This is one form of technology that people have become dependent on and not the last.

What is Media Literacy?

Mass media is a big part of our culture and society today, so being literate in this form of communication is essential in order to gain knowledge of what is currently going on in the world. Mass media is all around us and we subconsciously participate in the spread of mass media and particularly mass communication. Our younger generation has no problem becoming media literate due to the fact that they were exposed to mass media and mass communication at such a young age. It is some of our older generation that must learn to become media literate. According to the book The Media of Mass Communication by John Vivian, media literacy is having the competence or knowledge about the mass media. In order to be fully immersed in todays’ society and culture one must strive to become media literate.

To become media literate, one must understand what mass media is. Mass media are the vehicles through which messages are spread to mass audiences. People are exposed to some sort of mass media everyday, whether it is from watching television, surfing the Internet, reading a newspaper or magazine, or listening to the radio. Due to this it is very important to understand all these different forms of communication to learn about current events, trends, topics, etc. The majority of people from this generation are media literate because they were surrounded by all these new forms of public communications that they had no choice but to become literate. The older generation are the ones’ that may not be media literate up to standards now. The older generation was exposed to books, newspapers, magazines, radio, and for some television, but it is the newer forms of technology that they may not all understand. However, just by utilizing and exposing oneself to these new forms of communications one will become fully media literate rather quickly.

Media literacy is very important to gain the knowledge of what is going on in the world today. Majority of people are media literate and subconsciously participate in the spread of mass media everyday. Mass media is all around us, which makes it become second nature to be media literate. Mass media’s importance rose during the 20^th century and it’s importance is increasing everyday. Is media literacy that important in current times? Yes it is.

What is Media Literacy?

As defined by the Center for Media Literacy, “Media Literacy is a 21^st century approach to education. It provides a framework to access, analyze, evaluate and create messages in a variety of forms – from print to video to the Internet. Media literacy builds an understanding of the role of the media in society as well as essential skills of inquiry and self-expression necessary for citizens of a democracy” (Medialit.org). The media has the ability to manipulate and control the issues and opinions presented to the public. Being ‘media literate,’ is acting in such a way that questions the intentions and views presented from various media outlets. Recognizing that what the media ‘tells’ us is not always right. The media, I believe, always has ulterior motives. Whether that is in money or politics, as citizens of the United States, it is our obligation to be conscious of their deceptive practices. Media Literacy is important in a well functioning society. The Center for Media Literacy states, “Without this fundamental ability, an individual cannot have full dignity as a human person or exercise citizenship in a democratic society where to be a citizen is to both understand and contribute to the debates of the time” (Medialit.org). Media Literacy teaches people how to properly access and question the media in a productive and healthy fashion.

"What is Media Literacy? A Definition...and More. | Center for Media Literacy." Center for Media Literacy. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2011.

-Patrick Morgan

What is Media Literacy?

Mass media can be defined as "vehicles through which messages are disseminated to mass audiences", according to The Media of Mass Communication (3). Also using this source, literacy can be defined as the ability to read and write. When these two terms are combined, media literacy is formed. Media literacy can be defined as "possessing the knowledge to be competent in assessing messages carried by mass media" (6).

An important factor when it comes to media literacy is awareness. An example from the text is being able to separate the message from the messenger. This awareness is necessary in our everyday lives, especially when it comes to the media. An example of this is subconsciously blaming a political leader for conveying unfortunate news, such as nationwide crime. These leaders get blamed for events that are sometimes out of their personal control because they are the messengers of the bad news. Another example is how media literacy has to respect the sense of tradition of each culture from which it is representing. Some cultures are very open about their domestic affairs, while others are much more secretive about their culture. Media literacy has to respect these important differences. However, there are many more definitions of media literacy, and different examples to go along with them.

Understanding the media and the messages it is trying to convey is the meaning of media literacy. Watching television, going on the internet, reading a billboard pretty much anything can have something to do with the media. I believe most people in the U.S. are media literate because of how exposed they are to all of it. This generation right now growing up with the internet and having the ability to look any information they need has made it even easier to be media literate.

Media literacy is a form of communication and can be an easy way of being in touch of the news. Simply going on a news website can get you any involved on the world news. The media usually has an attended audience and when someone is not that audience then the media message can have a biased with it. That is why it is important to be media literate.

Understanding the media and the messages it is trying to convey is the meaning of media literacy. Watching television, going on the internet, reading a billboard pretty much anything can have something to do with the media. I believe most people in the U.S. are media literate because of how exposed they are to all of it. This generation right now growing up with the internet and having the ability to look any information they need has made it even easier to be media literate.

Media literacy is a form of communication and can be an easy way of being in touch of the news. Simply going on a news website can get you any involved on the world news. The media usually has an attended audience and when someone is not that audience then the media message can have a biased with it. That is why it is important to be media literate.

What is Media Literacy?

Media Literacy might have many definition and we can see that from our reading. Media literacy is the understanding of the message that is being conveyed to the public as well as the understanding of where the message comes from and awareness that media is all around us.

Mass media is all around us-the internet, the radio, the TV, magazines, newspapers, etc. Sometimes we don’t even realize that we are media-multitasking by having the TV on and the radio or reading a magazine all at the same time and by doing that, we tend to overlook the messages being sent to us by the media. Being media literate is all about understanding the messages being sent to us and the reason behind it. It is important that we are just blankly accepting everything we hear or read from the media. We need to be active in receiving the information and thinking about how it relates to our lives and how it affects our everyday life.

Another aspect of media literacy is being curious about who is sending the message to us using media. It is important that we show interests in the sender of the message so that we understand the point of view that the message is coming from. For example, a news story about a republican candidate reported by a liberal reporter will be viewed differently than the same story covered by a republican reporter.

Media Literacy is an important aspect of our everyday life and we tend to not really think about it just as we don’t really think about writing or reading literacy but media literacy is just as important.

What is Media Literacy?

In our book, The Media of Mass Communication, media literacy is defined as the “competence or knowledge about mass media”. However, this definition is very broad. Media literacy is a combination of many more definitions.

In order to understand mass media, one must have the ability to understand messages. This means that one must decipher the media and then asses the way that media’s message was carried. This could be the most difficult part, because the media could be sending mixed messages to the audience.

Another big factor of media literacy is the awareness of media. As technology has advanced, our awareness of the media has decreased. This is because media can appear in many different forms at once. Most of the time, it is just simple background noise, and people do not even realize that the media is even a factor. Whether you are listening to the radio while driving a car or watching the television while cooking a meal, the media is still present around us. If a person has media literacy, they are able to realize all types of media present around them at every given second. These people are able to realize how this media effects their decisions and daily life.

These two points give media literacy a more descriptive definition. This helps to give media literacy a correct definition.

What is Media Literacy?

As the book states Media Literacy is the possessing of knowledge to be competent in assessing messages carried by mass media. Basically all of us today are Media Literate, that’s because most of us grew up with it right from the start. Since we were little we sat in front of the TV watching educational programs whether it be Sesame Street or Blue’s Clues. We were introduced to media at such a young age that we would get into a routine where we would incorporate it into our lives and never grow out of it. This also applies to the iPod and the Internet. Without it we would be nothing and there would be no form of media. When we get into our cars the radio may come on, or you may hook in you iPod to listen to music, face it, it’s impossible to escape the media world. The only way to do so would be to lock yourself in your room and never come out. The way I see it you have no choice but to be apart of the mass media empire. Think of it this way, basically everyone in the world has been exposed to some sort of media; therefore maybe that’s where the money is. I’m pretty sure that if you were to have a job in the media field you could make some really nice money.

What is Media Literacy?

Media literacy can be viewed as the ability to decipher the differences between what is being advertised and what is actually being said. The media is known to have subliminal messages, and it is the job of the viewer to comprehend what is actually being advertised. Each different form of the media can be used to advertise different things. For instance the news is used to present factual information, including but not limited to politics, entertainment, and the weather. Though these reporters present the information given, they do not necessarily support a particular politician or actor etc. Any particular television show could also be advertising a product, yet it is the job of the viewer to realize companies pay for their products to be advertised during the show to promote consumption, along with commercial advertisements of the product. It is the job of the public to become literate in the ways of media in order to realize that we are constantly bombarded with advertisements. Media literacy allows the general public to be confident in deciphering these advertisements, allowing for better overall communication. With that in mind it is very important for people to have basic media literacy in order to avoid common miscommunication.

What is Media Literacy?

I believe that Media Literacy is something that helps us understand and interpret the messages media throws at us. However, the real definition of Media Literacy is “possessing the knowledge to be competent in assessing messages carried by mass media” (6), according to The Media Of Mass Communications. Media literacy is said to be essential to fully understand what media shows to us as individuals. According to the media awareness website, there are three stages of media literacy. Starting with managing one's “media diet’”, learning specific skills to fully understand it, and lastly finding out “What is the purpose?” of specific messages in the media.

The more media one understands, the better people are with media literacy; experience within the field can be a huge help. Other components that deal with media literacy are audience, distance, and feedback. The audience is a mass audience and is “eclectic” and “heterogeneous.” Distance is how far away the mass audience is from the communicator, which affects the feedback aspect. Lastly, feedback from a mass audience is typically delayed with mass communication and media literacy because of the distance. All three components are what make media literacy work well, and help to find a certain audience that will spark interest.

What is media literacy?

I think media literacy is the ability to look at media such as commercials, magazines, news articles and be able to understand what message they are trying to convey and why. Understanding the message includes dissecting the information given, inferring, and drawing conclusions based on what is given. Information can be presented in a variety of ways, and can be confusing. Dissecting information, and trying to understand each piece makes it easier to understand as a whole.

Knowing why the media is being presented is also a huge part of media literacy. Often companies have ulterior motives. According to Jane Tallim, "It's about asking pertinent questions about what's there, and noticing what's not there. And it's the instinct to question what lies behind media productions— the motives, the money, the values and the ownership— and to be aware of how these factors influence content." Understanding and finding out the ulterior motive is very important to do before inferring, and drawing conclusions because they can be skewed without the knowledge of ulterior motive. Strategies can be used to figure out ulterior motives. Ask yourself who is presenting the information, why, what strategies they are using and what audience is it intended for.

Welcome Spring 2011 students!

Blogging is a way to communicate to the class about a topic of discussion.

Each week the class will blog about subjects related to our chapter topics. It is a good idea to read the book chapter before blogging. The blog subjects are posted on the syllabus by week.

The blog deadline for each week is 5pm Monday. Make sure you blogs are written in Times Roman with a large, 12 point font. Write your blog the way you would write any story with a strong lede, body, and conclusion.

Blogging also means commenting on others comments, so that there is an exchange of ideas. If this is your first time blogging, please remember to cite sources of material you may need to quote in your blog. Also if you choose to use a link be sure to post it correctly: http://howtoblog.org/