Journal Article Analysis Assignment 1.3

The article Flow, Home, and Media Pleasures wrote by Lee Harrington and Denise Bielby focuses on different aspects of relationships dealing with pleasures of television. Throughout the article the process of television flow is being examined and reviewed to acknowledge how to keep viewers sucked into to the drama packed shows.
First, the article goes through the process of writing media so that it flows for television and audiences at home are stuck on watching the show. In the article it tells the process of how to consume viewers worldwide by using drama and an ending that keeping the viewer wanting to see more. The article tells that cross cultural television is associated with pleasure. The focus is on dramas such as soap operas and their viewers and fans. The journal focuses on strategies, tactics and ways to be creative while playing with viewers.
In this paper article's breakdown, soap fans' along with drama filled media, visit the world wide realm, with psychological review of reality and fantasy that are mixed to make the viewers at home have a pleasurable experience while sitting on their couch. The article explains how TV programming works, how they put the most interesting shows that draw people in on in the evenings when viewers are home relaxing.
After my analysis of the article it was logically organized. It pointed out the main ideas about what consumes viewers into viewing media shows and presented them clearly. The article was easy to read as it examined and explained the reasoning behind what took place with the media shows.
The key ideas I took away from this article was that now when I watch a drama packed television show, I look for the drama mixed into the show that keeps viewers like me watching. I now have knowledge of the views of the producers and why they do certain things with entertaining people at home.

References:
Harrington, L., & Bielby, D. (2005). Flow, home, and media pleasures . Journal of Popular Culture, 834-854.

Under Age Tanning

Doctors are urging that teenagers be banned from tanning salons. Teenagers want to be up to date with the culture around them. Wanting to look like their favorite role models, having a nice tan, manicure, high heels to make them look taller, hair colored, and anything to change their image.

The risk is higher in people who start tanning young: the more years you spend indoor tanning, the higher your risk. Melanoma is currently the second most common type of cancer in women ages 20 to 29.
Some states require that if the person wanting to tan is under the age of 18 they need to have parental consent. Buying cigarettes and alcohol you are required to be 18 years of age or older. Tanning beds in my opinion should have the same law.

As I was walking through the mall this winter I noticed a group of young girls, tan, nails were manicured, they wearing makeup, and hair highlighted. My boyfriend decided to ask how old they were, we were quite shocked to find out they were only nine years old. What happened to the days were girls wore dresses all the time and actually looked like nine year olds instead of 16 year olds? Times are changing, but is it necessary for parents to allow their children to make themselves look older?

Cell phones and Children

When you are out in public, look around, how many people are on cell phones. Talking or texting we cannot get away from them. Cell phones are in our everyday lives. The younger crowd in recent years are now becoming more into owning a cell phone. The number is growing quickly as to how many teenagers own a cell phone. The age is dropping as to how old kids are that own cell phones. Even Elementary school students own cell phones.

Peace of mind is why parents are allowing their children to have a cell phone. They feel at ease knowing their child can use the phone for security reasons if something happens. There are risks to children having cell phones, text messaging to cheat on tests or bullying, picture mail, and being a distraction. However, if parents talk to their children and teach them how to use the phone correctly it is more of a security benefit.

At what age should you allow your child to have a cell phone is what many parents are asking. Since I am a new mother, I have never asked myself that. But I believe I would only allow my son to receive incoming calls and be able to make outgoing calls if I gave him a cell phone at an early age. No texting and no picture mail until he got a job to pay for it himself and he was responsible. With times changing who knows what they will come out with by the time he is a teenager, I guess I will see when that time comes.

Retrieved from:
http://www.mysecurecyberspace.com/articles/family-room/should-your-child-have-a-cell-phone.html

Assignment 3.1

The American reality television dating game shows The Bachelor and Bachelorette debuted in 2002 on ABC.

The Bachelor/Bachelorette series portrays love and romance in a setting that is not a realistic picture of how a relationship develops in the real world. Who wouldn’t fall in love with someone in an exotic setting filled with no cares of everyday life and work. The couples see the ‘good’ side of one another in scenarios where the toughest decision they have to make is which wine to have with dinner. As witnessed, most of the couples crumble once they return to normal life. The stars see in one’s eyes are replaced by question marks as to why and how did they select someone who ended up being such a wrong fit. There is no real love exhibited, merely a whirlwind romance that failed away from the fantasy suite and all the fantasy conversations.

My mother always asks me why I watch the shows; honestly I do not know why I do. I guess I like that I never know what is going to happen next and the romantic side of things. The adventures and dates they go on are breathtaking. The shows sure do spend millions for them to be able to take such amazing dates to places most people can only fantasize going. I am still shocked the show has lasted for so long, but glad it has to allow me to view all the most romantic beautiful places around the world.

Weekly Analysis 2.1

The MTV reality series “16 and pregnant” produced by Morgan J Freeman and Dia Sokol Savage was first broadcast on June 11, 2009. The show highlights teen pregnancy and the difficulties of being pregnant at a young age. The show is full of relationship drama, money, and family issues. Each episode features a different teenage girl, with the episode typically beginning when she is 4 ¹⁄₂–8 months into her pregnancy. The episodes end when the baby is a few months old. The show is nonjudgmental and is told from young mother’s point of views. It highlights some of the realities of having a baby while in high school and focuses on relationship issues. The fathers of the babies are usually shown as fathers who are not ready to handle fatherhood. The teens come from all different racial and ethnic groups and economic backgrounds.

There are mixed reviews about the show, as it does show good and bad events of teenage pregnancy and it is not judgmental because it is told from the eyes of the expecting teen mother. The series is said to be educational and it is said that every teen boy and girl should watch the series.

Is this show actually reality? The girls are shown as struggling to buy diapers and food, but they are driving brand new Dodge cars towards the last episodes, they have manicures, hair colored, and are wearing top of the line clothing. “People” magazine recently had photos of the girls holding their babies; all the young mothers were wearing stunning dresses.  Does this prove that this reality show is not really reality at all? In the real world a teen mother would not be on the cover of extremely popular magazines or even be on a TV show, therefore you wouldn’t have all that money to help take care of your child. In some cases the series does show the mother struggling to care for the child, other mothers have their parents to help them care for their child, and some have no family at all to help. 

Being a single mother myself, I know the struggles of having a child. I may have not of been a teenager when I had my son but I could not imagine being in High School, not having a job and trying to raise a child. In ’16 and pregnant’ you do see struggling and hard times but other times in the show it makes it look like having a child in your teenage years is easy.

References

16 and Pregnant (n.d.). Retrieved May 28, 2011, from Wikipedia:   

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16_and_Pregnant

Assignment 2-2 Icons

New Kids on the Block

The American boy band from Massachusetts started in 1984 by producer Maurice Starr. The band members, Jordan and Jonathan Knight who are brothers, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. The band was very successful in the late 1980’s and early 1990s and had sold over 80 million records worldwide. They have also won many awards, in 1990 thy won two American Music Awards for favorite Pop Band. In 1994 they decided to part their own ways, and there were several attempts to get the band back together for years but they were unsuccessful. In 2008 they secretly got back together recording a new CD, The Block, and started a concert tour in 2008. They have been selling out concerts and are doing a tour this summer.

The Cabbage Patch Kids                                      

Cabbage Patch Kids line of dolls were created by Xavier Roberts in 1978. They originally started out being called “Little People”. The original dolls were sold at local craft shows and were made of all fabric. The dolls then switched to hard plastic heads and soft fabric bodies in 1982. The dolls were very popular and a must have toy for Christmas. Each doll had a birth certificate and each doll had a given name and birth date.  The Cabbage Patch kids went on to become the most popular toy fad of the 80s and the longest running doll franchises in America and later a cartoon came out.

Punky Brewster

Soleil Moon Frye at the age of eight played a spunky orphan in the popular 1980s NBC TV series Punky Brewster. The show had an extended life in reruns after it ended in 1986, making Brewster somewhat of a pop culture icon for the '80s generation. She always had her hair in pigtails, wearing bright colored clothes, leggings, and ruffled socks.

I chose these three icons because they were all a part of my life growing up. I chose the New Kids on the block because they were my favorite boy band growing up; I had my room decked out in NKOTB from floor to the ceiling, posters, curtains, blankets, and rugs. I had a NKOTB backpack, you name it I probably had it. I was crazy about them and their music. I would say they were the guys that made me boy crazy. J

 I chose Cabbage Patch Dolls because I received a one every year for my birthday and Christmas. That is all I ever asked for; while other children had a list for Santa I had one request, a new Cabbage Patch Doll. The Cabbage Patch Dolls were my best friends, I took one everywhere I went and when I played teacher they were my students. I have over seventy Cabbage Patch Dolls in my parent’s attic and plan to one day give them to my children.

My last choice was Punky Brewster. I was always told I looked like her. I loved her colorful wardrobe as well as her personality. She was a strong willed little girl who if she put her mind to it, could do anything that she wanted. I saw her as a role model and honestly looking back now I was just like her. She was always happy no matter what happened and had a positive attitude. I remember dressing like her baggy shirts, bright colored belts, and mismatched socks. She is definitely an icon to this day!

References:
New Kids on the Block, Retrieved May 24, 2011, from StarPlus:
http://www.starpulse.com/Music/New_Kids_On_The_Block/

The Cabbage Patch Kids, Retrieved May 24, 2011, from Cabbage Patch Kids:
http://www.cabbagepatchkids.com/

Punky Brewster, Retrieved May 24, 2011, from TV.com
http://www.tv.com/punky-brewster/show/266/summary.html

Pop has gone Gaga

You either love her or hate her, but Lady Gaga has sold millions of albums due to her mystique and outlandish outfits.  She surely will pass Madonna as a media icon, if she hasn’t done so already.  She pulls in a young fan base with her public statements and lyrics which are full of principles and social statements.

There are sure to be more pop icons to follow in Gagas footsteps, but to say Gaga is a leader would be to give her too much credit. Her performances are elaborate and they prove that she is a pop music icon who is tapping into a glam-era cult with a similar personality to Marilyn Manson.

Gaga is being seen as a Madonna rip-off as she mocks Madonna’s cone bras with her machine-gun top. But she is her own person.  She refers to her fans as ‘Little Monsters’, but it is by no means a negative name. She keeps in touch with her  fan base, and recently sent pizza to fans who camped out for days in the rain in New York to get a chance to see her performance on  Saturday Night Live. 

Kudos to Gaga. I do not know when the last time was that pop has seen such a tactically talented media manipulator. With her odd fashions, she sure does catch your eye.    Her musical talent, singing and playing the piano, is worthy of catching your ear as well.   

www.ladygaga.com/default.aspx/