Media post

A few days ago I saw a commercial for this new show on E! TV called "BridalPlasty" and was absolutely blown away. Just when you thought reality TV couldn't get any worse, E! has totally taken it to a whole new level. A woman's need for an 'ideal wedding' has gone above and beyond typical standards. Look for yourself!

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/TV/11/09/bridalplasty/index.html?eref=rss_showbiz&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_showbiz+%28RSS%3A+Entertainment%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

Derrida: pre-class

I thought that “Differance”, by Jacques Derrida, was an interesting read because he connects so well with many different theorists we have learned thus far. He talks about how language is important in order to understand ourselves and that words are key in doing so. De Saussure believes that “in language, there are only differences”, but Derrida says we are only left with differences. He talks about differance, which is the origin of differences in language. It is the gap (Barthes) in the language and we have to fill in the missing pieces. He suggests that words are understood by what they do not say and it is the differences that define a word. This relates to Macherey’s, ‘rupture’, because of how what is not said is the most important, just like the differences are the most important in a word because that is what defines it.

On page 127, Derrida states, “Every concept is necessarily and essentially inscribed in a chain or system, within which it refers to another and to other concepts, by the systematic play of differences” (Derrida 127). This idea of difference can be related to Zizek when he talks about ‘othering’, which is comparing us vs. them and seeing the differences between the two. This also relates to Habermas’ notion of ‘public sphere’ and Marxs’ idea of ideology, because both of these are part of a system in a certain society that refers to another concept.

Derrida also talks about signifier’s (De Saussure) and when we see one and part of it is missing we still fill in the gaps subconsciously, because we are used to seeing it that way. He says that meaning isn’t in the signifier itself, but exists in relation to other things and that a word’s value is determined by the use of other words. This reminds me of Macherey’s notion of intertextuality and how everything derives from something else and everything is related.

“On my honor I have not given, nor received, nor witnessed any unauthorized assistance on this work”

...instead of 'Clean Blue Crab'. Derrida I believe is constantly making distinction between the said or speech and what we read, writing. I therefore picked out this media example I tried to relate it to what Derrida is saying about how 'Writing precedes and follows speech, it comprehends it'. (Derrida)

Lady Gaga meets the Queen of England

“the most important of these figures are treated with a respect that is often quite out of proportion with their intellectual merits” (329)Here we see what theorist Bourdieu was pointing out. Much like the photo shown in class of Barbara Walters and the Dalai Lama, Lady Gaga is shown in photos meeting the Queen. We always see celebrities meeting important political figures yet a lot of the time it seems like they do not have the credentials to be doing so. There is an unbalance between the respect they have and their intellectual merits.

Here Comes Comcast - Chomsky and Herman

For one reason or another, I have always found interest in media conglomerates and their ability to absorb smaller companies. I found the subject as a whole very compelling, but more or less focus my attention on the Walt Disney Company. From Pixar to ESPN and Marvel through ABC, Disney continues to grow in power. However, when I was in middle school I remember reading about a threat for the Walt Disney Company, the threat of Comcast. Just as large conglomerates go after the smaller media branches, these big companies appear to fight themselves. Comcast’s attempt at a takeover for Disney eventually failed as a whole, however the company did buy out areas of MGM as well as regional cable channels and sports channels in pursuit of adding some competition. Nevertheless, Comcast in pursuit of a $30 billion dollar company, NBC Universal.

Announced just last year, Comcast which is now the “nation’s largest cable operator,” will take over 51% or the major of the company within the next 18 months (story reported in December of 2010). Not only will this include NBC, which once the takeover goes into effect can essentially change in name, but will include networks such as the Golf Channel, E!, USA, CNBC, MSNBC and many more. The chief exectutive of Comcast claims that this acquisition will be “a perfect fit for Comcast and will allow us to become a leader in the development and distribution of multiplatform ‘anytime, anywhere’ media that American consumers are demanding.” Now, normally I would stand back and say, “its just business.” Yet, according to Chomsky and Herman, we live “in a world of concentrated wealth and major conflicts of class interest” especially in the terms of “systematic propaganda.” Comcast is on a power hunt and as we sit back and watch them acquire NBC and all that comes with it, what effects can this have on our future media sources? It may appear as if we have hundreds of options, but at the end of the day the same few companies own them all.

New York Times Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/04/business/media/04nbc.html

Media examples

Some very useful examples offered! Thanks, 300 Classmates.

dc

Media example

Stereotypes in advertising