Radio Development

Marconi’s invention of wireless telegraph by his utilizing of radio waves impacted the shaping of the radio industry by creating the opportunity for radio to be recognized not to mention even to exist.

Marconi’s wireless telegraph transmitted messages electrically without the electrical wires connecting the end points. This wireless telegraph was the first practical use of the radio. Marconi dominated radio in Europe and the United States in the early years by establishing the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company in Italy and later Britain and the US. He set up shore-based radio stations that received and transmitted telegraph signals to ocean going ships.

Marconi’s wireless telegraph affected the evolution of the US radio system in the 1920s by playing a pivotal role in the Titanic shipwreck which attracted public attention to the radio. The radio affected this disaster in two ways: it contributed in the saving of many lives and it reported news about the catastrophe. The Titanic, although a very dreadful event, was a huge opportunity for radio to excel. The radio had such prominence during this tragedy that Congress passed the Radio Act of 1912 that placed radio licensing under the supervision of the Department of Commerce, which further enhanced the development of radio in the 1920s.

Straubhaar, Joseph, Robert LaRose, and Lucinda Davenport. Media Now.

Mason: Cengage Learning, 2009.

Chapter 13 Social Learning Theory

The concept of the Social Learning Theory helps me understand the astonishing impact of the Sylvester Stallone’s character in the film Rambo.

The Social Learning Theory claims that people imitate what they view on television. This theory helps explain the prominent decrease in public morality. The decrease developed during the first “TV” generation, thus providing evidence for the validity of the Social Learning Theory. If people see violence, they will go out and be violent. Observational learning, the behavior change of someone emulating the behavior of that which they watch, is the process of the Social Learning Theory.

            During Tough Guise, the film-maker Jackson Katz, directly addresses the Social Learning Theory. By using boys and violence as an example, he stresses that the violent, male, outstanding characters in the mass media are negatively influencing boys and even men. Stallone in Rambo was the example used that stood out to me most. Every guy deep down respects and even envies Stallone’s main character in the movie Rambo. This character is idolized to be all that is man: tough, violent, and ripped. When males watch this film, the Social Learning Theory kicks in and they want to be tough, violent, and ripped just like Stallone’s character that they have come to love.

Ideology and Gossip Girl

The concept of ideology helps me understand the show gossip girl because it explains the thought process behind the costume design.

Ideology is the worldview of the ideal way or form of society. The aims and ideas that direct one's actions is the basis of the concept of ideology. It is the system of meaning behind how the world works and it's belief system. The reason behind how the media portrays people and thing in a particular way is due to this concept. In other words, it is the concept of what the world deems to be important.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6zFZjiC48o
The characters in Gossip Girl are always so ornately adorned in every situation, whether they are just going to get coffee with friends or even simply walking around the streets. The ideology behind the Gossip Girl costume design is that the world has very materialistic values. In this clip previewing the upcoming season, one can see their "every day clothing" is really very elaborate and not realistic. Understanding the concept of ideology helped me discover that the characters are always dressed their finest in the most prestigious designer clothes to cater to the worldview that material things are of the utmost importance.

Why 305?

After being asked "Why RTF 305?"I sat and pondered what the exact reason for my decision to take this class was based upon? Was it just to get a credit within my school out side my major? Was it because I heard it was a fun interesting class? Or is it simply because it was one of the only classes left open when it was FINALLY my turn to register for classes? Honestly, I have discovered that I am in this class for none of those reasons. Instead, I came into this class because I am interested to see if I really want to study Advertising. Upon my arrival at UT, I had not the slightest clue as to what field of study I wanted to pursue. After completing ADV 318J with Dr. Murphy in the spring semester, I realized that I was truly interested in advertising and I choose to take it on as my major. Now, I am thinking, if I chose advertising because of one interesting class, then how do I know I won't be interested in another field after completing an equally interesting class? Thus, I am taking this class to see if I could possibly be interested in pursuing a career in radio, television, and film. I hope to learn the basics of what media studies entails, if I could thrive in this field, and if I could potentially take on RTF as my major.