4th Topic: Media Literacy

Children recite jingles instead of poetry and they know brand names instead of the names of the presidents. More students can identify Mr. Peanut and Joe Camel than can identify Abe Lincoln or Eleanor Roosevelt. They can identify twenty kinds of cold cereal but not the trees and birds in their neighborhoods. (Pipher, 1996, p.94)

What is media literacy and why is it important for you as FCM students to have it?

Media literacy is

• The process of understanding and using the mass media in an assertive and non-passive way. This includes an informed and critical understanding of the nature of the media, the techniques used by them and the impact of these techniques. www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/educational/teaching_backgrounders/media_literacy/glossary_media_literacy.cfm

• The ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and produce communication and information in a variety of forms and means. www.unesco.org/education/educprog/lwf/doc/portfolio/definitions.htm

1st Critical Reflection
Why does media literacy important for me as a FCM students? Well from what I understand, media messages are created with a specific goal or purpose in mind to give their ultimate impact on society. In other words, each type of media has it's own unique "language" in which are manipulated to give some impact to the society. So, with media literacy I can identify who creates the media messages and thus are less affected by manipulation and are able to enjoy using the media effectively.

2nd Critical Reflection
FCM students will need to know that some media may be effective or entertaining but less suited for informing and persuading. We also need to understand that the dynamic nature of media and the ways in which it changes to adapt to the current issue so that they can select the media better in which suits their reasons most appropriately. One of a great way for students to appreciate how media messages are compose is to design and create their own to understand the techniques and strategies to construct an effective media.

With this, FCM students can develop skills to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the strategies used and make modification for future productions.

Personal reflection
On the previous class, there is a lecture about representation and stereotype by Miss Helena. Many people seems to already understand about stereotype since they have done a research about it and it is a common all-time-subject. Stereotypes always occur anytime and anywhere, but mostly on the negative parts. Representation however, controls the minds and thoughts of the people by using the media. The videos that Miss Helena show to us turns out to be quite interesting. The class keeps on getting interesting more and more. And I realize a lot more on why and how does the culture around me react from an impact on media.


with passion,
~Fadhil~

Personal Reflection on week 6

Since we don't have any class for this week, I'll give a comment about how I find this Media Culture subject.

At first, I don't have any idea on why do we have to know about media(s). All I can think of that it is a boring class. As time goes on, I find out more and more about how important is the role of media to the world. It is getting interesting every time I learn and do a research about it. I found out what is social media and it's importance, the lies and truth about the internet, stereotypes, and media effects. Learning this subject is important for all of us to better understand about the use of media.

passionate,
~Fadhil~

3rd topic: Media Stereotypes

What is media stereotype? From your personal experience, what other media stereotype you have seen either on TV or in the movies?

1st Critical Reflection
I'm not a racist, so pardon me if I wrote something sensitive here.
Well, I was told to write a very short basic explanation so here goes.

1. Stereotyping often results from, and leads to, prejudice and bigotry.

2. Unchecked prejudice and bigotry leads to discrimination, violence, and, in extreme cases, genocide.

3. Prejudice can be spread by the use of propaganda and inflamed by demagogues.

4. Language, particularly slang, is often used to dehumanize members of certain groups of people, and this dehumanization is a precursor of discrimination, isolation, and violence.

from Stereotypes and Prejudice

So what is media stereotypes?
Here is a link describing some definition about stereotypes.

"Stereotypes" is often describe as a generalization or misunderstanding on a person or a group of persons that are based one limited and sometimes, inaccurate information. It's also an initial predictions on strangers based on their appearance, culture and race. The stereotypes that we often heard is, the Malays are lazy, the Indians are smelly, the Chinese cannot be trusted, the Arabs are terrorist, the Black people are criminals, and the list goes on. It's also a The media is solely responsible for the stereotypes that occur around the world. For an example, The Black males are often said as musicians, gangsters or rap stars, which is not true for the majority of them. The media also said that they are the ones who always wear hooded clothes, which eventually encourages them to keep wearing it.

2nd Critical Reflection
Stereotypes can lead to prejudice which will cause discrimination and violence. Media stereotype can easily influence anybody around the globe when they are unable to get a perfect picture of a certain people or groups. This will create some subtle or overt pressure which will discourge persons of certain minority groups from living in a neighborhood. This happens when we judge people based on prejudice and treating others differently with the things they didn't do. If you keep saying someone is something, eventually they become it and believe it.

Japanese stereotypes during the World War 2 era in the banned Looney Toons cartoon.

No offense but the cartoon above shows how stupid the Japanese are. It's also shows the hatred of the Americans towards the Japanese during the World War 2 era.


with passion,
~Fadhil~

2nd topic: Media Effects

"Rumors, lies and innuendo spread far, wide, and fast on the Internet."

Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture" by Stanley Baran, pg 324.

As for this week's discussion:

Do you often take what is on the Internet as truth without thinking much about it? If yes, why? If no, why? Discuss this in your own words.

1st Critical Reflection
Well, there are pros and cons but personally, I almost doubt everything. Whether it is on the internet, or in the newspaper, we should never accept anything blindly. Based on my experience, parents and friends, I will probaby says no. But I do trust the internet a little.

There are some websites on the internet that can be reliable like The Star Online, Utusan Online, CNN, Discovery Channel and other websites that can be trusted and is well-known for its genuine on the information given they are mostly true, and can be accepted. Internet is a powerful tool in spreading out information in this global era. So whatever comes out on the net, people will rush through it quickly to gain information. Moreover, the news on the internet comes out faster compare than the newspaper which need to take some time to print thousands of copy before it can be distributed and sell.

At times, we should trust the internet more since a lot of newspapers and the news on the TV is controlled by the government. Therefore, the information given couldn't be fully trusted as the government will surely filter some parts of the information in order to take care of their names. The most clear example was during the election month for the politician. The media will be telling all the negative information for the opposing politician, but not for the government. But on the internet, many truth reveals there.

Sometimes, the information that you received by e-mail or chain message can be quite a shock. For an example, you got an e-mail telling you that your everyday favourite meal like a mushroom soup with certain brands have a high alcohol content with some poisonous chemicals that can eventually reduced your life-span. If you trust it, you will stop buying it anymore. The one who felt the cause of the forwarded message from e-mail to e-mail is the company who creates the product and their profits would most probably fall. See how powerful is the internet? Just a piece of an information could destroy a company.

2nd Critical Reflection
Some companies and politicians also use the internet to take advantage by telling fake information about themselves for marketting reasons. In order to enhance the positive perception and views of the society towards themselves, they will exagerate their achievements, cover up the bad news and even mislead their voters to gain some profit. The previous italic word is taken from the "truth and lies in media marketting". Click the link for more information.

Personally from my experience, I have been interviewed by Kosmo! to ask me about the incident when I got strucked by a dagger from 2 unknown stranger. I had told them everything I remember right from the start towards the end. But after that, when the newspaper comes out on the following day, the story is quit different from what I had told them. They just exaggerate it to make the story a little more interesting to read.

Some people thought that they can get a handful of information through browsing websites that most people unheard of. But how much can you trust the information given? Check out this video about Wikipedia.


For more extra information, try reading a book entitled "Truth, Lies and Trust on the Internet" by Monica T. Whitty and Adam Joinson.

Personal reflection
Well the class is noiser than usual. It's hard for me to pay attention since the people who sits around me couldn't stop talking. A lot of them doesn't even look at the front and talk about other things among themselves. Since I couldn't hear very clear of what Mr Radzi wanted to say, all I could do is looking at the slide and read it. Maybe I should sit in the front so that I can concentrate better and able to hear the lecture clearly.

This week Mr Radzi gave a lecture about how powerful the media is which can influence many people's thoughts eventhough it is not true. Even if it is just fictional which is made up, many people will get tricked by it and believe it since they doesn't know anything. Chaos can happens easily if the media is not under control. This really shows that the media is like a hand that holding the worlds together. It can make goood things happen and also destroy it anytime.


with passion,
~Fadhil~

Social Media

What is Social Media? Ever thought of what does it really means?
Seems simple yet can you describe it clearly?
Social media is more than just interaction between people who uses media as the platform.

Social media is an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media

A category of sites that is based on user participation and user-generated content. They include social networking sites like LinkedIn or Facebook, social bookmarking sites like Del.icio.us, social news sites like Digg or Reddit, and other sites that are centered on user interaction.

searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html

The term social media describes media that is posed by the user and can take many different forms. Some types of social media are forums, message boards, blogs, wikis and podcasts. Social media applications include Google, Facebook and YouTube.

www.batchblue.com/glossary.html

Software tools that allow groups to generate content and engage in peer-to-peer conversations and exchange of content (examples are YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, MySpace etc)

www.bottlepr.co.uk/glossary.html

The term social media is used to describe the use of today’s technology of distributing information and encourage people to connect with one and another who share the same interest.
According to Mahalo.com:

Social Media is a term used to describe new media formats such as message boards, social network, blogs and virtual worlds. These services encourage participation from the public and allow users all over the world to create direct connections with one another.

Take a look at this video to get some ideas of what social media really is:

Well that sums up the basic understanding of social media.
Now let's proceed to this week's discussion for the MLC0013 class: Discuss how this new phenomenon is affecting your life and the lives around you.

1st critical reflection - Depend entirely on others opinion?
It seems that people will never really think for themselves to enhance or correct something, instead they will rely on other people’s word. Let’s take a picture of scenery and upload it in flickr for example. Some will say that it is a good picture while others will say that there is nothing special about it or it is a bad picture. If the person who commented on your picture is someone who is a well-known photographer or a good and established judge, then their comment is highly valuable. But since anyone can access this platform of communicating, how sure are you to accept each one of the comments? What if a drunkard or a kid who doesn’t have any qualification to judge your work, commented on your picture? They may pretend as a people who knew everything about certain fields and fake about it, or they just some bad photographers and unworthy judges. Even if you taken a beautiful picture of the Petronas Twin Tower and u didn’t know how beautiful it really is, then you accept the comment of others saying it is a bad picture. Wouldn’t it be a waste?

What I’m trying to say here that we can’t fulfill all the people’s heart and desire and give them what they want. You may get a bad comment on your blogs, pictures, videos, arts and all sort of other things. Even so, it is still a good way to share information and common interest with each others. Debating in this way will enhance oneself to correct and to do something better in the future.

On the other hand, social reviews are used to provide user feedback on everything from products to movies. Many companies pay for reviews, and of course, there are always those freebies floating around. Many experts say that a bad review can literally destroy a company. But if they get a good review, then the rate of the company will get high up and becomes a blast!

2nd critical reflection- Alter ego?
The existence of social networks like Facebook, MySpace and Friendster have cause less interaction between people in real life. People may unable to get along very well since they are used to interact with people online rather than meet together face-to-face.

People who are quiet and doesn't get along with people in real life, are sometimes different in the world of social networks. They maybe have lots of online friends and very responsive on comments towards another. Some people may looked like a talkative person through the net with their cheerful words when replying or sending comments actively on other people's page. But in real life, he/she maybe just a shy person who doesn't talk much.

Also, there is Web Logs, better known as blogging which is an interactive websites where individuals regularly make posts and allow readers to comment. This is also a personal way of expressing oneself to let out their thoughts and feelings about some current issue or what happens on their daily life.

Personal Reflection
Mr Radzi gave us a lecture about media in social life and how does media effect us as a consumer. I understand little bit more on a purpose to learn about media culture. But I couldn't quite get it clearly though about the lecture on that topic. Maybe the lecturer using the mono tone voice which caused myself unable to concentrate or is it just hard to understand. But I'm getting a hang of it and I hope I could understand the whole idea of each of the lecturers trying to give.


with passion,
~Fadhil~