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Ripped Off: Backlash in response to Spade/Farley Direct TV ad November 9, 2009

Posted by itneditor in Advertising, Film, New Media, News, Television, entertainment.
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A recent advertisement for Direct TV brought comedian Chris Farley back from the grave to re-enact his famous “Fat man in a little coat” scene from Tommy Boy, all while co-star David Spade made a plug for the company. Many people criticized the advertisement, calling it an effort to cash in on the celebrity after his tragic death.

David Spade, however, recently defended his decision to appear in the advertisement and claimed that Direct TV was paying homage to Farley’s brilliant humor. He claimed that he was shocked that people had such strong reactions to the commercial, and apologized if anybody got the wrong idea.

To see the ad yourself, watch the following video:

Discussion Questions:

1.  Considering that the advertisement barely changed the scene that included Farley, and that the commercial had the support of his own family, were people justified in being offended?

2.  This advertisement is one of many that have recently included dead celebrities. What are some other examples that you can remember? When are these kinds of commercials done tastefully?  When are they not?

3.  Was David Spade’s response to the crisis effective in quieting the criticism?

How drug ads have changed health care in the United States November 9, 2009

Posted by itneditor in Advertising, Internet, Media Research, News, Newspaper, Politics, Public relations, Radio, Television.
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NPR’s Alix Spiegel recently reported that changes in advertising laws for pharmaceutical companies since the 1990s have had a devastating impact on the country’s health care practices. Americans averaged 7 prescriptions a year in 1992, but that increased to 12 by 2008, thanks in part to widespread advertising for various drugs. As Spiegel tells it, advertisers once lobbied doctors to recommend drugs to patients, but after convincing the FDA to change certain advertising laws the industry eventually took its advertising straight to consumers. The drug companies now spend $4 billion a year on ads, and the “Nielson Co. estimates that there’s an average of 80 drug ads every hour of every day on American television.”

The drug companies, due to increased pressure in the recent healthcare debates, agreed to a moratorium on advertising of new drugs. Although some people would like to see the advertising disappear in the future, the moratorium itself has had a brutal impact on media sources that rely on the advertising and are trying to stay afloat during tough economic times.

For more on the consequences that pharmaceutical advertising has had on health care in America, see the following videos:

Discussion Questions:

1.  Why do some people think that pharmaceutical advertising, at least those ads directed straight to consumers, is unethical?

2.  Is there another side to this debate? In other words, why is such advertising appropriate, and in some cases necessary?

3.  What is the link between pharmaceutical advertising and the current health care crisis in America?

4.  Should such ads be subject to new legislation?  If so, what do you think Congress should do about the matter?

Solutions on the horizon for loud television commercials October 30, 2009

Posted by itneditor in Advertising, News, Radio, Television, entertainment.
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Contrary to the popular thought, television commercials are not necessarily louder than regular programming. Instead, they just sound louder. For years the FCC has regulated television volume by requiring that broadcasters have equipment that limits the peak power that they can use to send out audio signals. But advertisers have gone around these regulations by making commercials as loud as the loudest sound in television programs. The move is perfectly legal. But it is also completely annoying.

A solution to this widespread problem is apparently on its way. Congress will soon debate the Commercial Advertising Loudness Mitigation Act, which closes the loophole that allows commercials to run at the same volume as the loudest parts of programming. Additionally, consumer-electronics companies are developing equipment to let broadcasters monitor the volume of commercials, and technology is now being advanced in new televisions that automatically balance volume.

For more on this current problem with television advertising, see the following video:

Discussion Questions:

1.  Why do commercials run at such a loud volume if this clearly annoys the average viewer?  In other words, what is the strategy in being so loud?

2.  Are loud commercials simply an inconvenience to viewers, or are they violating certain rights of consumers?

3.  Should there be legislative action to regulate this practice?  What are the dangers of regulations?  What are the benefits?

Balloon Boy story raises concerns about kids and reality TV October 30, 2009

Posted by itneditor in Film, News, Television, entertainment.
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Mayumi Heene, the mother of a child now known as Balloon Boy, recently confirmed that her family’s previous reports that her son was inside a runaway helium balloon were all a part of an elaborate hoax.  Heene told police that she and her husband staged the incident to make their family marketable to the media so that they could get their own reality TV show. She also confirmed that she willingly pressured her children to lie about the hoax.

As the Christian Science Monitor has reported, the Balloon Boy saga raises some major concerns about the welfare of children forced into reality TV.  After other high profile cases like Jon and Kate Gosselin and their eight kids and the octo-mom and her 14 children, the Balloon Boy hoax has led some to question if there should be new laws to prevent families from pursuing fame and fortune by sacrificing their kids to voyeuristic audiences.

For more on this story, including the Heene family’s appearance on the Wolfe Blitzer show and the widespread criticism that followed, see the following videos:

Discussion Questions:

1.  What harm can be done to children in reality television shows?  Are there any examples that one could cite beyond those listed in the paragraphs above?

2.  How should the current laws concerning reality television and child labor change in the near future?

3.  Why do television audiences enjoy shows like Jon and Kate Plus 8 even though they probably know that such programs may harm the lives of children?

The Power of One: Is Matt Drudge killing the United States economy? October 22, 2009

Posted by itneditor in Blogroll, Internet, New Media, News, Newspaper, Politics, entertainment.
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At the beginning of October, Politico’s Eaman Javers wrote that there was a “sneak attack” on the US dollar. This attack came in the form of numerous stories that a handful of countries from around the world were going to quit using the greenback in oil trading. Similar stories followed. Javers, however, attributed the fear mongering to certain websites, including The Drudge Report, which has obsessed over the story of America’s failing economy.

A few weeks later, Javers followed his initial report by discussing The Drudge Report’s influence on the failing economy more specifically. Javers wrote that in little under three weeks Drudge had posted at least 18 stories on the dollar as a failing currency. While Javers admitted that Drudge alone is not actually moving the currency markets, he did suggest that the man behind the site, Matt Drudge, is setting the agenda for other media outlets that are now creating a panic about the greenback’s stability.

To hear Drudge speak about his website, in an older interview, see the following video:

Discussion Questions:

1.  What is it about The Drudge Report that is so different from other major media sources?  Does Drudge lack a system of checks and balances?

2.  To what extent does Drudge’s ideological agenda have an impact on global affairs?

3.  Could a massive move to a pay-to-play media model, like the one advocated by Rupert Murdoch, limit Drudge’s influence?

Left Behind at Walmart: Christian videogames going mainstream? October 22, 2009

Posted by itneditor in Books, New Media, News, Politics, Video Games, entertainment.
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Walmart stores in Houston and Dallas are now experimenting with carrying Christian videogames of all kinds after having sold games from the Left Behind series since 2006. According to some estimates, the Christian segment of videogame sales could reach $648 million. The move isn’t so radical for Walmart, though, since its stores have been carrying Christian music and books for years, yet its commitment to the world of “moral videogames” makes it a leading store for such material.

Walmart’s commitment to sell games from the Left Behind series, however, could create backlash among some consumers. As some critics claim, the series advocates violence in the name of religion. For more on that debate, see the following videos:

Discussion Questions:

1.  How does the Left Behind series reflect Walmart’s target audience?  Is the company risking anything by carrying such videogames, even if they are deemed controversial?

2.  Why are the videogames from the Left Behind series receiving criticism? Are they really similar to other violent games?

3.  Christian videogames, in general, seem to reflect the growing trend in America of companies catering to “lifestyle consumers.” What are some other examples of Walmart, or major media companies, catering to unique groups of people?

It’s not just the newspapers that are failing: Internet, economy causing crisis for adult film industry October 6, 2009

Posted by itneditor in Film, Internet, Politics, Television, entertainment.
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When we think of industries most impacted by the current recession, we often mention auto manufacturers and newspapers. However, as recently reported by CNN, the adult entertainment industry has been devastated by the recession as well. In tracing the cause of the adult entertainment industry’s first ever downturn, CNN’s Chris Kokenes attributed this to piracy, free online content, the rise of amateur pornography, consistent legal challenges, and a bad economy that has changed the purchasing habits of consumers.

According to many reports, the downturn has had a major impact on adult entertainment in several ways. As Sean O’Neal wrote for the A.V. Club, consumers are now flocking to the porn equivalents of YouTube which are putting more and more younger women in adult videos while driving down the salaries of the industry’s biggest stars. Moreover, The New York Times reported back in July, because the average attention span on the internet is three to five minutes pornographic films are now trimmed of any plot or dialogue and are now simply based on themes. The change has been felt by professional adult film stars especially, who now claim to feel like pieces of meat rather than actors and actresses.

To see how the porn industry has evolved with new technology, see the following video:

Furthermore, watch the following video to see Vivid Entertainment CEO Steven Hirsch discuss recent trends in the industry:

Discussion Questions:

1.  What are the risks for performers in adult entertainment if the porn industry’s biggest players are being replaced by more amateur movie makers who submit their content straight to the internet?

2.  Can the adult entertainment industry’s recent crisis be attributed to one factor more than others? In your opinion what is that major factor?

3.  Do recent trends in the porn industry, stemming from the rise of the internet and/or the economic crisis, present problems for how that industry can be regulated?

David Letterman returns, apologizes to wife and staffers October 6, 2009

Posted by itneditor in News, Politics, Public relations, Television, entertainment.
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David Letterman returned to the air on Monday, October 6th, and made his first statement about the sex scandal that has rocked his life since he made an announcement about it the previous Thursday. Letterman offered a heartfelt apology to his wife and staffers, and stated that he had a lot of work ahead of him in order to repair a broken relationship with his wife.

The apology came while Letterman has faced increased criticism after first admitting to having an affair with a staffer. Recent reports have suggested that Letterman had sex with several staffers over the years, and even had a secret bedroom over the Ed Sullivan Theater. Considering this embarrassing news comes after a recent crisis involving Letterman’s jokes about Sarah Palin, some like The New York Post’s Andrea Peyser are calling for CBS to get rid of the late night funnyman.

Watch the following video to see Letterman’s recent apology yourself:

Additionally, to see comedian Lewis Black’s critique of the attention that this scandal is getting, see the following link.

Discussion Questions:

1.  Why is Letterman’s sexual life a cause for public concern?  In other words, why must his apology to his wife and staffers be public?

2.  Was Letterman’s apology acceptable?  What did he do well?  How might he have improved his mea culpa?

3.  Is Lewis Black right? Has this story been overblown?

Celebrating “The Twilight Zone” October 5, 2009

Posted by itneditor in Film, News, Politics, Television, entertainment.
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As The New York Times recently noted, Rod Sterling’s “The Twilight Zone” is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month. Commencing with an episode called “Where is Everybody” on October 2, 1959, “The Twilight Zone” aired over 150 episodes, and was recreated several decades later for newer audiences. Professor of Speech Communication Brant Short, of Northern Arizona University, recently wrote in Communication Currents that the show was significant because it “changed the popular cultural landscape” by offering “powerful messages on topics such as war, racism, addiction, extremism, violence, ageism, and consumerism.” According to Short, “The Twilight Zone” violated the rule of predictability that governed television programming, gave a voice to people at the margins of society, and rejected science as the new American religion.

For more on the anniversary of “The Twilight Zone” see the following video:

Discussion Questions:

1.  Regarding “The Twilight Zone,” why was the genre science fiction best for tackling major social issues in the 1950s & 1960s?

2.  What is your favorite episode of “The Twilight Zone” and how did it function as a social critique in its day?

3.  How has “The Twilight Zone” influenced modern entertainment?

4.  Why is “The Twilight Zone” still so popular today?

Hofstra University rape story highlights problems with media reports of sexual assault October 5, 2009

Posted by itneditor in Internet, New Media, News, Newspaper, Politics, Radio, Television.
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As recounted by The New York Post, a Hofstra University freshman in mid-September falsely accused four men of raping her in a campus dorm. The female claimed that she was lured away from her boyfriend at a party, and taken to another building where she was tied up and gang raped in a bathroom stall. For a little under a week the four men were stigmatized by the media, and harassed to the point that they were afraid of leaving their homes. When one of the accused men produced a video of the incident that proved the woman participated in consensual sex, the female Hofstra student admitted she was lying.

The news story has sparked some major debates about the way that the media reports rapes. While some claim that the men were unfairly treated as if they were already guilty, some feminists are saying that media portrayals of the female Hofstra student as a “slut” or “whore” stigmatizes not just women who lie about rape, but those who were actually raped and simply have a hard time convincing people about it. Other feminists are suggesting that the men have been unfairly let off by a media that is now demonizing the accuser and overlooking the controversial nature of the sex that was instantly regrettable for everyone involved.

In order to understand the controversy of how this story was reported, see the following videos. The first is representative of the original stories on the rape, while the second is representative of those after the victim came out with her confession.

Discussion Questions:

1.  Why did some people believe that the original reports about the rape were unfair?  What kind of language did the first story above use that demonized the accused rapists?

2.  How did the second story above demonize the female accuser? Do stories like this really negatively influence future rape cases? If so, how?

3.  What lessons can we learn from this story about the way that the media reports, or should report, sexual assault or other possible crimes?