Traditional vs. Modern Family

          While television programming as evolved greatly over the last 50 years, the traditional family-based TV situation comedy still remains relevant.  “All in the Family” of the 1970s and “Modern Family” of today reflect many attitudes and feelings of their times.  Both TV shows share the basic foundation of a family, with a patriarchal bringing them all together.  Carroll O’Connor as Archie Bunker in “All in the Family” and Ed O’Neil as Jay Pritchett in Modern Family” share similar views of traditional family values and hesitant of change.  Both characters have experiences of friends and family opening up as gay individuals, and neither is completely comfortable with the situation, but do their best. 

                                                                                               "All in the Family" and "Modern Family" Cast

“All in the Family” fails to go in depth into the topic, as homosexuality was still taboo for the 1970s; Archie Bunker is very crude and offensive in his beliefs, even after learning his friend is gay, while the rest of his family is accepting.  “Modern Family” on the other hand, depicts a gay couple who adopt a child and face many obstacles even in 2010.  Jay Pritchett is father to Mitchell and continues to come to terms with his son’s sexuality, but loves him nonetheless.  “Modern Family” portrays a more realistic representation of a gay couple and opens the door for more discussion, while maintaining the comedy.  “All in the Family” and “Modern Family” are excellent reflection of their time periods and hopefully future TV shows will continue to explore complex situations, and adding in laughs.    

Advertising and the Radio

Advertising and institutional factors were the leading causes of the development and shaping of the radio industry in the 1920s and into today.  In the beginning, radio was proposed as a way to inform listeners of current events, and then as a music box with only a few channels.  Advertising led radio to popular entertainment of news, performances, and music on hundreds of national and local stations.  Radio stations charged advertisers airtime to promote their products, producers sponsoring programs and running ads during programs.    

                                                                                                                     Radios Over the Years

This led to competition for the best channel and laid the foundation for all future broadcast, and even today’s radio stations maintain this process.  The number of stations and producers wanting to advertise grew greatly, as did the number of listeners.  Radio led to a more united nation, keeping up with news, pop culture, and the best products.  Compared to the original intent of radio for spreading news mixed with music, radio developed into an economic endeavor and linked manufacturers directly with homes of consumers.  

Social Learning in "The Jersey Shore"

The question of media reflecting society or society reflecting the media has been up for debate since the media revolution; but with economy of Seaside Heights, New Jersey up three million dollars, tourists are conforming to the social learning theory by fist-pumping and doing the GTL (gym-tan-laundry) just like the cast of MTV’s “Jersey Shore.”  The social learning theory describes the media’s effects of consumers imitating behavior observed in magazines, TV, films, and other media outlets.  Similar to uses and gratifications, the social learning theory furthers the idea of desire for gratification by expectation.  By absorbing media behavior, the audience will inevitably alter their own behavior.  Consumers and audiences affected positively will want to repeat the media enjoyed or take it a step further by directly imitating the actions of actors, celebrities, or media figures.

  

                                                                                                                                                  "The Jersey Shore" at the MTV Movie Awards

“The Jersey Shore” often features members of the house like “Snooki” or “The Situation” highly intoxicated and engaging in promiscuous behavior.  These college-aged, Italian, reality stars make thousands of dollars per episode and are setting poor examples for the youth of America.  By watching the “Jersey Shore” audiences are bombarded with society’s views of negative actions rewarded with media attention and money.  People are subject to the social learning theory and are acting in similar ways to the irresponsible “guidos” and guidettes.”  Thousands of people are flocking to Seaside Heights in hopes of getting a taste of the “The Jersey Shore,” and even more are mimicking their behavior, even some children.

Hegemony in James Cameron's Avatar

          While the movie industry continues to be determined by box office success, movie giants like James Cameron contribute their own convictions and ideologies into movies like Avatar.  It has become common for corporations and influential individuals to use the media as a platform for their beliefs, called hegemony.  Conglomerates generate a consensus around a particular partisanship and thus the material produced reflects the interest of shareholders and advertisers.  Hegemony leads to an exceptionally biased outlook on politics, business, and entertainment, and almost solely controlled by the wealthy minority (Straubhaar 43). 

                                                                                                                         Avatar by James Cameron

          Writer, director, and producer, James Cameron, controlled every aspect of the mega-blockbuster, Avatar.  Inspiring a revolution of 3-D films and grossing over two billion dollars worldwide, Cameron also revealed his passion for the environment and the necessity for its protection.  In Avatar Parker Selfridge employs Jake Sully to infiltrate the native people, Na’vi, on the planet of Pandora, which intends to exploit the land for rich minerals.  By transforming into an avatar, Sully bonds and forms an alliance with these tall, blue peoples and is forced to choose between saving the utopian land and assisting the avaricious corporation.   

          The epic movie’s central theme revolves around the idea of interconnectedness of nature and the consequences of attempting to exploit it.  The thread of Avatar comes straight from James Cameron’s personal environmental activism and who is most recently quoted saying, “The BP mess is a classic example of how our energy policies, or lack thereof, are going to hurt us.”  His opinions of offshore drilling regulations are directly coincided with Avatar.  Cameron expresses his position on need for harsher regulation against greedy companies and cut back of demolition of natural reservoirs.  While not all corporations or individuals have such admirable motives, Cameron incorporates hegemony into Avatar in order to educate the populous on need for environmental protection and responsibility. 

Along the press chain for the movie, James Cameron continuously recalled the connection between Avatar and the environment, especially featured in Hardball with Chris Matthews.

Why RTF 305?

I am Madison Bailey from Los Angeles, California and I am taking RTF 305.  When most members of the student body of UT find out I am from L.A., the top two question I receive are: "What are you doing here?" and "What celebrities have you seen?".  As welcoming as that may seem, I came to the 40 Acres for the exceptional education and opportunities provided by the university, and the pride the students and faculty take in wearing the burnt orange as uniform. 

  

                                                                                                                                             Madison Bailey

 Hollywood miles from my house, it was merely impossible to escape the draw of the entertainment industry.  While I enter UT undeclared, it was out of the question not to at least take one Radio-Television-Film course.  With Introduction to Media Studies I hope to increase my knowledge of the production side of the business and hopefully be able to watch my favorite TV shows and movies in a whole new way. 

I am also a frequent visitor to an array of blogs ranging from food to staplers to movie stars at Starbucks, but my favorite blog is Hippies Are Dead.  Check it out!