If I Were a Reality Show, What Would I Be...?

As a big fan of reality competition shows, Project Runway is one of my favorites. I’ve kept up with it for years and re-watch episodes on day-long marathons. The other day I was watching a new episode and my mom said to me, “You’re really into this show lately, have you been thinking about taking up sewing?” For whatever reason I was very confused; why would I be taking up sewing? I have absolutely zero interest in learning to sew or attempting to design my own garments. But it makes sense that someone who watches fashion competitions constantly may be interested in fashion, right? Wrong!

The airwaves are littered with reality shows that deal with all kinds of professions and hobbies. There’s a show for cupcake baking, fishing, antique picking, tattoo artists, hair styling and everything in between. And while a lot of these shows may attract connoisseurs of these professions, a lot of them don’t. Not everyone who watches America’s Top Model is themselves a model or photographer and not everyone who watches Orange County Choppers rides motorcycles. This got me thinking about the uses and gratifications model of communication that we brought up on Tuesday. People watch these stories to relax and follow the narratives or sit back and be their own judge of the competitors’ work. They follow the drama between characters or marvel at the work characters do.

For me, I like Project Runway because it’s something I can put on to escape everything else. I follow the relationships between designers and see what clothes I would like to wear. I may never be a clothing designer and don’t even desire to but I’ll still tune in to the show every week. If these types of shows only attracted viewers who have a background in that field they would probably fail to make ratings; there are only so many antique pickers in the world! Lucky for reality shows, it’s pretty hit and miss as to whether they become popular or not, but they have uses and gratifications on their side. Who knows what niche hobby will be the next TV sensation!

The Princess Bride

One of my favorite movies has always been "The Princess Bride." I used to watch it with my younger sister all the time and since the eighth grade I have made sure to watch it at least twice a year. I always thought of it as a classic that everyone has seen at least once (which is what everyone assumes about their favorite childhood movies) so I was surprised when my new friend I met at college had never watched it before. I was really excited to share her first-time-watching-"The Princess Bride" experience with her and when she didn't share my enthusiasm I begged and bribed her with ice cream. I was so set on her enjoying the movie that I barely watched it myself. All the parts that I thought were funny I would look over at her to see if she was laughing. And she wasn't! All the parts that I thought were romantic and usually swooned over she would stifle a yawn! After the movie, I forced myself to ask her about her opinion of the movie and she paused and said, "It was...okay..." She said she couldn't look past the poor special effects and the cheesy lines but some parts were kind of funny. I was a bit outraged at first (I mean, COME ON, "The Princess Bride" is a CLASSIC) but after thinking about it, it makes sense. When I was younger, special effects didn't matter to me in movies and cheesy lines won me over. A lot of times people's favorite things stay their favorite things for the sake of nostalgia. The movie held a lot more emotional attachment to me than I ever realized. If someone tried showing me a movie they used to watch at their grandma's house every Sunday it would hold a lot more importance to them than it ever could possibly for me.

Different Perspectives

I found today's lecture really interesting because it is something to which we can all relate.  There is always a time and a place to watch certain television shows, soap operas, cartoons, etc.  Sometimes we are at a time and place where we accidentally end up in a room with someone and it may end up being really awkward because that was not the intended plan.  I remember watching a TV show, and the group of main characters accidentally stumble upon a video tape where their friend is a porn star.  They bring it up to him and he was very embarrassed and kept denying that it was him.  The part where they sit down with him and have to watch it, and he finally admits it, and turned out to be the most awkward situation.  

Unlike that instance, sports are a category that can be viewed by all genders and ages and it would not be strange; sports can be watched at home, at a friend's house, at a bar, almost anytime and anywhere; it can even be watched without any sound.  If sports are watched without sound, the score is still written on the screen and the whole point of the game is to keep your eyes on the screen.  Now looking at a completely different instance, the news, for example can be on television without even watching.  The whole point of news is to get the story, although they do face you as if they're having a conversation, usually most of the story can be understood without watching the screen.  

An audience perspective

9  After our class activity and reading Roadway’s article, “Women Read The Romance: The Interaction of The Text and Context”  and Allen’s article “Audience Oriented Criticism and Television I thought about the show “life changers with Dr. Drew, who helps people through a variety of different life crises.  One episode had to do with young women with a college degree who wishes to be a prostitute at the Bunny Ranch in Nevada.  He often get has other social workers, therapists and other professions to aid him in helping people.  The thing that caught my eye and what has been on TV for quite a while is audience feedback.  I always liked to hear feedback from audiences because there is no script and they are for the most part, honest opinions.  This I can relate to the user-generated feedback in audience criticism discussed in these articles.  On pg. 7 of Alien’s article she talks about how different cultures have different interests.  In Latin America, Soap Operas are create a lot of feedback and addresses the importance of television to engage the viewer.  This can be a live sporting event which is free or pay for a movie ticket for in up-front purchase of entertainment.  On page 120 the Allen claims that ads are showed at before the movie because no further action is required by the movie/consumer contract.  This just demonstrate the power the media can have on society, the consumer has little to no control of what is seen and not seen which creates a very large indifference in power which the consumer ironically pays for.  Of course just like consumers give citizen to ads and services, dr. drews audience does as well then they don’t want her to have sex for money to support her.   Many ads online ask you in the upper right hand corner “was this ad relevant to you?” or they will give you a choice of which ad to view. I don’t know what a relent ad could possibly be if these ads target the masses against their will. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Gz2waRwnqw

TMZ: 2Pac Spotted @ A Baby Shower!!

We've all been in that awkward position while watching a movie with a parent and all of a sudden, a steamy sex scene springs up right in front of your eyes. You're not sure if you should uncomfortably laugh, fast forward until clothes are added to the equation or just close your eyes and wait it out. We all know what it's like when our friends see our "recently watched" Netflix movies and we are immediately inundated with embarrassment-- cheesy romantic comedies and sappy love stories galore! While in the comforts of my own own, and in the company of me, myself, and I, those types of movies are ok. It's all about context. For me, this idea also applies to music.

There's a time and place for everything, including certain music choices. If I were hosting my cousin's baby shower, I probably wouldn't blare 2Pac over the garden sound system. At a country-western bar, I wouldn't request that the band play Marilyn Manson. We all know that throwing Marvin Gaye on the jukebox at a crowded bar will be an instant crowd pleaser. We know that most Journey songs are crowd pleasers amongst happy drunk people. Certain media types are appropriate for certain situations. For TV shows, movies and music alike, the audience tends to enforce "unspoken rules" about what is appropriate and what isn't. These unwritten rules of society govern how we interact with and produce different media types.

Media perspectives

Today's class brought up a good point- we change our attitude towards TV shows, movies, and music based on who is seeing it with us. I know this is true because my favorite movie is Titanic and every time I bring up watching it my friends all start saying it's such a bad movie and asking me how I can like it. Similarly, I think Borat and comedies like that are funny- my friends refuse to watch this with me as well. This is also partly because I have seen these movies numerous times and they do not want to watch them again. This also happens to music- I will be in the car with a friend and a song comes on that I like to which the friend will say this is such a bad song. Sometimes I agree with them assuming they are right on not liking the song. I think this is a very interesting concept- changing our perspectives based on who is surrounding us. My question is how this came about- is this socially created or is there something in all of us that make us want to be liked by everyone and thus agree with them on everything. I think this is also psychological because something in our brain chemistry is telling us to agree with people even if we disagree because otherwise we will not be liked. On a side note here is a link http://vimeo.com/37119711 to a very important and interesting video about Joseph Kony, and man in Africa who abducts young children for his army. This video is only available in 2012 and is going around facebook, which is where I found it. It does not pertain to this weeks class but it does pertain to communications and social media. People are posting and sharing this video to get the word out to raise money and awareness to Invisible Children. This is similar to the movie Paranormal Activity because it is marketed mostly through social media and is now widespread throughout the world. I just found this interesting and thought I would share...

Boy Meets World

This weekend, I decided to watch Boy Meets World. This was my favorite show when I was younger and still makes my top list today. However, when I view it now I have a much different perspective on the program.

Since being a communications major, I pay a lot more attention to details within television programs and movies. I notice product placement and advertisements. Things I didn't think I paid much attention to before.

This holds true to Boy Meets World as well. I had no idea Yahoo advertised on that show at all until this weekend. The magnets on the refrigerator and stickers on the bulletin boards were all advertising for Yahoo (or most of them at least). It always surprises me how they sneak little things like that onto the show.

Product placements connects very well with the rhetorical nature of TV. The viewers are receiving a "gift" for watching the program, and thus, they are responsible for paying back the producers by buying the products advertised on the programs. I personally think this idea is a little ridiculous, but I understand their thinking none the less.

So, the producers place ads within the show anyway they can. All the products for example might be Coca Cola or Kellogg's brand. Product placement is important to the commercial industry because people can not "fast forward" through the show in order to skip the advertisements. Any way these programs can influence the consumers to spend money, they will do it.