iParticipate Eight

During the only television show I watch at this time, American Horror Story, there are several ads that stand out to me. There's a vodka ad (I can't remember the name of the product) that basically states that "a perfect product can come in an imperfect bottle," with examples like a model with a gap between her teeth, yet viewed as perfect. There are ads for vehicles, like Mercedes Benz, which claim to have a superior vehicle with sleek stylizing in the commercial.

There are many commercials for upcoming scary movies or television shows that relate to American Horror Story, which is playing to the audience who likes to see macabre and scary media. There are no product placement ads within American Horror Story, but the fact that they show so many commercials for scary movies/television shows speaks volumes to their ploy to get horror viewers to watch more horror.

These ads do a good job of selling their products, especially the commercials for horror movies and television shows. The American Horror Story viewer is more likely to go and see the scary movie or seek out the scary television show than, say, someone who watches the Hallmark Channel.

iParticipate Seven

I interviewed my parents about their experiences with television and cable news. They both watch our local news station, WBKO, as well as WAVE, Headline News, and even BBC news.

The impact televised news has had on my parents has been different for both of them. My mother stated that events like the JFK assassination and the 9/11 attacks were "devastating. It seemed like everything stopped and nothing was important but looking for answers." My father remembered the Mercury and Apollo space launches from when he was a kid. He said "it was the biggest thrill a kid could get," watching those spaceships launch into space.

Both of their attitudes toward televised news have changed. Mom said she doesn't watch the news as much anymore or will change the channel while watching it because of all the negative news and violent crimes they choose to show. Dad said he doesn't trust the news channels because they all have an agenda. He also noted that the news channels choose to publicize negative stories. He said he gets most of his news online from Yahoo! News, instead.

My father noted that one news show on WAVE (he couldn't remember the name of it, but it comes on at 6:30 p.m. central time) starring Dawn Gee, has a good balance of negative and positive news. He said, "Dawn Gee will cry when she tells a sad story, and she does this thing called "pass the cash" where she helps people in need. It's a really good news show." My father also noted that he watches BBC news because it seems to be less biased than the American news channels.

As far as television news experiences that stick with my parents, for Dad it was the space missions. My mother said natural disasters and mass murders stick with her, although she wishes they wouldn't, and they make her thankful that her loved ones are safe.

I believe my parents are correct in stating that the news channels have an agenda and that they mostly publicize negative events. I can see why someone would get their news online, as opposed to television. The fact that negative stories on a grand scale stick with my mother shows the power the news channels have in showing these negative stories, and them having a lasting effect on the viewer.

iParticipate Six

In comparing Mother Earth News with Kentucky Game & Fish, there are several differences. In Mother Earth News, there are stories about how to create a backyard pond, pruning fruit trees, and convenient recipes. The ads range from canning food to plowing your garden to wines. In Kentucky Game & Fish, there are stories about things like hunting without dogs, apps for hunters, and hunting small game. The ads range from Grizzly smokeless tobacco to electric food slicers to hunting television shows. In both magazines, it is evident that they are playing to their audience with the ads. The placement of the ads in both magazines were near related content, usually, such as the wine ad next to the fruit tree article and the hunting show ad next to an article about...you guessed it, hunting!

Ads definitely influence magazine content, especially in women's magazines such as Cosmopolitan. They advertise the makeup, skincare products, and hair care products next to pictures of glamorous models. Women want to look their best, and compared to those airbrushed beauties, real women fade in comparison. It would be more desirable if the editorial content were not so perfect. If they showed real women, what real women look like on a day-to-day basis, it would be more realistic and encouraging.

iParticipate Five

When thinking about the cultural representation of other cultures in movies, one movie comes to mind immediately: Borat (or, the full title: Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan). This mockumentary comedy treats foreigners who are not from the United States as if they are imbeciles or of a lesser cognitive function than Americans. The movie narrative treats Borat as an outsider (or strange curiosity) to the Americans that he annoys and confuses. The foreign environment in this film (his home of Kazakhstan) is seen as very backward and inhospitable, but is presented in a comedic light. His language and difference of appearance set Borat apart from everyone he encounters in America. This movie was made to poke fun at Islamic countries, and it is not a good representation of how those people would see themselves. Borat is viewed through a "white, middle-class, American male gaze," and it is not flattering.