iParticipate Eleven

The top ten news stories on WKU's website are: "WKU ALIVE Center Hosting Campus and Community Network Meeting Nov. 12th," "Winners Announced in 2015 Jim Wayne Miller Writing Contest," "WKU Public Media Stations Part of New Ohio River Network," "WKU Forensics Team Wins at Largest Event of Fall Semester," "WKU Ranked Among Best for Vets for 6th Straight Year," "Karen Powell Crowned WKU's 2015 Homecoming Queen," "Family and Consumer Sciences Receives Gift from Alumnus," "Barren County School Receives WKU Libraries Grant," "WKU Honors 28 at Lexington Area Scholars Luncheon," and "View from the Hill -- Homecoming Float Preps."

All of these news stories would be classified as "soft news." None of these stories made it to the Bowling Green Daily News. I'm sure WKU has an impact on our local news (sometimes) but this is not one of those times. The size of the newspaper has a lot to do with this. When there are not any "hard news" stories to report, the staff has to come up with something to report in their paper. These stories, although important to the people directly affected within the stories, are not very important to the student body at large.

The level of the newspaper's reliance on WKU public relations is probably a bad thing for news reporting. They are less likely to report negative news as it relates to WKU, so the truth is not publicized. Overall, these stories are promoting a healthy dialogue in the community, but some other stories, such as the new smoking policy, for example (which has many very angry) doesn't get the attention it deserves in the press.

iParticipate Ten

I found American Recording Company, LLC based out of Louisville, KY with a quick Google search. Although they do not "specialize" in any certain type of music, they also work on music videos. Some of the artists they have recorded are listed at the bottom of this post. Admittedly, I have not heard of any of these bands, but there are quite a few listed!

On the "About" page, ARC boasted that they can do a quick turnaround by sending the recordings via the internet to their clients in "high definition for fast and easy delivery." The website does not tell how they distribute their recordings to consumers though.

From what I can tell, this is an independent recording company. They even list their prices online and have a way that the customer can upload their files directly to them without having to give them a hard copy.

It seems as though they do not advertise the bands that are on their label, other than listing them on their website. This is the biggest problem this label faces. If they don't promote their talent, they will not get air play. Perhaps they leave that to the talent to figure out.
 

16 Bones                                                                                              Gravemouth

64 West                                                                                                Heart of Kings

7 Day Sun                                                                                           J Kellz

Alex Gresham                                                                                  Jason William Allen Band

Attack of the Pacifists                                                                Joe Stevens

Banda San Bernardo                                                                     Jordan Patterson

Blue Rooster                                                                                      Justin Black Band

Brian White                                                                                        Lance Porter

Bury the Willing                                                                               Little Edge

Butch Williams Blues Band                                                        Local Guy Productions

C.J. Cumberland                                                                              Mascarade

Crescent Hill Radio                                                                        Momma Thai

Crow Haven                                                                                       Phil Of Da Ville

Cumberland Country                                                                   Poetry of the Dead

Daniel Jones                                                                                      Project Heavy Death

Dare To Care Food Bank                                                              Red On Tap

Dare To Dream                                                                                 Red Terraplane

Daryl Cook                                                                                       Revenue Band

Dead Horse Cowgirls                                                                    Rockaway Drive

Deven Roberts Band                                                                     Shooters Bar n Grill

Dick Sharpe’s Big Band                                                                Silent for the Struggle

DJ ICE                                                                                                   Some Kind Of Saint

Dominion                                                                                           St. Andrews Pub

Electric String Trio                                                                        Swisha Gang

Epik                                                                                                       The Band Leilani

Ethan Pentagraph                                                                        The Debauchees

Even Memory                                                                                  The Sanctuary Trio

Fright Night Film Fest                                                                The Tarnation’s Blues Band

FYL Entertainment                                                                      Trust Divided

Gerald Harris                                                                                   Wayne James Experience

Grandshaw                                                                                       We Are Not Alone

             ........................................   Just to name a few   ........................................

iParticipate Nine

For this blog post, I picked up a copy of Time Life Magazine, and it was a special issue on "History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories." Surprisingly enough (I suppose because it was a special issue) there were no ads in this magazine. It was full of stories, though, with interesting photographs. The contents were divided into sections, with "A Conspiracy Primer" as the first heading, with stories about conspiracy theorists. The second heading was "Scapegoats and Subversives," with stories ranging from witches to spies. The third heading was "What do the Feds Have to do With It?" with stories about governmental conspiracy theories. The final heading was "The Unfriendly Skies and Beyond," with stories about aliens and the moon landing.

The photographs in this issue were interesting, from a full two page spread of the back of a dollar bill with diagrams describing each component of the design, to a photo of Adolph Hitler, to a close up of JFK and his wife on the fated day he was assassinated. Photos of alien beings, the warning sign outside of Area 51, and of the Apollo 11 team on the moon round out the magazine.

The news photos in this issue of Time Life are definitely related in one way: they are about conspiracy theories. The lack of ads is perplexing, but again, I assume it is because this was a special edition.

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.