"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" is a media show that portrays news around the world in a comedic and entertaining way. On the air every Monday through Thursday night, "The Daily Show" has been on television since 1996, providing comedy and news all in one 22-minute episode.
Episode Analysis
During the Wednesday, April 9 episode, "The Daily Show" portrayed both international news and news story from the United States. The first segment of the show started with Stewart talking about Russia's continued attempt to take over more regions of neighboring Ukraine. Stewart makes a number of jokes about the situation, including himself mimicking the accent of a Russian citizen. To go along with his jokes toward Russia, Stewart also takes a jab at the U.S. When the U.S. states they will lend a helping hand to Ukraine, Stewart shows an image of a silhouette man eating a hoagie in the night time sky (imitating the Batman symbol). Secretary of State John Kerry spoke on a news organization saying that the U.S. wouldn't be afraid to use it's "21st century weapons"against Russia to protect Ukraine. Stewart poked fun at that buy referencing those "weapons" as Twitter, Candy Crush and Tinder. The last section of this act saw one of the crew's members, Samantha Bee, mock Russia's continued quest to take over neighboring countries. She even goes on to state that Russia is coming for a part of the U.S. next, Brighton Beach in Brooklyn because of supposedly large population of Russians. She obviously does this in a joking fashion in a fake interview. Bee goes on to make jokes about the the Russians and fitting into the city so she is ready for their takeover in the future, as well as the fact that they never smile no matter what the situation is. Bee also dressed like the Russians, talked like them (with heavy accents), and began acting like them around the city.
In the second act of the show, Stewart makes fun of Fox News and their week long coverage of what Spring Break has turned into over the years. Fox ran segments for a week straight, including an hour long show one day, talking about the dangers and problems at Spring Break (alcohol, drugs and sexual intercourse). A panel of adults were on the Fox News show stating how bad it is now and to blame the parents for their acts during that week break of college. Stewart makes fun of this in a number of ways. He then shows clips of a number of those panel members stating that they had been to Spring Break, attended party colleges and drink as well. Stewart proceeds to mock them and states their parents are the same ones that let these kids go to Spring Break, causing an outbreak of laughter from the audience. The panel is then shown performing a number of beer related activities: beer pong, shotgunning beers and beer funnels. One of Fox News' liberals was also shown stating that he had taken a lot of cocaine during his life, but that the kids at Spring Break were taking the "bad cocaine". Stewart titled that segment "The Younger Games: Catching Ire".
The final act of the episode was a brief interview with Stewart and Colin Firth, an actor in the upcoming movie titled "The Railway Man". Firth spoke briefly about his movie and what it was like during the filming process.
Critique
While some may argue the show isn't beneficial to the audience because of the way the news is presented, others believe it's that comedic sense that separates the show from anything else. I believe the show takes the role of the former--the comedic style brings in a large audience and has a positive impact. More people are turning into "The Daily Show" looking for the amusing take on news, which in turn brings in a higher audience.
There are a number of news networks that provide a strict journalistic style approach toward reporting news (CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, etc.), but there aren't many shows like "The Daily Show" that present the news in an amusing way. It is a way for people to not only see news presented in a different view, it is more enjoyable and often times more understandable to the public. They can relate to it more clearly. I also think that because of its amusing take on various news items, more people are likely to follow "The Daily Show" rather than watching CNN or MSNBC for a half an hour or so.
I definitely feel the comedic approach has a positive impact on its audience. The audience must understand, however, that it is intended to be comedic and make them laugh. If people are looking for a more journalistic approach that states the facts (who, what, when, where and why), they should turn into other news outlets.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Product Placement in "The Big Bang Theory"
If you're watching your favorite television show, you may or may not notice certain brand name products throughout its viewing. Some of those products are labeled under "product placement", the strategic setting of brand name objects that are shown for a set cost.
In season five, episode No. 8 of The Big Bang Theory titled "The Isolation Permutation", this idea of product placement is seen at various points. Some instances were more obvious than others, while the products ranged in viewing time from a couple of seconds to a number of minutes.
Examples of Product Placement
One of the most common instances of product placement comes in the opening scene of the episode. During a 2-3 minute clip, Sheldon is shown wearing a Flash T-shirt a number of times on screen. This is promoting both The Flash (a fictional character appearing in the DC Comics series), as well as DC Comics itself. It is bright red and yellow, which drew a great amount of attention to it early. The next scene finds the group (Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Rajesh) sitting at a lunch table in the cafeteria of the university that they're employed. Leonard approached the table lastly, and with his tray in hand, places it on the table. Whenever the camera focused on Leonard, a Sunkist orange soda can is shown at a visible distance. The logo of the brand was shown each time on the screen, showing the audience what the brand of soda actually was. There were also water bottles and juice bottles on the table, but no labels or brand names were shown on those. I believe that both the Sunkist soda can and Flash T-shirt are both examples of product placement.
The second-to-last scene opens with a gigantic lego spacecraft (roughly one and a half feet in height) that Sheldon is putting together at his apartment. There is no lego brand logo or any mention of "legos", however, the audience most likely knows what that product is. It was placed at such a high magnitude on the screen for a reason to suspect it is an example of product placement. Also during two of the final scenes, a Purell hand sanitizer station is shown in both clips of one of the biology labs. It isn't focused in on the screen and the brand name can be tough to read, however, I believe it is product placement because it is on the screen for a number of minutes and people can view it in the background. Neither the legos or Purell hand sanitizer are as obvious as the previous two examples, yet I believe both are considered product placement situations.
Not Examples of Product Placement
Leonard is shown playing a virtual video game in the living room of his apartment near the beginning of the show. When switching to the TV screen of the video game he is engaged in, an Xbox Connect system is seen, although very briefly, on top of the flat screen TV. This happens three times, although for about a second during each instance. It is very likely that those not looking for product placement wouldn't see the video game system on top of the TV. Therefore, I do not believe this is a subject of product placement.
Roughly halfway through the episode, a snack machine is visible in the cafeteria as the group is conversing. The audience can see various products (chips, candy, etc.) in the machine, however, it's not visible what the foods are. It is shown only a few times, and since none of the products are being singled out or presented clearly, I believe this falls short of product placement, too.
As mentioned earlier, water bottles, juice bottles and other drinks are shown throughout the episode. When the group was eating at Sheldon and Leonard's apartment, about six or eight drinks were seen on the coffee table (most of which were water). None of their brand names or labels were shown to the camera, and the only drink I could see a brand name for throughout the whole episode was the Sunkist soda can. Because of this, only the Sunkist soda can is an object of product placement.
I anticipated that many more products would be placed throughout a TV show to enhance their brands. I was expecting a few more than the four products I had labeled as product placement (Flash T-shirt, Sunkist soda can, legos and Purell sanitizer). However, in a 22-minute or so episode, I guess it's tough to incorporate many more with the limited amount of time.
In season five, episode No. 8 of The Big Bang Theory titled "The Isolation Permutation", this idea of product placement is seen at various points. Some instances were more obvious than others, while the products ranged in viewing time from a couple of seconds to a number of minutes.
Examples of Product Placement
One of the most common instances of product placement comes in the opening scene of the episode. During a 2-3 minute clip, Sheldon is shown wearing a Flash T-shirt a number of times on screen. This is promoting both The Flash (a fictional character appearing in the DC Comics series), as well as DC Comics itself. It is bright red and yellow, which drew a great amount of attention to it early. The next scene finds the group (Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Rajesh) sitting at a lunch table in the cafeteria of the university that they're employed. Leonard approached the table lastly, and with his tray in hand, places it on the table. Whenever the camera focused on Leonard, a Sunkist orange soda can is shown at a visible distance. The logo of the brand was shown each time on the screen, showing the audience what the brand of soda actually was. There were also water bottles and juice bottles on the table, but no labels or brand names were shown on those. I believe that both the Sunkist soda can and Flash T-shirt are both examples of product placement.
The second-to-last scene opens with a gigantic lego spacecraft (roughly one and a half feet in height) that Sheldon is putting together at his apartment. There is no lego brand logo or any mention of "legos", however, the audience most likely knows what that product is. It was placed at such a high magnitude on the screen for a reason to suspect it is an example of product placement. Also during two of the final scenes, a Purell hand sanitizer station is shown in both clips of one of the biology labs. It isn't focused in on the screen and the brand name can be tough to read, however, I believe it is product placement because it is on the screen for a number of minutes and people can view it in the background. Neither the legos or Purell hand sanitizer are as obvious as the previous two examples, yet I believe both are considered product placement situations.
Not Examples of Product Placement
Leonard is shown playing a virtual video game in the living room of his apartment near the beginning of the show. When switching to the TV screen of the video game he is engaged in, an Xbox Connect system is seen, although very briefly, on top of the flat screen TV. This happens three times, although for about a second during each instance. It is very likely that those not looking for product placement wouldn't see the video game system on top of the TV. Therefore, I do not believe this is a subject of product placement.
Roughly halfway through the episode, a snack machine is visible in the cafeteria as the group is conversing. The audience can see various products (chips, candy, etc.) in the machine, however, it's not visible what the foods are. It is shown only a few times, and since none of the products are being singled out or presented clearly, I believe this falls short of product placement, too.
As mentioned earlier, water bottles, juice bottles and other drinks are shown throughout the episode. When the group was eating at Sheldon and Leonard's apartment, about six or eight drinks were seen on the coffee table (most of which were water). None of their brand names or labels were shown to the camera, and the only drink I could see a brand name for throughout the whole episode was the Sunkist soda can. Because of this, only the Sunkist soda can is an object of product placement.
I anticipated that many more products would be placed throughout a TV show to enhance their brands. I was expecting a few more than the four products I had labeled as product placement (Flash T-shirt, Sunkist soda can, legos and Purell sanitizer). However, in a 22-minute or so episode, I guess it's tough to incorporate many more with the limited amount of time.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Comparing One News Story in Three Different Papers
One of the biggest news stories in the United States is the mudslide that occurred in the state of Washington over the weekend. As additional news on the mudslide breaks each day, it is becoming a topic of much discussion across the nation. Therefore, I've chosen to look at three different articles regarding the Washington mudslide for this assignment.
I chose two national newspapers (The Wall Street Journal and New York Post) and one regional newspaper (The Morning Call) from Tuesday, March 25, in looking for stories on the mudslide. Each paper takes on a slightly different writing style that makes each story unique.
For those not aware of the story, a deadly mudslide near Oso, Washington (roughly an hour north of Seattle) on Saturday has left over a hundred people missing and the number of casualties rising by the day. Large amounts of rainfall had caused the land to weaken, ultimately leading to the slide. On the day of the slide, three individuals were pronounced dead. But that number has risen to 14 by Tuesday morning—the time of release of the three newspapers—and 24 by Wednesday evening. Additionally, 176 individuals are still missing, roughly 30 homes were destroyed in the slide, and Highway 530 was blocked for hours on Saturday. A number of others are hospitalized. While rescuers and town officials continue the search for remaining survivors, hope continues to dwindle by the day.
In reading each story in three different newspapers, I could see a wide range of variation across the different platforms. The first difference I noticed immediately was the photograph selections. The photographs displayed in the two national publications were overhead shots of the deadly wreckage that showed the effects of the natural disaster. The photo in the New York Post is roughly half of the page as well, showing the entire wreckage of the mudslide and its aftermath. On the other hand, The Morning Call's photo is of three Washington State Police officers and a "Road Closed" sign on the highway.
The titles of one of the papers caught my eye as well. While The Wall Street Journal ("Mudslide's Toll Rises to 14") and The Morning Call (Wash. mudslide toll reaches 14") used relatively similar headlines, the New York Post took a vastly different approach. Across the top of the page read "HELL FROM THE HILL" in all caps and 50-plus point font. Under that was the picture, followed by the headline, "176 still missing in deadly Wash. mudslide." The New York Post isn't afraid of shying away from the truth, using bold and loud statements and photos for their stories.
All three of the publications included much of the same facts: location of the mudslide, amount of missing people, those individuals that have died, amount of homes destroyed, cause of the mudslide, etc. But one newspaper, The Wall Street Journal, included information neither of the other two did. The article referenced previous slides in the same area, including one in 2006, and that the river at the base of the hill has been deteriorating the land.
Another similarity in two of the papers was the persuasive language mentioned in The Wall Street Journal and The Morning Call. Both newspapers used a bit of optimism in the first two paragraphs, noting that the number of potential missing people may not be as high as anticipated. The Wall Street Journal states: "However, they cautioned that many of those names are almost certainly duplicates." In a quote by John Pennington, director of the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management in The Morning Call's article, they expressed a similar stance. "This number is going to decline dramatically. ...Some (reports of the missing) are as detailed as 'John with brown hair and blue eyes who lived in a particular neighborhood.' Others are just 'Frank, I met him once.'" It seems as if they are persuading the readers with optimistic language.
In terms of primary, first-hand accounts of the event, both The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post included direct quotes of individuals who lived in the area of the slide. In The Wall Street Journal, Reed Miller was a resident of the town who lost his home and is still without his son after the tragedy. "My house is gone, my son is gone," Miller said. His quote was placed in the subhead of the story as well. In the New York Post, Elaine Young is a resident of the area. Fortunately for her, her house wasn't harmed in the slide. "If we found a dog alive yesterday afternoon that we cut out of a part of a house, doesn't that seem that maybe somebody could be stuck up under part of a house and be alive, too?" Young questioned. I believe these quotes bring credibility and a personal account to life to the readers. Another personal view of the slide is included in the New York Post, as Gail Moffett (a retired firefighter from the area) has personal ties with about 25 people who are reported as missing.
In all three articles, the facts are presented clearly and in an unbiased way toward the audience. There are no opinions presented in the articles--just facts and quotes from county officials and residents. The journalism is presented solidly throughout each story.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Comparing Two News Stories
The most important article in the Thursday, January 20,
edition of The Morning Call is on the
ninth page of the news section (News 9). Titled “Corbett seeks Medicaid waiver
from feds,” the article is the most beneficial to society. The story states the
proposed guidelines that allow customers to be eligible for Medicaid. Corbett’s
plan would allow individuals that earn between $5,745 and $11,490 to use
government funds to buy insurance. He also noted that individuals making
between $11,490 and $15,282 must pay a premium after the first 12 months, and
those people making more than $15,282 will have to pay a premium and
co-payments. The author does a solid job of explaining who is eligible for
Medicaid and Corbett’s proposed guidelines.
On the front page of that same issue, the main article
titled ‘I felt so violated,’ may be just as important as the previously
discussed story. The author of the article, Riley Yates, explains the
sentencing hearing of a local Northampton County child sexual abuse case
stemming from a 2013 arrest. The author provides all of the details—when the
assault happened (between 2011 – 2013), where it happened (Nazareth Middle
School) and other details about the case. Being inside the courtroom, the
author was able to provide many first-hand accounts of the hearing and quotes
from the judge, the victim and the accuser, Shawn Salevsky.
Both stories have strong implications on society, but I
believe the second article was placed on the front page to send a message to
the community that child sexual abuse will not be tolerated. It provides a
sense of comfort that wouldn’t be captured if placed on the inside pages of the
newspaper. Instead, the newspaper isn’t hiding from the act of sexual abuse;
they are bringing attention to it and stating it won’t be dealt with lightly.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Reviewing A Newspaper Article
I recently read an article in The Morning Call titled "Forks Township officials have no beef with McDonald's" from the January 8 edition. The article, which is located on the seventh page of the News section, explains a plan to build a McDonald's fast-food restaurant in Forks Township by the end of 2014.
Written by freelance writer Kevin Duffy, the article addresses a number of issues that McDonald's is facing regarding the building of its restaurant. The restaurant's proposed sign, type of roof and parking requirement does not meet the necessary demands by the township. Overall, the writer does a solid job of describing the issues at hand in a straight-forward manner. The writing is tight and clean, and the readers understand what problems McDonald's may face moving forward.
While the author has his strong points throughout the article, I feel some information is left out, which may be because of a lack of space. He does include a number of surrounding attractions to the proposed McDonald's, but I would like to know if there was a previous building in place of where the restaurant is set to be built. I also feel the quotes used by zoning officer Tim Weis are short and simple. While this could be beneficial in a limited amount of space, the use of more detailed quotes would liven up the story.
Written by freelance writer Kevin Duffy, the article addresses a number of issues that McDonald's is facing regarding the building of its restaurant. The restaurant's proposed sign, type of roof and parking requirement does not meet the necessary demands by the township. Overall, the writer does a solid job of describing the issues at hand in a straight-forward manner. The writing is tight and clean, and the readers understand what problems McDonald's may face moving forward.
While the author has his strong points throughout the article, I feel some information is left out, which may be because of a lack of space. He does include a number of surrounding attractions to the proposed McDonald's, but I would like to know if there was a previous building in place of where the restaurant is set to be built. I also feel the quotes used by zoning officer Tim Weis are short and simple. While this could be beneficial in a limited amount of space, the use of more detailed quotes would liven up the story.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Introduction
Hi everyone,
My name is Todd Kress, and I am a student at Kutztown University pursuing a degree in English/Professional Writing. I've had a passion to write, particularly about the sports world, since my high school years. I am pursuing my goal of becoming a Sports Editor for a highly-publiciczed newspaper or magazine in the future. I'm currently a sportswriter for a set of eight weekly newspapers in the Lehigh Valley, titled the Lehigh Valley Press. Using social media is a part of my everyday job and I enjoy it greatly.
In reaction to Professor Massie's post titled Fire Your Neurons on his blog, I strongly agree with the fact that life is an ever-changing cycle that continuously throws obstacles and hurdles our way. It's our job to adapt to the changing world of media. I also agree with the fact that many forms of media are being used in both "irrelevant" and "sublime" manners. Take Twitter, for instance. Many stories across a wide range of topics are broken to the public by professional reporters and writers on a daily basis using social media. To the contrary, it's even more likely that false rumors and stories can be spread across social media without any validation. Therefore, while using social media as a source of obtaining news is certainly a reliable medium, it's important to be cautious of implausible news that may surface. Social media has changed the way news is broken to the public. Nowadays, we are able to receive news as it is developing in real time, rather than waiting hours or even days just a few years ago. Social media has certainly had a positive impact in the news world, as long as it is used correctly.
My name is Todd Kress, and I am a student at Kutztown University pursuing a degree in English/Professional Writing. I've had a passion to write, particularly about the sports world, since my high school years. I am pursuing my goal of becoming a Sports Editor for a highly-publiciczed newspaper or magazine in the future. I'm currently a sportswriter for a set of eight weekly newspapers in the Lehigh Valley, titled the Lehigh Valley Press. Using social media is a part of my everyday job and I enjoy it greatly.
In reaction to Professor Massie's post titled Fire Your Neurons on his blog, I strongly agree with the fact that life is an ever-changing cycle that continuously throws obstacles and hurdles our way. It's our job to adapt to the changing world of media. I also agree with the fact that many forms of media are being used in both "irrelevant" and "sublime" manners. Take Twitter, for instance. Many stories across a wide range of topics are broken to the public by professional reporters and writers on a daily basis using social media. To the contrary, it's even more likely that false rumors and stories can be spread across social media without any validation. Therefore, while using social media as a source of obtaining news is certainly a reliable medium, it's important to be cautious of implausible news that may surface. Social media has changed the way news is broken to the public. Nowadays, we are able to receive news as it is developing in real time, rather than waiting hours or even days just a few years ago. Social media has certainly had a positive impact in the news world, as long as it is used correctly.
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