Industries + Institutions = Popular Radio

Since the 1920's the radio industry has come a long way. There have been several factors that in their own way contributed to the progression of radio. Industries and institutional factors have played a major role in that and in my opinion have influenced and benefited radio the most. The idea of "entertainment supported by advertising" was a big hit that completely steered the direction of radio.

Industries and institutions basically benefited radio through advertising.  Industries wanted to get their products known, they wanted to advertise them; and wanted to do that using the radio, which reached out to a lot of people. Putting their products on the the air came with a price, the fee was based on how much air time they used. Eventually this led to manufactures sponsoring programs in exchange of exposure of their products; leading to more entertainment and a larger audience. Soon radio became a major part of peoples lives, it became a part of culture. Like radio was shaped by industries and institutional factors, it begun to shape the way people lived their life. It changed the way people wanted to or felt should live, everything from what kind of car they wanted to drive to what brand cigarettes they should smoke.

The force of industries and institution factors changed what the original purpose of radio was. Radio went from being controlled the by navy to being used as a source of entertainment and advertising. A good example of industry and institution factors taking place is AT&T's station WEAF, which was the first to introduce the concept "entertainment supported by advertising." They were the first commercial based broadcast. The number of advertisers wanting to expose their products begun to increase, entire shows would be "brought to you" by a single company, who often had editorial control over the content of the program. Early corporate-sponsored programs included the variety shows "The Everyday Hour" and "The Voice of Firestone." This made the radio industry grow, making it in to what it is now.

Media Effects & the "Jersey Shore"

These days people have to question whether reality shows are really real. They are filled with drama and lunatic behaviors that play a major impact on viewers. I for instance, love reality shows! and I feel they influence my views about the world and even make me question my moral values sometimes. "Jersey Shore" is one of my favorite reality shows, it follows the lives of eight young cast members from Jersey, as they vacation in a party house down in Miami. With their every day actions they have made it seem like sex is not a big deal and that it is OK to have sex with random people every once in a while, something I used to think was degrading and self disrespectful.

"Jersey Shore" has played a major role in media effects. Media effects is exactly what it sounds like, it is a process which changes the way society think and behave, influencing the path their life will take. Radio, television, news papers, magazines and film are all different kinds of media we are exposed to every day of our lives. If media did not exist every ones life would be steering in a completely different direction; because media plays a major impact in our every day decisions whether we admit it or not.

I will admit I am a perfect example of how media effects do occur. I always thought sex was something truly sacred that you would only do with someone you deeply cared about and trusted. On the other hand, the "Jersey Shore" cast members approached sex a total different way. I never imagined people were so liberal and feeble minded when it came to something  I thought was supposed to be private. In the show they almost make it a goal to go out and find a different sex partner every night, when they do it is as if they feel a sense of accomplishment and their peers find it as something perfectly normal and cool. They would literally have sex with people they had met that same day and there was never any remorse or regret. After watching this show repeatedly, it made me question whether my view on sex was antiquated, was I wrong? Did I need to get with the program and get more sexually experienced? Than I stopped myself and realized I was being a victim of media effects, which is something pretty much everyone experiences.


Below is a video explaining the basic gist of "Jersey Shore"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQH5_EU0Wqs

The Tragedy of Hegemony :(

Women are often restricted to the same stereotypical roles in every movie, TV show, advertisement, and novel. They are always perceived as a sex object, a mother, a homemaker or a wife; and generally are given the image of being dependent and passive. Hegemony is to blame for this false interpretation and image women are given. The power to dominate peoples minds and instill ideas in them that they will eventually turn in to part of their culture, defines hegemony. Hegemony ties in with the power media has to set agendas and choose what they want the audience to see, manipulating the world to live to their advantage. It is something that influences people every day and somehow gives them a sense of direction on how to live their life; it frames a picture of "normality."

Hegemony has basically invented what a women should be, in the sense that it has brain washed people in to believing that women are supposed to cook, look good, and always agree with the man. It has done this through movies, TV shows and anything else you can think of, by always giving women similar roles. Have women really fallen in to this perception of themselves? I mean generally that is how most American women live, they are mothers, they are the ones who cook and do chores, and always need to attend the man. Do women know that that is not how it has to be? The media and society have definitely suggested and given that idea, but who are they to tell us how to live?

A perfect example where hegemony is exercised to create the "ideal woman" is the show "7th Heaven." This weekly television series follows a family, the father is a minister while the mother is a stay-at-home wife (what a surprise) and together they have 7 children. It is basically about how the parents deal on a daily basis with the drama of having a large family. The mother, Annie, is portrayed as a caring and loving woman that basically is only good for cooking, cleaning, being a wife, and giving advice. In every episode she is often either in the kitchen or in the garden. Annie is a "good wife" because she always stands by her husbands decisions and never argues about it. This show is one of many! that give our society the perception that women are restricted to certain things, giving our world the idea that that is how a normal woman should be.

Below is a link to a short clip that shows Annie at different ocassions being a "typical woman" in her role in "7th Heaven."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geqQZUPMFQA