Maria Shriver

In our discussion about Maria Shriver's book, "The Shriver Report: A Women's Nation Changes Everything," we talked about the role women have in our society today. As women have become more recognized in the professional world, it has changed the dynamics of the traditional American family. This is what I found the most interesting about our discussion. Instead of stay at home mom's that raise children, women are becoming more integrated into the workplace, so family life has changed. This is both a good and bad thing I think. I think it is important for children to be raised by their parents instead of baby-sitters but I also think it is important that women be given the same opportunities to have a career that men have been given. It comes down to what is best for a person in their particular situation.

Class Discussion Feb. 1.

I thought we had a very interesting and eye opening discussion about sexism and racism and how it is used to bolster the entertainment value of a movie or television show. The most interesting thing to me personally, was the examination of the Judge Judy show. The judge treated the man on the show differently and with more respect than the women. In fact, the women on the show came across as uneducated party animals who could not be trusted. After we examined these shows, however, it was obvious that both sexism and racism are just used as tools to the entertainment factor of a show. In the article we received titled, "UK Show "Top Gear" Enrages Mexican Ambassador," the hosts of the show frequently say controversial, occasionally racist things as part of their shows appeal. This is both alarming and eye opening as we go forward in this class and study more about women and minorities in the media.

Review of the 5 articles

1 – “The Ballad of Big Mike,” has become a well-known story thanks to the movie, “The Blindside.” It is the true story of a boy named Michael Oher, who goes from a life of poverty to a life of fulfillment. It concludes with his selection in the NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens, where he still plays, today. This story of “Big Mike” is great storytelling. We are shown a complete picture of Mike, from a child who the school system has abused to a man that the nation embraced.

2 – The article about virtual violence explored violence in video games. It explored the part violent content played in how well these games sell and also how the content affects the minds of the youth that play them. The violence has become quite realistic and is being linked to feelings of aggression exhibited by the players. The article also touches on the role women are given in today’s video games. They are usually portrayed as objects of sexual desire. Male characters are the heroes while females are, at best, side characters in most games.

3- The article by Kimberly L. Bissell focuses on the way the body image of modern female athletes is amplified and distorted by today’s media. In collegiate athletics, sports such as gymnastics and cross-country have uniforms that make a woman’s body more of a spectacle. The looser fighting clothing used in sports such as basketball do not cause the same problems. Of course, collegiate men’s sports feature female cheerleaders and dance teams, so colleges have found a way to add feminine appeal to just about every athletic event.

4 – In the article focusing on gender equity, a key component to the study is the coverage of women’s sports at the collegiate level. Gender domination is enjoyed by men with women receiving fair coverage, but not nearly the quantity of the coverage that men have. While over fifty percent of the population of most colleges are women, men still get much more coverage. So while the quality has risen over the years, the quantity has not followed suit.

5 – The article, “Spreading Global Consumerism: Effects of Mass Media and Advertising on Consumerist Values in China,” focuses on the Western cultural model of consumption that is becoming more prominent in China. The Chinese people are having their purchasing assumptions influenced to fit more of an American model. This has led to more defined social classes and an emphasis on peer-compared status and luxury items. This study suggests that the impact of this is not going to be completely understood for quite some time because of the massive size of the Chinese market.

News clips about a certain group.

The two stories I picked for this assignment were, "Chinese-American mayors overcome Bay Area's shameful past" and "US author stirs 'Chinese' values debate."

By far the more interesting of the two, in my opinion, was the story about author Amy Chua's book "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother." In the book Chua discusses the differences between Chinese parenting and the parenting practices more commonly used here in America. This raised debate because many people found Chua's parenting preferences to be cruel and uncalled for. Even Chinese readers both praised Chua for being true to tradition, and criticized her for going overboard. Overall, the story was an interesting look into a culture that is at times, so very different from our own.

MLK Jr Day

Dave Traube

MLK Jr Day

For my Martin Luther King Jr. Day assignment I chose to study the Washington Post and its coverage. The Post had several articles devoted to the life and legacy of King on its website.

The content varied, from articles with such titles as “Maine gov. who blasted critics changes MLK plans,” and “Taking to roads to find Martin Luther King’s Legacy,” to blogs from various Post writers. There were also many photos on the site to honor Dr. King, including a photo gallery titled, “Life on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue.” The coverage seemed respectful and positive when talking about the past accomplishments of Dr. King, and the blogs focused on the county’s progress in education reform, church life, and racial interaction. The article about the Maine governor was even positive in the way it presented the governor’s reaction to backing off of comments he made about skipping on the festivities of the day.

The coverage of Martin Luther King Jr. today differs greatly from the coverage he received during his lifetime. Today, King is a rock star. His quotes are used in positive ways, and nearly every story written about him seems to make the author into someone who likes or even admires King. While I am in no way saying this is a bad thing, it is at times a polar opposite to the media coverage King received during his life. King was an idealist. His purpose was not to make everyone feel good about themselves, as he can be often presented today, but to challenge and change limitations of the status quo of the times.

While today’s media coverage seems much more tolerable and fair minded then the coverage of King’s time, it was because of King’s life and his untimely death that this is so.

Diversity Post

Dave Traube

Blog Entry 1/13/11

1 – Define Diversity

- Diversity is understanding and being sensitive to the fact that people come in many colors, shapes and sizes and also not letting these factors affect your opinions and views of others. People are different.

2 – Which of the following elements should be considered by journalists when writing? (choosing the right words, avoiding stereotypes, omission)

- All three should be used by a responsible journalist.

Choosing the right words is important in not only effective writing, but also in making sure to maintain the proper respect for your subject.
Avoiding stereotypes is important because they can easily paint a subject in an unflattering light and also make a generalization about someone that may or may not be true. Stereotypes are a must to avoid.

Omission is also important. Omission can actually help to prevent stereotypes from becoming a factor or from entering the conversation at all.