Topic Four: Media Literacy

Task 4:

What is Media Literacy and why is it important for you as FCM students to have it?

IMPORTANT: Do not take other people's words as your own. Please state your source when quoting someone or article.

DEADLINE: 12 midnight, Sunday, 22nd March 2009

Each student must post at least 2 critical reflection on topic given (4%), 1 personal reflection on the media culture class (1%), over a period of 5 days to 7 days.

Critical Reflection on Media Literacy

According to Wikipedia, media literacy is the process of accessing, analyzing, evaluating and creating messages in wide variety of media modes, genres and forms. In other words, I can conclude that media literacy is concerned with the process of understanding and using the mass media. Media literacy also aims to enable people to ask questions to evaluated the mass media well.

As a FCM student, media literacy is very very important to myself and for the use in my future because it is a platform to create something which is unique and creative from others as it allows me to think critically. Also, it is also crucial to know media literacy because each person interprets messages from the media differently and the media contains ideological an value messages. It's a big loss to not realize that one. But not to forget that media presents different kinds of its own language, style, techniques and codes to deliver it to us that will become very handy to the FCM-ers.

Personal Reflection on Media Culture Class

The class in Week 7 catches up with Media Representations and Cultural Stereotype. The lecture also explains what is Hegemonic Model and Pluralist Model in depth. This week's lecture also mesmerized me on how powerful the media is to influence and affect an individual, society and country.

Topic Three: Media Stereotype

Task 3:

Please read through this interesting article on media stereotype.

Give a very short basic explanation of what media stereotype is? From your personal experience, what other media stereotype (besides from the example from the article) you have seen either on TV or in the movies?

IMPORTANT: Do not take other people's words as your own. Please state your source when quoting someone or article.

DEADLINE! 12 midnight, Sunday, 15th March 2009

Each student must post at least 2 critical reflection on topic given (4%), 1 personal reflection on the media culture class (1%), over a period of 5 days to 7 days.

Critical Reflection on Media Stereotype

First of all, what is media stereotype? Based on my understanding about the article attached above, I think media stereotype acts like a code to give audiences a quick common understanding of a person or a group of people. Media stereotyping cannot be avoided especially in advertising and entertainment. Usually media stereotypes are relating to their classes of life, ethnicity or race, gender, sexual orientation, social role or occupation.

Example one:


The popular American TV cartoon series 'The Simpsons' shows us one example of media stereotyping. In this TV series shows us the typical characteristics of females and males gender roles where the man (Homer Simpson) is portrayed as a drunken, obese ogre who is stupid and does not know how to behave properly or show a decent and proper manner towards his children whereas the woman (Marge Simpson) is portrayed as a sensible, musically orientated and fun-loving person.

Example two:

Opps please do not get me wrong. This picture of Pamela Anderson is another example of media stereotyping. Stereotypes are commonly given to people with blond hair.The popular saying about blonds is that "all blonds are bimbos" is commonly associated to blond haired women and being assumed as a young, sexy girl with long blond hair, large breasts, long legs who is stupid and superficial. Isn't that what we always think about Pamela Anderson? Ohh yes!

Topic Two: Is The Internet Telling The Truth?

"Rumors, lies and innuendo spread far, wide and fast on the Internet."

Task 2:

Do you often take what is on the Internet as truth without thinking much about it? If yes, why? If no, why? Discuss this in your own words.

Each student must post at least 2 critical reflection on topic given (4%), 1 personal reflection on the media culture class (1%), over a period of 5 days to 7days.

Critical Reflection on the Given Topic

This sure is a difficult question for me to answer, but to be honest I DO take what is on the Internet as a truth. Why? Firstly, It is because the Internet has become the main source of my information, research and entertainment. In another way to look at it, any information, pictures, videos that I see on the internet are the only ones that are updated compared to books, magazines, and etc. Thus, I will not feel left out from any latest news, information, trends and also to complete my task and assignments given.

Apart from that, isn't the internet the cheapest way to find your sources and ideas? Yes, sure it is! Books, magazines and all sort of reading materials on a piece of paper cost us a lot for us to have it all the time. Besides, they are not updated often for us to refer and some of the books are only limited in certain places whereas the internet covers information from all over the country.

I also think that the internet is a platform for exchanging ideas, information and opinions so that a person is more educated as he or she have gained ideas from the internet from other users that they have never thought of.

Personal Reflection on Media Culture Class

This week's (Week 5) lecture was basically to introduce and discuss the effects and outcomes of mass media to us. Mass media has contributed a wonder of benefits and also loss to and individual. Also, there is no doubt that mass media has influence an individual as early as children, teenagers, adults and senior citizens.

Thank you!

Topic One : Social Media

Task one:

Discuss how this new phenomenon is affecting your life and the lives around you.

Each student must post at least 2 critical reflection on topic given (4%), 1 personal reflection on the media culture class (1%), over a period of 5 days to 7 days *please refer to CHECKLIST FOR ASSESSMENT at Blog Assignment Brief for more details.

Critical Reflection on Social Media

Based on the video clip attached above, I find that social media is now one of the powerful information and communication tools. As we all realize, social media has become the number one source to help and guide in any of our tasks and work. Social media in any way of its own creativity has helped us to portray the details of a product or any information regarding our needs and daily life. In other view, social media has also helped us to compare information easier. For example, Wikipedia, PBwiki and Wetpaint are information sources that we can compare with each other. Thus, a better understanding achieved and more educated people are generated in future as result from sharing of information from the community. Apart from that, social media in an alternative network tool to communicate and connecting with people from all over the world. For instance, social networks such as Facebook, Friendster, Myspace and blogs such as Blogger, LiveJournal, and WordPress are the famous tool being used by the global audience to communicate across the country with a faster and better quality. Many applications can be used to connect with people that could embrace your passion and identity apart from developing a better relationship and conversation among others.

However, apart from the beautiful outcomes of social media discussed, social media has its bad outcomes too. First of all, lots of great content and information still gets overlooked. As a result of many people posting about an issue, lack of good filters creates problems finding the best content. Apart from that, information from social media will overload and social networking overload that will cause spam and an increase of dangerous sites. An increase of social media might also risk someone’s personal information and details.

Reflection on Media Culture Class

The topic discussed in Week 4 was “Media Society”. In my opinion towards this topic is that social media has its good and bad impacts towards the culture, society and country. There is no doubt that social media has helped to serve the world as a better place but there is no doubt that social media has contribute to online scam and cheats that might jeopardize the country.