Saturday, November 20, 2010

Future of the Media

The media has proven to be very effective and efficient after it's invention. It has never ceased to surprised us with it's horrific, depressing, and entertaining news yet. There have been so many ups with the media,  as well as downs. Recently, there was a huge youtube sensation from sesame street about a puppet singing about her hair. Over one million people had viewed this on youtube. Also, it has been televised, and most mothers with children of color said that, this made them feel good about their hair. Most mothers stated that their kids have become more confident about their thick hair, though it may not be soft and flowing like on these magazines.


Sadly, the media has also raised very negative views, and most children and adults are suffering from it's negativity. Issues like anorexia and bulimia have become a rising concern. Most people have become affected by the media's representation of "skinny women" as what is acceptable in society. Though inherently, they do not have that type of body;  they do whatever is necessary to achieve that aim, even starving themselves to death.

Although, the media has been pretty reliable all through the years in informing us on what we should and should not do, through society's eyes, the media strategy is not always going to be the same. It is either going to be better or worse, or just change with the society. According to one director of digital strategist, Freddie Laker, he made some predictions of what the social media will look like in 2012, based on existing behaviors in the preliminary stages as well as his study of several years of research on social media.

Freddie Laker, states that the 11 predictions for social media in 2012, are;

1. Privacy expectations will (have to) change
There will be a cultural shift, and people will be more accepting of private information showed on public media, that exposes more of their private life.
2. Complete decentralization of social networks
Most digital experiences will be able to leverage the power of your social networks in a way that leverages your readily available personal information and the relationships you've established.
 3. Our interaction with search engines will be different
Search engines Google search will influence our method of searching by using Twitter, Facebook, and blog contents  as a way of  pushing information from these personal contents to the search engines.
4. Rise of the content aggregators
Since most people have become prone to using social network, filtering and managing content will be utlilized to make using the social network easier
5. Social media augmented reality
Social media information will be so relevant that even our GPS will update us on what is going on our Facebook, Twitter, or blogs
6. Influencer marketing will be redefined
Businesses will use social media as a marketing strategy
7. Ratings everywhere
8. Social media agents
9. Riding the (Google) wave
10. Thinking beyond "nowness"
11. Social media everything and the return of digital media

This blog is prepared by a paralegal student as a class project, without compensation. The content of this blog contains my opinion, and is offered for personal interest without warranty of any kind. Comments posted by others on this blog are the responsibility of the posters of those messages. The reader is solely responsible for verifying the content of this blog and any linked information. Content, sources, information, and links will most likely change over time. The content of this blog may not be construed as legal, medical, business, or personal

Friday, November 12, 2010

Business of the News

In 1789, there were no political affiliations. George Washington, the first president of United States advised the country that they should not create political parties, because this will polarize the countries. In his farewell speech, in 1796, George Washington expressed his distaste for political associations. He stated that it was "formed in such a way as to pit one group of citizens against another." True to his words what do we see on the news?  Social media discusses these political parties, which seem to be in such dissension towards one another. We have conservative media and liberal media. We also have conservative lawyers and liberal lawyers. Now everyone is partisan, thanks to the media.  The media has watered up these dissensions by showing these partisan news. Now, no one can proudly say, I am an American. You are either a conservative American, moderate American, or a liberal American. Everyone is skeptical about discussing governmental and civil issues, without being branded as a liberal or conservative, or even a moderate. Therefore, you cannot address certain issues without people looking at you differently if you do not support their views.

We now have red and blue states. States are either blue, liberal states or Democrats, and red, conservative or Republicans. Businesses, hospitals, and workplaces have all become polarized. Congress has become so polarized that there is no common ground, and they fight against themselves, because of the game of politics, at the expense of our tax money. Sometimes Democrats have the same solution as the Republicans, but for the mere fact of injecting their own ideologies into these solutions, they drag out the debate on issues like immigration, health, climate solutions, and trade and commerce, and nothing is achieved, and even if something is achieved, it takes a relatively longer time.

Has the media played a huge role in aiding in the polarization of the nation? Let's check out this video of Rachel Maddow's interview with Jon Stewart. I enjoyed it. I hope you do, even if you don't, it's a great enlightenment on how the social media, news specifically,  is doing to contribute to partisanship in America.



Jon Stewart mentions in this interview that news should not be based on either liberal or conservative issues, but it should be something more general, that is passive, without these political ideologies. Most stories are accepted readily on the news if it falls into a left or right ideology. Jon Stewart also mentions that he would appreciate the news a lot more, if it could publicize information, without making it a liberal or conservative issue, but unbiased, and on issues like corruption or non-corruption.

Can we not discuss issues of America's well-being without being branded? Or we have allowed the media to dictate to us what it wants to show on the media?  Republican media, publicizes news for the benefit of their ideology, so as Democratic media.

Please do not forget to rate this video in the poll on your right, and answer the question at the bottom of the blog post.

This blog is prepared by a paralegal student as a class project, without compensation. The content of this blog contains my opinion, and is offered for personal interest without warranty of any kind. Comments posted by others on this blog are the responsibility of the posters of those messages. The reader is solely responsible for verifying the content of this blog and any linked information. Content, sources, information, and links will most likely change over time. The content of this blog may not be construed as legal, medical, business, or personal advice.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Fastest way to keep or lose a job using social media

Though social media, has great advantages on gaining a job, maintaining a job, and making your job or business successful. It is also a medium used to lose the job you have worked so hard to gain, fast.

Also, most people wonder why they cannot get white collar jobs, and are never called back after their first interview seemed to go quite promising. First of all, we must know that what we put out there on the media plays a huge role in whether we will get that paralegal job or that marketing job.

Now when you do go for an interview, some bosses google you online. They will google you on how you portray yourself using social media, and what your opinions are on certain matters, before you are employed. For example, if you want to work in a law firm or corporation defending abused women and children, the firm or corporation would definately want to know what your personal or religious beliefs are on these matters. You might not tell them the whole truth about your personal opinions on these sort of matters. This is where social media could go against or in your favor. These bosses will not hesitate to google you, or look you up on facebook, twitter, or myspace. This can just give them the information they need about you.

Here are a few tips we should probably consider before we go for a job interview;

To have a positive martketing;

Have clean-cut pictures of you on the web where you are smiling.
Join professional blogs such as Charlie Rose, Business Week and others.
Do volunteer work and [be] an official member of the organization, thus getting on the website and, subsequently having Google index your name.
Proofread everything you write.
Keep most correspondence factual and not too biased. Everyone has their opinions and they don't need to hear yours, especially in the office.

If you want to still be among the high umemployment rate. Here are some negative marketing you should not engage yourself in;

Include bad pictures of yourself on any format including social media or putting up pictures with a group of friends in a party atmosphere. By doing this, you are marketing yourself as someone who waits all day to hit the bars at 5:30. While this rule does not apply to most executive level job seekers, believe it or not, it applies to some.
Quit chatting on Linked-In, Facebook, etc. every 5 minutes. Doing this markets you to the public as someone who has nothing else better to do. Also, the comments get emailed to too many people too many times and you appear lazy as this time should be spent searching for a job. Hint: blogging is not a way to search. The same goes for any other social media platforms. Keep the blogging to 2 - 3 times per week.
Maintaining a blog that expresses personal opinions and discusses your social life including dating, drinking, money and just about anything else you would not want an employer to see. Remember, the responses to your posts, although done by other people, can reflect poorly on you.
No negativity. Do not complain about your current employment situation or any other facet of your life. You may not know it, but this markets you as someone who does not have enough self-reliance to take care of any problems that you may have both professionally and personally.
Discussing politics online. You don't want anyone to brand

This is a very serious crisis and I hope no one will choose the latter. The world is watching everything we make public, especially on the social media. It is expedient that we screen whatever we make public.

This blog is prepared by a paralegal student as a class project, without compensation. The content of this blog contains my opinion, and is offered for personal interest without warranty of any kind. Comments posted by others on this blog are the responsibility of the posters of those messages. The reader is solely responsible for verifying the content of this blog and any linked information. Content, sources, information, and links will most likely change over time. The content of this blog may not be construed as legal, medical, business, or personal advice.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

How to use social media

Now we know how useful social media is for new businesses as well as old businesses. Not only for businesses, but also for personal uses. Before we start to use the social media, there are few things we should know so it doesn't end up being a backlash.

First of all, before you jump into the social media, like Twitter and Facebook as an opportunity to gain customers on a business level; it has to be done with much understanding of how to use them. Before you utilize them, these are a few suggested top blogs you should be researching on before you attempt the big adventurous world of social media.It is important to first, browse the web and understand how to use the media. Then get comfortable with it, before you jump into it. http://www.searchengineguide.com/mack-collier/dont-rush-into-social-media.php. After you are done with that you can enjoy the great benefits the media has to offer. Check out this video on how positive the media can enhance you on a personal and business level. http://www.slideshare.net/jaybaer/7-ways-to-use-social-media-to-build-stunning-business-and-personal-brands-1306158. Sharlyn Lauby, a president of Internal Talent Management (ITM) which specializes in employee training and human resources consulting, explained the 10 Must Haves for your social media.

1. Introduce the purpose of social media:
2. Be responsible for what you write.
3. Be authentic
4.Consider your audience
5. Exercise good judgment
6. Understand the concept of community
7. Respect copyrights and fair use
8. Remember to protect confidential & proprietary info
9. Bring value: This is a video on how you can bring value to your product as a business.
10. Productivity matters
This is a great website. For more information click the name above to go to the link.

As the saying goes, " ignorance is a plight," we shouldn't allow ignorancy on using social media deprive us of the many advantages we can gain from it, for the simple fact that we did not do our homework on knowing how to use this. Enlightenment on how to use the social media, before you jump into it will make you fully aware of what you are getting into. Please be informed.

This blog is prepared by a paralegal student as a class project, without compensation. The content of this blog contains my opinion, and is offered for personal interest without warranty of any kind. Comments posted by others on this blog are the responsibility of the posters of those messages. The reader is solely responsible for verifying the content of this blog and any linked information. Content, sources, information, and links will most likely change over time. The content of this blog may not be construed as legal, medical, business, or personal advice.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Media Education

Media education is very relevant in our society today. Knowing how relevant the media is in our generation, and using this to our advantage would help us a great deal. Most people are skeptical about using technology and getting abreast with the recent technogies the media has to offer, but once are enlightened on the uses of these, you will be pleased to know how much your voice is needed.

According to media awareness network,"Media education is not about learning the right answers; it’s about consuming media images with an active, critical mind, and asking the right questions." http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/aboriginal_people/aboriginal_education.cfm
Media education is very important because it helps you to know the current issues, and what to voice your opinions to, and how. Issues like what levy to support, or which governer to vote for in your community is all a part of media awareness.

Also, one important aspect of  media education is that all opinions are subjective, that is, information provided to us by the media is open for discussion, and other's opinions. Another aspect of media education, is the purpose of the media chosing to make that information public. Is it a portrayal of real life situations that we can relate to or addresses concerns we have?

The stories on the news, and tv shows raise awareness on sensational issues like murder, drugs,  and sex. When watched by most it raises ratings, and hence a good source for  revenues through advertisement. Sometimes when we watch the news, the newscasts give us a chance to comment on certain things through facebook or twitter. Sometimes they would ask questions about what we feel about, "The Oil Spill," "No child left behind," "Don't ask don't tell"  or Immigration. Besides the fact that we hear these information from work or school, do we really know what it is about? Have we contributed in throwing these issues to light?Are our voices being heard? This is where media education plays a part in getting our voice heard. When tv shows like msnbc give viewers a chance to vote on matters like these, it gives us viewers a voice. Texting "vote" is all part of media education. Being educated on how to use this will help give you a chance to vote on issues like gay marriage, whether or not to bring religion into schools, and sensational issues in the community.

Our voice is very important, whether through text, facebook, or twitter, we should definately educate ourselves in the options the media provides for us in getting our voices heard. We are all important in the decision-making  process in America, and we should not let these decisions exclude us.

This blog is prepared by a paralegal student as a class project, without compensation. The content of this blog contains my opinion, and is offered for personal interest without warranty of any kind. Comments posted by others on this blog are the responsibility of the posters of those messages. The reader is solely responsible for verifying the content of this blog and any linked information. Content, sources, information, and links will most likely change over time. The content of this blog may not be construed as legal, medical, business, or personal advice.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

The Social Media

Small businesses and upcoming businesses should definately invest in the social media. Most businesses fail to see how important the social media is. It is the most important medium to promote your business.

I remember a couple of months ago, my brother had started this small business and had numerous products ranging from energy drinks to make-ups. He had asked me to promote his business by telling people about his products, and encouraging them to buy it. Though he had these amazing all-natural energy drinks, it was  hard to get the few workers that stopped by my job to buy it mainly because they hadn't seen those product on any social media. Though the energy drink was the best and a good price, people were very skeptical about it. Many of the customers asked me that if this product is as good as it says on the label, why haven't they seen an ad of it on tv? At that moment I saw the importance of advertisement.

According to Brian Solis, a marketing executive,  "one of the more understated benefits of social media in B2B [Business to Business] is the ability to establish and foster expertise within a given industry or niche. The same tools and services that new influencers leverage to construct prominence and demonstrate awareness are also readily available to anyone with wisdom and vision to share." Basically, in layman's terms the social media has been a major factor on finding what works best betweeen B2B and B2C (Business to Consumers).

These businesses are therefore getting a chance to communicate with these consumers through the social media. While businesses are learning to adapt and connect with the social network, and increasing a world of influence to promote their businesses, consumers are engaging in media interaction, through media literacy. Consumers come into contact with these new businesses, hence the Business to Business and Business to Consumers relationship. Brian Solis explained that these interactions have been made easier through, website, email, search, social media, and many more.

Below is a survey that shows the decrease and increase in Online Marketing Spending through social media.


 The relevance of social network has proven to be very promising, an effecient way of interacting with other businesses and consumers. Among these social networks, studies show that social media was a way of generating awareness, and customer feeback, which were the top motivators for consumer participation.This reliable study shows that social media is very efficient in measuring interactive marketing. http://www.briansolis.com/2009/12/in-social-media-it%E2%80%99s-not-just-business-its-business-to-business/

If only you know how to utilize your resources- the social media properly, you can generate income and raise awareness for your business through the various forms of social network. If interested in starting a new business, it is important to know how the social media can enhance relationship between business to consumers.  Outweigh all the possibilities the social network offers, using the social media as your stepping stone.

This blog is prepared by a paralegal student as a class project, without compensation. The content of this blog contains my opinion, and is offered for personal interest without warranty of any kind. Comments posted by others on this blog are the responsibility of the posters of those messages. The reader is solely responsible for verifying the content of this blog and any linked information. Content, sources, information, and links will most likely change over time. The content of this blog may not be construed as legal, medical, business, or personal advice.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

How does the media maintain it's business?

The media has been  successful in it's business, and the Television was one great advantage in maintaining that through the years.

The first attempt of a TV started as early as 1935. This TV came with a screen that had a small motor with a spinning disc and a neon lamp, which worked together to give a blurry reddish-orange about half the size of a business card! This year was known as the Mechanical Television era. 

The 1934 Model B2 Russian TV produced Pre-1935











So how did this 134 Model B2 Russian TV become transformed to this?:
50" screen Plasma TV


It was all about competition, thanks to the viewers who showed incredible amount of interest in Television. Since 1939 till present, more than 220 TV manufacturers have emerged,  including  popular maufacturers like Sanyo, Toshiba, Samsung, and Panasonic. These manufacturers were in for making the big bucks. They noticed that the TV was a great way to give the viewers a chance to have everything they wanted, the news, shopping, and entertainment, without leaving their house, and with a click of a remote. Then a huge competition arose as to which type of TV to watch, whether cable or satellite. First cable TV won the viewer's hearts, then satellite surfaced to TV screens, offering many more channels than cable. This gave viewers a chance to flip through channels and watch whatever they chose, with the best possible price deal.

This caused a huge business break.Competitors decided to reinvent the look of the TV, introducing various shapes and sizes of TV's, to see how the viewers would respond to this.  It was all about demand and supply. Then ads resurfaced, a great source of income for these TV manufacturers and producers; the more ads viewers watched, the more they spent money on them. When the advertising company makes it money, then the TV manufacturers do as well, and everybody is happy. And now the bulkier box looking "whatchamacallit" TV set has been replaced with the flattest but widest TV screens yet.

 Surveys show that;

1. Since at least 2005, there have been more TVs per household on average than people per household.

2. In 1975, there were only 1.57 TVs per household, when the average household size was 2.88.

3. Since at least 1995, more households have three TV sets than the number of households with only one TV.

4. There has been almost a complete reversal between 1975 and 2010: In 1975, 57% of American households owned only one TV set, and by 2010, 55% of households owned three TV sets.

This blog is prepared by a paralegal student as a class project, without compensation. The content of this blog contains my opinion, and is offered for personal interest without warranty of any kind. Comments posted by others on this blog are the responsibility of the posters of those messages. The reader is solely responsible for verifying the content of this blog and any linked information. Content, sources, information, and links will most likely change over time. The content of this blog may not be construed as legal, medical, business, or personal advice.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

It is all about the Benjamins

Getting rich of the media is no news to us. A 19 year old Harvard freshman makes billions of 500 million users of Facebook. After he was dumped by his girlfriend in 2003, he decided to just play around with his computer, and hence Facebook and a billion dollars in his account. Mark Zuckerman who was born in West Chester, N.Y is now in a billionaire of the media sensation- facebook. It has also been publicly announced that he is giving $100 million to the public schools of Newark, N.J.

Though, there are several controversies as to who is  the founder of Facebook, he is claimed  to be the co- founder of Facebook. Three other Harvard students claim that Mark Zuckerman stole their original idea, since Mark was hired by them to help them in making Facebook. Though, a lawsuit is pending, Mark  Zuckerman, now 26 years old is enjoying his new found riches, he's made out of the media.

Mark Zuckerman, co-founder and chief executive of Facebook, the world's largest social- network, is not only known for its membership, but a money making business where ads, information, updates of so many different things are displayed. It was reported in the New York Times that in 2005, Zuckerman turned down MTV Networks, who wanted to buy Facebook for seventy-five million dollars, and Yahoo! and Microsoft who wanted to buy it for much more.

 The media has been known to promote sole proprietorship businesses. It took a freshman to sit by his computer to make a business out of just clicking "stuff" and putting things together. It sure would be nice to  start a sole proprietorship business of something as easy to access as- the internet, the most convenient source of spreading your business.

This blog is prepared by a paralegal student as a class project, without compensation. The content of this blog contains my opinion, and is offered for personal interest without warranty of any kind. Comments posted by others on this blog are the responsibility of the posters of those messages. The reader is solely responsible for verifying the content of this blog and any linked information. Content, sources, information, and links will most likely change over time. The content of this blog may not be construed as legal, medical, business, or personal advice.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

The Media

Hello faithful tv watchers,

Is the media just concerned about making big business than it is concerned with the consumers welfare? I am afraid so. They are concerned with the high ratings and the big bucks to actually take into perspective the risky messages they relate to us. Some of these great shows, so intense yet captivating, we can't wait to get off work, school, or better yet a business meeting to watch.

Are you a victim to shows on Lifetime, Cw, or Fx? Then welcome, you have been subliminally endowned with knowledge, you never thought you could ever in your wildest dreams ascertain. These messages have been unconsciously embedded in our subconscious mind awaiting a chance to surface. Movies on Lifetime are so full of suspense that you have to sit a whole three hours to know, what will happen to whom, who will be killed at the end of the show, or how the killer is going to kill whom. Have we ever thought about a movie with a killing scene, so gruesome yet captivating that you were glued to the chair, or better yet at a spot, waiting to see what happens next? Whether the killer was going to kill that young girl or, a husband was going to kill his wife, or a young boy or girl framing his or her teacher of sexual assault. Sounds pretty gory, but yet we can't resist to watch.

Isn't the media  a great informant? The media in itself is a great business entity, through advertisement, and  marketing. Through advertising we have been informed of safe sex, effects of drug abuse, and eating disorders. It has also advertised all these negatively. Is the media informing us not only about the must knows, but also about the mustn't knows: how to commit suicide; how to break loose from prison, and how to kill, all in the name of business?

 Let's revisit our good old shows, prison break, with Michael Scofield, (what a hunk). One of the shows on Tv, where you just had to watch the next episode, or you'll be completely clueless when watching the next episode with other faithful Tv watchers. Forget about making them your source for an update on what you missed- your loss. So your next lesson will be to stay abreast to the showtimes. As much as we might think this might be ridiculous, have we taken a minute to think that it was actually a show of many different ways, not just one, of breaking out of prison?  At least, subliminally we have been giving the knowlege of breaking out of prison, in case, we should ever get in that setting. We could tattoo a map of the inside of the prison on our body, and have the many tries of escaping a prison. Good luck on your way out.

What about this pretty good show on killing the president, 24. Is the media serious?  It is actually making a business of a show on different ways of terrorizing the nation, and killing the President? With this being said, are we to blame, when we hear husbands killing their wives, or people breaking out of prison, like we saw on Tv, or is the media to blame, by embedding these subliminal messages that may seem normal, but of a fact are completely insane? What even makes it worse is that the bad guys always seem to be winning in these Tv shows.

Children are not the only victims of violence, sex, and drugs on Tv, adults are not invincible either, therefore, we are all affected by the media consciously or subconciously. We have accepted a negative message sent to us by the media, that naturally our conscious mind will repulse, but our subconscious mind has accepted through our mind's eye. Therefore, do we as adults need to also screen what we watch, or see through the media, the most helpful source of information?

Finally, my questions resurfaces. The Media or Us, who is to blame? Is the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) doing enough to protect us, as consumers, from the negative fortification of the media, while the media takes all our hard end money to gain more victims?

This blog is prepared by a paralegal student as a class project, without compensation. The content of this blog contains my opinion, and is offered for personal interest without warranty of any kind. Comments posted by others on this blog are the responsibility of the posters of those messages. The reader is solely responsible for verifying the content of this blog and any linked information. Content, sources, information, and links will most likely change over time. The content of this blog may not be construed as legal, medical, business, or personal advice.