Module 5. The last one!
Module 5
Taylor Wing
Wow! I cannot believe this is the end. This class went by way too fast. For how quickly time flew by, the course content was extremely well structured, and I feel as if I learned a vast amount of great information that I will carry with me.
Media influence on consumers has been the most interesting topic for me to learn about. We continued with this theme in module 5. It was fascinating studying how neuroscience helps us understand the influence media has on us. It was compelling to read about the three different systems of the human brain. The third system, the Cerebral cortex, otherwise known as the “Thinking Brain” promotes higher actions or thoughts that rise above the first system. Being able to function above the fight, flight or freeze instincts is what the third system allows our actions and thoughts to do. The Limbic system controls our emotions, not our cerebral cortex, which is our thinking portion of the brain. Media advertisers act on our emotions, such as pleasure or anger to affect our lives and grab our attention, rather than using the thinking portion of our brains that allow us to unravel and construct self-awareness.
One of the activities in Module 5 encouraged me to be a news media critique. I noticed some patterns when it came to who is speaking on the news channels. It tied into one of the articles I read by Peter Hart called, Who gets to Speak on Cable News? Hart explains, “A survey of major cable news discussion programs shows a stunning lack of diversity among the guests” (Hart, 2014). Even with new media, we are still having the same issues when it comes to diversity. Underrepresentation of minorities should be an issue that is resolved by now. The news media is not making positive influences on us when they are not portraying the changing racial and ethnic makeup of society. Just as Lindsey said, all networks and news channels care about are ratings, and to achieve those higher ratings they are not giving us the information we need, rather the information they want us to hear. We need to evaluate the information given to us, just as in one of the articles I read, How to Detect Bias In News Media, “It is essential that news media, along with other institutions are challenged to be fair and accurate” (Cohen, 2016). Unfortunately, people often trust every word the media feeds them. Being media literate has given me insight on how to deconstruct forms of media and determine the true message being depicted.
In Sternheimer (2013), Chapter 9 expresses how consumers are provoking the economy and affecting society with total control and influence. She highlights children innocence and the issue of influence the media has on drug and alcohol abuse. It is easier to view children as sitting targets rather than being able to decide what is true and what is not. Deconstructing media is something that everyone can do. Deconstructing media promotes new ideas and helps form your own opinions, rather than words be put into your mouth. Overall, the information obtained from reading Karen Sterheimers text, Connecting Social Problems and Popular Culture has advocated the importance of being a media literate and for media reform. I took pleasure in reading this book and taking this course.
