We See The Light

Oprah Pulls the Plug

2009-11-21T22:38:00.009-05:00

After 25 years on the air, Oprah plans to quit her phenomenally successful TV show. The most popular TV personality, the most affluent media executive, the most influential celebrity, and the most recognized person in the world will walk away from it all on September 8, 2011. Oprah changed the face of television, offering a daily discussion of human nature and a electronic pulpit for her personal views. How will Oprah's monumental departure affect daytime television? Where will she appear in the future? Do you think she will slip behind the scenes of her multi-billion-dollar media empire or will she simply continue her talk show on her own Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN)?

H1N1 Pandemic (or Panic!)

2009-11-13T19:37:00.008-05:00

The Swine Flu (H1N1) has rapidly evolved from a rare strain of flu to a random worldwide killer! Only a month ago, health officials were patiently reminding people to get their annual flu shot, then suddenly, the media was reporting about healthy young people dying from the virus. After the panic hit flu clinics and the unprepared public health units ran short of the vaccine, frustrated citizens blamed politicians and politicians started pointing fingers at each other. So, what happened? Do you feel that the news media made the situation better or worse? Do you feel that you received the proper information about H1N1 in the appropriate way? In a public health pandemic, do you think the media is a source of critical information for preventing the spread of the virus or a catastrophizing megaphone that creates a hyperactive panic crisis?

The King of Pop is Dead

2009-06-30T22:14:00.006-04:00

Since Michael Jackson died last week, the media has been alternating between canonizing him and crucifying him. When a celebrity dies---especially the most famous and most eccentric of them all---what do you think is the responsibility of the media? Do you think investigative journalists should focus more on the life (and career) of the celebrity or on the forensic details of the death? Do you think that a celebrity's death should prompt the media to explore all the deep, dark secrets hidden beneath the surface? Or should we just let them rest in peace and give them the respect that every person deserves?

Octo-Mom or Octo-Monster?

2009-04-05T10:43:00.006-04:00

Ever since Nadya Suleman gave birth to octuplets through in-vitro fertilization, she has generated protests from pro-life activists, anti-media groups, and angry taxpayers, all who believe she's exploiting the system for her own personal benefit. The welfare mom already has six children living in impoverished conditions and, after making the moral decision not to destroy her remaining embryos, a case can be made that she is one of the most nurturing mothers in history. On the other hand, her decision could be seen as one based on selfish motives that has driven her to become the ultimate fertility symbol in our media-saturated world. Do you think her hiring a public relations firm proves that she's only in it for the public attention, or is it the only way she can make enough money to support fourteen children?

Celebrity Breakdowns

2009-02-15T09:47:00.007-05:00

With Joaquin Phoenix's recent catatonic appearance on The Late Show, we're watching again another multi-media celebrity breakdown. From Britney shaving her head to Christian Bale attacking a film crew member, from Michael Richards' racist tirade to Amy Winehouse's public revolving door rehab, celebrities appear to be falling apart right in front of our eyes. Do you think it's our insatiable voyeurism that drives guerrilla photojournalists to track celebrities' every move? Or does the constant glare of the media spotlight force dormant mental illness in performers to rise to the surface? Or are you cynical enough to believe that it's all part of the 24/7 public relations machinery that keeps celebrities front and center, for better or for worse, to keep their star shining brightly?

President Barack Obama

2008-11-05T21:08:00.005-05:00

Democratic Senator Barack Obama became the first black U.S. president defeating Republican John McCain by a close margin in the popular vote. Riding on a wave of popularity unmatched since John F. Kennedy swept to power in 1960, Obama promised change for a shell-shocked America after eight years of warmongering from the Bush Administration. How do you think the media influenced the election? How did media outlets support the young, fresh image of Obama while attacking the old, outdated ideas of McCain? How did the images of Tina Fey, Joe the Plumber, and Oprah impact public opinion? How do you think Barack Obama used the media to his advantage?

Crunching Numbers

2008-10-04T09:10:00.004-04:00

The U.S. economy has dominated the news outlets for the past few months, with an inevitable crash always right around the corner. We see and hear all about sub-prime mortgage foreclosures, plummetting stock markets, investment bank collapses, and, most recently, a $700-billion bailout of Wall Street. The intricacies of the economy can be complicated at best, and labyrinthine at worst. As citizens of a capitalist democracy, do you feel we receive accurate information about how the economy works? Does the news media treat the complex economy with simplistic headlines? Will we ever understand the economy? Or can we trust it to politicians, economists and professors?

Listeria Hysteria?

2008-08-31T20:46:00.005-04:00

When Maple Leaf Foods recalled 220 packaged meat products that were potentially tainted with listeria bacteria, CEO Michael McCain issued an apology at a news conference, taking full responsibility for the crisis at the Toronto plant. Since that time, the public has been updated on a daily basis of the increasing number of cases across Canada and the rising death toll, which currently stands at ten people. How did you personally respond to the crisis? Did pay close attention to the story? Did you follow up every day to find out if the threat had changed in any way? Were you satisfied with the information your received through TV news reports, in newspaper articles, and on Internet blogs? In a public health crisis, do you think the media acts responsibly to provide information or do you think news directors only add to the hysteria by sensationalizing the story at every opportunity?

Olympic Fraud?

2008-08-16T08:55:00.005-04:00

When details surfaced about "digital enhancements" to fireworks and lip-synching by the "ideal child" at the Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies, many observers shrugged it off as a necessary evil of the entertainment industry. Now, however, when the Chinese government changes the official age of a 14-year-old gymnast in all Internet references to avoid disqualification, it's nothing more than fraud. Do you agree? Or do you think that the Olympic Games are really only entertainment and should not be held up to such serious scrutiny? Do you think we should stop drug testing because it only catches athletes who don't have the financial---and pharmacological---resources to cheat? Should we simply stop trying to enforce such high Olympian ideals and just enjoy the show?

Barbaric Murder Grabs Headlines

2008-08-02T13:35:00.003-04:00

The senseless, barbaric murder of an innocent man on a bus heading to Winnipeg by a reportedly "normal, quiet man" becomes the top story for media outlets all over the world. The brutally violent descriptions of the actual killing and the mysterious circumstances of the crime involving apparently two strangers seated together leaves everyone shocked. Why does a random murder bring out so many emotional responses about sensitive issues such as mental illness, racism, and criminal justice? Do you think the media adds to the sensationalism of this news story, attracting more attention than it deserves? Or do you think, in these confusing situations, that the media shed light on important issues that helps us understand our world better?

Brangelina's Babies!

2008-07-14T16:36:00.007-04:00

By now, everyone knows every last detail of the Caesarian section that brought Vivienne Marcheline and Knox Leon Pitt into this world. While paparazzi elbow each other outside the French coastal hospital and celebrity tabloid readers hang on every word reported from the center of the celebrity universe, we wonder why we're so interested in Hollywood fertility? Why do we care more about children we will never know (in any personal way) than we do about our own relatives? Why do these two overrated actors---and spotlight philanthropists---deserve so much of the media's attention? How much of it do you think is manufactured by the Brangelina publicity machine and how much of it is a mindless distraction from our deeply troubled world?

"Olympolitics" attack China

2008-04-13T09:30:00.009-04:00

As protesters threaten to douse the Olympic flame, the attention of the world again turns towards China. The media spotlight has already uncovered lead paint in toys, poor food production standards, air quality deterioration, free speech restrictions, and human rights violations. Did China really think they could hide the truth? They must have known that hosting the Olympics would draw even more attention to their social, political, and environmental policies. Do you think that China deserves the Olympics? Do you think the rest of the world should boycott the Games? Do you think that the Olympics should only be a sporting event, not a political rally?

Another School Shooting

2008-02-17T20:01:00.005-05:00

After another school shooting, this time at Northern Illinois University, while tremors from Virginia Tech and Dawson College continue to haunt us, it's obvious we just can't get enough of the dark side of humanity. With skyrocketing ratings and higher readership---think “increased advertising revenues”---you can bet that these brutal attacks will always dominate the media. Why are we attracted to these horrific acts of senseless violence? Why do we tune in for every last detail of the carnage, the killer's tragic life story, and the emotional fallout of the survivors? Do you think all this media attention only provokes these psychopaths to end their lives in a blaze of televised glory?

Facebook Memorials

2008-01-13T17:15:00.000-05:00

Only hours after a bus crash in Bathurst, NB, claimed the lives of seven high school basketball players and their coach's wife, a grieving student set up a Facebook memorial which collected up to 5,000 members from all over North America and Europe. Although the outpouring of support must help the grieving community get through this unthinkable tragedy, why do we turn to the Internet in these difficult times? Who benefits most from the memorial? Do the heartbroken families get any comfort from these Web tributes? Do electronic mourners gain anything from the experience?

Reunion Tours

2007-12-06T20:01:00.000-05:00

Tell me what you want, what you really, really want. Do you really, really want a Spice Girls Reunion Tour? It's been ten years since the "Cool Brittania" icons quit the music industry and now they're enjoying more popularity than ever before. Their worldwide stadium tour will include 40 shows in five continents and will earn each grrrrl about $25 million, not to mention a percentage of sales from their new album. Why do we care about these blatantly manufactured bubblegum pop music groups? What about The Police and Genesis reunion tours? Why do rock music idols feel the need to continue touring? Is it all about money? Certainly, Sting, Phil Collins and Robert Plant don't need the money, so why do they do it? Why do we pay so much money to see and hear bands who have nothing new to say?

Hollywood Writers Strike

2007-11-14T20:11:00.000-05:00

The Writers Guild of America went on strike last week, demanding a percentage of revenue from DVD sales, cellphone downloads, podcasts and video streaming. Unfortunately, it won't really impact audiences for months because TV networks just keep showing reruns and fans keep watching. In the meantime,writers will lose their source of income, which makes it almost impossible to stay on the picket line.The only shows that the strike will immediately affect will be late night talk shows and sketch comedy series, such as SNL and MADtv. Will you miss new TV programs? Do you think writers deserve a percentage of the revenue from DVD sales? How would you resolve the dispute?

YouTube Instant Celebrities

2007-09-23T10:18:00.000-04:00

This week, Andrew "Don't Taze Me, Bro!" Meyer became the latest YouTube phenomenon, joining the long list of instant celebrities, such as Numa Numa Boy, Daft Hands, the Thriller prison dancers, and lonelygirl15. Why do we respond to these people? Do we only respond to the media hype surrounding them? If so, then why does the media focus on these people? Do people become famous for the wrong reasons? Or do you think the democratic nature of the Internet has created a culture that glorifies the average citizen? Do you think you would want to be famous on YouTube, if only for one week?

Madeleine's Parents Become Suspects?

2007-09-09T17:03:00.000-04:00

The disappearance of Madeleine McCann, which generated worldwide media attention, took a tragically bizarre twist when Portuguese police suggested the parents might be involved in her murder. If it's true, the media, and as a result, all of us, have been duped by two calculating, cold-blooded murderers. If the parents are innocent, the police have only added more misery to their unbearable grief. Do you think the media interferes with these high profile murder investigations or do they help the police catch the criminals? How do these cases become high profile? Is it the grieving families that get our attention or is it the horrific nature of the case?

David Beckham Comes to America

2007-08-06T15:06:00.000-04:00

The most famous soccer player in the world recently joined the L.A. Galaxy of Major League Soccer at a salary of $250-million for five years. The fledgling league hopes that Beckham's star power will attract mainstream America to the world's most popular sport, not to mention sell tickets, merchandise, and network TV contracts. After playing for Manchester United, Real Madrid, and the English national team, Beckham, at 32, seems to be ready to conquer new uncharted territory. Can he do it? Do you think Beckham can turn around the failing league by bringing more attention to the game? Will the novelty wear out? How do you feel about "celebrity" athletes? Do they improve the game or destroy it?

The Simpsons Movie

2007-07-30T20:09:00.000-04:00

The show that Time Magazine selected as the Best TV Show of the 20th Century finally hits the big screen. With a weekend opening of $74 million, The Simpsons will probably set new records for animated TV show adaptations. Much of the success is based on innovative Fox marketing strategies that had 7-11 stores converted into Kwik-E-Marts, Springfields all over America competing to roll out the yellow carpet for the movie's premiere (Vermont won), and a huge sprinkled donut painted at the bottom of the CN Tower, which created a buzz that dominated pop culture for weeks. After 18 years, do you think it's too late for a movie about The Simpsons? Do you think the show is still a relevant commentary on modern life? Why do you think The Simpsons is still popular after all these years?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

2007-07-22T21:24:00.000-04:00

Thousands of people all over the world waited patiently at midnight on Friday for the final Harry Potter installment. J.K. Rowling and her publishers know the secret of marketing hype by hinting that Harry will die. Media coverage of the crowded bookstores, Harry look-alikes, and hyperactive muggles will fill the airwaves for days before and after. Do you think that the hype was worthy of the book's release? How much of the media coverage do you think is staged, or at least constructed, by the publishers? Did you get excited about the book's release? Do you usually try to be the first one to read the latest Harry Potter book or see the latest Harry Potter movie? Is there anything you would wait in line overnight to be the first one to get it?