Regulation of the Media

In terms of the government restraining certain publications from the public because it can hurt national security interest, I think that there are points to both sides of the argument.  If the government has less power to restrain the publications, then they are not preventing the people from knowing what is really happening in our country.  It’s important for everyone to know what is being said about America or what America does because it’s our right.  In some ways, knowing more about what the government contains can benefit society and motivate them to take a bigger role in it.  Although these blocked publications could contain negativity around the government, I still think that it is okay to release it because the people should have the opportunity to be aware of everything including the negative things.  By blocking certain publications because it poses a threat on national security, it can actually harm society more because they are not aware of what is going on.  Additionally the government is going against the first amendment by withholding information from the public.

If the government has more power to restrain publications, it can be beneficial for national security.  In times of tragedy people can behave somewhat irrationally.  Or when people know that something horrific is about to occur they can also act irrationally.  In the movie Deep Impact, a huge meteorite is going to strike Earth and kill everyone on the planet.  At the beginning, the government attempts to hide that fact and take care of the issue without the publics’ knowledge.  This is because if humanity found out about the meteorite, everyone would go into panic mode that could cause society to crumble.  When the government withholds media publications, it can help society because they are maintaining it.

Media Diary

Friday 1/7/2011

9:00 AM- 12:00 PM

-Checked e-mails (school and personal)

-Read RSS feeds through Google Reader

-Went on Facebook

12:00 PM- 5:00 PM

-Watched Top Chef through Hulu

-Called Mom with cell phone

-Texted friends

-Listened to Pandora

5:00 PM- 12:00 AM

-Watched TV

-Texted friends

-Went on Facebook

Saturday 1/8/2011

9:00 AM- 12:00 PM

-Watched a movie

12:00 PM- 5:00 PM

-Texted friends

-Went on Facebook

-Used cell phone to Call Aunt

5:00 PM- 12:00 AM

-Cousin called for help

-Texted friends

Sunday 1/9/2011

9:00 AM- 12:00 PM

-Went on Facebook

-Read RSS feeds through Google Reader

12:00 PM- 5:00 PM

-Texted friends

-Watched TV

5:00 PM- 12:00 AM

-Listened to Pandora

-Online research for class

Monday 1/10/2011

9:00 AM- 12:00 PM

-Watched the news

12:00 PM-5:00 PM

-Texted Friends

-Watched TV

-Listened to Pandora

-Wrote blog response for another class

-Online research

5:00 PM- 12:00 AM

-Watched TV

-Checked this class’s blog

Overall, I use media everyday of my life.  I think in our time it would be difficult to go through the day without the use of media.  In terms of my usage, I think that I equally devote my media use between personal interactions and entertainment.  My personal interaction is when I use my cell phone to communicate with my friends and family.  From this communication I can make plans with them or help them when I cannot be there physically.  I use Google Reader to keep up with current events, which can be considered entertaining and personal for me since I am a journalist major.  For entertainment, I use Pandora and watch TV a lot.  I like to listen to music while I do my homework.  When I’m done with my homework, I like to watch TV because it is relaxing and it gives me a mental break.

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I

A film I saw over break that I enjoyed was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I.  I saw this movie in the theater and I did not see many trailers for it during commercials.  But I watched it because I have been a fan for a while.  In the movie, there are no examples of technological, economic, or cultural convergence examples; however, the movie itself serves as an example in the three areas.  For technological convergence, this movie is a strong example and is also a popular one.  Originally Harry Potter began as a novel series but a few years later, they were made into films.  The convergence here is the novel (print) being adapted into a movie (digital media).  Since this series began as novels, it already had a fan base.  When the films were created, it became appealing to a wider range of people.  As a result, it became a cultural phenomenon that lead the series to become a pop icon.

Harry Potter was created in Britain but it is now known world wide, indicating the cultural convergence.  The films and novels have been translated in multiple languages to conform to other countries.  Additionally, the three main actors/actress have become pop icons from the films.  Just by looking at a picture of them, together or alone, they are instantly recognized and are typically associated with Harry Potter.

The company who produces the movies is Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., this group represents the economic convergence because they have many subsidiary companies.  Some of these subsidiary companies include Time Warner, Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment, New Line Cinema, TheWB.com, and DC Comics.  They also own half of The CW Television Network. Given that Warner Bros. Entertainment has many subsidiary companies they are able to utilize them to promote up and coming movies, which in this case is Harry Potter.  Through Interactive Media, Warner Bros. Entertainment was able to create Lego Harry Potter:  Years 1-4.  With the past couple of Harry Potter movies, The CW Television Network offered their viewers an exclusive clip from the movie.