In class we learned about the Uses and Gratification Theory, which is a theory that takes a different approach than most other theories that we have learned about in class. This theory focuses on how we (the viewer) take an active role in choosing the media we consume, whereas other theories focus on the affect media has on the viewer.

We learned about the different needs of the viewer, as to why they choose the media that they do. These needs include, cognitive, affective, social integrative, and tension free. Out of these, I can relate to the tension free need the most. This is a need to escape reality and release tension, this need is specific to the individual. Whenever I feel overwhelmed or I can’t do anymore work, I turn on a show to escape for a little while. I find that with whatever I watch I am completely engaged and I forget about the outside world. This can be very helpful to relax, but also dangerous because I may be so caught up in the show or movie that I am unproductive. I start to binge watch…

Research was done to test the U&G Theory. This theory was tested on game/quiz shows. It was found that people love these shows because they are able to put themselves into the game and answer the questions themselves. When they get an answer correct they feel like an expert and their ego is fed. This feeling would relate to the personal integrative need, which measures status in society or your self-esteem. These shows are also popular for families to watch together. They are appropriate for kids of all ages, making it an easy choice for parents. This meets the social integrative need, which is the need to socialize with family or friends.

We watched a screening in class called Galaxy Quest that supports U&G Theory, but also fandom. Fandom is based around “fans” and how they support their specific media that they are fans of. There are different levels of fans: mild, active, and pro-active. Fans are a powerful tool in media production. It was the fans who brought back Family Guy and Futurama when it was cancelled on TV. Without fans media would lose importance, it’s the viewers that make a show or movie successful. In Galaxy Quest it was evident in the first scene how important the fans are to a movie/show. Galaxy Quest a movie within their movie. The opening scene is about the actors and their roles. They are in a large convention for the movie, where all of the fans have come dressed up and waiting for autographs. Some people are so engaged that they truly believe the movie is real and they are a part of it. This gives a prime example of the importance of fans to media. Without them the film would not be such a success.

The fans in Galaxy Quest have became so involved it is their escape from reality. They can be a part of something bigger than the real world. It opens doors to meet people who have the same interests as them. They can make new friends and socialize in ways they may not have been able to before. U&G theory is evident in many forms throughout Galaxy Quest, pointing emphasis at why the viewer chooses media, not how the media affects the viewer.

In class we watched episodes from The Newsroom and got a taste of what actually goes on in newsrooms. I did not really have a vision of what occurred when news broke or there was a major story to share. Newsrooms have a hectic atmosphere, or that is what I gathered, especially from the first episode. There is a constant stream of information coming through and it must be sorted and sifted through to find the best stories.

In the first episode Will, along with two other news anchors, were being questioned by the audience. The other two anchors were upfront with their views and responses whereas Will was not. Will responded with sarcasm and jokes and was hesitant to state his opinion. But then he was asked a very interesting question “What makes America the greatest country in the world?” The other two news anchors could answer no problem, but Will hesitated. He saw a sign from someone in the crowd and that was when he snapped. Will was urged to state his opinion and when he did there was no stopping him. He was very passionate in his response and listed all of the reasons why American was NOT the greatest country in the world. Of course after this happened, there were videos posted everywhere. Will had put a large dent in his career but why? He had spoken his mind and much of it was very truthful. The public does not like the truth if it hurts. I think this was a very useful event to use in the show.

I think this show gives people a better understanding of how the news affects the viewer. This show worked to allow the viewer to make their own decisions on the information they are receiving. They wanted to leave it up to the viewer to think on their own and to have their own opinions. It is so popular in today’s age for the news to coerce you into thinking about one thing. The media is capable to blur our vision on certain events and aim our focus at something else. We are unable to realize that what we are seeing, how much of it, and how we’re told about it effects our views.

Will Mcavoy is a very important character to the show and he tests the limits of the news and pushes the limits. After watching two episodes you are hooked and want to continue watching. There is something exhilarating about the process of the newsroom.

In class we discussed something called the Gerbner Theory. Our professor asked us what we thought this theory was. My first thought was that it would be about the idea that what people watch on TV and any other means of media would have a direct connection to how we act, such as becoming less violent because we fear what we see. My thought was somewhat correct, but not completely. The Gerbner Theory is based on the idea that heavy users of television would view the world as a more dangerous and violent place versus users who did not consume as much television.

I found this fascinating because it makes so much sense and I can’t believe I had not realized this before. There we studies done to test whether or not this theory was true and sure enough the heavy TV users’ answers said they were more scared of the world than light TV users.

I also think that what you watch has something to do with how you view the world as well. Speaking from personal experience I can say that since I began watching Criminal Minds I am more scared of things than I was before. There are all these terrifying stories of bad things happening to people that you could never imagine. After I watch the show I am more scared to sleep alone, or to walk back to my dorm in the dark, etc. This is because the show has scared me into thinking I need to be on alert 24/7. I don’t think that I would be as scared as I am if I had never started watching the show. Yet, I continue to watch it even though it scares me. Why? I have no idea.

Another topic discussed in class was the power of authority. One example that stuck out to me was the fast food manager strip searching a high school employee because someone on the phone was telling them to do so. Because the person on the phone claimed they were the police and of a high authority the manager felt as though she had to listen. The employee feared getting in trouble so she did what she was told. The entire scenario was crazy because I kept thinking that I would have never done those things even if someone was telling me to. But then I remember that I don’t really know how I would react because I was not there. It makes me wonder what people are truly capable of given a particular circumstance.

The last topic that was discussed in class was the Agenda Setting Theory. It measures “saliency”– is there a relationship between what we think and what the mass media says to us? I believe that there is a direct connection to our thoughts and what the media tells us. The media controls what they are showing us, when they show us, and how much of it they show. With this power they are able to make us, the viewer, think a certain thing. The more we hear about a topic the more likely that topic becomes important to us. There could be a major issue in the world that is never talked about so as the public we cannot say that it is even an issue. The media has too much power over public knowledge.

While reading the section, “The Rise and Fall of the Classical Hollywood Studio System” I found it interesting that in order to understand the studio system in today’s Hollywood we must understand its earlier development. We must trace back to its roots in the 1920’s through the 1940’s. This was when the “studio system” crucially depended on vertical integration production, distribution, and integration. After reading some of the article it was fascinating to see where the film world had started and has evolved to.

In class we watched a film called “This Film is Not Yet Rated.” I found this film very interesting because it sheds light on issues in the film industry that I was not aware of. The MPAA is a highly secretive company that is in charge of giving media their ratings. What struck me was the lack of equality that the system of ratings follows. What I mean by this is that a sex scene between a man and woman would be deemed acceptable, but a sex scene between two people of the same gender would be given the NC-17 rating. This was surprising to me, especially in today’s age, because of the growing acceptance among society. Along with this, there is a problem when it comes to female pleasure and the length of the scenes. It is more acceptable to view a male orgasm versus a female, which makes no sense. People are afraid of female pleasure. This made me angry because women are still being treated unfairly, even in the means of sex. Why are women’s bodies such a sensitive matter? When a producers asks the MPAA why they have received that rating they are unable to give an answer or provide an answer that is not fair.

Much of the reasoning behind the ratings for particular sex scenes was a fear that it would give a younger audience the wrong ideas and impressions. Ratings were based off what a parent would want their children watching. Rating movies this way is not reasonable because it is saying that all parents have the same views on what they should and should not allow their child to watch. I feel that solid rules need to be put in place that do not favor one gender or sexual orientation over the other. Why is one more “appropriate” than the other?

I believe that allowing particular media to be filmed and allowed is important. The child and parent should be able to decide for themselves whether the film is okay to watch. Film and media are spreading as technology grows and it is important that kids are kept up to speed on what is happening so that they can be better prepared for the future.

ER was a very popular television show in the 90’s and continues to be today. How did this show become so popular and continue its success? This show was a result of many other shows that were created in the 80’s, some of which include but are not limited to: MASH, The Crosby Show, Hill Street Blues, and St. Elsewhere. 

The final episode of the hit TV show MASH was on of the most watched television episodes. The final episode was unprecedented and an audience of 23 million people tuned in to watch as the show aired. It was difficult for the producers to understand the size of the emotional response that the series had created for American people. Although, after the series came to an end there was worry that television would not be able to get any better than that. Where was sitcom going to go from here?

In 1989 The Crosby Show came to television and sitcom found its roots once again. It was this show and shows like Hill Street Blues, and St. Elsewhere that led to the creation of ER. Hill Street Blues did not want to follow the plot of a basic cop show, but wanted to include the personal lives of the characters. It became a trend to accept these flawed characters and the viewers were eating it up. This show was interactive, the episodes bled into one another. This series led to the creation of St. Elsewhere, which broke the rules and created new ones. They introduced tragedy into the characters and made the audience feel for them. It challenged you to think and tackled many difficult subjects. It was shows like these that led to the creation of ER.

When ER began it had a very strong pedigree that set it apart from other competing series. It continued for 15 seasons, which was very uncommon for a television show to achieve. There was question of whether the show could compete in a streaming environment. It was a complete success. The show was frantic and exciting. Every episode there was something new happening that kept the audience on the edge of their seats. They were very successful in the way they got rid of characters and introduced new ones. When a character left, the new character that replaced them was completely different. This was something that other shows failed to do successfully. Characters could come and go with ease, which was a main aspect of the success to this show.

There are many competitors to ER such as the hit hospital drama out today, Grey’s Anatomy. I am a huge fan of Grey’s,  yet I can see how it may not be as successful as ER is. When these two shows are compared you can see the similarities but also many differences. In ER the main character of the show is the hospital and the emergency room itself. But in Grey’s Anatomy the main character of the show are the characters themselves. The hospital and medicine aspect is second to the characters’ drama. We are more caught up in the personal lives of the characters. And because of this we become attached to them and upset when one leaves or dies. Grey’s Anatomy lost many viewers after one of the main characters, Derek, died. This is where ER has one up on them. They keep the attachment away from the characters allowing us to fall in love with the hospital, something that will always be constant. They have been so successful for so long because they can continue to grow and change characters with ease without losing their audience. They have the system figured out.

Television is an ever growing media outlet, but where did it begin? Television was created in the 1920’s but did not become popular until the 1950’s. A very popular show created at this time was “I Love Lucy.” When television became popular it started out as more of an experiment for producers and creators to showcase all of their ideas. They could see what did and didn’t work. Their audience was no longer limited and they had the opportunity to reach millions. Many producers and actors/actresses were overwhelmed with it all. In the documentary an actress spoke of the production as “thrilling and invigorating,” she said it gave a sense of danger. There was nothing relaxing about being on the set of a television show.

Television is a delivery device for consumerism, meaning that the main use for television is to provide the audience with information and advertisements to target potential buyers. The main goal is to reach the consumers. Advertisements have been a part of television since its creation. TV was the first outlet that gave advertisers the opportunity to reach so many people simultaneously. In the past there had been movies and radio that reached just a fraction of the people that television now can.

Rod Sterling was a major influencer during the time when TV was new. I had not heard his name before I watched the documentary in class, but I had heard of The Twilight Zone, which he is most well known for to many. I did not know much about the series or its history but I had the idea that it was somewhat SciFi and exploratory of mankind. What I found so surprising was the doubt that Sterling had for his own work. He did not think his work was worthy and was constantly questioning his ideas. He had a tough past, being a veteran, but I believe this is what led to his brilliant ideas in producing series such as The Twilight Zone. the pressure was on to create great work because that was hi work previously and he had to continue to show up and prove himself. He always felt as if he was in an uphill battle. Hearing Sterling’s experience gave me a taste of what it was like to be a producer during this time in television.

The 1970’s were full of new television series. After doing some research i found that many of the shows that were created during this time were family friendly. The shows were able to be watched by all ages which made them very popular. Families could sit down and watch a show together without the fear of the show being inappropriate for the children. Shows such as Happy Days, The Brady Bunch, Good Times, and The Jeffersons were made. There was always a worry that shows could cause offense or bring criticism. This was a time when African Americans were still not fully accepted into society and there was tension. Shows that had an African American cast and created a plot that could be found offensive created much controversy. The main focus for these shows during the time was to focus on issues in society that people could relate to but was family friendly to enjoy with their families.