March 28

Combat Hosptial presented on CNN…

CNN… a news broadcasting station has a show on called “Combat Hospital”. It follows hospital attendants, doctors and nurses through their activities in a military hospital where wounded soldiers are delivered for treatment.

I noticed this show when I sat down to take a break and watched for just a bit. A man was in the hospital, people carefully working on his wounds, and he was trying to explain to them that he had been there before and met the same doctor. It was interesting to hear the doctors talk to this patient, telling him how brave he was for protecting his country and called him a ‘real hero’ for taking a beating from the enemy.

 I find it interesting; why would a news chanel have a reality-type show based on medical care for wounded soldiers of the war? “Viewer discretion is advised as there are graphic images of war damages” – this is the disclaimer. They talked about whether people back home (watching in America) would care whether they knew their patients were insurgents or American soldiers.

 It showed a few doctors taking a break throwing a football around with each other in the street. (An all American past-time enjoyed during war.) There was a birthday party as well where a boy turned of age to drink but since drinking during active duty in war is prohibited he was given a non-alcoholic beer. All the while, people were laughing, jeering, and having a great time waiting for more patients to come. What impression of war is this program trying to promote?

Shortly after, someone rushed in carrying a young civilian girl who was not breathing. In their assessment of her, it was decided that she had been shot through her ear out the other ear. It was her 14 year old brother who accidentally shot her. They showed him frantically bent over, holding his head, rocking while waiting out in the waiting room. The girl had no chance of survival while her mother read the Koran out there praying. It was showing the urgency these American medical professionals took in trying to save this Iraqi civilian girl.

Is everything as it seems at face value? Why document this and show it to Americans on an American news station?

Check out the site at cnn.com/combathospital. Be warned some of the images are very graphic.

I’m thinking there’s an agenda and a target audience for this show. What do you think?  

And, on another somewhat related note, here is the link to an army wife’s blog. Check out the animated art on the right hand side of her blog spot. This is a modern version of propaganda on her website: “Home is where the army sends us,” “Be Safe, Do it with a Soldier,” and “I Love a man in Bdu’s”. Interesting culture.

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March 20

Media log ideas… Pause?

  1. My tv was on tonight for background noise and a commercial caught my attention. It focused on the time it takes to pause but didn’t make it clear what topic it was in reference to. All it did was list a website to check out called fox.com/pause. I clicked on it and am interested in this new approach to a common but important topic. Have a look and see what you think about Pause?

http://fox.com/pause

Recall, with some of the advertisements we’ve looked at, it seems odd that it doesn’t make the item being advertised very clear? This is another example of this. What is the benefit of leaving the concept or direction slightly unclear?

March 20

Media log ideas… The “N” word on South Park?

There was a clip of the tv cartoon South Park on tonight shown during a news report. Apparently, a new version of the show has the “n” word repeated forty times and has upset several people. This is a pretty particular word that obviously commands a lot of attention when it is used. Whether Black people can say it freely or whether no one should be using it is still a social faux paux not yet clearly determined. This show used the word in a episode where one White character was suddenly turned on by all of society and discriminated against with people calling him a “N-caller”. The idea behind the show was actually positive and is applauded by many Black Americans because it shows how much hatred flows behind those who say the word to individuals. This cartoon episode was meant to mock or parody the way Black people were harrassed through the use of this word. Now it is a White man harrassed for saying the same word. What are your thoughts about this?

Be very clear – the creators of this episode are making a social comment about the words we use against each other to discriminate in society. They are not just using this word for the fun of it. They are making a firm and serious point.

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This link goes to a CNN news report of the episode and the backlash from it. Watch the clip to get a better idea of why people are upset.

March 20

Media log ideas…. Bong Hits For Jesus??

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11767029/

This was an interesting news report on tv tonight. A high school student on a school trip to watch the passing of the Olympic Torch through town held up a banner suddenly that said “Bong hits for Jesus”. The principal of the student suspended him for violating school policy in promoting drug use. The student said in defense that he was practicing his right to freedom of speech. It has now gone to the Supreme Court to be decided if anyone’s rights were violated and to determine how far the actions of a school administrator can go. A very prominent U.S. lawyer has taken the case pro bono (for free) because this ruling could set precident for other cases where students could potentially sue administrators personally despite the fact they are only following school division policies. What do you think?  The student is being represented by the ACLU. Look that group up. What do they stand for and why have they taken his case?

 There are several videos to watch here and each tries to promote their side but do they do it fairly or do they use language to sway opinion?

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Also, if you look on youtube and search “Bong hits for Jesus” you’ll get several clips of this. The ACLU has their own video they have posted on there. What is that called when one side promotes their cause in some media form?

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March 18

Beautiful Women Project / Texting …

I was watching Good Morning Canada and they had a few interesting reports on tv this morning.  

BODY IMAGE

Body image is something many people struggle with, especially teenage girls.  But one Canadian artist is helping young people realize their true beauty through a special art exhibit.  The b_w.jpgexhibit consists of plaster casts of 120 women aged 19 to 91.  The message… beautiful bodies come in all shapes and sizes.  Artist Cherl-Ann Webster created the display after her 13 year old daughter told her she wanted to save money for breast implants.  The display is at the Cambridge, Ontario Centre for the Arts until April 5th.  For more information see www.websterwood.com

exhibitions.jpg

 Text Messaging among teens…

In the report this morning, they interviewed several students who said they would rather text than talk. Even though phones are banned in schools, they text all day through, well into the night hours as well. What they report was pointing out though, was that if a parent is registered as the owner of the phone, they have access to the times texts are sent and received… and they can read the content of those messages online. texting.jpgThe report talked to a few parents and a counsellor asking if this seemed an invasion of privacy for students. It was an interesting report.