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The most compelling thing I have witnessed is how we have come from using corded housephones, newspapers, thicker magazines, and phonebooks to communicate. When I was a child, there were no cell phones, the rotary phone was becoming obsolete, and the newer house phones were becoming popular with all the buttons and features. Newspapers were a way to get the news, and you had to pay a subscription; magazines were thicker and had more to talk about, and phonebooks were a way to look up phone numbers.

I find it interesting that my grandma had to use a rotary phone and that the TV was not yet standard. Communication has advanced so much after learning about her days and comparing my childhood days. Now, we have the luxury of talking on the phone, reading the news on our smartphones, watching videos, looking up numbers, etc. I genuinely believe we are lucky to have such devices in our hands. Even computers have evolved, and now I can do my work on the go.

Some content was challenging to read because it was a bit dry. In particular, media and democratization. But I later would learn how democratization plays a pivotal role in sharing personal stories with which people can resonate. This has impacted my life; communications and media studies are platforms that make sharing and telling stories interesting. I have always been drawn to why people do what they do, how they live, what interests them, and how things can improve their lives; I want to understand them better. People fascinate me, and this course is perfect to take if I want to share and become a good writer.

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Week 7/Ch. 5- Advertising & Brand Culture: Journal Q: Reflect on the screening. What did you learn from this documentary? What was most compelling? Which concepts from the reading were raised in the film? Has brand culture changed in the years since the documentary? (3 paragraphs)

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Week 7/Ch. 5- Advertising & Brand Culture: Journal Q: Reflect on the screening. What did you learn from this documentary? What was most compelling? Which concepts from the reading were raised in the film? Has brand culture changed in the years since the documentary? (3 paragraphs)

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What I learned from this film is that corporations are feeding us advertisements so that they can make money. These advertisements have normalized our lives and send subliminal messages that say, buy me and so on. Well-known brands can be hard to find in towns because they like to sell local brands to support local businesses. They don't compete, and if these small-town shops do compete, they do so by each other by making prices cheaper on certain products like lotions and such. The most compelling part is how the brand positions itself in the market. An example is how Nike positions the brand by telling its target audience that the brand is more for sport and not for fashion purposes. Unlike brands like Chanel or Gucci, which are for fashion purposes.

The concepts that changed were in modern times; the branding is starting to shift to more social media, such as influencers, celebrities, and even animals. For example, on Tiktok, some famous cats and dogs promote pet foods and toys. And people are enticed to buy them for their pets. Animals like grumpy cats (RIP), Butters (kitty), and even exotic birds have a large social media following.

Brand culture has changed because branding was usually done in print, magazines, books, flyers, newsletters, etc. The easiest way to reach the target audience is through social media and the influences that surround social media. Every social media platform, including writing, language, and shopping apps, has ads. This is a significant shift from how they used to be printed.

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Week 9/Ch.9 -This week, pay attention to the number of different ways in which you are subject to surveillance, whether through tracking apps, information gathering algorithms, CCTV, or other means. Is this more or less than you were expecting? Do you think it is accurate to say we live in a “panoptic society”? Why or why not? (2 paragraphs)

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Week 9/Ch.9 -This week, pay attention to the number of different ways in which you are subject to surveillance, whether through tracking apps, information gathering algorithms, CCTV, or other means. Is this more or less than you were expecting? Do you think it is accurate to say we live in a “panoptic society”? Why or why not? (2 paragraphs)

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Yes, I believe we do live in a panoptic society. We have come a long way since technology has changed and advanced. The much older era, say, the 1930s, was skeptical about accepting technological advances, which included the innovation of the radio and the TV. Back then, there was no tracking of people done electronically, but it was done demographically on paper to help target the radio listeners.

In contrast, today, it is easy to track what the person is doing through electronic data and software. Even just talking about, for example, a diamond ring, your phone listens, gathers data, and starts throwing ads that concern diamond rings, jewelry, etc. Today is more about the wants of people; it's consumerism. Everyone is being surveillenced on what they do socially.

I went to use a free resume website (because I needed assistance with the formatting), and it wanted access to my personal files, camera, and credit card information when i was done. I was uncomfortable with allowing this website gain access, so I left the website without completing my resume nor did I want to pay at the end when it was completed. It would not even allow me to screen shot my resume which was a bummer because it took me over two hours to do my resume. Afterwards, I started receiving emails about resume workshops, and pay only $3.99 per resume and get the cover letter free. On Facebook i started seeing ads for resume wizard, and get help for free if I buy a subscription, which made no sense to me.

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Week 8/ Readings – Media & resistance Design a culture jam – such as an advertisement that subverts or disrupts corporate advertising. Include an explanation of your culture jam, include a reason behind your choice and the issues raised by your culture jam. (2 paragraphs, & image if the culture jam)

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Week 8/ Readings – Media & resistance Design a culture jam – such as an advertisement that subverts or disrupts corporate advertising. Include an explanation of your culture jam, include a reason behind your choice and the issues raised by your culture jam. (2 paragraphs, & image if the culture jam)

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There was an explosion in Bangladesh where over 200 factory workers including children were killed and all that Loblaw companies do was offer their apologies and sent condolences. The company was warned that the building was unsafe, and they still allowed these people to work inside it. There were no burials or funerals covered by the company. Also, the factory workers were making less than a dollar a day.

I chose Joe Fresh as my subvert because it is a known clothing brand that is sold in Loblaw companies. I admit I have bought some clothing pieces by this brand. I find it difficult to know exactly how certain clothing companies source their materials. I also see that because these companies’ goal is to save as much money possible because the cost of making clothing in Canada or elsewhere in North America is high. They outsource and find vulnerable and unfortunate people that would be happy to make a dollar a day making these garments.

This picture I added blood to inject some shock value. I added the words Factory Fresh on top the original logo Joe Fresh, as a way to let the audience know that their clothing is made in a factory. The picture automatically gives a bit of a guilt feeling when I look at it.

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Week 5/Ch. 4 - Audience studies 2: Critical audiences: Journal Q: How does the political activism of Harry Potter fans illustrate a key idea from reception studies? According to Rosenberg’s article, why do some pop culture texts inspire fans to engage in real-world activism? (2-3 paragraphs).

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Week 5/Ch. 4 - Audience studies 2: Critical audiences: Journal Q: How does the political activism of Harry Potter fans illustrate a key idea from reception studies? According to Rosenberg’s article, why do some pop culture texts inspire fans to engage in real-world activism? (2-3 paragraphs).

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Harry Potter allows readers and fans to enter another realm that is not realistic. But it takes your mind and disassociates from the modern world. When fans become captivated by the world of Harry Potter, they will do anything to help their group or alliance meet goals. They share one common goal: to try to please what "Harry Potter" wants them to do or to continue to be a part of the fantasy world. I am a Harry Potter fan and still watch the movies today. The whole franchise was magical for everyone, no matter the age. Even my aunt, who is older than me, was a fan and had Harry Potter merchandise in her house.

This could be activism in the modern world because as Harry Potter died down, these fans were left wondering what to do next or the thought that it couldn't be over yet. So, when Harry Potter fans created the Harry Potter Alliance, it continued to give them an escape and almost made them or others think that they were the number one true fans. They built a way through media to continue the Harry Potter footprint.

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Week 4/Ch. 4- Audience studies 1: theories of media effects: Which theory of media effects addressed in our reading this week most corresponds with your own view(s) and why? If none do, say that and explain why they conflict with your own perspective(s).Support with reference to an example.(2 paragraphs, pg 86-95)

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Week 4/Ch. 4- Audience studies 1: theories of media effects: Which theory of media effects addressed in our reading this week most corresponds with your own view(s) and why? If none do, say that and explain why they conflict with your own perspective(s).Support with reference to an example.(2 paragraphs, pg 86-95)

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One theory that used to correspond to my views was the agenda-setting theory. I learned that allowing people to think about this theory can be confirmed. It could be propaganda; sometimes, only half of the story is true, or there are many holes. The news does not only tell the truth. There are more sides to a story; the media tells viewers what they think they want to know. Magazines are a good example.

My example does not particularly relate to political or governmental issues. When magazines were popular reading material, I used to buy Esquire, People, and Star magazines. One specific story I followed was the murder of JonBenet Ramsey. The cover always features JonBenet Ramsey in 1997 and for some time after that year. There were usually bold letters and a short excerpt about who the killer was and even accused family members, although there was not enough evidence to convict anyone. This little girl featured was done up in makeup and pretty hair. The photos always drew people in. The story was always the magazine's primary focus that year and had more than two pages discussing case details. But it gave the reader insight on how to think about the case. Many people had their assumptions about who was guilty but no solid evidence. The question remains: who is her killer? We will never know, I guess.

Works Cited
Bane, V., & Hewitt, B. (2015, November 6). Read people’s original 1997 story on the JonBenét Ramsey Murder. People. https://people.com/crime/read-peoples-original-1997-story-on-the-jonbent-ramsey-murder/

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Week 3/Ch. 3- Representation, meaning, and media content: Journal Q- This week’s reading and lecture notes that representations are polysemic. Select a magazine cover, print advertisement, or advocacy campaign image. How many different meanings can be taken from the ad? Identify and (convincingly!) explain 2-3 different meanings conveyed by your chosen media example. (2-3paragraphs)

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Week 3/Ch. 3- Representation, meaning, and media content: Journal Q- This week’s reading and lecture notes that representations are polysemic. Select a magazine cover, print advertisement, or advocacy campaign image. How many different meanings can be taken from the ad? Identify and (convincingly!) explain 2-3 different meanings conveyed by your chosen media example. (2-3paragraphs)

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This magazine image displays numerous messages that can be read easily. First- the model is slim and beautiful, wearing an outfit that is sexually suggestive as it hugs the body closely. It sends the message that the tighter the clothes, the more flattering you can be. Her makeup is smokey, and the messy hair suggests that perhaps it's okay to look messy and sexy simultaneously or that it gives off a sultry look as if to say that this look is luring. Also, wearing this outfit will make a man want or desire you.

The 2nd meaning is that a question is posted on the cover page: are we wired to cheat? Drawing the suggestion that people cheat because it's likely to be natural. That we are wired to cheat, and monogamy may not be natural. It says that cheating is possible, okay, and that it's a human response. I disagree with this question in general because it shows that perhaps if we are wired to cheat, it's okay, but it is a disrespect to our partners. And, because the model is youthful-looking, maybe the younger generation does not believe in monogamy, that they can be polygamous and get away with it.

The third thing I see is a gold metal body. This statement says that if you have a body like the Model on the front page, you will be gold, beautiful, praised, and looked at more if you are in shape or slim. However, this does not precisely teach body positivity. Although her natural body is likely slim, why not have a more voluptuous model on the cover? However, she is a supermodel who says this person is more prestigious.

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Week 2/Ch. 2- History of Media. This week, we considered how societal context and technological innovations are interrelated, carrying lasting impacts on culture broadly. Consider how media technologies have played a central role in defining and affirming a distinct national identity in Canada from its early days as a British colony. What were two ways in which colonial media systems helped construct a”Canadian” identity? (2-3 paragraphs)

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Week 2/Ch. 2- History of Media. This week, we considered how societal context and technological innovations are interrelated, carrying lasting impacts on culture broadly. Consider how media technologies have played a central role in defining and affirming a distinct national identity in Canada from its early days as a British colony. What were two ways in which colonial media systems helped construct a”Canadian” identity? (2-3 paragraphs)

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Bell Telephone Company monopolized the services in Canada. Bell has been a significant part of Canada since the 1800's. Bell helped a great deal in shaping the Canadian economy by advancing technology related to the telephone and cell phones. Communication plays a pivotal role in how Canadians talk to one another, even if it's across the globe. Today, technology has further advanced, and now there are very few connection problems as opposed to how people connected back in the 1800s. There were many issues with static, electricity, and distance issues.

The Radio Broadcasting Commission allowed for the distribution of messages such as news and music and the exchange of information by broadcasting it directly to people's homes. People would gather around the radio to hear the hosts update them with various media-related messages. This included music, plays, show information, news (good and bad), and much more. This communication system is inventive and has opened the doors for further communication industries and other mediums. Radio broadcasting would also assist in advertising. Today, our marketing and advertising have become a central means for financing the media and various media outlets.

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Week 1/Ch. 1- Defining the field Journal Question 1- What do you want to learn in this course? why is this course interesting to you? what topics are you most excited about?

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Week 1/Ch. 1- Defining the field Journal Question 1- What do you want to learn in this course? why is this course interesting to you? what topics are you most excited about?

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I want to take this course to understand media and how it works better. I understand that anything media-related would be impossible without the evolution of previous media inventions such as the telegraph and the Radio. I love media and writing and hope to share stories of my Indigenous people or people in general. I may not be great at writing, but it has improved since I started university last year. Communications and media to me mean that I can

I find it fascinating that media has evolved. I understand that the Internet may not be relevant without Edison inventing electricity. Maybe someone else would have invented it by now. That man is a genius; I only wish I was that intelligent. However, my intelligence is more geared towards helping people by writing and sharing their stories.

I want a more in-depth look at how communication has become more pervasive. I want to learn how communication has become one of the fastest-growing industries in the economy.

This course excites me because I can learn about the different fundamentals, like how the economy relies heavily on communications and media. Media also helps companies make profits; some of those profits go to corporate social responsibility. I can support a company that can give back to their community.

In chapter 1- Defining the field.