I visit this site because I find the artist to be very inspiring. She uses art to convey images of humanity and life in general. Like the written word, art too shares stories. This is done through the use of colours and shapes. In the painting "Our Ignorance", the artist shares her own version of the tale of baby Haboo, an African child from Africa who died from dehydration. It is common for many of us to change the channel when we see something on the media that makes us uncomfortable. This is the artist's attempt to stir a feeling deep within us that urges us to act on behalf of change, for the goodness of our planet.
I visit this site in order to stay informed with issues going on throughout our world. It also provides a vast amount of resources of non-profit organizations and media allies. The news that is provided on this site ranges from economic, to environment, to human right issues and development.
I love this site. The group of people who develop this site are culture jammers who share information that mocks traditional media and marketing. I go here because it portrays marketing in an entirely different light (than what I am used to)- one that makes and advertising look quite evil and manipulative. I have been studying marketing now for three years and have heard about many of the benefits of marketing from instructors/professors. It is my opinion that any knowledge and skillsets can be used destructively for ones own personal gain. Seeing spoofs of these advertisements helps motivate me towards using my own skillsets to benefit rather than exploit people.
I visit this site regulary whether it is for music or for information. Upon performing a search for a particular topic of interest, the user is provided with a number of links that are relevant to the search criteria. When you find what you are looking for, you may end up finding similar videos that could be of some interest as well. Youtube is an excellent search tool for seeking out news clips that you may miss on television. You may even uncover news that you were not even aware of. Youtube videos are now being embedded on facebook profiles. If you are an avid user of social media, you can often find a number of videos uploaded on friend pages which are normally followed by a number of discussions. Not only do you get to see a video, you get to read other peope's interpretations of these videos.
I go to this site to search out information pertaining to yoga and wellness. It is also enjoyable to see the comments and feedback from other yogis. It provides valuable insights and reflections on life. It is news on a very individual and community level rather than big global events. It is nice to hear the smaller stories of personal life experiences. The site also provides a number of links to some great resources on meditation, nutrition, and spirituality.
1. Are these alternative news topics/articles/stories on the sites you’ve chosen covered in mainstream news? Why or why not?
I would say that some of these topics are on the news and some are not. Topics such as yoga and wellness for example would be covered in mainstream news. I feel that these topics are covered because these interests seem to be a growing trend in today’s society. Topics that may be controversial would not be covered in mass media because they contradict the messages and ideas that the media is trying to sell to the masses. The spoofs on adbusters.org for example: These ads that were created by the culture jammers are mocking traditional advertising. Many corporate owned media channels make the bulk of their revenue through advertising space. To put an ad in the media that conflicts with the sale of a product would not be a “wise business decision”.
2. Describe how the topics on the sites you’ve chosen are discussed/covered differently in the mainstream news.
If larger media corporations cover information similar to what is expressed through these websites, often times there is an emphasis on glam. There is a push to sell media to the public and in order to sell, emotions must be pulled and individuals need to feel motivated by the material. Sex as an example is used to sell health magazines. Images of beautifully sculpted bodies promises readers that they too can obtain such a body if they subscribe and learn some age old secrets. What is different about alternative media is that there is a sense of realness to the information. Because many of these outlets are not relying on ad revenue, there is no reason to conceal the truth or paint a pretty picture.
3. One issue we must deal with in the 21st century is too much information. How might too much information make it harder for citizens to become publicly engaged?
The problem with too much information is that we begin to rely on it after a while. Why should citizens feel the need to be engaged when they can vicariously live through someone else`s facts and opinions. Having a certain amount of information is good because it adds to the individuals understanding of what may be occurring. However, too much information and we become lazy. It seems easier to be a passive bystander rather than engage and learn through our own experiences.
4. How can so much information and media saturation make it hard to act when a crisis occurs?
Since we are constantly inundated with information, it is natural to become numb to this stimuli after a period of time. Nowadays every form of media and advertising seems to be conveyed in a way that expresses urgency. Everything is urgent and wants the viewer to act now. When an actual crisis occurs we are already at the point of mental exhaustion and our perception of what is urgent has been distorted. It seems easier to act on the immediate urgencies that directly affect us at that very moment rather than worrying about seemingly indirect repercussions of a crisis.
5. Is more information always better?
I would disagree with this statement. For one thing, to say it is always better would say that regardless of the quality or type of information given, what matters is that there is plenty of it. If the information is not provided in a clear and concise manner then the audience can become confused and potentially misinterpret the heart of the message. When sharing information, it is essential that the point (heart) is made clear so that they audience understands the primary thought behind the information. Additional information should be given to support the central theme and to reinforce what the author is sharing.
