The Importance of Broadcasting in American History

July 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold

Image via Wikipedia

Broadcasting has played an important role in American history, helping to shape out entertainment experiences and knowledge of the world around us. From the radio to the Internet, it has been a vital part of shaping our society.

Broadcasting first played a truly important role during the era of World War II. People could now listen in their homes to news of battles along the front, hear politicians give speeches live and to listen to a variety of shows. It was a critical part of helping to keep the country’s morale high during hard times and keeping them informed. Radio at this time also began to broadcast play-by-play announcing of popular sporting events, such as baseball and football. Music was also a popular thing to listen to.

When television came onto the scene, broadcasting took on a whole new appearance. Now Americans are to black and white, then color broadcasts of news, sports and popular shows. Children’s programming became a new genre for the major broadcasting companies to take advantage of with shows such as Howdy Doody and The Lone Ranger.

Vietnam was one of the first conflicts to be broadcasted in detail on the news in color, bringing the horrors of war into American homes. In the present day broadcasting has fully embraced the world and technology of the Internet, with blogs, websites and more for people to explore. Broadcasting will continue to make its mark on American history as events and technology continue to change.

Filed Under: Entertainment, History, Radio Tagged With: , ,

Staying Connected With Your Family

July 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In this day and age, everybody has their own things to take care of. Nobody really has time to just sit around and hang out like they did in the old days. There are too many things to do and not enough hours in the day to accomplish as much as we all want to cram in there. Unfortunately, sometimes technology is the best we can do for togetherness.

While there might be psychological problems associated with being apart too much, sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Being apart allows people to earn their livings and gain independent knowledge, which helps them move onward in the world. When a family spends a lot of time apart, it can be tough. But that doesn’t mean they have to be apart in every way. For instance, with a Blackberry smartphone a family can keep in touch no matter where they may all have run off to.

If you find that you and your family are spending more time working, eating and playing apart than you spend doing these things together, you need to bring your family together in any way you can. If that means playing games on the same team through your smartphones, that can be a great way to encourage your family to feel like a team. While talking in person is the best way to keep connected, talking on the phone and texting frequently is the next best thing. Never underestimate the power of technology to keep your family remembering your connection to one another.

Filed Under: History, Internet Tagged With: , ,

The Extras of Making It in Broadcasting

July 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The world of broadcasting is an exciting one, and one that many people aspire to be a part of. However, there are steps that you must take first if you are to be a part of the broadcast world. It’s a tough business to break into, but with the proper steps taken, you can have a big leg up on the competition.

First, you will need to be serious about your appearance. These days, even the radio personalities are being seen online and on TV. You cannot afford to not keep up with the way you look. This doesn’t mean you have to look like a Hollywood star, but making sure that you keep up a healthy weight helps. Also, making sure you have skin and hair that is well maintained will separate you from the pack, for better or worse.

Something else to consider is that you need to be a good writer. If you are going to be an TV anchor, you need to be able write your own copy. You will need to make sure you make your writing education a priority in college. You should consider taking a number of writing classes.

You can be a valued member of the broadcast world, but you need to train yourself properly. You are a product from head to toe, so make sure you approach your broadcasting career with that in mind.

 

Filed Under: Communications

Modern Examples of Censorship

June 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

While many people believe that there is no censorship in the United States media that is not true. The Federal Communications Commission has outlined some rules and guidelines that TV shows must follow or face censorship. Here’s a look at some of the things that could face censorship should a regular TV station wish to air it.

Graphic Content and Nudity. TV stations and TV shows are restricted from entering any type of graphic content and nudity. Depending upon the level of graphic content and nudity the show may be acceptable by just having a small blurred out section or even a parental disclaimer. TV stations and TV shows are also allowed to show certain images at a specified time in the evening. For example, shows would not be able to show any typing nudity at one in the afternoon but might be able to show the same show at 10 PM.

Public Safety. TV stations and TV shows are protected under the freedom of speech and press. However, should a story put the public safety at risk the local, state and national government have the option to pull the story or ask the media outlets to not air it. This type of censorship really happened and could be a long drawn out court battle as many TV stations will generally air the content if they want. Some services like direct tv sunday ticket be very careful and telecast only shows that are only legal.

Swearing. The censorship of swear words is probably the most commonly used form of censorship. TV shows are not allowed to air the full words of swear words during specified hours. This is to prevent children from picking up and learning these types of words.

Filed Under: Communications, Entertainment Tagged With: , ,

Researching Your Family Tree Online

June 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
An Antebellum era (pre-civil war) family Bible... 

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Genealogy is a term that refers to studying the lineage of a family. If you want to know more about your family’s history, the Internet can be a wonderful resource. One popular source of information for amateur and professional genealogists alike is Ancestry.com. The site is home to numerous resources. You can access U.S. Census Records dating back to 1790, as well as census records for England and Canada. Additional records available on the website include military, immigration, and birth and death records. Prospective users can try the site free for 14 days before subscribing.

Before you start a search for your family’s history online, it can be helpful to gather information by talking to your relatives. If you can compile a list of your parent’s parents and grandparents, you can plug those names in on a site like FamilySearch.org to see what online records are available. FamilySearch.org contains records for several countries, including the U.S., Europe and Australia.

If you know some general information about your grandparents and great-grandparents, that can be a great starting point when using online genealogy resources. For example, if your grandfather was a WWII veteran, you can go directly to the military records section on a site like Ancestry.com and see if there are photos available of him from his time in the military.

In the event that you want to learn more about genealogy, a great resource available on FamilySearch.org are the free online courses that show you how to start researching your family’s history in a variety of countries.

 

Filed Under: History, Internet Tagged With: , ,

How Social Networking Keeps us Connected

May 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Communication has evolved so much within the last twenty years. We have come a long way from writing letters to communicate with people far away. The telephone made it a lot easier to keep in contact with friends and loved one. Now with the advent of computer technology we are able to communicate with others on the other side of the world at the drop of a hat.

As computers and the internet have evolved, so has the way and frequency with which we communicate. Social networking sites are playing a big role in how we communicate with each other over the internet. Websites such as Facebook and Twitter are making it so easy for people to stay connected via private messages, wall posts and status updates.

Using Facebook is easy. All you do is sign yourself up and you are given a page which you can start personalizing. The first thing that most people do is search for people they know who may also be on Facebook. Once you have found one person and sent them a friend request, and depending on that persons privacy settings, finding other people you may know is as easy as looking at his or her friends list. Before you know it you will be finding people who you have not seen in years and reconnecting with many old friends.

Social networking sites have helped many people connect and reunite. There have even been many stories of people finding long lost family members through Facebook. What started as a simple way for a bunch of Harvard students to stay connected has now kept the world connected.

 

 

Filed Under: Communications, Internet, Technology Tagged With: , ,

Asia is the Largest Continent

April 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In fact, traveling to Asia is something that everyone has to experience at least once in life. In this article you will find some interesting Asia facts and if you are not interested in this topic, this is still worth reading since you can never tell what you do not know. While traveling to Asia there are a lot of different things to do and see and thus you have to make sure that you plan your trip beforehand.

It is well known that Asia is the greatest continent in the world and it is rich in natural resources like iron and petroleum. When you travel Asia you have to make sure that you have time for an occasional adventure. If you are going to visit Asia within this or the next year and are searching for some fun activities to try, there are some incredible Asian festivals for you to check out during your trip.

Asia actually is one of the most diverse and extraordinary continents in terms of travel destinations and people. It is one of the seven continents in the globe. However, even if it is the seventh continent it is still the largest one among all. Below are several Asian festivals that are worth your attention.

- The monkey God festival. This festival has been celebrated in September at Kowloon’s Sau Mau Ping Temple.

- The festival of the hungry ghosts. This is unusual festival which takes place on the 14th day of the seventh moon in Hong Kong.

- Asakusa Samba. This is Tokyo’s version of the carnival in Rio de Janeiro. This event is held every August in Asakusa district.

- Yasothon Rocket festival. This festival takes place in Thailand in the middle of May. That time things get really noise for Asian travelers in the Phaya Thaen Park.

As well there are a lot of different events and festivals that are really worth your attention. With the development of the internet you can find a lot of different interesting information concerning Asia online.

Filed Under: Entertainment Tagged With: , ,

What is Censorship all About?

March 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

What is Censorship all About?

Censorship, simply put, is controlling the information and the ideas that are being circulated within a society. The truth about censorship is that it has truly been a hallmark for dictatorship all throughout history. Censorship is achieved in many ways, including through examining plays, books, television, films, news reports, radio programs and all other forms of communication in order to alter or otherwise suppress any ideas that were determined to be offensive or objectionable.

The rationale behind censorship can vary significantly depending on the censor what they seek to achieve. Sometimes the rationales behind the censorship have to do with targeting any material that is obscene or indecent, blasphemous or heretical, while other times it is all about preventing seditious or treasonous information from reaching public consumption. As such, free ideas have been suppressed under a false guise of protection of social institutions such as the state, the church and the family for example.

It is important to consider that not all forms of censorship are created equally, and not all forms of censorship rise from external or governmental force. People are capable of self censoring just as easily as the government is capable of censoring. It is important that you understand what censorship is, and what the impulse means to censor. In order to do this you need to strip away the shock that comes with just thinking about censorship and understand the ideology that stands behind the concept. This is the best way to develop a firm grasp on what censorship is all about.

Filed Under: Communications, Entertainment Tagged With: , ,

The Ways SmartPhones Have Changed the Broadcast Media World

March 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Ways SmartPhones Have Changed the Broadcast Media World

Smart phones and the Internet have really changed how people receive their news. People are turning more and more to their smart phones and the Internet service that it provides as a way to get news because it allows them to get their news instantly and not have to wait until they get home to see the daily news. Here’s a look at some examples of how smart phones and the Internet have changed the way people receive their news.

Text Messages. People are able to receive their news via text message. These can be small blurbs that allow the person who receives a text message to get a small glimpse into what new story has recently been updated. People like to receive the text message view that allows them to get instant alerts on the latest news and information.

Apps. With the invention of the iPhone the same there’s an app for everything has really come true. People are able to download an app that allows them to get instant alerts from their favorite news and TV outlets. Apps are almost the same as text messages but instead show up on the screen and can give people more information than 140 characters.

RSS Feeds. RSS Feeds are a great way for people who have smart phones to receive the latest information on websites that are updated regularly. People can subscribe to these feeds and receive an instant alert when their website updates. This allows them to get the latest news and information the minute it happens.

Filed Under: Communications, General, Technology Tagged With: , ,

Why Jingles Are Effective Advertising Tools

March 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Jingles. We have all heard them. Those catchy tunes we hear on the television or more often on the radio. Many people think that writing a jingle is simple. After all, it’s not a complete song — it’s just a tiny snippet of music and words… so how hard can that be to write?

While writing jingles can be lucrative if you are a songwriter, they can also be an effective marketing and advertising tool if you are looking for a great advertising resource for your business. However, they do need to follow a few guidelines to be successful.

For instance, a great example of a successful jingle is one written and produced for the charitable organization Kars for Kids. As its name suggests, this organization accepts cars as donations to help with the goal of assisting children with educational goals and opportunities.

This catchy jingle may be considered annoying by some listeners; however, it is living up to its purpose of placing and keeping the brand and message into the minds of the listeners.

The writers of this jingle have followed the guidelines of jingle writing to create this radio piece. The guidelines include:

  • Know the brand and/or the product they are trying to sell.
  • Use lyrics that are catchy. Puns and rhymes are particularly effective.
  • Use the name of the product. This will create the memory of the product for the listener.
  • Use a memorable, catchy tune.

While these guidelines seem easy, the Kars for Kids jingle is particularly effective in its presentation. It has caused people to sing along, hum the tune or otherwise repeat the jingle. This is effective because the writers know that when it comes time for these people to donate a car, the organization will definitely be the first one listeners think of. The jingle is pure genius!

Filed Under: General, Television Tagged With: , ,
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