World of Mine

[majstaybreezy16]

Final Blog Post by Semaj’ Tate

Final blog analysis: 500 word reflective blog examining the key ideas you learned in the course and the ways your media literacy has been refined. How (if at all) do you think your habits and use will change given what you know now?

It’s been a long 11 weeks. We as a class have gone through the many industries of media and the main factors behind them. We learned the origin of these industries and just how they came about; as well as where they are today, how they are useful, and where we see them going in the next 10 years or so. We engaged in talks of what we believe should or may occur and how we believe things may shape up. So much was covered in this class that it felt as if we traveled to many forgotten centuries all the way back to current day, and into the future.

Many of the things that I learned has changed my outlook on all of the industries we covered. For instance, I was sure that the newspaper would soon go extinct, but with the websites of newspapers introducing a subscription based website, I feel that the newspaper will still be a fixture in society for a while as older citizens begin to go digital and ditch the paper issues. Once we made it into the television industry, it was most interesting to learn how many channels were owned by giant corporations like Disney. It was interesting to see that a company known for children’s movies and shows, were also responsible for many of the channels that supply us with some of the most raunchy, outlandish, and action packed shows and movies. It was also interesting to learn about the battle of streaming and cable. This was interesting to me because it’s something that I wasn’t really thinking about, but it’s something that we are living through. I feel that it is interesting that we are living through historic moments in these industries.

The movie industry was just as intriguing as it gave insight on how the giants of Hollywood came to be, as well as how the industry has changed and worked for many years. It was interesting to learn that the smallest company back then learned to embrace the very thing that the giant feared the most. How it played out is even more interesting as the Hollywood giant of yesterday wilted, as the one to embrace the most feared has become the giant of today. A lot of the information from the class will be very useful, but I believe that the videos and mainly the TedTalks will have the biggest impact on my life. I believe this to be so because the main thing that was helpful was the fact that the people who understood these industries the most were the ones giving lectures on behalf of TedTalk. In terms of my habits, I don’t think much will change; but if something were to change, it would be my adjustment to the music industry since I am a music producer.

Overall, there were many things that I received from this Media Industries class and plenty will be applied to my daily life and my journey to my dream career.

[majstaybreezy16]

Blog Post 15 by Semaj’ Tate

250 words detailing your ideas about what you would do as a Reality Television producer. What would be attractive about creating a Reality TV program? Why would Reality TV programming be a good media buy for commercial placement for an advertiser?

Reality TV has become a mainstay in the television and cable business. Shows like ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ and ‘The Bachelorette’ have ruled television for many years as it gives viewers the ability to dive into the personal lives of their favorite celebs. Television channels such as MTV, VH1, BBC, and Bravo have had the reality tv business and world in a chokehold for many years. Many of the reality shows created have indulged in outrageous ways to find love along with the main point of these shows; DRAMA. When it comes to creating these shows, there are many characteristics that you have to take into account to make sure the show is successful. Along with drama, there must be a plot that would interest viewers to keep them tuning in every week. Shows like ‘Bad Girls Club’ and ‘Big Brother’ house their contestants which makes things much more interesting as some of the residents build alliances and friendships to get closer to whatever it is that want. There are also weekly or bi-weekly eliminations that brings a dynamic that keeps the viewer wondering who will be eliminated next. With these kind of enhancements and motives, viewers are more engaged than ever. What makes the reality tv show business a good investment though? Personally, I believe that since reality tv has started, the ratings and the ideas for these shows have only gotten better. So with that being said, I see nothing but many more advancements with these programs as they bring in the revenue needed for these channels to remain at the top of their game. Advertising for these programs aren’t hard and don’t cost much to produce as they usually use clips from the show to create video packages. These video packages usually are quick and run the main purpose of the show, along with enhancements that don’t give away too much of the information, but just enough to gain the viewer's interest in the program.

[majstaybreezy16]

Blog Post 14 by Semaj’ Tate

Choose to respond to any article for today’s reading. Compose a 250 word blog analysis of the article, citing the ways in which the problematic issues in Hollywood often go unrecognized by the general public. In what ways are these issues connected to the ways movie production studios are organized? How does Hollywood reflect the larger problematic gender and diversity issues in society? Should art and culture be a place that works to intervene and change these issues?

Hollywood is the place that we all associate glitz and glamour with, but is it really what it’s thought to be? Many things in Hollywood are brought into the light as news or gossip, but what about the things we never hear about? Many of the things that occur in the “Land of the Stars” go unreported and are only discussed between influencers in the industry. Everyone believes that Hollywood and celebrities have carefree lives but that isn’t necessarily true. Actors and actresses struggle not just in Hollywood, but overall. It may take time for them to receive call backs after auditions along with having the right timing, characteristics, and traits that directors may be looking for. Actresses have much more of a struggle in my opinion. They do just as much as actors but struggle to get equal pay and receive the same respect that actors do. Sure, many barriers have been broken, but the industry is far from fair to the women of the business. Writers have their struggles as well. They go through just as much as actors and actresses do. They have to come with a script that has to be liked by the higher ups in the production business that way they can see their script manifest into a motion picture. The process for writers can take a while, but once it is approved; I’m sure accomplished doesn’t even describe how they truly feel. Overall, there is much more to Hollywood than just glitz, glamour, red carpets, and award shows.

[majstaybreezy16]

Blog Post 16 by Semaj’ Tate

250 words on your views about the effect of video games on violent behavior.  Some feel playing is cathartic, meaning that by playing you release aggression virtually instead of having those feelings in real life.  Others say playing violent games can trigger violent behavior.  What’s your opinion?  Can you add another point of view?

Video games can be fun and even therapeutic for some, while others prefer not to indulge in playing the games at all. Just like movies and music, video games also have genres. For instance, there are sports video games, shooting games, puzzles etc. Video games can have both a positive and negative effect on people. It is one of the many things in this world that can bring people together, while having the same drive and potential to cause chaos. I was never into shooting games, so I feel out of my place to talk about this “issue”; but most of my cousins and friends were and still are playing many violent games. Growing up, the most violent video games I played were the WWE wrestling games. Many people believe that violent video games like Call of Duty can cause people to express things violently in the real world. Personally though, I tend to believe that it doesn’t cause that violent drive that others believe video games cause. Knowing many people who dabble in violent video games, allows me to prove from my personal experiences and point of view that violent video games aren’t what create the violent culture of mass murderers and other violent crimes. In my opinion, I would believe that the logic would be that these video games would turn ALL gamers who play violent video games into violent criminals. It is possible though that these games may cause some violent behavior though. I mean, I grew up playing NBA 2K & Madden because I wanted to play sports. Maybe the same could be said for those who play violent video games. Maybe that is the logic of the government and others who are very much concerned. Maybe a lot of gamers play these games for practice for the real world. In my opinion though, these violent games are played because it gives gamers a chance to be someone that may be very far fetched from themselves. It gives gamers a sense of entertainment to control a character that is a warrior in a foreign land or a Sgt. in the army.

[majstaybreezy16]

Blog Post 13 by Semaj’ Tate

250 words with your thoughts about how “traditional” radio broadcasting differs from streamlining services. What are the appeals of each of these methods of distributing and exhibiting audio content for advertisers?  What advantages or disadvantages does each have for consumers?  Do you have any examples?

Many differences can be found in traditional broadcasting and streamlining services. Such as the way an artist is paid when their songs are played on the radio, as well as how streams impact their pockets; or how records or played when they are on the radio (clean) versus the uncut, raw, and explicit version that can be streamed through our very own cellular devices as well as other modern day technology. Don’t get it twisted, traditional radio broadcasts are still very much the foundation of podcasts. I mean the structure and the way that a podcast is presented can all be credited to what radio broadcasts bring to you every morning, day, noon, and night. Podcasts have many major advantages, but the main one would be convenience. The reason I say convenience is their biggest influencer, is the fact that it causes there to be much more listeners and consumers in the long run than the radio may get that one day. The radio may have many topics and things discussed on a radio show a day, but what about the consumers who missed out on the show and the re-airing of the show later in the day? They ultimately miss out. When you have a podcast, consumers are able to pick through episodes, rewind and fast-foward the show, as well as pick up where they left off or  move onto another installment or version of an episode. Consumers are also able to listen to a podcast on their time. Finally, nothing says accessibility like the fact that podcasts are accessible to you on the phone. If you have an iPhone, Apple has even created a podcast listening app. I feel that besides the regularly scheduled radio shows that appeal to many audiences, I feel that podcasts are the way to go for the things you're interested in and not just a wide range of media.  

[majstaybreezy16]

Blog Post 12 by Semaj’ Tate

Record labels, music execs, and even managers have mastered the way an artist is marketed, as well as the way their music may be marketed, and what kind of money is spent on the marketing. The distribution side of the music business had become much easier for labels to manipulate and use, making it harder for unsigned and independent artists. Back when there were only CD’s, vinyl, and cassette tapes; you knew how and what ways your album sales would be calculated and where they were purchased. Today, artists are blessed with the luxury of streaming. Streaming, in my opinion could be credited to Steve Jobs. Here’s why. Steve Jobs took what was known to be illegal (downloading music and exporting to a CD or disk), and created a system (iTunes) that has since become the reason many albums and songs chart so high. Streaming has become a mainstay in the music business and is the reason for so many new artists and labels success. Streaming has impacted many, but the ones who benefit from the streaming system most is independent artists. Growing up, I witnessed and had encountered many people who were rappers and were trying to become the next 50 Cent or the next Jay-Z. Most of the encounters I had with them involved them trying to sell a mixtape or an album to my mother or an adult that I may have been with. It was a hard thing to do from a marketing standpoint as they had to convince some people to spend some of their cigarette money or gas money on their project. Streaming not only made it easier on these artists, but the combination of streaming and social media did it. Social media has become a marketing tool and if you can market yourself and your project to your followers, then the streaming numbers will be impacted. Labels notice as well as managers and head execs. What streaming has done though is created a way for an artist to receive all benefits versus slaving for labels.

[majstaybreezy16]

Blog Post 11 by Semaj’ Tate

250 words about your favorite magazine. Consider the experience of reading it in a print or browsing the online magazine.  What are some of the advantages of print in terms of user experience?  What can be done with print that can’t be done online?  Now think about what can be done online that can’t be done in print.  Which experience do you prefer and why.  Examples welcome and appreciated.

I haven’t read many magazines since our technology got to the point that blogs and articles became much more accessible in a split second. I do have fond memories of having a video game magazine subscription, as it was the only mail I would receive. Whenever it came in the mail, I would be so excited when my mother passed me the magazine. There would be all types of video game news and things to read about. It would tell me when the new installment of NBA 2K would be coming out and what new features would be added to the game to make it better than the last installment in the franchise. Now, I can just google or look up what I want to know about these things. Personally, my preference would be to read the blogs and things of that sort on the web instead of in a magazine or newspaper. I find that I am very much a visual consumer rather than a consumer who has to basically do things on their own. My logic is why read an interview with the top professional gamer when I can watch the interview on the magazine’s website or YouTube channel. I mean, both systems definitely have their advantages. For instance, when reading a magazine on the web, you can pretty much go to the direct link or article that you would like to read about versus flipping through magazine pages until you get to that section. An advantage of the magazines that are shipped would be the fact that it is more of an in your face type of thing. It makes the consumer indulge in more than just what they are looking for. It also includes ads and things that may cause a consumer to continue on with their subscription. Overall, I feel as if physical magazines can be read more than the online issue. The magazine may be read and recycled or thrown away, but I feel that an online subscription may only collect dust in your emails.  

[majstaybreezy16]

Blog Post 10 by Semaj’ Tate

250 words detailing your personal main sources for news and explain what is more valuable to you, speed or accuracy and explain why.  In your opinion, what types of newspapers are most relevant?

There are many ways to receive and digest news. With the technological advancements we have been gifted with in our time, news consumption has only become even more effortless to receive than ever. Many people receive news from newspapers. Others receive their daily dose of news from the news broadcasts on television. Personally though, I receive my news from social media and apps. It wasn’t a choice or move made through a thought out process, but it was more influenced by habit and what type of media consumption I indulged in the most. I receive most of my news on Instagram. The reason for this, is that it has become the most convenient source I have. I can find out who won last night’s Laker game via NBA instagram page, while also hearing about recent news on presidential candidates via CNN’s instagram, as well as what musician or artist is coming out with a new song or album via DJAkademiks or the artist’s instagram itself. The main reason I may continue to receive most of my news from social media sites like Instagram is the fact that it is news at a rapid rate. My feed automatically may include something basketball or music related as soon as I open the application. Due to new features in the app, I can now choose to see posts that are similar to the post I like versus seeing things that may not have my utmost interest. The accuracy of the news I receive is on point for the most part since the news is coming from a league source or a formidable source for that specific genre of news. Which brings me to my last and final point. I find that the accuracy of news is much more worth the wait than rapid fire WRONG news. I figure this is how I’d rather it be because if news is reported too fast, the source may have been completely wrong or a pivotal part of the story that could change the landscape of things is missing. This could cause media outlets to be frowned upon and lose any juice or momentum that they were running on.

[majstaybreezy16]

Blog Post 9 by Semaj’ Tate

250 words describing the differences between the roles of the literary agent and the book editor and their relationships with the book author.

There are many differences between the literary agent role and the book editor role. A literary agent’s main purpose is to get in contact with  an editor who likes the book enough to invest in it. Most literary agents are exceptional at this task as they know what editors are looking for in terms of what books they are able to sell. Literary agents also are able to do book contracts and are more than capable of establishing the authors’ rights. I figure that literary agents are very reliable. Not because they know what they are doing, but because if your book is able to be sold; they are able to be paid. Their line of work gets everybody paid and that’s definitely the main goal for all parties. So what does the book editor do? As we all know, the book editor goes through your work and checks for spelling errors, punctuation errors, and many more things that include verifying facts that were cited for publication and working with the author to create content that remains in the guidelines of the publication style and editorial policies. The relations between the editor and the author are that the author creates the content and writing that makes up the book, while the editor endures the planning, proofreading, and revision pains; as well as making sure the material is good enough for publication in magazines, newspapers, articles, books, and even websites. The relations between the literary agent and the author are also just as simple. The literary agent takes the work of the author and begins to try to market it to bigger corporations, book stores, major book companies, newspapers etc. They are the ones who go out of there way to get a publishing deal for the author that opens up the door for the book to be sold at high capacity. Overall, all 3 of these positions are important and an author needs both a literary agent and an editor to get their vision and words heard.

[majstaybreezy16]

Blog Post 7 by Semaj’ Tate

Write a minimum of 250 words focusing on a Mass Media Conglomerate of your choice.  Do an analysis of the media companies they hold and how that could influence the consumer.  In your research, please find out how many media conglomerates there are and which is the top one in the world (there aren’t that many, so don’t panic).  Does this change how you feel about the media you consume?  Why or why not? There was once a media conglomerate group known as the “Big 6”, but recent studies show that there are only 5 in today’s day and age. The five major media conglomerates in the United States include Comcast, Disney, Viacom, CBS, and AT&T. Comcast is controlled by NBCUniversal, Viacom & CBS are controlled by National Amusements, and AT&T is controlled by WarnerMedia. As for Disney, well we know Disney is Disney. Speaking of Disney, they pretty much own a huge chunk of what citizens of the United States and the world consume. For instance, the companies that are owned by Disney include; ABC, 80% of ESPN, Touchstone Pictures, Marvel, Lucasfilm, a 50% equity holding with Hearst Corporation that includes A&E, a 50% equity holding with Hearst Corporation that includes the History Channel, a 50% equity holding with Hearst Corporation that includes Lifetime, and Pixar. Those are just a few of the ones owned by Disney. For this Blog I wanted to mainly focus on Disney as we know that they market their own channel to our children, but when you look at many of the other companies and channels that are owned and run by them, they often market things that are plausible to adults. For instance Disney is very much responsible for all of the Disney Princesses but they are also responsible for shows like Grey’s Anatomy. Should we be worried about how much control that Disney has? I believe so. The things that are becoming normal on television aren’t too pleasing to parents with children. I think we also may be more worried in the future as a Disney & Fox merger has been discussed for a while.  

[majstaybreezy16]

Blog Post 6 by Semaj’ Tate

Think of a film, television show, album, or a video game that received a rating that you do not agree with. Write 250 or so words arguing why that rating was incorrect. Please use a text you have actually watched, listened to, or played. Use specific examples from the text to argue your case and use language from the chapter to substantiate your claims.

The ESRB rating for all SIMS video games is T for Teen. This seems very reasonable until you look at the many things that are included in the game. For instance, SIMS is a game that involves you creating multiple characters in a world for social interaction as you actually are the puppet master. Once you create whatever amount of characters you desire, you are allowed to place them as you please. Once placed, anything can happen at any time while you are playing the game. Character 1 may be reading a newspaper while other characters are eating, playing chess, sleeping, or being active. As things seem to be going well, chaos can happen at any point in time. One character may burn their house down while trying to bake a cake. Character 2 may have been hit by a car while jaywalking. Characters 3 and 4 get into a spat that leads to violence that can escalate to the point of one’s fatality. Once violence becomes involved i believe the game might as well be moved to the Rated R ESRB. Violence isn’t the only reason I believe that a Rated R rating is plausible. Sexual activity, love, hate, and many other things are also promoted through the game. Many children are able to get their hands on the game as you don’t necessarily have to be a teen to purchase the video game. Things that are displayed in this game can lead children to doing some of these things in real life as they may want to try a few of the actions that are displayed by the characters they created. In my opinion, a Rated R ESRB would do children the justice of not growing up too fast, but at the same time that is also the choice of the parent.

[majstaybreezy16]

Blog Post 5 by Semaj’ Tate

Write a minimum 250 word analysis on an advertisement you have seen recently in your daily media consumption. Use the information and the specific terminology you learned in this chapter to analyze the advertisement. Post the advertisement on your Tumblr page. (You may need to take a photo on your phone if you are unable to locate it online).

The video that is tagged at the end of this blog will include the ad that I am referencing to near the top of their website. This particular ad has been showing up on my laptop for a few days now whenever I get on youtube.com or even use the youtube app on my phone. We all know that are data gets sold on the internet a million times as they continue to exploit our privacy and include all of our interest throughout the entire web. It’s very creepy yet remarkable how our data can give those behind these processes our main interests, things we’ve contemplated on buying, the music we prefer to listen to, and even the things that we say.  All of these things are used and pushed forward into what we view no matter what website we end up on. Now what made this ad a bit creepy for me was the fact that I had recently been talking to people about learning how to mix and master music; verbally as well as through text. This ad along with other music production ads have long been apart of my youtube experience for a while. The ad appeals to my interest and is also able to sell me on actually giving the ad a chance once it mentions mixing and mastering. To further gain the attention of a viewer (me), it brings someone with experience in the music business as a music producer and professional mix and master engineer. It even goes as far as to list who’s he’s worked with, for, and also his accomplishments as a Grammy nominated engineer to keep the attention of viewers throughout the video and even after. This figure now becomes the credible source of that the company/brand needed to gain traction on the internet.

https://www.waves.com/learn-hip-hop-mixing-lu-diaz?km_source=google&km_medium=cpc&km_term=77747457336&km_campaign=6467145988&km_device=c&km_matchtype=&km_keyword=&km_adid=379879194701&km_account=leadgeneration&gclid=Cj0KCQjwuZDtBRDvARIsAPXFx3CUPEgM3_OHKGQ602HlX04s1Uuc-Ix7L_iYBkWJKwkJ87qKqJ2xPFMaApiTEALw_wcB

[majstaybreezy16]

Blog Post 4 by Semaj’ Tate

Write a minimum of 250 words about a television show of your choice (you may choose any television show, past or present). Who is the target audience of that show and how does the production represent race, gender, sexual orientation, and/or class. How much does the genre of the show reflect the diversity (or lack thereof) in the production?  If possible, incorporate clips or specific examples to support your analysis.

‘Good Times’ was a 70′s sitcom that aired from 1974 until 1980. The theme song played completely into the concept and the title but was also very contradicting as times weren’t so good for Black people in this time period. ‘Good Times’ embodied what it was like to be an African American family in America. It also showed how serious the state of survival for Black people was while only being 6 years removed from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. The target audience could very much be debated as many things targeted the upper class white man to gain their attention and to gain traction on the issues that we were facing and still face today. The other target audience would definitely be all black families living in the United States. This is clear as there is an all Black cast and the show goes into great detail throughout the show to show the diverse experiences that these people go through as a family as well as alone. Race is represented well as the family mention Black Jesus plenty times as well as having a portrait of the figure. JJ is an up and coming painter who always seems to paint a picture of something that embodies African American culture and the issues that he and/or his family were experiencing during that episode. Gender is represented well but somewhat poorly as well. Of course you had the father who was the head of the household and usually handled all disciplinary acts, but the mother was a much more intriguing character as they used her character to help develop the “hostile black woman” stereotype. The same could be said for the daughter as well. Sexual orientation back then and on the show only embodied man and woman relationships. Also much like today, women were very much hyper sexualized. The comedic genre of the show played very well  into characters like JJ, Michael, Penny, and others. There were plenty of times though that issues arose creating a sense of reality that everything wasn’t always fun and going well. The laughter and pain were very well balanced throughout the series.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF6Qu67WxNw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FVuEfA5QVY

[majstaybreezy16]

Blog Post 3 by Semaj’ Tate

Write a minimum of 250 words about how the “agenda setting” theory supports the idea that the media do not tell you what to think, rather they tell you what to think about.  What is an example of how media present stories that seem to support this “agenda setting” theory?  Please attach the articles or other information you find. I want to see what you see! 

What exactly is the agenda setting theory? According to the agenda setting theory describes the "ability (of the news media) to influence the importance placed on the topics of the public agenda"That is, if a news item is covered frequently and prominently, the audience will regard the issue as more important. Who created the theory? The “Agenda Setting Theory” was brought to be by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw in 1972.

In today’s society and with major news outlets that include CNN, NBC, Fox, Abc, and even ESPN we see the effectiveness of the agenda setting theory first hand. For instance, there was a time in sports Michael Jordan was the golden standard. He freakish athleticism along with many characteristics and talents carried his legacy and career. Then around 1999 Kobe Bryant becomes a star and is now classified as the closest to Jordan’s likeliness. By the time we get into the 2010’s where LeBron wins 3 NBA Championships, all of a sudden Kobe can no longer be seen as a threat to Michael Jordan’s greatest of all time throne. There are many articles that take jabs at Kobe and try to eliminate him from this conversation, but the articles aren’t needed. Attached below will be many links to greatest of all time lists that put Kobe Bryant so far down the list that it may be seen as disrespect. Since there are countless amounts of articles and blogs doing this, it causes it to be seen and sooner rather than later; more accurate in society's eyes. Not because it has can be legit or accurate, but because if everyone is saying it, then it has to be the truth. It goes to show how conditioned we are as citizens to believe what most news outlets report or create. It raises the question are we thinking for ourselves or sharing the same mind as we buy into everything we are fed by “big brother”.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2232060-br-nba-legends-100-ranking-the-greatest-players-of-all-time#slide93

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/707609-the-ten-best-players-in-nba-history

https://www.slamonline.com/nba/slams-top-100-players-of-all-time-lebron-james-no-2/

[majstaybreezy16]

Media Industries Blog Post 2 by Semaj’ Tate

Blog Post 2: Consider the criticisms of mass media mentioned in this chapter. Write 250 or so words on which of these criticisms seems the most detrimental to our society. What, if any, responsibility does the media have to address this criticism?

Consider the criticisms of mass media mentioned in this chapter. Write 250 or so words on which of these criticisms seems the most detrimental to our society. What, if any, responsibility does the media have to address this criticism?

There are many characteristics that are detrimental to our society that are products of the theory which are showcased and demonstrated by the media. For instance, many media outlets make it known who they are aligned with when it comes to politics. This almost makes it pointless to view that media outlet if your views aren’t the same or similar. For this blog post, I would like to focus on the injustices created by biased news outlets. The biased based news giants create a sense of follow the leader. The biased news outlets are far from a newly discovered system. Biased arguments rule the world. That’s why you may tune into Fox News and they may be praising the President Trump while also crucifying the Democratic party. Same could be said for CNN but just the opposite of Fox News. Although these outlets may try and switch things up by bringing in people who aren’t necessarily supporters of their messages, their biased broadcasts and personalities can be showcased as they completely disagree with their guest and even go as far as to continuously cut them off so they won’t get their message to viewers as the conversation may cause Fox viewers to think from another point of view. I don’t believe the media should have to address any criticism as they simply do what will garner them more views. Each outlet, not just Fox; cater to the egos and ideas of citizens who support certain things. News outlets literally are getting even better of exploiting the viewers minds as all they have to do is play off of the latest viral news, popular culture sayings, and more to gain the support and attention of new viewers.

[majstaybreezy16]

Media Industries Blog Post 1 by Semaj’ Tate

September 11th, 2001 was so long ago. I mean, I had only turned 1 years 2 weeks prior. As much chaos that was caused that day, I seem to not remember anything. Yeah because of my age, but also because I was on the other side of the country. Most of my recollection of this particular day comes from my mother. My mother explained to me that although we live in California, we were just as affected as surrounding states and areas near New York. She recalled that all shipments into the Harbor near San Pedro had been stopped for the safety of Los Angeles county citizens. Much of the worry came from the fact that we were hand in hand with New York as one of the country’s most prolific cities. According to my mother, the coverage on the event went on for so long that no longer felt the need to see what’s on TV, as she already knew. She explained to me that mentally there was a fear instilled into everyone as they were hoping not to be the next target. Many people including my grandparents were calling out of work since they worked in high corporation buildings downtown, there was a huge service of helicopters flying around all day long as the airplane landing frequency decreased etc. Schools were seeing students home, allowing them to spend many of the next few days with their parents instead. It was almost like our world slowed down as we began to live in fear. Today, I feel as if we no longer live in fear as some threats have disbanded as well as dispersed. Today all we have is the memories of this horrific date that will always be associated with one of the most dreadful events in not only American but World history as well. 

[majstaybreezy16]

‘Moonlight’ Final: Being a Gay Black Man in America & Masking it with Masculinity

According to the IMDb website Moonlight is “A chronicle of the childhood, adolescence and burgeoning adulthood of a young, African-American, gay man growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami.”

LITTLE: This is the nickname given to Chiron by Blue (Juan) as he was a kid. This chapter of Chyron’s life details a boy trying to find his identity and where he fits into the world. The quote from the movie itself that I feel best embodies this examination follows below.

Little: So your name 'Blue'?

Juan: [Chuckles] Nah.

[Another pause]

Juan: [to Little] At some point, you gotta decide for yourself who you gonna be. Can't let nobody make that decision for you.

CHYRON: This is his real name but as he is now without the one true person he felt loved him and gave him so much in Blue, Chyron is now lost and enduring more emotion based decisions and problems than ever.

Juan: I saw your mama last night.

Little: I hate her.

Juan: I bet you do.

[pause]

Juan: Hated mine too.

[pause]

Juan: Miss her like hell now. All I'm gonna say about that.

BLACK: This is now a new man who moved away from what he was used to so that he could get a fresh start. He moves to Atlanta, GA and becomes a drug dealer. He is still lost not knowing how to handle his emotions but the new life he is living is to mask his homosexuality with masculinity. He uses Blue as his model on how to carry yourself as a drug dealer. This makes it ironic as he now goes by Black. It makes it even more deeper though, considering Kevin gave him this nickname in high school.

Who is you man?

Black: Who, me?

Kevin: Yeah nigga. You. Them fronts? That car? Who is you Chiron?

Black: I'm me man. Ain't trying to be nothing else.

Kevin: So you hard now?

Black: I ain't say that.

Kevin: Then what?

[pause]

Kevin: Look. I'm not trying hem you up. Just... I ain't seen you in a minute. Not what I expected, none of it. Not good or bad. Just not what I expected.

Black: Well, what did you expect?

[pause]

Kevin: You remember the last time I saw you?

[pause]

Black: For a long time, tried not to remember. Tried to forget all those times.

[pause]

Kevin: Yeah. I know.

Black: [to Kevin] You the only man that's ever touched me.

[long pause]

Black: You're the only one.

[long pause]

Black: I haven't really touched anyone since.

In the film, the setting is a impoverished neighborhood that seems to be in Florida. Since the neighborhood is impoverished, of course it has to have drug dealers, bullies, crackheads etc. I mean, that’s what the screenwriter incorporated into the film right? With that being said, we open up the movie with a drug dealer by the name of Blue. That’s his street name though. His real name is Juan. When finding Chiron and practically saving him from bullies, Blue takes Chiron under his wing. Instead of training Chiron to become a drug dealer, he is more of a father figure and teaches Chiron the values of life among other things. This goes against the principle of many drug dealing characters put in situations like this as they are usually more violent and arrogant, but not once does Blue even seem to be that kind.

I believe this film was very significant to have during this time and era of the #blacklivesmatter movement because you have many young black men who struggle with their identity and are scared to come out if they believe they are gay. This is because of the many problematic norms embedded in the African-American masculine culture. Being gay is looked at as more of a weakness because it isn’t usually what black people raise their children up to be. This is so because it goes against many of the religious beliefs they live by and what they think is the right way to live to begin with. Being able to come out as gay in the hypermasculine African American community is very courageous and nonetheless tricky as it may give you a dilemma or make you think about the negative effects more than the benefits of being able to be out and free with who you really are.

‘Moonlight’ reveals that you can be gay and still have masculinity, but don’t try to mask your identity with masculinity because of the fear of being judged. I believe it also reveals how toxic trying to fit in can be as Chiron went all out with masking is identity and became a drug dealer and almost a mirror image of what Blue was.

The impoverished in this film gives you a feel for the 1980’s because this is when crack cocaine is incorporated into the communities and lives of many African- Americans. It shows that many struggled with addiction but I think they could’ve done a better job of the representation of a ‘crackhead’. In society, the misconception of a crackhead is that they all have to look extra skinny and pale among other things but that’s not always the case. Also, the film makes it seem as if functional addicts didn’t exist. I mean Chiron’s mother went to work everyday as a nurse, but it was clear that she did it just to blow the money on the drugs holding her soul hostage. The film also paints the picture that most impoverished neighborhoods have many abandoned houses and apartments, Black students who aren’t willing to learn, and more violence related issues than usual. My problem with this film is that it never fully incorporates the fact that Black communities were tightly knit and had more fun, love, and peace than displayed. It doesn’t showcase how crack changed the culture and neighborhoods. We just dive into being impoverished and being crackheads though as if that’s what African-Americans had turned to immediately which is far from the actual case. ‘Moonlight’ has many stereotypes incorporated into itself. Specifically on gay masculinities though, it is crazy to see Chiron grow into Black since Chiron was just that shy little boy that didn’t talk much. Black of course is more advanced at hiding his sexuality since he is able to use his masculinity and not just him being shy. We see Chiron go from Little to Chiron and then Black, but we don’t speak much about is what he did to change is image. When Chiron adapts into becoming Black, he has moved out of Florida altogether to Atlanta; a city known to have many LGBTQ members. This gives him a fresh start to create a more masculine image but also gives him a space where there are many people like him, and that’s something he is very unfamiliar with. In recreating his image as Black, Chiron is much more serious, much more masculine, and even indulges in having many things that represents masculinity in the African-American culture. So him having a lowrider, wearing gold plated grillz, wearing chains etc. All of that and then becoming a feared drug dealer, which we surely wouldn’t have thought he’d become especially from the image portrayed of him in the previous chapters in his life; gave Chiron the biggest case of unfamiliarity and the biggest masculinity guard you could ever think someone could acquire. Black indulges in this at you would think it makes him feel good until he heads back to Florida to meet up with his best friend from high school; Kevin. In what ways are the characters shaped by their socioeconomic class?Characters in “Moonlight’ are definitely shaped by their socioeconomic class. As Kevin is more popular in school, he is still friends with Chiron but everything is on the low. So even when they are talking, they usually aren’t seen together because it could possibly mess up Kevin’s reputation of being one of the cool kids. At one point in the movie, Kevin has to make a tough decision as he was involved in a game known as ‘Knockdown Stay Down’. He has to beat up whoever his opponent picks and his opponent just so happens to be Chiron’s bully. So from there he picks Chiron and Kevin punches him but Chiron continues to get up all while Kevin begs him to stay down. Finally Chiron stays down but then the bullies push Kevin out the way and begin to stump Chiron out. There was never a reason to hate Chiron except their suspicions of him being gay which is hardly a reason at all. Chiron is most definitely the outcast of the entire school. He is constantly bullied and isn’t too fond of other people outside of Kevin. Seeing Kevin do what he did to him definitely hurt Chiron more on the inside as he completed sexual acts with Kevin making Chiron emotionally attached. 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4975722/plotsummary

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4975722/quotes

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/qbnjkb/moonlight-negotiates-the-fine-line-between-black-and-gay-identities

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5474493/

https://www.bustle.com/articles/195759-moonlight-sheds-light-on-the-taboo-of-being-a-gay-man-in-the-black-community

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/black-gray-gay-perils-aging-lgbtq-people-color-n777791