Media Meditation #5: THE FINAL MEDITATION!

So while contemplating topics for my final media meditation I've been jamming out to my totally awesome iTunes playlist of all the Warped Tour Sampler CD's from the last 4 years and I got to thinking about how this annual punk/emo/alternative/Idontevenknow tour is yet another source of media. In addition to the tour itself, the countless bands that have graced (and disgraced...) the multiple stages of the summer-long tour utilize the tour as a medium to promote their own messages and beliefs. Figures, a punk festival used to convey messages, who'da thunk?

1. TRIUNE BRAIN - Amid the non-stop mosh pits and occasional typhoon-grade rain storm (New England Warped veterans know what I'm talking about...), it is no surprise that many concert-goers are operating on a near-primal mindset. This "fight or flight" method of thought is tapped into through the high-energy music of many of the bands, grabbing the attention of concert-goers and pulling them into the show. src="http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f165/alexdale1/singlev23.swf"
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For many fans, bands or songs are identified with emotionally (where do you think the term "emo" comes from?). This is a textbook example of how the Limbic Brain is stimulated, yielding emotional response from fans as a result of thoughtful lyrics that fans strongly identify with. Finally, many highly religious or political bands use their spot on the Warped Tour to promote their own personal messages. These messages are meant to make the fans think, tapping into their Neocortex, or "thinking" brain.

2. EIGHT TRENDS - In recent years the Warped Tour has seen several shifts with the rise of new media sources. An Epistemological Shift can be seen in FUSE's annual Warped Tour coverage, documenting the behind-the-scenes antics of bands and giving fans a lasting visual of how the tour went that year. I personally encountered something new this year when I received a free 10-song sample CD...in the form of a special iTunes gift card. This is an example of the Technological Shift many bands are embracing, utilizing technology to easily distribute their music in place of lugging around hundreds of actual CD's. For the past few years, the tour has also implemented a text-update system that allows concertgoers to sign up to receive text alerts of when and where their favorite bands are playing or to download an iPhone app

with a similar function; both are examples of a Personal and Aesthetic Shift the tour has undergone in recent years. One shift the Warped tour is well known for is its Discursive Shift, heard in the politically-charged between-song banter of anarchist punks and from the megaphone-broadcast messages of activist groups like peta2.

3. SEVEN PRINCIPLES - Warped Tour coverage by media outlets like FUSE or the annual Warped Tour video blog utilize Production Techniques to highlight the best/most important points of the tour. In addition to music, the Warped Tour also features an ever-growing array of non-profit groups that each promote their Value Messages to the swarming crowds of concertgoers. While the tour is a celebration of alternative "counterculture" music, it is an enormous marketing opportunity for certain brands, bringing up the question of Ownership. The tour itself its technically known as the Vans Warped Tour, with Vans Footwear being the primary sponsor of the tour since its creation. Since that time, many other large companies have jumped on the bandwagon as well, causing some "true" fans to question if the Warped Tour's original values have been compromised as a result.

4. 29 TECHNIQUES OF PERSUASION - Based on the huge crowds the tour draws each year, a Bandwagon or Group Dynamics approach to messages is quite effective. Testimonials and "Beautiful People" are very common approaches in advertising for non-profit groups at Warped Tour, often partnering with musicians or entire bands to help convince fans to hold the same beliefs as their musical idols.

5. IYOW - "The Vans Warped Tour brings together a wide array of alternative music and non-profit groups to create the longest-running annual music festival in the United States."

6. 3 FACTS
- The Warped Tour is the longest-running annual concert series in the United States.
- The Warped Tour consists of over 40 stops throughout the US and Canada.
- Many now-famous bands get their start on the Warped Tour circuit thanks to the wide publicity they can receive.

Media Meditation #4: I Think I Messed Up the Numbering...

In today's society, it is almost impossible to escape the non-stop flow of media. For some, this is viewed as an intrusion into our daily lives, but to others it can be seen as an opportunity to be constantly linked in to what is happening around us. One be automatically kept up to date on the issues we find important is through the utilization of RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds.



1. TRIUNE BRAIN - RSS feeds tap into the Neocortex, or "thinking" brain, because they present information that has been deemed important to the subscriber. The subscriber consciously chooses what types of information they want to receive and are then free to choose how to interpret what is presented to them.

2. EIGHT TRENDS - The first trend seen in RSS feeds is a Technological Shift. Rather than rely on manually going out and searching for news stories, RSS feeds automatically search for and deliver news to subscribers. This is related to how a Personal Shift has also occurred as a result of the participatory nature of RSS feeds. Subscribers actively choose what media messages they want to receive. This is also a sign of a Discursive Shift, with more and more people subscribing to personal blogs that offer up subjective media.

3. SEVEN PRINCIPLES - One potential downside to the convenience of RSS feeds is the question of "Reality" Construction. If we are limiting ourselves to certain perspectives on events, aren't we also potentially limiting the legitimacy of our "news" sources? Similarly, we are also limiting the Value Messages that are being sent by picking and choosing feeds that relate to our own values. The question of Ownership is also important to keep in mind, as many bloggers are actually paid (in the form of money or products to test/keep) by companies that employ them as "covert" PR representatives. Fortunately, this issue was brought to the public by a recent law, requiring bloggers to state whether or not they are paid for their postings.

4. 29 TECHNIQUES OF PERSUASION - Depending on the WIDE variety of RSS feed topics, a blog or web page can utilize just about any of the 29 TOP's. One of the most common techniques in personal (or company) blogs is the Testimonial. By having a blogger review a product, they can appear to be an authority on the topic. This is apparent in many "tech" or "gadget" review blogs. Similarly, bloggers can utilize a Plain Folks appeal by seeming more "personal" or "believable" than an advertisement from a specific company.

5. IYOW - "RSS feeds simplify the search for information by bringing your favorite blogs and news sources directly to you, automatically."

6. 3 FACTS
- According to Technorati, the internet has over 50 MILLION blogs.
- Just about any blog can be subscribed to via RSS feeds.
- RSS feeds are organized through the use of a "reader" such as GoogleReader.

If you're really cool, into skiing and snowboarding and somewhat tech-savvy, you can even subscribe to ECGR via an RSS to be the first to know when I get it up and running again for next season...

"Audeamus" to Maintain and Sustain Champlain

1. What was the most difficult moment in making this video?
One of my initial concerns with the filming of our video was the difficulty of getting quality sound in the noisy cafeteria. This issue was solved by using my laptop as a "camouflaged" microphone in place of the video camera's built-in microphone. By doing so, this also made syncing the audio and video tracks difficult. While the two fit together perfectly, they are slightly off after being compressed for YouTube.

2. Other than finishing it, what was the most rewarding moment in making this video?
I feel that the most rewarding moment during the production of the video was when we successfully filmed/recorded in the crowded cafeteria. We were even applauded by a pair of faculty sitting at a nearby table for how quickly and easily we recorded our video.

3. Discuss 3 specific lessons you learned about film production and/or "group process" in making this video.
First, I learned that it is sometimes more effective to "get creative" with recording than it is to attempt to master complex equipment. Second, it looks better on camera to improvise lines (within reason and) with confidence than trying to recite the script verbatim while constantly glancing at the script. Finally, I learned that creating an effective video requires several "layers" of audio and video.

4. Discuss 3 specific things you learned about Champlain College and/or the "Sustain Champlain" project that you did not know before completing this project.
I learned many things about Sustain Champlain from doing this project. The first thing I learned was the mug incentive that Jazzman's Cafe has implemented to help cut down on paper waste. Additionally, I learned that Champlain has been making an effort to install more bike racks around campus to encourage more people to bike to campus. Finally, I learned that the showers on campus are low-flow showers designed to help conserve water.

Media Meditation #3: on Billy Wheeler's Musical Masterpiece's

In one of my other courses, Advertising, we have been learning about how to develop an effective radio advertisement. We covered concepts such as the use of a voice-over, musical accompaniment, and effective jingles. Until this point, I had put very little thought into radio advertisements and saw them largely as a "visually muted" TV ad.

1. TRIUNE BRAIN-Radio has been described as the "theater of the mind", as it depends heavily upon the use of sound and imagination in place of images or actual objects. Sound effects, such as explosions or crashes, tap into our reptilian brain by surprising us or quickly grabbing our attention, similar to the German advertisement we were shown at the beginning of the year. Other sounds, such as a

Funny Cute Baby Laugh! sound bite Babies sound bites

baby laughing , can create an emotional response from our limbic or "emotional" brain. Finally, our neocortex processes the facts or ideas presented in the copy of a radio advertisement.

2. EIGHT TRENDS-An economic shift has been taking place in our society with the rise of hyper commercialism and corporate consolidation. Radio stations are being bought out by companies held by large corporations, like the main 6 we have discussed in class. Such corporate buyouts can lead to censoring who is able to advertise of certain stations. For example, an advertisement for a "pro-choice" rally would most likely not air on a FOX-owned radio station.

3. SEVEN PRINCIPLES-One way the "theater of the mind" is successful is similar to written works, in that people can develop individual meaning based on the media presented. The trade-off is a lack of dynamic media, but because the audience is able to "create" their own mental image of the ads, it can be applied more directly to each person. This is similar to the construction of "reality", in that the creator of a radio advertisement merely puts an idea in the consumer's mind...the rest is created by the consumer's imagination.

As I mentioned earlier, the production techniques of radio advertisements are limited to those concerning sound, so advertisers must be creative with what they are given to work with. Through the use of sound clips, advertisers can paint a mental picture of the scene that is being set. Dramatic music can set a certain tone for the radio spot, while silence broken only by the spoken words of a narrator can have the same effect.

4. 29 TECHNIQUES-As a way of overcoming radio's limitations, symbols are a great way to get an idea across in limited amount of time. Sound effects are a type of symbol, in that we associate a simple sound with a more complex object or idea (ex. the roar of a lion to create a mental image of a wild or exotic location)



"Card stacking" is another effective technique of persuasion in radio advertising, because the limited time allotted makes a short quotation seem more reputable and believable. A quick reading from part of a review can reassure consumers that the claim is legitimate and must be true. Because of the brief nature of radio ads, consumers are not given the luxury of time to ponder the claim before the radio program resumes.

5. IYOW-"What radio lacks in visual stimulation or tangible objects, it makes up for in the imagination of the listener...in 30 seconds or less"

6. 3 FACTS-
-Radio is a cheap advertising medium.
-Musical genres (Rap, Classic Rock, etc.) make it easy to reach certain target markets.
-Radio reaches 93% of all adults each week.

MidTerm Media Reflection

1. After studying media for eight weeks in this class, what have you learned? Please be specific.

I have learned to look at not only what is being presented, but how it is being delivered. A large portion of how we interpret messages and information is based on how we receive it. The 29 Techniques of Persuasion illustrate how this can be done in a variety of ways.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned about yourself as a reader, writer, and critical thinker in this class so far?

As a reader, I enjoyed having images and videos to supplement the material being read (ex: the blog with links and embedded pictures and videos). I feel that my writing thrives in informal areas such as blogging because I find it to be like talking, something I do a lot of. As a thinker, I believe this class has helped me to think multidimensional about information and messages.

3. What's one thing YOU would do differently this first half of the semester if you were to take this class again?

I feel like I would change very little. I would probably try to start reading assignments earlier rather than rushing to post my responses around 11:59 PM.

4. What's one thing you would like ME to do differently this first half of the semester if you were to take this class again?

Honestly, I would change very little to nothing about this class. I like the thought-provoking style of teaching much more than traditional lecture-style courses, as I feel that it is important to learn through doing in this highly participatory modern culture.

5. Please comment of the usefullness of the course blog, your personal blog, our films, and our book(s) as learning tools.

I like the highly interactive nature of using the blog to receive/post assignments. It allows for more creative and media-rich ways to respond to a topic compared to a regular paper assignment. I also like learning through videos, as I am a very visual learner. I find the text to provide interesting and relevant information that applies to my life.

Media Meditation #2: Part Deux!

Snowboarding and mainstream culture have always had an interesting (and sometimes difficult) relationship. This can still be seen today with NBC's coverage of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. NBC's exclusive coverage prevents fans from seeing their favorite riders compete for the gold on any medium other than during NBC's broadcast of the snowboarding events. How does this affect snowboarding? Well...

1. TRIUNE BRAIN-Events such as the halfpipe are covered in the same manner as other sporting events, cutting out a large part of snowboarding's personality. The snowboarding community is very heavily affiliated with an artistic community, giving it a unique style seen in everything from how videos are shot and edited to what the riders wear while snowboarding. By covering snowboarding the same way as any other "sport" such as football or baseball, the non-competitive aspects of the sport are lost. This loss of personality limits the emotional attachment between fans and their favorite riders or companies.

2. EIGHT TRENDS-One aspect of Olympic snowboarding that has been viewed as both a blessing and a curse is the commercial media frenzy that surrounds the sport every four years. Companies that are unrelated to snowboarding see this time as an opportunity to profit and try to find ways to gain publicity by associating with the sport. The best example of this economic shift is one of Shaun White's sponsors: Target.

Another trend in NBC's Olympic snowboarding coverage has been the increased media attention towards professional riders. An example of this is the criticism New Hampshire local Scotty Lago has received following his post-medal celebration. While snowboarders partying after events is not unusual (and is in fact quite common), Lago's "unsportsmanlike" behavior would be relatively unknown if he were not in the Olympic spotlight of NBC.

3. SEVEN PRINCIPLES-For Olympic favorites like Shaun White, there is often a very heartwarming story to accompany their success. While these stories are most likely true, one must question how "filtered" they are and what the riders are like outside the spotlight. This construction of "reality" only gives viewers the information they might find entertaining or inspiring; whatever it takes to make a story.


Compared to the videos put out by snowboarding companies and production crews (such as Absinthe Films' Optimistic? above), NBC put very little effort into utilizing available production techniques. Snowboarding videos are known for their high levels of creativity and attention to detail. NBC instead covered snowboarding similar to professional sports: camera angles that showed the entire area (this time a halfpipe instead of a football field), slow motion segments used to analyze tricks rather than emphasize them and bland lighting used to make the action as visible as possible. Simply put, NBC's "production techniques" do not express snowboarding's unique style and merely deliver the action taking place in a conveniently distributed package.

Another issue that has arisen in the midst of the 2010 Olympics is the availability of media pertaining to the events. For example: any clips uploaded of Shaun White's gold-medal runs posted to YouTube.com have been removed because NBC holds exclusive coverage of the event. Because NBC holds ownership rights, if you wanted to watch the men's snowboarding halfpipe medal ceremony, you would have to go to the NBC site and download the Microsoft Silverlight video player.

4. 29 TECHNIQUES-
Symbols: Throughout NBC's coverage of the snowboarding events there were plenty of transition sequences with animation of the Olympic rings, the American flag and the Vancouver 2010 logo.

Repetition: NBC created media hype for Shaun White's Olympic runs by showing clips of him snowboarding in the days and hours leading up to the men's halfpipe finals.

Plain folks/Warm fuzzies: Shaun White's trademark red hair and perpetual grin make him easily likable and marketable. His skill, youth and cheerful demeanor made him an Olympic favorite and one to pay attention to, something NBC convinced viewers to do through repetitively showing images of him and clips of previous runs.

Beautiful People/Testimonial: Many commercials that aired on NBC during the Olympics featured well-known athletes. One example of this is a commercial depicting Apollo Ono sleeping peacefully (and snoring loudly) to show how he gets a good night's sleep during a cold when he takes NyQuil.

5. IYOW- "NBC covers the snowboarding event of the year: follow Shaun White on the road to Olympic gold in Vancouver 2010."

6. THREE FACTS-
1. Vancouver 2010 was the 4th time halfpipe snowboarding has been featured in the Olympics.
2. Shaun White has won the gold medal in halfpipe both years (Turin 2006 and Vancouver 2010) he has competed.
3. The total cost of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics is estimated to be $1.76 Billion

Media Meditation #1: A New Hope

Ok so, State of the Union...

1. TRIUNE BRAIN- First off, the formality of this event somewhat impeded any "Reptilian" appeals to the brain, with much of the address being directed to the Limbic or Neocortex parts of the brain. In Obama's opening statements, he brought up patriotic events such as the Union soldiers in the Civil War or the Allied forces charging the beaches at Omaha during WWII. These highly emotional events share a deep-rooted tradition of pride in our nation, creating an excellent metaphor for the nation's current state and Obama's optimism in a time of grief for the American people. To appeal to the Neocortex or "thinking" brain, Obama adds statistics throughout his speech of how the American economy is on the road to reform, leading viewers to think about the changes this country is facing.

2. EIGHT TRENDS- The first sign of an epistemological shift is that the annual State of the Union address was not only carried out on live tv, but that it was also posted to the popular video hosting site YouTube.com This can also be applied to a technological shift, because thousands of people (myself being one) who missed the live broadcast are now able to watch the address at their own leisure online. There is also a discursive shift occurring, in the form of any person having the freedom to give their beliefs and opinions regarding Obama's address and his policies in general through commenting on YouTube.

3. SEVEN PRINCIPLES- The State of the Union address held very little special production techniques. The camera was mostly focused on Obama, but occasionally panned the crowd during intermittent scenes of clapping after certain points were made or examples brought up. Obama's speech was intended as a ray of hope on the current economic climate and an attempt to comfort the American people by promising a better America on the horizon. This broadcast was/is not owned by any media groups, but is a publication from the government. At an individual level, I interpreted Obama's State of the Union address to be a reassuring statement of progress for a restless nation attempting to put itself back together after being torn by war and a poor economy.

4. 29 TECHNIQUES- Like many politicians of today, Obama wears an American flag pin on the lapel of his suit, displaying his patriotism and American pride. Early on in is speech, Obama describes letters he has received and the questions they bring up, setting up a perfect example of using rhetorical questions to direct his address. Similarly, Obama is able to use the "plain folks" approach by mentioning the people of Elkhart, Indiana, a town hit particularly hard by the plunge in the economy and used by the media to represent working-class America. Relating back to Obama's references to the Civil War and to WWII, he was using nostalgia to bring a sense of hope to the people by reminding them of how the United States has been victorious in the past and shall be again. In an attempt to relieve some stress and tension experienced with the discussion of war and a failing economy, Obama also takes on a lighthearted approach to some statements ("...it was about as popular as a root canal..."), flashing his trademark grin as a method of lightening the mood with humor. Finally, in the opening statements, President Obama addresses his "fellow Americans". This reinforces the idea that we as a nation are a solid group with common goals, creating unity among the people.

5. IYOW- "It is because of this great spirit -- this great decency and great strength -- that I have never been more hopeful about America's future than I am tonight."

6. THREE FACTS-
1. Obama points out that "the markets are stabilized and we've recovered most of the money we spent on the banks" in regards to the economic crisis.
2. Obama "extended or increased unemployment benefits for more than 18 million Americans" to help get the economy moving in a positive direction again.
3. Taxes were cut for 95% of working families.