Final Blog Assignment

1. My view of media has changed because I now recognize the broader sense that media encompasses.

2. I basically defined media as tv, radio, newspapers, and the internet.

3. I pretty much now define media as anything that is getting a message across.

4. The strong points of the class was the class discussion and the content of those discussions. I enjoy classes that involve communication throughout the whole class. You can learn just as much from the students in a class as you can from the teachers.

5. Yes, I would suggest this class for others, in fact I have.

6. The weak point was probably just the organization factor. Sometimes the class felt a little unfocused, this is not that bad though because it was still entertaining.

7. Yeah I think that I am more likely to question what I see, hear and read. I did before the class, but I think that I would question things more extensively now.

8. I can't really think of anything that I would have liked to cover more. Maybe a little more political focus... I don't know.

9. I never thought of myself and my teachers as the media before this class. Now I recognize the capacity of media in everybody.

Hilderbrand lecture blog

I do not agree with Dr. Hilderbrand's definition of cowardice. While I do believe that a person needs to stand up for what he/she believes in I do not think that you are a coward if you bend a little to conform. Sometimes it is necessary to do things you don't want to. Does that make one a coward? In his time, and what he was up against, it was in his best interest to join the military when he was called upon. It probably had a significant impact on who he is today. It either changed or enhanced his perceptions. Let's face it, if he were a conscious observer in Cambodia during that time he would have had his head skewered on a stake. Sometimes bending is necessary.

I do believe that the media's main focus should be the truth. I don't believe that they achieve that objective for the most part. I don't believe that they are close to being objective, again, for the most part.


I can see Dr. Hilderbrand's point that they actually believe that they are reporting the truth, but I also believe that they know better. When I as a lay person can see that the media is not being objective, the ones closest to the source should also realize that. I think that the media wants to report objectively but they don't have access to all the information. Because that information is not readily available, they don't take the time to properly research the subject. Deadlines and political hurdles don't allow for objective reporting. I would like to see the major "news" programs try to make a concerted effort to be objective and leave the rhetoric to "Inside Edition".