This week’s VOTW Comes from a Youtube channel known simply as ‘TheFineBros’, in which they have a segment where they give certain age demographics various things to do that are popular in todays tech davy world… (Eg, Showing the Elderly how to twirk)
And this week They posted a video that is rather nostalgic. They give children a walkman… Remember them? they are like that one creepy uncle that you don’t like seeing but he is your only one so you kinda have too… Yes they are still on this planet. I know we all think Walkmans became extinct in the early 2000’s but we still remember their legacy. Have a watch, it will either enrage or enlighten you. And make you feel old…. I know i had a walkman when i was a kid, and it played S-Club 7 on repeat.
So take out those earphones, turn off your iPod and pause your episode of Game of Thrones, and have a watch…
For Years, children have been exposed to the media and the public sphere Whether it be Shirley temple storming the screen and stage in the early 1930’s to todays very educational Children based TV shows such as “Toddlers & Tiaras”, “Dance Moms” and my personal Favourite,”Here comes Honey Boo Boo”.
Now the topic for this weeks blog is surrounding children in the media, and the sexualisation of children in the media… And whilst i find this topic rather open ended, it is rather straight forward.
Children, no matter their age are bound by law to remain un sexualised until legal age. But are these recent reality shows finding new ways of exposing these children around the law?
Alana Thompson of Here comes Honey Boo Boo Is a self made queen on everything fatty, dirty and southern. She is a ‘redneck’ from Georgia, USA and was granted her own TV show after her online fame during her sprint on TLC’s “Toddlers & Tiara’s”. But her humour, fun loving and literally ‘Larger than life’ family caused her instant fame. But has her recognition caused her harm? or changed who she is as a person? Or even worse, has her show sexualised her as a person?
Apparently so…
The truth is, we won’t ever know. We see these people as the producers want us to see them. They Can edit them up to say ANYTHING about anyone. Now this is only one example, but regarding the topic, i truly think that people need to let kids be kids, and if they are in the media and aren’t causing anyone harm, or offending people, then let them be. The moment it gets disrespectful or even sexualised, THAT is when we need to get our nickers in a knot.
Now the second part of this blog… THE END of an era.. The end of my BCM110 Blog Task.
I originally started this blog as an assessment task for my university assignment, but what it has done is beyond magic. This task has made me realised that i love to write, it has given me an outlet to vent my crazy mind, and it ha salsa taught me how to professionally kill, and skin a wild bull. Dont ask how, it just has.
This topic has made me realise that i love to blog. I blog at night, at day, in the morning, on the toilet, i just love to blog. The experience is exhilarating. honestly you need to try this.
Looking back at some of my blogs, i see so many things i could change and fix, but without making errors, there is no room for improvement. My favourite blog i have written to this day i sky very first. “My first time” I was so scared to post it because i didn’t know how it would be received. But it was 100% me and i was proud of it. As i am of all of my Posts.
Now many other students are closing their blog off at this point, and finishing their blog when they hand in this assignment. BUT ALAS. I will continue to blog! My aim is 1 post per week, on any topic i choose… If i love it so much, why change something that isn’t broken? I know that saying didn’t quite fit here but hey, it sounds good.
So please, follow my blog, ill still be here, and hopefully i have, and continue to make you laugh and smile, because if i can get one person to laugh whilst reading my blog, its all worth it!
I need to get something off my chest… Its been happening for a while now, and i think its best just just to get it off….
……Its this really weird pimple, like its there but then it goes away and then comes back again.. i need medical guidance.
Another thing on my chest (my hairless, pathetic joke of an adult chest) Is my favourite TV show……. Drumroll please….. ( i have a live band here in my room.) Yes, I’m addicted to……
“Keeping up With the Kardashians”
Whether it be the Botox, the botched plastic surgery, the gorgeous women, the drama, or the fact that Kris Jenner really wants to be one of her younger daughters, the show keeps me coming back. Im a sucker for fake, half scripted, 70 million dollar weddings.
Now this love of mine fits perfectly into this weeks blog task, which was to chose a popular Tv show, movie, article etc and suggest how it might contribute to debate in the mediated public sphere. Now i know what you’re thinking, “I wonder what Mitch is wearing as he writes this?” The answer is a Majenta sweater with tweed check flared pants, nothing flashy. The other question you may ask yourself is “what in earth is a mediated public sphere?” Well, to my knowledge, which is rather low, a mediate public sphere is a band formed in the early 80’s, with hit songs such as “don’t touch my ugly cousin” and “What a wonderful quiche”.
The mediated public sphere is the public who are exposed to certain mediums, and in this case, its reality television. The debate surrounding the Kardashians started well before the Reality show even started. The girls father Robert Kardashian was OJ Simpsons Lawyer during the famous US trial, and thats where the fame started.
The fame skyrocketed when the middle daughter, argubrly the most famous daughter “Kim Kardashian” featured in a sex tape in the early 2000’s. ( i didn’t get the accurate date as when i googled Kim Kardashian Sex tape, the hair on my chest singed off) Now that in itself contributes to debate in the public sphere. This breaks many taboos and social ‘donts’ but at the very core, IS the start of the families public stardom… The step father Bruce Jenner WAS an Olympic Gold medalist winner back in the day, but sorry Brucey, you need a sex tape to be successful these days, keep your javelin in your pants.
Now to their defence ,they girls have their own clothing line, shoe range, makeup range and set of stores in Miami, NY and LA, and have a total net worth of over 200 Million Dollars. Or as kim would call it ‘loose change’. The girls have made a career out of their fame, and good on them i say, when god gives you lemons, make lemonade! Or when you star in a sex tape, create a clothing line! those things come hand in hand.
The public have expressed their ‘negativity’ towards the Family saying they should not be on Television and are awful role models to children. US President Barack Obama even weighed in on the debate saying “i would not allow my daughters to watch ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians”. Which hit the family hard..
I would argue that the family is happy and full of love and show the world that family can survive in show business and remain one unit, that, although has their ups and downs, gets up and dusts themselves off at the send of it all. Well, they would have a maid dust them off..
Ill end with one of my favourite GIF’s featuring Kim Kardashian… Enjoy.
Guess what guys!!! (I say guys, as it makes me feel like people actually read my blog.)
(Actually, i had one view from Saudi Arabia last week, so i guess you could say I’m some sort of royalty in their land or something)
ITS BLOG TIME! This is my favourite time of the week. Other than Fridays. Or dinner time. Or when a really dirty sex scene comes on TV and we all pretend we don’t like it (puberty Blues I’m looking at you)
My Blog task for this week is “Why does it matters who controls the media?” And what difference would it make depending on who controls it? And its a very interesting question, because really, Who does control the media? I just love reading the question in a really sassy Woman’s voice from the bronx. “Why the hell does it even matter who controls the damn media?” Think Margot Robbie in Wolf of Wall St’ accent, it just sounds sassier, and makes you passionate about the topic. And think of Margot Robbie.. Damn she’s fine.
But back to the topic.. Power over the media.. Who has the power? Well i think we all know the answer…
Just imagine this cat controlling the power of the media in Australia.. It wouldn’t be the first time Australian media moguls have been called pussies.. But in reality the media does have ownership here in Australia, and much to a majority of peoples beliefs, we do have channels other than 9, 10 and 7. No one ever thinks about the other numbers, 1, 2, 8, 6.. Channel Discrimination, Australia says NO.
Now I’m someone who isn’t up to date with the Murdochs, the Rinehart, the Packers, I’m only following the Kardahsians. Rupert Murdoch is totally Kim. Just minus the sex tape… Well he and Gina Rinehart have been very close lately. But i do know that a very certain Type f people control our media outlets. And i actually don’t think this is a bad thing There is so much negativity towards these people and their own businesses that they have created.Im sure all the Head Honchos In Aussie media play this to themselves as they fall asleep at night.
Let them have control! Im certainly not wanting control of the media, i just want someone to do it for me. I think that people hate the Media Moguls because, well.. Everyone else does. The Haters outweigh the supporters, and the hate is all we ever see. Why? Because there is more than one media outlet controlling the media! Channel 7 will get Koshie to bag out channel 10 and their corresponding Leader and so forth we, as viewers create a opinion based on what is given to us. Its a vicious cycle.
I personally don’t mind who controls the media, as long as I’m getting honest and truthful Reports on what is ACTUALLY happening in my world. Thats why i choose Naked News’ “Torontos most popular news station” (That slogan is not accurate) . Its really worth a watch. And a counselling session.
Who ever said the media weren’t behind massive cover ups….
WhichMitch 