With the semester now coming to a close, I would like to use my last blog to discuss all that I have learned in this class. I didn't know what to expect when coming into this class, but the title seemed interesting and I had heard nothing but good things about it. I took it not because I had to, which I didn't, but because I thought it would be a fun elective to fill my time during this fall semester.
The end result: I was pleased with my decision. I learned the names of several concepts I was somewhat familiar, but unclear as to the specifics. I also came to learn about other concepts I never knew existed. For example: the gay vague advertising ploy. I had seen advertisements like that before but never knew that there was a term for it or that it was purposely designed to appeal to both gay and straight audiences. That concept in particular fascinated me because it reassert the fact that everything is in the eye of the beholder.
In addition to learning about terms, this class helped me out in a real world sense, too. When I was covering the football team this season for the NT Daily, the racial allegations against coach Todd Dodge and his staff by former players erupted. I used this opportunity to employ some of the racial lessons we have learned in class about how specific races of people are portrayed and perceived in certain situations.
I was fair with my reporting and believe the stories reflected that, telling both sides of the issue as I didn't want to discredit the black players simply because they were suspended for disciplinary actions. I would have been fair and just even if I had not taken this class, but what this class taught me was a better understanding of how the media views and mistreats certain races, especially blacks, in certain situations, which I purposely avoided.
Another thing I liked about this class is the amount of videos that were shown. The Bamboozled movie was sharp, raw and incredibly well-written while the documentary on music videos was deeply insightful and powerful as together they stripped away the levels of sexism and racist stereotypes. The class as a whole was enlightening and I have very much enjoyed writing these blogs every week that we have class. I hope you have enjoyed my blogging as much as I have enjoyed your class. Thanks.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Blog 12: Images & Actions Depicted in Music Videos
A few weeks ago in class we watched a very insightful documentary on music videos. The film was so wonderfully made that I felt the need to discuss it here. However, when the film was originally shown in class, I was covering the racism allegations by former and suspended UNT football players which I blogged about, thus I was preoccupied at the time and not able to give the film over music videos the proper discussion it deserved until now.
Whenever someone famous who is not a rapper or musician of any kind makes a racist/sexist or even semi-racist/sexist remark, that person's supporters instantly come out of the woodwork and vehemently exercise one issue above all others: blame the music videos, not the person who said the offensive remark. They reason that the racist and especially sexist depictions in music videos, particularly rap and hip hop videos, glamorize and perpetuate those words and actions and stereotypes. In a sense they are right, but they should realize that their person was wrong to say what they said. While the person rightfully catches plenty of heat and bad press, why is it that for the most part the rappers and music video makers get off scott-free?
It is indeed true that they are perpetuating and glorifying horrifically racist and sexist actions, images and stereotypes. This medium (the rap song/music video) is one of the last remaining mediums where the overly offensive is not just accepted but encouraged. Too often do people who defend these videos say that it's just a music video, it's not real life. It's just an artist's marketing ploy to sell records, so relax.
Yet, what they fail to realize is that these videos are sending young boys and girls all the wrong messages. Their young and easily impressionable minds don't know that the video is surreal, that's is just about selling records and should not be taken seriously. They see these actions and scenes and like what they see and want to mimic and idolize it.
The film we saw was deeply insightful and incredibly well-researched. In the end, those who defend such music videos will continue to do so while those who oppose them will do the same. Still, while those who support the music videos continue to eternally cite freedom of speech as the backbone for their reasons to make such explicit and mature music videos, they need to realize that it is that very same freedom of speech that allows those who oppose it to speak out against it, boycott it and do everything they can to change things for the better.
Whenever someone famous who is not a rapper or musician of any kind makes a racist/sexist or even semi-racist/sexist remark, that person's supporters instantly come out of the woodwork and vehemently exercise one issue above all others: blame the music videos, not the person who said the offensive remark. They reason that the racist and especially sexist depictions in music videos, particularly rap and hip hop videos, glamorize and perpetuate those words and actions and stereotypes. In a sense they are right, but they should realize that their person was wrong to say what they said. While the person rightfully catches plenty of heat and bad press, why is it that for the most part the rappers and music video makers get off scott-free?
It is indeed true that they are perpetuating and glorifying horrifically racist and sexist actions, images and stereotypes. This medium (the rap song/music video) is one of the last remaining mediums where the overly offensive is not just accepted but encouraged. Too often do people who defend these videos say that it's just a music video, it's not real life. It's just an artist's marketing ploy to sell records, so relax.
Yet, what they fail to realize is that these videos are sending young boys and girls all the wrong messages. Their young and easily impressionable minds don't know that the video is surreal, that's is just about selling records and should not be taken seriously. They see these actions and scenes and like what they see and want to mimic and idolize it.
The film we saw was deeply insightful and incredibly well-researched. In the end, those who defend such music videos will continue to do so while those who oppose them will do the same. Still, while those who support the music videos continue to eternally cite freedom of speech as the backbone for their reasons to make such explicit and mature music videos, they need to realize that it is that very same freedom of speech that allows those who oppose it to speak out against it, boycott it and do everything they can to change things for the better.
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