Blog 13: Class summary

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.