Essay 4

My learning experience using the Wall Street Journal instead of a textbook or test I think taught me more then any book could teach me. The newspaper was a great way on learning how Mass Communications is being used out in the real world. Reading the paper affected my schedule quite a bit. It took me 2 hours to read 10-12 stories. It could be that I'm just a slow reader but it was time consuming. My study habits picked up by having to look for key words, phrases and numbers I was expecting to see on the quizzes.
I do not plan on continuing my subscription of the WSJ. I do not have the motivation to read the paper daily. I usually get my news first thing as I go online. Yahoo is my homepage and they usually have the top stories on their main page.
I would suggest taking field trips as another good way in learning how Mass Communications is being used out in the real world. Scheduling a trip to a local newspaper office, TV network, ad agency etc. would be interesting and fun. Besides that I think reading the paper was a great way to learn about Mass Communications.
I think I am likely to pursue a career in Mass Communications. As of right now I do not know exactly what career path I want to take. I've changed my major so many times.I think a lot of jobs in the field are not your everyday office job and that interests me. I might look into it more when I go further in my college education but right now I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be.
Also,I would recommend Mass Comm with Ken Carpenter to anyone! :)

Essay 3

The social-networking services I use are Myspace, Facebook and Twitter. On average the time I spend on Myspace and Facebook would be 30 hours weekly. I might spend 20 hours on Twitter weekly. The value I put on the time I spend using these sites is staying connected to family and friends. It is important to me to stay in the loop on what goes on in the lives of my close friends and family members. I was able to find family I haven't seen in years on Myspace. I have kept in contact with friends I've had throughout elementary, middle and high school. If I'd have to pay a fee to keep my accounts I would. Annually would be nice as appose to paying monthly. The highest amount I would pay would be 2o dollars annually.
Since I've had Myspace for so long and kept in contact with so many people, it is something I want to keep for a very long time, even if I have to pay for it. I got a Facebook when I first started college to check it out and ended up liking it a lot since its similar to Myspace. I have more of a mature crowd of friends, like my friends moms and adults on Facebook, then my friends on Myspace so its good to have the two different sites. I can be more open on my Myspace, for example saying what I did this weekend or posting up certain pictures rather than on Facebook because I know I don't have my friends parents reading and seeing everything I post. I am new to twitter and getting a feel for how it works. I do not really like it because I do not care about what people are doing that very second. Even though I'm not crazy about it, its another free account to have. Overall, my social-networking services have been in my life for quite some time and I've become attached to them. Putting a price on them would not stop me from using them. I love my Myspace and Facebook to much!

Essay 2

My favorite movie would have to be hairspray. Its my favorite because it has a cute story and because its a musical. The emotional attachment would have to be that it always leaves me happy and wanting to sing and dance at the end. The actors in it are some of my favorites like Zac Efron, Christopher Walken, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Amanda Bynes and a couple other performers. The story is about a young girl living in Baltimore during the 60's when there were racial issues going on. She dreams of becoming famous and appearing on a local show called the Corny Collin show which has a group of teenagers singing and dancing every afternoon. She gets a spot in the show and somehow manages to help blacks and whites come together on the show. It has great dance numbers and catchy songs which is a big reason why I have/love the movie and the soundtrack. It's film making technique, I thought, was done well. Showing the issues that occurred back during that time was a good factor to add in the movie. It all tied together well.
I prefer to watch a movie in the comfort of my own home on my TV. I can lay on my couch in my pajamas and enjoy it comfortably. Advantages for watching a movie in my home:

• Can laugh as loud as I want and make a comment on something.
• Can pause it if I need to get up
• Can sit in my pajamas
• I don't have to drive anywhere to watch a movie

Disadvantages for watching a movie in my home (advantages in the theater)

• Don't have the giant screen
• surround sound is better in the theater
• gets you out of your house
• can get different candy and food at the concession stand

I do like the experience of going to the theater and seeing a movie before its on DVD but I'd rather watch it in the comfort of my own home.

What I thought about the Academy Awards is that it was entertaining. Having the performances made it fun to watch. Also, having the nominees that I predict would win, that actually won, made it fun to. Its also nice to see how everyone dressed up and watching my favorite actor's and actresses come together for a special night.

The start of reading a newspaper

I never use to read the newspaper prior to receiving the Wall Street Journal. I never had the interest to pick up a newspaper to get the news. I live with my parents, and they get the newspaper but I never pick it up just because a. I usually am to busy to read it and b. I think its boring getting the news from a newspaper. The closest thing to news I watch on t.v is Good Morning America and the Today show. Watching the actual news is boring just because its all the same bad news. The perk about watching shows like Good Morning America is that besides getting the news, you get to hear them talk about it and hear their opinions.
My opinion on newspapers, in general, is that they aren't really necessary. We can get the news off of our televisions, computers and cell phones. Some people enjoy getting up and getting the newspaper to read whats going on around them, which is fine it that's what they like. I would be fine getting my information from the t.v. Laziness is a factor I will admit to pick up a newspaper and read it but that's just me.
I feel that using the Wall Street Journal to learn about mass communications will be a great way to experience a real world channel of communication instead of reading about it from a textbook. It will also give me the opportunity to start reading a newspaper as appose to my regular habit of listening to the news on t.v. My learning expectation for the class is to learn how to use the resources provided out there for me and learn the methods of communication. I feel that the Wall Street Journal will meet my expectation by using a different, modern way of receiving information.
I feel that using a newspaper will be better than using a textbook. It is so traditional learning from a textbook and its refreshing to learn about a subject using a hands on, real world resource. Its will also fill me in on what is going on in the world. A textbook couldn't do that. I am glad of having a new teaching method to expand my way of thinking and making my learning experience interesting.