We spend so much time consuming the mass media that we actually spend more hours watching television, listening to the radio, etc

KEITH FORREST

Mass Media |Public Relations |Writing Scholarship

Welcome to Assignments Back to Mass Media
Avoid the Media Paper	In Depth Group Project	Interview Media Professional	Media Personality Paper	Quizzes

Introduction to Mass Media

Instructor: Keith Forrest

Media Personality Paper

We spend so much time consuming the mass media that we actually spend more hours watching television, listening to the radio, etc. than we do sleeping. The first paper in this class is designed for you to get to know yourself as a media consumer. What forms your media personality? To figure that out, we want you to create a list of the ten most important media products in your life. For some of you, this will be very specific. For example, your Top-Ten List might include a specific television show such as “24,” “Lost,” Or “Action News.” For others it will be less specific and more centered on a particular network. For example, your Top-Ten List might include “ESPN,” “Lifetime,” or “WPVI-TV.” As you create your Top-Ten List, consider that mass media includes many specific industries including:

• Television

What stations, networks, or programs do you watch regularly?

Is there a particular television personality/celebrity that you seek out?

• Radio

What stations, programs, or disc jockeys do you listen to often?

What format are these stations or programs?

• Newspapers

Is there a newspaper that you read regularly, or perhaps a specific section of the newspaper that you read often?

• Magazines

What magazines do you subscribe to or buy regularly?

• Books

Is there a book that you read often, or one that has had a profound influence upon you? What types of books do you usually read such as fiction, non-fiction, textbooks, etc.?

• Film

Is there a movie that you like so much you have seen it multiple times?

What DVD's or videos do you own that you watch regularly?

Is there a particular genre of film that you like best such as Action/Adventure or Drama? Is there a particular actor or actress that you make sure to see all their movies?

• The Internet

Is there a search engine, Blog, website, etc. that you use frequently?

• Recordings

Is there a particular CD or MP3 that you listen to repeatedly, or a band that you listen to often?

• Video Games

Is there a particular video game you play regularly? Is that video connected to some other media product such as a movie?

After you create your Top-Ten List (ranked from the media source you consume the most to the media source you consume the 10 th most), determine how many hours a day you spend with that source.

After you have completed the list and how much time you spend with each source, you will write a 3-5 page paper describing and analyzing your media personality. In order to do that, you need to answer the following questions:

What does your Top-Ten List say about who you are?

How does the Top-Ten List contribute to your life?

What if we took away those ten media sources from your life? How would your life be different?

What tangible effects do the Top-Ten have upon your life?

Is there any media industry that is missing from your list? If so, does that say anything about who you are as a media consumer?

How do the top ten affect you attitudes, beliefs, and values? Does your Top-Ten List spring out of your attitudes, beliefs, and values, or do your attitudes, beliefs, and values shape your top ten?

Be prepared to discuss the results in class.

Attitude

A predisposition to respond to people, ideas, objects, or events in evaluative ways. For example, ACCC is a great place to go to school.

Belief

The ways people perceive reality to be. Our conceptions about what is true and what is false. For example, community colleges are the best schools at preparing students for successful careers.

Values

People's most enduring judgments about what's good and bad in life. For example, a good education is the key to a great life.

Due Date: See Syllabus

Length: 3-5 pages

Separate page with your actual Top-Ten List, ranked from 1 to 10 as follows:

John Doe's Top-Ten List

1.

2.

etc.

Please follow the “Style for All Papers” section of your syllabus.