Entries by Valet

Assignment 3 – Social Media Transformation

November 20, 2020 in /by

Assignment 3 – Social Media Transformation Student Instructions   This assignment is designed as an opportunity to practice creating a professional social media identity. You will begin by creating a profile that is based on what we have covered in class to date and your own opinion, an “unprofessional” profile. Then, you will redesign it […]

This assignment asks you to become a cultural critic by applying some of the concepts of cultural analysis to contemporary mass media.

November 20, 2020 in /by

This assignment asks you to become a cultural critic by applying some of the concepts of cultural analysis to contemporary mass media. Your sampling of mass media will be a short portion of prime time commercial television or a show (NOT MOVIE) on a streaming service that includes product placement. To complete this assignment you […]

The TV Show I selected is HGTV’s Fixer Upper. The show could have many possible and probable intended audiences. The most relevant audiences in terms of age could be from young adults extending to middle-aged adults who are looking for design inspiration on their potential homes. The factors that contribute to my awareness of audience is that, as a member of the audience myself for several years now, I have seen that there are guests from all walks of life, but the most common guests on the show are newlyweds that just bought their first home, but it needs some work on it, or a mature couple that relocated to a new place and needs the house to accommodate their needs better. The hosts are there to explain the potential options that the house could transform into, as well as, manage almost every part of the project. There is a relationship between the narrative of the television show and the commercials, as well as the target audience. The women who appear are different from one another and since the guests on the show are clients, who do not need to meet any requirements to participate, all kinds of women are able to appear on the show. This is reflected on the commercials that include a diversity of women, between 30 and 50 years old, that portray an average category in terms of the dominant cultural ideals of beauty; capable of being a wife, mother, and also a general contractor or designer. Joanna Gaines is a Kansas native raised in Texas, wife, and mother of 4, and TV presenter of the show. Since this is a TV channel that involves women and men doing a lot of physical work, the range of weight represented leaned on the healthier, leaner side. As part of the Fixer Upper narrative, the show presents Joanna spending time with her kids, and other times, the kids get to help out in the renovation projects. One can appreciate how she balances her different roles, as well as Chip Gaines, who is the father figure of the family and works directly with the renovations. Both, Joanna and Chip Gaines, attended college, and as previously mentioned, the clients are diverse and they seem to be of the working-class background. The women are major characters and they are portrayed sympathetically, genuinely, and authentically, and the show could indirectly be perpetuating stereotypes about class. I have never seen a project on this show that has a renovation project in a “not so nice” neighborhood. There is a need-based relationship of women in the show to the products being advertised. This is because some of the commercials that appeared were about detergents, which the women would need after a day of working and sweating on construction, crafts, or renovating the house. Men would have this need too but I do not think they would be as diligent to buying good detergent brands like Gain laundry detergent. I did not see any public representation of “men do the looking and women are there to be looked at”. The only visible influence I saw of feminism’s attempt to influence the representation of women in the media was with a Home Depot commercial, that if paid close attention, there are more multiple women visible, in different scenarios, in a thirty-second ad than men. 2. Discussion Prompts: American Dad! – 10pm Who is the probable intended audience(s) for the television show you are analyzing? What factors contribute to your awareness of audience? Consider not only gender but also age, race/ethnicity, geographic location, etc. Intended audience seems to be for 14 years and up, knowledge on history, politics, area near DC, children in school and young adults in college – similar audience to Family Guy This is apparent to me by the viewer discretion and content warning before the show. Is there a relationship between the plot/action/narrative of the television show and the commercials that accompany it? To the target audience(s)? Explain. 1) Do the women who appear differ from one another, and if so, how? What is the relative frequency of women by age? By race/ethnicity? Are women (or anyone else) represented who are differently abled? According to dominant cultural ideals of beauty, how many women portrayed fall into the categories of ‘beautiful,’ ‘average,’ or ‘unattractive’? What range of weight is represented between the women and the men and among the women themselves? 2) In what roles do women appear (or not appear)? Do they play multiple roles (e.g. wife, mother, lover, worker?) What types of jobs do they hold? How much time do they appear to devote to their different roles? What kinds of work do they do? Can you see any difference in the roles assigned to women or to men? Advertisements relate to young adults and attempting to get them to have healthy habits and quit bad habits. The women are different in terms of style, but none of them seem to have important jobs. All ages and races of women are portrayed in this show. Differently abled people are well represented by both male and female characters. Most women in the show are portrayed as average to beautiful normally, but most women on the show are portrayed as unattractive, average and beautiful at different times and under different circumstances. Weight is not often discussed, but there is a healthy range of weight among men and women from anorexic to obese. Women appear in multiple roles and settings ranging from having their own scenes to having that episode focus mainly on them. The main two women both play the roles of wives and lovers. The two main women have also had jobs, but mostly stay at home or attend college. The two main women have both held a range of jobs from CEO to waitress. The different roles the women play have been expressed in wide ranges. Some episodes focus mainly on the women’s job, others as how they are in their marriages and another as a mother. They all vary. It seems as if both men and women keep their lives together professionally but do have their wild moments. There is a mixture regarding roles. In the household of the main cast, the husband has a steady job (most of the time) while the wife is a stay at home mom, but the daughter seems to work more than her husband. What level of education do the men and women seem to hold? Do you find women represented who appear to be of working-class backgrounds or to be poor? Are they major or minor characters? Are they portrayed sympathetically or used in ways that perpetuate stereotypes about race or class? All men and women in this show seem to have similar levels of education of knowing a few things, but also not knowing plenty of other things. Working women represented seem to be working class, are minor characters and are used in ways that perpetuate stereotypes. What is the relationship of women in the show to the products being advertised in commercials? Does it vary from program to program, from channel to channel? Is there any evidence of a famous assertion that in public representations of gender, men do the looking and women are there to be looked at? What influence, if any, can you see in the three decades plus of feminism’s attempts to influence the representation of women in the media? Habits, food, relevant shows, devices and medicine for children seem to be the relationship of women in the show and products being advertised. This does vary from channel to channel. There is evidence that men do the looking and women get looked at, an entire episode actually. I see that feminism is being represented in the show a slight amount. 3. Who is the probable intended audience(s) for the television show you are analyzing? What factors contribute to your awareness of audience? Consider not only gender but also age, race/ethnicity, geographic location, etc.

November 20, 2020 in /by

The TV Show I selected is HGTV’s Fixer Upper. The show could have many possible and probable intended audiences. The most relevant audiences in terms of age could be from young adults extending to middle-aged adults who are looking for design inspiration on their potential homes. The factors that contribute to my awareness of audience […]

Assignment: Research how communication is impacted between customers and employees in problems with call centers (language or dialect), and the role social media play today in international business for a competitive advantage. Consider – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.with website marketing – advertising and promotions. In other words, how can these tools and mediums promote a business?

November 20, 2020 in /by

Assignment: Research how communication is impacted between customers and employees in problems with call centers (language or dialect), and the role social media play today in international business for a competitive advantage. Consider – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.with website marketing – advertising and promotions. In other words, how can these tools and mediums promote a business? Write 8 full […]

Watch President Trump deliver his Inaugural address (see video below) and then watch President Obama deliver his Inaugural address from 2013 (see video below). For this extra credit assignment students will do a compare and contrast critique on the following categories:

November 20, 2020 in /by

Watch President Trump deliver his Inaugural address (see video below) and then watch President Obama deliver his Inaugural address from 2013 (see video below). For this extra credit assignment students will do a compare and contrast critique on the following categories: Delivery (verbal and nonverbal) Content (word choices, literary devices) Effectiveness of the presentation/speech (personal […]

EN360 Technical Communication

November 20, 2020 in /by

EN360 Technical Communication Directions:  Be sure to save an electronic copy of your answer before submitting it to Ashworth College for grading. Unless otherwise stated, answer in complete sentences, and be sure to use correct English, spelling and grammar. Sources must be cited in APA format. Your response should be four (4) double-spaced pages; refer […]

What are some of the problems that you have experienced when writing or receiving poorly, perhaps hastily, written emails/texts? Describe at least five (5) types of issues.

November 20, 2020 in /by

Directions:  Be sure to save an electronic copy of your answer before submitting it to Ashworth College for grading. Unless otherwise stated, answer in complete sentences, and be sure to use correct English, spelling and grammar. Sources must be cited in APA format. Your response should be four (4) double-spaced pages; refer to the “Assignment […]

Discuss limitations and whether or not this visual aid meets professional expectations. What type of presenters might use this form of visual aid?

November 20, 2020 in /by

Part 1. Respond to the following in a minimum of 175 words: Discuss the following visual aids and the benefits and challenges they might present in an oral presentation. Also note which types of speaking situations for which they might be most appropriate and discuss why. Poster Board – Discuss limitations and whether or not this […]

Summarizes the topic and the effect of the issue on the community

November 20, 2020 in /by

Oftentimes, one must persuade an audience to act. This requires the presenter to speak to the history of the presentation topic, as well as consider how best to persuade their audience to take the action suggested. If you find it helpful, you may wish to create an outline to help you prepare for your presentation. […]

n the course you will have inevitably come across readings that you disliked or disagreed with. This section provides the opportunity to offer up critique of three readings. Here you should summarize the main thesis/argument of each reading

November 20, 2020 in /by

Social Media part 2 Reading Critique (300 words per article) In the course you will have inevitably come across readings that you disliked or disagreed with. This section provides the opportunity to offer up critique of three readings. Here you should summarize the main thesis/argument of each reading. Then, describe your critique of the reading – […]