Television

I believe that some of the different reasons that Williams uses to explain the statement that television has altered our world make very strong arguments. The first reason that he gives is that television was so powerful in delivering news and entertainment that it altered all of the technologies that came before it, such as radio. Television was such a powerful method of receiving information that it basically eclipsed all of the preceding technologies, because it could basically put the viewer in the middle of whatever was being reported on the news or of their favorite game show (or at least as close to being there as was possible in the late 1930s and early 1940s). Williams goes on to say that television altered not only our institutions but our social relationships as well, and an excellent example of this is Family Guy. One episode has Peter knocking out the town’s satellite dish, making the entire city go without cable. Without television, Peter has no idea what to do with himself or how to interact with other people, so he straps a piece of cardboard to his chest and pretends like his life a big reality show that he is watching. While that example may seem a bit extreme, I’m sure that a lot of people would be completely lost if they had to go without television for an extended period of time.

determinism and such. Aug 31

One influential element in the telegraph being seen as a heavenly voice was Western Union’s monopoly of the concept. There was no amateurism involved in the telegraph which made it seem distant and scary. When a concept is not understood people often assume it is fantastic. Carey describes the telegraph as the unsung hero of communication but really the telegraph is to communication is what the 8 track is to music. Its real importance really comes from the doors it opened for the next technologies. Because of the telegraph, the phone was able to be possible. It was not the telegraph that changed American society and news reporting, it was society that made the telegraph successful.

Radio was marketed to be a ghostly voice from beyond. Of course people thought it seemed omniscient when the radio programs were about “The Shadow” and the fatherly politicians and leaders. Covert talks about people feeling lost when listening to the radio, losing the personal experience buts he doesn’t look at the social parts of mass media. She ignores the parts that people gather and listen to together or watch together or talk about the next day. I think she misses some of the most influential parts of mass media.

Willis pays more attention to the social role media plays, especially in television which for anyone that has ever watched or seen a television are somewhat obvious.

I like Hillis’ argument best because he argues that media is an activity which I agree with. Media is not something we just take in it is also something that we affect. Audiences affect what stations play and what stations play effects what we do with our lives. It is not a one way street.

. . .internet yadda yadda yadda michael phelps blah blah blah internet blah yadda

Yeah, sure we should study teh internets, but are we all really talking about the same internet? Email is on the internet, right, but it is not on the World Wide Web, or at least it didn't use to be . . .Chatting on AIM uses the internet, but isn't the Web. Social Networking websites are very different than, say, Walmart.com--or are they, when you consider how anyone can leave reviews of products. Does any of this stuff deserve capitalization?

I think we have to say that "The Internet" is too broad of a category to say anything useful about. I reccomend that you try, whenever possible, to be specific about which internet practice you want to talk about.

Crazy

The internet is all the media put together and basically makes things crazy...from streaming audio, watching independent films, and even making a phone call it can all happen very simple and quick. Email is a huge part of the internet and the great part about it is one can reply at their own pace/time. The internet has changed every form of media in a lot of different ways. Having class with Ron Steele taught me that even a man working in the TV industry for 30 some years has to learn new things like blogging on the internet! Information can be reached quick and simple on the internet from just a click of the mouse, but there are some down falls. Emails don't show emotions so taking an email the wrong way happens a lot or say like UNI sends me information about a shooter on campus and were on lock down...I don't get it cause I'm in class when the email was sent and don't have a computer in front of me. Al gore is a hell of a man for making internet possible to everyone and not just the army. The google search we did to the person sitting next to us was interesting and having a stranger know things about you can be weird but hey my myspace page is used an advertisement/promotional aspect of my job. Also not having the internet would mean Dateline 's how to catch a predator wouldn't be possible and I just don't know how I'd live with myself if that were to occur . My thought is the internet represents America to the fulliest because it's all forms of media giving anyone the right to express themselves and get things off their minds.

Mobile Devices

An important communication technology practice, I feel that can be part of our course study, is the use of cellular phones. The mass use of these devices has grown tremendously within the last 10 years; along with the developments of integrated information such as photo/video capabilities, texting, music storage, and internet. It seems as though everyone you observe around you is on their cell phone either conversing with another person, obviously, or accessing information of some type. I've even met people who hold their phone to their ear just to isolate themselves to refrain from the encounter of a stranger. Regardless, it is as though people - especially young people, with the exception of older adults - live their lives through the use of a cellular phone. It would be interesting to study the lifestyle patterns and attitudes of people today without the existence of information-consumed mobile devices.

It's Obvious

If there is a communication technology that is in need of a scientific study, I believe the first choice should be the internet. Although it has been widely available for use by the masses for well over a decade now, only in the past few years have we truly been shown the internet's full potential. Sites like youtube, myspace, and facebook have created a highly visible outlet for anyone with a computer to express themselves in any way they choose. Communication itself has drastically changed in the last decade, as a direct result, and it is becoming easier and easier to stay in touch with anyone anywhere in the entire world. In that respect, the internet is essentially shrinking the globe, making it possible to connect with someone half a world away in a matter of moments. If you don't think the internet has had a massive impact on communication and human interaction in general, feel free to study the telephone, but no one will care.

texting

Texting is one of the most influencial new forms of communication technology. It has changed the way we communicate. Complete sentances are a thing of the past. We have learned to express ourselves in 150 characters or less, abbreviating sentances or even words when necessary. A whole new type of sort hand has developed consisting of "lol" and "btw" and other things that enable people to express themselves quickly. Texting has changed the frequency of communication between people but perhaps deminished the content. For example you might text your parents everyday but only have a substantial conversation with them once every few weeks. With the development of businesses like Twitter businesses can text message clients with deals. Airlines text flight information to fliers. It is a whole new way for businesses to reach clients and get instant feedback. Texting can also happen anywhere you go. Forget waiting for someone to call you back after class or not getting the e-mail until you sit down at your computer. Texting happens eveywhere. It is changing the way we communicate by allowing people to be in contact 24/7 and relay information within seconds.

The Internet

The internet has become such a large part of our lives that people almost take it for granted. I thought about all the ways I use the internet just in my every day life. I just ordered a book online, chatted with friends, checked on classes, did online banking, checked sports, watched the news and of course logged on to FaceBook. It's amazing to see how such an invention can have be so significant in our lives. Looking back, I almost start to wonder, "what the heck did we do without it?". For example, if you were going to some random place on the map, what better way to find out how to get there than mapquest. How else would you know?

Even today, jobs are more geared toward the internet. Employers are looking for employees who are literate in internet usage, posting things on the web and creating web pages. My goodness, we have the internet on our phones. It just amazes me to see how something that started off so small grew to be one of the most important things in our lives. It made the world that much smaller, we're able to connect to the other side of the world with just the click of the button.

Studying the internet, pros and cons will be very beneficial. Although the internet has brought many great things with it, the lack of privacy and safety concerns that come along with it have raised some issues. I think it's safe to say though that this is only the beginning of the "internet age". The internet wasn't introduced into our lives, until I was in middle school. Just imagine how much more the children of today's age will know about technology and grow from it. The future is only bound to bring greater advancements.

the internet

The internet has to the the most important communication technology. It just has so many uses. You can do almost anything from the internet from research, to dating to shopping or getting driving directions. You can communicate with anyone anywhere on earth almost instantaneously using the internet. There is more information than can even be imagined. How much time people spend on the internet ( or at least how much time I spend on the internet) is ridiculous. Most of us probably could not go an entire week, and maybe not even a day without accessing the internet. It makes me think about what people did prior to the internet.

Most Important Communication Technology

I would say that the most important communication technology is the internet. I realize that almost everyone has answered this question the same, but I truly believe that without the internet the many things that people once thought were impossible are now easy to do everyday. The internet has opened a whole new realm for people to play in. Now granted some people take advantage of the internet in a bad way, but for those of us who don't it is a great way to learn about people, places and things. One good example of this I can give is doing a research project. With the internet a research project can be done without even entering the library since so many libraries have online databases. Another great example of why the internet is so important is connecting with people. Facebook is a great way to get to know a new roommate before moving to college. It is also a way to connect with people that you might not have seen since high school or even elementary school. The other reason I believe that the internet is so important is its growing popularity. The internet is accessible practically anywhere. My mom has even just upgraded her life with a iPhone so she can check her work email in the car. With all the advancements and new things going on with the internet I believe it is well worth our time to study and learn the most up to date things about it.

Facebook Me!

 How often do you meet someone new and the next thing out of your mind is... "Do you have Facebook?" Or you use it as a verb and you say, "Facebook Me!" (Except for Eppley that is:)

I mean, c'mon, where else can you befriend the potential new president elect and send him a message of encouragement for the world to see. You can even friend your professor and find out what they do actually have a life outside of campus, who knew? You can even find out what your ex is up to without having to have any communication with them or their friends! 

And all these things are made possible by social networks that are formed in the world of cyberspace.

I am a bit bias because I would love to work for Facebook, but I believe the most important communication technology practice that we should look at is the whole phenomenon called social networking. And for all those of you that just can't wait for Discussion 6 from the syllabus on this very matter here's a funny video definition:

Social Networking in Plain English

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc&feature=related

NOTE--I am a huge nerd and I actually look up a lot of this stuff as this is my emphasis for research at UNI!! I also worked in NYC for a company launching a website and online social network. Check them out at:

 http://mentoring.committee100.org and

 http://c100.affinitycircles.com/c100/auth/login

..so that makes me an even bigger nerd, not an expert by any means, but that's why I have a lot to offer up for discussion. No, I am not just a big brown noser:) And, Professor Eppley, for the record, I really do like to spend time in the library!

Here are just a few of the reasons why I believe Social Networks are important to study:

1)They improve communication. I won't say that they improve the QUALITY of communication overall, but I do think they help you communicate more often with people that you know and get in touch and dialogue with people you otherwise wouldn't. I know people that have gotten jobs because they communicated with a friend that they saw had a friend in a certain city that connected them. I have also personally used this in getting contacts to get my resume into tech companies in Silicon Valley. 

Another example is that they get people communicating about topics they might otherwise not be aware of. Example: my friend has a bumper sticker on their profile that supports McCain. I just went to hear Obama speak and like what he had to say. If I didn't know this about my friend I might not say anything, but this could start a dialogue about politics.

http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2008/08/06/study_facebook_improves_commun.aspx

2)They have changed the meaning of the word "friend." You met someone at a conference two years ago and you talked once. Congratulations, they are now your friend. You met a member of the opposite sex last weekend at the bar--you are now friends with them as well. Makes you think about how we define who we call friends, doesn't it!? Interesting forum on this very topic:http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080714125939AAwiEj0

3)We discussed this briefly in class, but it has changed the way we date and form romantic relationships. Many relationships are formed by becoming Facebook friends and then finding out as much as you can about the other--without ever talking to them or picking up the phone. Quite convenient, you can even figure out where they are going to be that weekend usually and just happen to bump into them!Check out this step-by-step comparison of dating before Facebook and now after--it's kind of funny b/c it's so true!

http://theomail.blogspot.com/2008/06/facebook-has-changed-face-of-dating.html

4) People of all ages are starting to join them. It's not just for the young, college-aged anymore. My aunt and my friend's mom friended me last week and I've had this hunch, but I did a little research according to a Nielsen Net poll the number of users 55 and older is near to that of users 18-34! CHECK IT OUT AT:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOls3YroTdE

5)You can be offended without anyone saying anything. I realized this today when I couldn't see a friend's pics because I am on the limited profile list. I was offended. I have no fancy link to back this up, just an interesting thought to ponder!!

A few things to think about if you haven't already quit reading by now:

If you are like me and go back and forth about whether MySpace or Facebook is more popular:

http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/10/21/has-the-myspace-to-facebook-switch-begun/

If you want to get academic about it here is a study that takes a more in-depth approach to how MySpace and Facebook have changed communication:

http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/cpb.2007.0056

Ok...these are just a few of the reasons, really, I just am a HUGE Facebook addict--and I even have a post about that on my profile if you really want to check it out:) That is if you....Facebook Me!

The most important communication technology to study. . .

Is. . .the internet. It is immensely popular, and only seems to growing in popularity. One can access the internet from almost anywhere, and not just with a computer. One can use their cell phone to access it as well.
Almost everything is online these days. Everyone (most people, and most if not all companies) have a website. One can check their bank account online, pay bills online, even order pizza online! Not to mention keep in contact with most or all of their friends.
We use the internet in so many ways now that we did not use several years ago. Can you remember a time when you didn't have the internet? When you didn't use email to get in contact with someone instead of writing a regular letter?
The internet is especially huge with college students and other people our age. We use it to check our email, check our Facebook pages, get in contact with our professors, do research, and some of us may use to order pizza.
It's a big part of our daily lives. If the internet were to suddenly disappear, where would we be? I think a very good portion of us wouldn't know what to do with ourselves. We would be, as the expression goes, running around like chickens with our heads cut off.
The internet has advanced greatly in the past few years, and can only continue to do so. It is well worth studying.

Two Thumbs Up (for the Internet)

Oh my, how the Internet lifts my spirits on gloomy days. I have some difficulty remembering a time in my life in which the Internet did not place an intrinsically vital role in my existence. My family has had a computer since the time I was in 1st grade (read: 1991), and has been online since 1994. I have had an e-mail address since I was ten years old, and discovered Google.com the very first year it came into existence. By 8th grade I did literally 100% of my research for papers and essays using the Internet.

So do I think the Internet is valuable and worth studying? Yes! Do I think that the Internet has eclipsed less modern media (read: books) as the go-to source for up-to-the-nanosecond information? Yes! The Internet truly holds far more value than many people give it credit for. The most guilty party of all on this account are college professors. College professors snidely put their noses in the air and hold the Internet at arm's length, as though somehow their opinions on the matter are of more value than anyone else's.

The Internet is THE absolute king of all things information, and to treat it as though it is not is foolish. Perhaps one day the Internet will be usurped, but until that day comes, I will be the first in line to tout the value of the Internet, especially in the college classroom.

The Internet

I also agree with all the others, that we should study the Internet, since we are using so much time on it. But I think it could be interesting to talk about what the future will bring. Will people get tired of this big thing and instead go back to the "old" values, where the family was sitting in the livingroom watching TV together every night? And what about people that didn't grew up with the Internet how do they relate to it and what do they use it for? so beside looking on our own Internet habbits and therefore the websites we already know, it could also be interesting to look at website that people at our age isn't using but which is used by older or younger people. In Denmark we have a really popular website called Arto (www.arto.dk) where a lot of kids and teenagers have profiles and it has caused quite a lot of debate in the media because of the things that was going on on the website like threats, young girls who was selling sex for money or things and especially the fear of paedophiles using that site. Do you have some similar websites in US?

Internet=Facebook

The Internet... Everybody uses it on a daily basis... I feel that accessing the Internet is as common as breathing. I remember when I was in Junior High and I first started utilizing the Internet or "the Net", it was scary. Just by the click of a mouse, you have entered into a whole new world where you are joined with complete strangers from around the world. The Internet opened many doors of communication and education. But I feel that the purpose for education is being buried beneath the purpose for communication. People now are relating the Internet to websites such as facebook, or youtube. Before these sites exsisted, what did people do on the Internet? The entire purpose of the Internet feels lost or gets taken advantage of.

Most important communication technology to study?

I agree with the others that the internet is one of the remaining technologies that have not been studied as insistently as other forms. Although, I think there should be research on the effects of the internet to individuals and how they relate to others around them. With the emergence of social networking sites such as myspace and facebook, heavy users might develop social problems from believing they are interacting with others through a web page, but it is not actual communication. What sort of effects might that have on generations that grow up on these sites and have no idea what it would be like to not have them to keep in touch with their friends? These sites should not just be the sole focus of this study, but rather look into how the internet and computers might actually be isolating people from one another. The internet offers all kinds of media for people to view whenever they want, so it is not surprising that people will rather save the money of going to the theater and they will just download the movie. What will start to happen to society when you are able to get all your basic needs from the internet? I think it will be interesting to see as technologies and internet continue to progress as to what kind of impact it may have on society.

Important Comm. Tech. To Study

An important communication technology to study would be streaming media on the internet. Everyone can access any kind of media that they would like, ranging from up to date news stories to stupid videos on YouTube, and they can do so from just about any electronic device imaginable. This is an important aspect of communication technology because it can keep someone informed on his or her hobbies or interests, like listening to a podcast concerning what's happening in a specific industry, it can help two people to communicate on different sides of the world via a web cam, or a person could simply catch up one the breaking news headlines of the day from his or her favorite news outlet. Since there is so much one can do with streaming media on the internet, a person barely even needs a television in his or her home considering the ability to watch news broadcasts as well as just about any television show online. All of this combined makes streaming media a very significant aspect of information and communication technology.

There Couldn't Be Any Other Answer But...

The Internet. It's pretty obvious in my opinion, and I'm sure many share my view. One of the most important reasons that contribute to this belief is the fact that the internet is still fairly new (was not a public entity until the 90s), therefore there is still much to be developed from it. By studying the internet's history and current trends, we can possibly predict what direction it is headed, and as a result we can hopefully create smoother transitions as the anarchy which is the internet evolves, entering new eras. For many people/organizations, it has come to the point that the internet is an integral part of their existence. Online banking, shopping, trading...e-mail, news...big parts of some of peoples'/organizations' everyday functions are taking place on the web, and people/organizations are becoming more and more dependent upon the internet. In recent years, the internet has even become a mainstream outlet for social life. A considerable amount of people have social networking (facebook, myspace) accounts, and many even rely on these sites and specific online dating sites to assist their love lives. The internet is pretty big, and I only think it will grow. I could provide some staggering statistics about internet use, but I think it's pretty obvious...the internet is scary big. These facts that the internet is fairly new, very big, and something many people depend upon coupled with the fact that the internet is anarchy (nobody runs the internet and one can post virtually anything on it) creates a fear of its possibilities that many, including myself, hold. However, there is a way to combat fear and that is education. The more we know and study the internet, the less we have to fear it and the more likely we will have the capabilities to make it less scary.



Before he discovered Manbearpig, Al Gore invented the internet. Excelsior!

Most Important Com. Tech to Study

I honestly feel that we should study the internet. Lets face it, it's all about convenience and the speed of gathering your information. If I wanted to know the square mileage of the state of Texas, I wouldn't need a textbook to figure that out. Since the year 2000, it has been documented that 248,241,969 people have accessed the internet(http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm). Whether thats on a daily basis, I'm unsure.
What I'm wondering is what these people are doing. Are they downloading videos, or checking there bank account, or something else, but we won't go there. The internet is the new wave of communication, and it has been for the last ten years, maybe even longer. What causes students to log onto the internet instead of picking up there textbook? That is something that we would only know if we were able to study it more in depth.
Internet on cell phones is another thing that I wouldn't mind looking into. There is an estimated 2 billion cell phones world wide (http://www.accuconference.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,8df55cb7-dd64-4349-b56a-ba938cd6f231.aspx).
I personally don't have internet on my cell phone, but a lot of my friends are able to check their facebook right from their cell phone.
I think studying the internet would be beneficial. Even though it is a very broad topic, I would find it interesting, and it would answer my questions about society.

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