Prints and Screens (week 5)

As I’ve mentioned in the blog post before, television and news make up an important aspect of our social lives. The ones responsible bringing the information and entertainment into the television screens and printed papers are the television station and newspaper company. I live in the country of Malaysia, so RTM is the main television station that controls the local channels as well as Astro which provides channels that screens international shows. Meanwhile, for the newspaper industry, the local Malay language which is the most popular is Berita Harian while the most popular local English language newspaper is The Star. However, the difference in content between these two papers do exist as well as the local channels with the international English channels.

From what I observed from local television channels, RTM1, RTM2 and TV3 mostly revolves around the local language, Malay rather than English. This is apparent in the main news section like in TV3 and Malaysian dramas and shows. Even shows from overseas such as anime from Japan and shows from USA received the Malay dub, which is even more apparent nowadays. I think the reason is to enforce the use of the national language on the Malaysian citizens, which is good, but sometimes, the use of English is diminished a little, which is not that great because English is after all, the universal language. I notice that most people who watches more English-oriented channels and read more English newspapers tend to have better grasp of the language than those who confine themselves within the local channels and local language newspapers.

Another effect of the local TV station controlling the television and newspapers is the exposure of local television shows and local news. Clearly, it is important to be kept updated with current events that happen in our country. RTM and TheStar paper make sure that there will always be updates on the current news happening in our countries and also a little bit of the important events happening all over the world as well. In the Malay newspaper however, I find it focuses more on the welfare and social issues of the society in Malaysia as well as emphasized more on the celebrity gossip. It’s interesting that I find local gossip more scandalous than international celebrity gossip as interpreted by the local media. I think it is the narrow-minded thinking and mindset that we Malaysians still can’t get rid of when we report something that could affect a person’s life.

In my opinion, the local channels still have a long way to go, not just in terms of news, but also in the aspects of entertainment. However, I think it’s good that they try to instil a bit of 1Malaysia, which is a concept created to unite all the races in Malaysia. For example, having a news report in other languages fitted for certain races, like Mandarin for Chinese and Tamil for the Indians. 

News and Me

Newspaper and television are both strikingly similar, if you think about it. I mean, they both have a variety of sections or channels that appeals to a lot of different people, like adults would most likely read/watch the news, advertisements for jobs, products or other things, kids can head over to the entertainment sections/channels and even now, like in the TheStar newspaper in Malaysia, they always have a weekly sections specifically for minor groups of people, like pet lovers, fashion enthusiasts and travellers. In a way, the newspaper industry adapted to the systems of the broadcasting media by providing more variety.

As for me, I don’t solely rely on the newspaper or television to provide me with the current world news and affairs. Nowadays, the information on the Internet spreads much faster than a wildfire so it is easier and more accessible to get news that way rather than newspaper and television which both have specific times when they will broadcast or print out the news (newspaper being daily and television in time slots provided by the TV stations.) However, they are more of the better and reliable ways for me to receive news and information about the world. Because the Internet has a reputation of conjuring up lies and fake rumours, so I feel more secure to read the news in the newspaper or watch it on TV. However, I would know about news much faster on the Internet, regardless of its authenticity.

It’s somewhat a priority for me to know about the current situation of the world. Firstly, I will not get left behind from knowing what is happening with countries all over the world and even my own. Secondly, knowing about the current events helps me to progress with my life and keep my life in check. How this works is that I am able to gain more knowledge about changes that happens whether it’s crime, law, current events that are happening or politics. By using this knowledge, I am able to adapt myself into the new set of rules that has happened.

The current events sort of uses the medium of newspaper, television and Internet to get across their message and to communicate with the public. In a way, it is important for me to give feedback and opinions on social issues and politics as well. Although I am not immersed in the world of politics as it is a topic I would like to avoid as much as possible. I have more interests in social issues such as the state of the people in Malaysia or any other parts of the world like poverty and suffering that happens because of two nations’ conflict (like the recent Gaza situation). In summary, keeping in touch current events helps me to give back to those who need as well.

Theatre Play

Taken from the Wicked Witch of the West musical.

Everyone deserves a chance to see the theatre sometimes. It is amazing to see stories coming to life in front of you where you can have an experience seeing the characters first hand and hear their plights, with the music and setting. For me personally, I have been to a theatre musical show and have also been a part of the theatre experience.

Theatre can be defined as a way of storytelling in a live action state, in my interpretation. It is an art form, a way to express in front of a live audience in clothes, sets and props as well as acting. Is it a form of communication? No doubt about it. As Wikipedia states, “The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance.”

One ways theatre can relate to audiences is how diverse it can be. A majority of people would have made assumptions that theatre only involves dramatic moments and Shakespeare. But as time went by, the theatre world have evolved into many different types of genre: musical, comedy, tragedy, drama and opera. The way the various types of theatre can connect is the fact that each of us inside have different preference in choosing our entertainment, which also applies in other forms of media such as television and cinema. By providing multiple choices, the theatre can appeal and connect with different types of people as well.

Theatre is done at the same time as the audience is watching. It’s a contrast of an experience compared to watching a show on screen. It’s a live show, which means audience gets to witness it first-hand. This type of experience gives off more atmosphere and emotions rather than the cold screen being the barrier between the audience and the characters. What this means is, it’s a more memorable and realistic experience to have the characters in the same ‘world’ as you are instead of the world inside the screen.

And as mentioned before, each theatre play have a story to tell or at least a message. A message is a form of communication. It’s delivered every day, every moment from everyone. This story is expressed by the characters and the setting of the play. More effort is put into solidifying the story with the creation of the costumes and props as tools to help build this story. All these elements of a theatre play is relevant in the lives of the people in the audience as it is what they encounter every day, the clothes worn by the people they meet in real lives, the things that they carry with them and the places they go to.

Social Groups and their Media?

Everyone in this world uses some form of media to get across their communication to one another. Without media, there won’t be communication, and without communication, there won’t be progress. As time went by, the media forms have evolved into much more advanced devices which are easier to access and use. However, the type of media forms used is according to the preferences of social groups classified into age, gender, profession and even ethnicity.

The most obvious I can find in the society these days, are the younger generations between the young age of thirteen to the ripe age of early twenties. This group is the one most obsessed of connecting with their friends and telling stories of their lives and showing every detail. They commonly use the Internet and handphones with Internet capabilities. The most popular sites to be utilized for the very purpose of their communication with each other are Facebook and Twitter, as well as Youtube and MySpace. The reason that this method is more appealing to the younger generations is that how easily they can display information about themselves to their friends and even strangers. It’s the desire in us when we are young to grab attention and become famous. That’s why you can see a lot of young, aspiring musicians and comedians on sites like Youtube.

A common sight at home, at the library and even the toilet.

In the working life however, things are a little bit different, but more or less, these two groups use almost similar media forms to communicate. In a company, communication is important between employers and their workers to achieve progress and work through the problems that they might encounter. Fax machines, computers with Internet and letters are the most used media forms I observe workers in office use. I think it’s the policy of writing what they discuss face-to-face or in meetings in black and white to avoid confusion. In another way, telephones are pretty important as well because it allows the employees of the company to contact clients to discuss about their products. Emails are used more often now, but I still see that telephones are an important part of communication between producer and consumer because hearing the voices of who you’re dealing with is more reassuring than just reading text on the screen.

"Hello? Is this Apple? No, this is Windows!"

The older generations, such as the group aged above 60, tends to use the more traditional methods of communicating, aside from talking face-to-face. More specifically, they tend to prefer using hand-written letters and telephones to talk instead of the standard mobile phones you can just use to text the other person. Perhaps this is because they believe in putting effort in everything they do, including connecting with family and friends, instead of using the more convenient way, and this is a respectable way of life that I can look up to. Although nowadays, the older generations are starting to become more computer-literate and open up into newer methods of communication the youth use on a daily basis.

Look how happy he is to be learning new things at that age.

The mass communication field, that covers aspects of communicating like news reporting depends heavily on satellite broadcast and television network to provide the entire world with news and updates about the current situation happening globally, whether it is the politics, social news, weather reports and even entertainment. It is quite frightening to think that they can control information and mould them into false news that could deceive a lot of people. There have been a few news stations that took advantage of this power and gave wrong information to cause a different reaction in the society, especially regarding politics.

I wonder how long he had to sit there to achieve that uncomfortable grin on his face.

Media Forms

This week, we had to go look for at least ten dd conjure different media forms. Here are some that I could conjure up:

1. Letter

Used to be the most frequently used method of connecting to someone thousands of miles away.

2. Telephone

Alexander Graham Bell was the inventor of this wonderful device.

3. Fax Machine

Can also be used to print out a letter sent from the other side. Also more commonly used in the office rather than at home.

4. Morse Code Machine

Morse Code is used with taps as signals and codes and more popular with the military folks to communicate with each other during times of distress and non-distress.

5. Television

The television have evolved in terms of size, resolution and also, the price unfortunately. It shows the news which tells ud the information about the happening things around the world.

6. Billboard Advertising

Billboards usually post advertisements about products, services and even public announcement for people to see, but usually, we're too occupied to actually pay attention to its message.

7. Newspaper

The newspaper is the printed version of a multi-entertainment. It has an inside look into the world of fashion, social life, movie releases and comics. Oh, it also has the updates on current world affairs.

8. The Internet modem

It provides the best thing to ever grace this planet: Internet, which happens to have millions of knowledge, interactivity, entertainment and enables us to connect to a faraway friend with just one click.

9. Mobile phones

A more advanced version of the regular telephone, it is wireless, in addition to having more purposes than to just call another person. It can also connect to the wireless Internet, have satelite connection and contain a lot of applications.

10. Radio

Radio is used to listen to channels that would play music and broadcast news.

http://ve.torontopubliclibrary.ca/gone_fishing/letters.html

http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/photolib/household/Old%20Telephone.htm

http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2010/12/16/25040/604/hotels/Have_You_Ever_Used_a_Fax_Machine_in_Your_Hotel_Room%3F

http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~djg11/howcomputerswork/index.html

http://www.webdotdev.com/nvd/content/view/2169/1/

http://www.coway.com.my/AnnouncementDetails.aspx?AID=13

http://pawiblog.com/english-newspapers-in-kuala-lumpur-malaysia.php

http://pawiblog.com/p1-wimax-broadband-internet-review.php