EOTO: Television

 1/31/2022

EOTO: Television

Many of us cannot even begin to imagine our lives without Television, I certainly cannot. It is a piece of technology that has seems to have been a part of our lives since the very beginning. But the truth is, this incredible technology is not even 100 years old yet. The modern electronic TV was invented in 1927 by Philo Taylor Farnsworth. His invention scanned beams of electrons into images, thus creating what we now know as modern Television. 

Farnsworth was trying solve the problem of how slow the images on the screen by speeding them up. He achieved this through the electron beams. Television is now like an electronic flip-book  because of the electronic beams. This created the images we can see on Television everyday. Farnsworth is credited with creating an invention that has undoubtedly changed the course of human history for all of mankind, but he was not alone in this venture. Many other scientists also get credit for the work they have done, such as John Logie Baird. He helped televise objects in motion, which added to the flip-book like creation Farnsworth worked on. 

With the invention of Television, our world has definitely changed in ways many could not have thought possible until the 20th century. One of the largest ways our world has changed as a result of Television is our access to information. We can view world news, sporting events, and expand our general knowledge on the world as we know it. Television has not only created easier access to knowledge and world events, it has improved communication in extreme ways. Now we can communicate with people from all around the world on multiple platforms, making it easier to access world news and different people that would not usually be in our line of communication. While Television has definitely improved many parts of our day-to-day life, it also has many drawbacks and negative aspects that have taken a toll on our world. 

Television had increased our access to many positive matters, but it has also exposed multiple generations to violence, inappropriate language and activities, drug and alcohol abuse, and disturbing images. Many blame the violence on Television for many issues in US society today, such as school shootings and glorification of crimes in many shows and movies. While these issues are important and need to be taken seriously, as a society we need to a better job of informing the youth that there are consequences for actions that incite violence. We need to be better all together in making our screens more of a positive place in general. 

Overall, the invention of Television has changed our world in multiple ways. When this incredible creation became more common, communication with different parts of the world also did. As our world continues to grow and improve, Television is one of those things that we will be able to count on. Whether it's in our pockets, on our wall, or in a theater, Television will continue to connect and improve our world!

8 Values of Free Expression

 1/22/2022

8 Values of Free Expression

After reading about the Eight Values of Free Expression, I have come to the conclusion that the eighth one listed on Dr. Smith's blog is the value that resonates the most with me. This value is "Protect Dissent" and I strongly believe that it is the value our nation needs to pay the most attention to during this time. Our nation is so divided and we need to not only be brave enough to speak up when we do not agree about something, but to also have the mental capacity to listen and try to understand the other side; even if the conversation does not conclude in agreement on both ends.

The word "Dissent" means to have a difference in opinion or belief. Through what we have learned so far in Media Law & Literacy, America would not be here if everyone agreed all the time. Our nation was built on the notion that whoever came to live here could be whoever they wanted to be and believe whatever they wanted to believe. Unfortunately, in recent years, there is this social code we all have developed that has made us afraid to share many of our opinions, especially if they go against what is seen as politically correct depending on where you are in the U.S.

Now please know that I support being politically correct about racism, sexism, or homophobia. We should and actively fighting to maker sure these horrendous beliefs are no longer around. But I also believe that the fear of not being politically correct about democracy is wrong. Do you think our nation came to be because everyone agreed? NO! If we had agreed back then, we would all still be under English rule. Disagreeing can a beautiful thing.

In class we talked about the "formula for democracy". Which is; Limited Government + Enumerated Powers + Freedom Maximization = Ordered Freedom. Part of that ordered freedom is the right to criticize our government. In England, that was seen as a direct threat against the monarchy, not someones belief on whether or not it is totally normal for one nation to control almost the whole world. 

Something that I have found in recent years is that there is no wiggle room to openly criticize the government without having "Well if you hate it here so much, leave!" thrown in your face. As Americans it is not only our duty to follow to the Constitution, but to uphold its dignity, which even sometimes means disagreeing with it. I believe that part of being an American, is being brave enough to say "I do not agree with xyz, because ...", that right is in our First Amendment. 

After reading an article put out by npr, Dr. Khalil Muhammad makes an excellent point. They say that if we cannot question America, then we lose everything that our country stands for. A current day example I think of is Black Lives Matter Movement. This extremely powerful and overdue movement is an excellent example of using your voice as an American to openly disagree with the racist laws that were put in place long before our time. While I am not African American, nor do I face the horrific racism many in America face everyday, I will use my voice to say that something needs to be done to stop this systemic racism many face everyday. And I will hold the government responsible for fixing the damage they have done. I am a proud American, and I am proud to say that I will use my freedom of expression to dissent when it is necessary. 

SCOTUS History

 1/19/2022

History of the Supreme Court

When I was reading about the history of the Supreme Court from the article written by the History Channel, it reminded me of how much our nation truly needs a court of this importance. As an American in our day and age, having the Supreme Court around has always been a constant. But I often times find myself forgetting that this great nation did not always have it around to help equalize the decisions made in court. 

Something I learned about the Supreme Court that I did not know is that the court did not hear any cases during its first term, from this article. Thinking about it now, that makes total sense. The court probably had no idea how to go about those cases without any procedures in place. According to the History Channel, the Supreme Court heard their first case on August 3, 1791. Over a year and a half after its official start date, which was February 2, 1790. 

The most important takeaway point from the Supreme Court is evident in the case of Marbury vs. Madison. An article from the History Channel does an excellent job of summarizing this case. In this particular case, the court found that the rights of Marbury had been overstepped by Jefferson. The important takeaway from this case is that it helped institute the Supreme Court and the amount of weight its decisions hold. 

The thing that I learned from this article that surprised me the most is that the institution and assembly of the Supreme Court took such a short amount of time. It took over two years for it to be officially established and have the first case heard. It seems like it would have taken a longer time for the court to get started and hear cases, based on the era it was founded in. 

This article helped change the way I thought about the Supreme Court by drawing attention to its necessity. The Supreme Court is the highest place a court case can go. And after reading this article, one can see the need for a court of this caliber for hearing the serious cases that can effect our rights as Americans. 

Top 5 Sources of News & Information

1/12/2022

Top 5 Sources of News and Information

Living in this age of technology, local news and news from around the world is so easily accessible, it is at our fingertips. The five examples I have listed below are the channels in which I get most of my news. I utilize at least one of these sources everyday. 

abc News!

As a teenager growing up in the 21st century, it feels odd to watch the nightly news. I grew up with the abc Nightly News on every single night in my house. It is such a staple to the Murphy family that I vividly remember coming home from dance, or tennis, or basketball and it playing on the TV. I have watched this program switch hosts over the years and have followed the stories it puts out too. Most news outlets take a side when it comes to politics, but I think that abc does a good job of not swaying to either side. They also cover world news, instead of just focusing on the US. 

Instagram!

Using Instagram as a source of news may seem a bit ridiculous, but I have seen posts about topics that have not reached the main stream news channels yet. The way I found out about Betty White passing was a story one of my friends posted on her Insta story. It may not always be the most accurate channel to rely on for all your news, because many people only post or repost one side of a larger issue. Using this app everyday helps me stay informed on many topics and helps me get my news faster than the stations. 

Snapchat!

Just like Instagram, using Snapchat to get your news seems strange. I have found that Snapchat serves as a collecting place for quite a few media outlets. Some of those include The Daily Mail, People Magazine, and NBC News Stay Tuned. While these three outlets are extremely different and report on a diverse range of topics, having them accessible through Snapchat is extremely convenient. 

TikTok!

Similar to both Instagram and Snapchat, TikTok is another social media platform where I get news from. Of the three sources for news I mentioned above TikTok, this one might be the most controversial. This app is known for spreading misinformation and causing confusion in many situations. I do not rely on this app to get important news, but often times my FYP is filled with the recent "tea" on celebrities and influencers. 

YouTube!

My final source in which I get my news is YouTube. It is, yet again, another social media platform. Just like TikTok, I mostly use YouTube to catch up on celebrities and influencers. And similar to other social media apps, there is an insane amount of bias and misinformation on this platform, so I try to stay away from videos on world news from unknown or biased channels. YouTube can be a good source, even with the misinformation, often times new outlets will post their interviews and even whole episodes to this site if you want to rewatch it or missed when it aired live. 

As a product of my own generation, I get most of my news online. It is accessible and easy for me to understand. News will never go away, but the way that we consume it will constantly change!