"Kid Metaphors"

Tis The Season!

Guess what time it is! Guess what time it is! Guess what time it is! It's BLACK FRIDAY...well grey Thursday!! That's probably not what you were expecting to read, but since it is that time of the year and multiple news outlets are trying to make "Grey Friday" the new thing why not! And what better way to celebrate this festive time of year than with an episode of South Park!

Yes South Park! The show is known to push all buttons and I mean all, so I really was not surprise at their episode about black friday. The whole episode is hilarious and the clip is below (Pt1&2), but my focus is on the reporter and his efforts to make sure to keep providing updates on the events that were going on as well as only providing the news to  
side with one company and basically priming the audience. He made sure that Black Friday remained the topic of discussion to keep the hype going. They went as far as moving the dates for it. He even threatened to blackmail his two news anchors that did not want to go along with the story that he wanted to report.

This comparison maybe a little extreme, but as soon as I saw the episode I could see how this could relate to reporters and politicians or even mass media and large industries. The reporter in this episode's purpose was not to serve the masses, but basically to serve who was providing him with money!

In this case it didn't even seem like he was working for money, but rather to keep the buzz going which in return would provide more money for xbox. He just wanted his story and it was a win win agreement, because he got his story as well as being able to play on the "hype" aspect of things. The more buzz behind the product and the more incentives that the company provided, the more people lined up for the products. Costumers did not even care how much trouble or even the mini war that started in South Park.

Papa! Paparazzi!

I was watching family guy last night and I could not help, but post this! It was the episode where Stewie was a plug in his school play and as soon as his part approached, he went completely blank and begin to cry as well as urinate on himself. It was hilarious!!! But anywho my point is that this was recorded and from then Peter began to follow Stewie around like paparazzi. We have been discussing the media for a while and our main focus has been about the news media. I find it very interesting how they can also set agendas and the basically could work hand in hand with those that report political news. In this day and age the paparazzi is more likely to reveal the scandal first. That aspect of the media is very interesting to me. What do you all think about the role that the paparazzi plays in news media?