Week 6 Blog Post

Topic 1:

                I would read or buy a newspaper if they truly implemented some of the ideas that were tossed around in Jacek Utko’s TED Talk. I absolutely adore the fact that he said that he treated his newspaper like a piece of music. Fluidity is so vital to whether or not a bit of reading is pleasant for me. Without a certain flow, you have people who just read small parts of the paper and skip over the rest, and some like me, who are just not picking it up at all. I love the way content and design can work together and make something truly beautiful. It wasn’t just words, it was art. As a creative, artsy type, I always appreciate imagination and originality in any sort of manuscript. There is an abundance of ways to relay information – I appreciate it when it’s not all the same! What if newspapers involved kids? Not just comics, but interactive games for kids and their parents. What if they started a story and the readers could finish it? I guess it’s about looking at newspapers like a piece of art. That’s what would interest me.

                I really think it is important for newspapers to be online. Everything is moving onto the internet, and if the news stations are smart, they will as well. Another thing is that they should collaborate – let other people write the stories that they’re best at, and link it. Just like Jarvis said, not everyone needs to write about the exact same thing. It would be more helpful if they just did what they did best, and linked the rest. We talked about this some in class, but if newspapers want to have relevant things to say, they need to focus on the things that are happening within their own community, and make it more personal.

TOPIC 2:

                I found a particularly interesting Media Blog Project post from Cole’s blog. I noticed it at first because it was about Michael Jordan. I used to love watching basketball, and that man was truly a legend. The commercial is pretty good – it tells us not to make excuses, but actually put in effort and work hard for greatness. The commercial was made strong by the fact that he was the one speaking – it put power to his message. He’s really one of those people that everyone looks up to.

                There are a lot of things that he has inspired his audiences to do. In a website about Jordan (http://addicted2success.com/motivation/5-motivational-lessons-michael-jordan-taught-us/) it emphasizes those qualities he reiterates in all of his ads. Take action, find a solution, use teamwork, practice and always improve. Along with the “Maybe it’s my fault” advertisement, I have seen a few other commercials that use his voice and talent to promote their products, as well. These are some of the best: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TRY6_paIpw.