Jumbotron

Abstract

At the 1985 World Science Expo in Tsukuba Science City, Japan, Sony Corporation exhibited the world’s largest television screen, the Jumbotron: Jumbo for big and tron for Sony’s Trinitron television line. This massive vacuum fluorescent display reached a height of 92 feet and could be seen as far as the surrounding country side (McGill). The introduction of the Jumbotron and other big screen displays has dramatically changed the way live events are watched including events as diverse as sporting events, presidential inaugural speeches and papal sermons. Does this oversized cathode ray tube enhance or hinder audience’s experiences at large gatherings? Does the gazing spectator expect to see every image magnified so their myopic lens can absorb and interpret the stream of real time imagery?

Description

Jerry Jones, the Texas Billionaire and owner of the Dallas Cowboys built a $1.2 billion dollar stadium (Lacayo). Included in this coliseum has been a 600-ton colossus Jumbotron. Why would Jerry Jones invest millions of dollars on a 160 ft. television screen, when the Dallas Cowboys has a franchise player like Tony Romo who every season as quarterback dazzles the spectators with sensational scrimmages? The fans want to see the real Tony Romo, not a blown up digitized image of Tony on the playing field. Some diehard fans go to football games to see football, not orchestrated, commercials, sponsors logos and public service announcements, they want to see the grid iron action, not marketing efforts by the national advertising agencies.

At St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City Pope Benedict XVI’s spoke to thousands of parishioners. As the Pope addressed the papal flock, two massive Jumbotrons beamed colorful images of the Pope from his summer residency 17 miles away (Kuhner). Does this modern day electronic technology beaming papal telecasts seem rather out of place and garish amongst the beautiful colonnades and 4000-year old obelisk at St. Peter’s Basilica? Is the Pope’s spiritual message being conveyed properly and with dignity at the holy shrine in Vatican City?

January 21, 2009 an historic event took place at our nation’s Capitol. Thousands of men and women from all races and creeds jammed the Mall to see the 44^th President of the United States sworn into office. And like all huge public events, the Jumbotrons were present, beaming there LED glow across a sea of humanity, echoing “Yes We Can”. This Orwellian sensation was overwhelming. Is this the image the Obama administration wanted to convey -- Big Brother imagery of Barak Obama casting the newly elected presidential shadow over thousands of onlookers?

Rationale

This undertaking is to explain influences and ramifications that are behind large screen projection systems. What aspiring political figure or recording artist would not want their image plastered on a two story visual aid, with fans and political devotes swooning at every word and lyric amplified and enlarged to gigantic proportions?

Why is there an intrinsic need for audiences at public gatherings to be inundated by large television screens? Demophobia, the fear of crowds may be one reason. The reassuring projected images of presidents, rock stars and sports figures at public venues may calm the afflicted thru colorful two-dimensional visuals.

In general people may be freed from their own general anxiety, when exposed to gigantic glaring images of overpowering television screens. In the1939 version of the Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland’s character, Dorothy travels the yellow book road to ask the Wizard for passage back to Kansas. When Dorothy finally meets the Wizard, he is an oversized projection spewing smoke and steam. Suggesting that such a large and powerful image would grant Dorothy passage back to Kansas.

Other assumptions for large video displays are not deeply rooted in the psyche, but are purely monetary. The NHL and NBA charge between $25,000 to $75,000 a season for media packages (Catto).

Media professionals have a responsibility at these large events. What images does the director choose? Close-ups of people smiling? Women in low cut outfits? Two guys fighting over a beer? The kiss Cam? Media accountability is required to sustain crowd control and to pacify the audience into an alpha state of calm.

Sony Corporation has installed several Jumbotron systems around the country at universities and sport arenas. I have been hired as a consultant to help plan and execute training at these institutions and it was apparent at each installation there were power struggles and creative disagreements within the departments that were managing these venues.

Literature Review

In existing work, research is not available for in-depth documentation on audience’s perceptions, feelings, behaviors and expectations on Jumbotron viewing at sporting events and public places. Opinions were expressed concerning stadium experiences with and without the Jumbotrons, but there was an absence of concrete information and quantifiable research on the subject matter of the big screens influence on audiences and pedestrians.

Jumbotron At Wrigley? Don’t Bother.

In this jewel of an article, the Chicagoist spells out exactly why high-definition screens are not needed. Wrigley field has been host to baseball since 1916 and has done quite well without the behemoth video-screen. The fans don’t miss the Kiss Cam, instant replays and marriage proposals (Zaslow). The Jumbotron in this historic stadium would feel gaudy and out of place. Babe Ruth’s memory would be stained with the shadow of this LED behemoth lurking over right field. Baseball at Wrigley field is different since it regards the sport as more than an entrainment experience, but as a living history of an American pastime.

Communicating Love: Friendship in the Technological Age

DeSales University sponsored a writing contest promoting new technologies, relationships and respect. Matthew Kuhner, an honors student and philosophy major, won the “best student essay” of 2009. Kuhner’s article emphasizes the Vatican’s understanding of technology in evangelism and finding fresh ways to fulfill Christ’s mission (Kuhner). Kuhner understands to help spread the gospel and the Pope’s message at St. Peter’s Basilica they needed two gigantic Jumbotrons to accomplish that. The church accepts that they are not a perfect aesthetic fit at St. Peter Square, but the Jumbotrons communicate the Pope’s message in a grand visual style, which brings comfort to his flock.

Troops Bid Bush Farwell at Andrews Air Force Base

The Jumbotron was strategically placed in the hanger at Andrews Air Force base where 4,000 service man and women watched the inaugural ceremonies of President Barak Obama being sworn in as the 44^th president of the United States. Then through the lens of network news cameras, George W. Bush lifted of the Capitol grounds aboard the Marine Corps VH-60 helicopter (Agency Group 9). The crowd cheered as the former president entered the hanger at Andrews Air Force base. Children climbed on parents’ shoulders to catch a better glimpse of the outgoing president (Agency Group 9). In this article by the Regulatory Intelligence Database, the crowd was not entirely enthusiastic when President Obama was sworn into office, but when Mr. Bush arrived the mood of the audience drastically changed to yips and yelps. The Jumbotron impact at this event was a reflection of the crowd’s mood and temperament toward the incoming president and the author’s bias for the Bush Administration.

George W. Bush’s Sci-Fi Disaster

14 blocks from the Nations Capitol Robert Parry and his son Jeff watched the inaugural proceedings on one of the many Jumbotrons set up around the white marble buildings surrounding the Capitol. The mood at this big screen viewing was festive and mocking of the Bush Administration, one group started singing, “Hit the road, Jack” when Dick Cheney was wheeled into the television cameras view (Parry). Parry felt at this viewing there was more joy and cheering when President Obama was sworn into office than the January 20^th 2001 swearing in of President Bush.

1.8 million people braved the cold that wintery morning, without a single inaugural police-related arrest. There were cheers of yips and yelps, at the Jumbotron, but this time for the incoming president, not the outgoing one.

Robert Parry is an award winning recipient of the George Polk Award, of the Iran-Contra affair. Parry has also written several books criticizing the George W. Bush administration.

Jumbo Dreams

Jack Jones a writer for Sports Illustrated examines the history and popularity of the Jumbotron (The Jumbotron is a generic term for large video screen installations).

According to Jones, the first giant glittering scoreboard can be traced to the Diamond Vision system by Mitsubishi installed at Dodger Stadium in 1980. Now virtually every pro and college athletic venue has bowed to the consumer demand for the big screen (Jones). Jones feels the Jumbotron is made for football, with its hail Mary passes, high fives, cheer leaders and Roman pageantry. Even the players use the giant screen to their advantage, checking where potential opponents are located on the playing field. The players also use the Jumbotron as the 13^th man says New York Giants center Shaun O’Hara, pumping us up during the game.

There are rules using the Jumbotron, for instance “the home team must use discretion in showing replays that could cause strong fan reaction” as stated in the NFL game operations manual. The video director of the large screen television feed cannot show the referees missed the penalty of the opposing team over and over again.

Jones recognizes Jumbotron viewing is a technology in flux, the new video apparatus may be 3-D LED screens or portable hand held devices that allow the spectator to choose the video feeds from the stadium (Anadpura). As the former Dallas Cowboys president Tex Schramm as quoted as saying, “We are not selling football games, we are selling events, we have to have pageantry, excitement and crowds.”

From Tiles to Pixels: Media and the City

Roy Stickland writes a Blade Runneresque narrative of public spaces blitzkrieg by PC screens to Jumbotrons and a never ending stream of words, images and sounds challenges of place (Strickland). Shinjuku, Japan or Times Square in New York City are examples of artificial environments that distract from the natural order. Strickland believes the cacophony and collision of media in Times Square are just options for creative expressions, learning and commercialism. The “cool media” environment helps to shape the Jumbotron experience, but Times Square may overwhelm the messages from the latest Jumbotron commercial, drowning out the video at the New York Times Building. In the ancient port city of Ostia, near Rome, mosaics lined the city walls and floors. These mosaics were forms of advertisements, advertising services, merchants and local restaurants. With hundreds of pedestrians strolling the ancient streets of Ostia, those Romans probably felt the discord and tension staring at the garish mosaic advertisements, similar to the feelings that arise from tourist from Kansas, who are visiting Time Square for the first time.

Methodology / Research

The consortium of research will focus on extensive interviews, examining cost benefit analysis, return on investment and quantifiable objectives of the social impact of the big screen. Extensive phone and in person interviews with associated research and analysis will focus on the impact of the Jumbotron, on the game, the players and the fans. In public spaces interviews will be conducted with pedestrians, social and public art activists, city officials, advertisers and marketing officials.

Informal conversational interviews and general interview guide approach will be used to collect data on Jumbotron viewing. Types of questions to be asked will need to be analyzed for effectiveness. Behaviors, opinions, feelings and knowledge need to be taken into account before samples questions are used. Standardized, open-ended interview and closed, fixed-response interview techniques will be used to assure accuracy in sampling (Shrivastava/Valenzuela).

Interviews with respondents will be audio taped to insure accuracy. Questions will be asked one at a time, interviewers will remain neutral. (Shrivastava/Valenzuela).

These are some examples of questions to be asked.

Do you see the benefit of the Jumbotron screen in this stadium?

Do you find the Jumbotron screen a distraction watching this event?

Do you find you watch the Jumbotron screen more than the playing field?

Do you pay attention to the commercials on the Jumbotron screen?

When you do watch the Jumbotron screen, what do you find yourself watching?

Do you always watch the replays on the Jumbotron screen?

As a player do you watch the Jumbotron screen?

As a player, do you think about doing something fancy on the playing field to be shown later on a highlight reel on the Jumbotron?

As a coach do you watch in Jumbotron screen?

The interview process would include the following subjects and locations:

1. Location: University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona. Wildcats (Football)

Respondents: Athletic Director, Marketing Managers, Advertising Agencies, University President, Ticket Holders, Television Production Crew, Team Clubs, Advertisers, Team Sponsors, Coaches and Players.

2. Location: Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona, Arizona Diamondbacks (Baseball)

Respondents: General Manager, Marketing Managers, Advertising Agencies, Ticket Holders, Television Production Crew, Advertisers, Team Sponsors, Coaches and Players.

3. Location: The Northern Liberties Jumbotron, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Respondents: Advertising Agencies, Pedestrians, Commerce Partners, Merchants,

4. Location: Daktronics, Brookings, South Dakota, Manufacture.

Respondents: President, Marketing Manager.

After the interview process is completed interpreting the data will become an important factor in the accuracy of the information received. Respondent’s answers will need to be transcribed from previous audio recordings. The information will be codified and collated and arguments will be explored and researched against existing material.

Bibliography

Agency Group 09, "Troops Bid Bush Farewell at Andrews Air Force Base". FDCH Regulatory Intelligence Database. April, 24, 2010 .

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Catto, Susan. "Mobile's goodwill potential". Marketing Magazine 11/12/2007: p7.

Daniels, Chris. "Racing for Eyeballs". Marketing Magazine 12/10/2007: p45-p48.

Elliott, Sturat "Sony's Times Square Jumbotron has begun to attract advertisers". The New York Times August 31, 1993: p 18.

"Jumbotron At Wrigley? Don't Bother". Chicagoist. April/20/2010 .

Kuhner, Matthew. "Communicating Love: Friendship in the Technological Age". The Salesian Center. April, 20, 2010 .

Lacayo, Richard. "How' Bout That Stadium?". Time 9/28/09: p52.

McCallum , Jack. "Jumbo Dream". Sports Illustrated 1/26/2009: p56-p62.

McGill, Peter. "A high-tech world of wonders in Japan". Maclean's March 18, 1985: p40-p41.

Parry, Robert. "George W. Bush’s Sci-Fi Disaster". consortiumnews.com. April 15, 2010 .

Popik, Barry. "Jumbotron". The Big Apple. April, 21, 2010 .

Robles, Erica Ann. "Exurban Sublime: The Crystal Cathedral of Orange County". Department of Communication Stanford University p50-p54.

Stanley, Alessandra. "A Day Best Captured By Image, Not Narrative". The New York Times January 21, 2009: Pg.6.

Stirckland, Roy. "From Tiles to Pixels: Media and the City". Places 12-31-2006: p4-p5.

"Twins Rally". TV Technology. 4/19/2010 .

Valenzuela, Dapzury. Shrivastava, Pallavi "Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research". Arizona State University. May, 4, 2010 .

Zaslow, Jeffrey. "Moving On: Love and the Jumbotron: Why Men Turn Marriage Proposals Into Public Events". The Wall Street Journal August 4, 2005: pg. D.1.

Cancer and the Media

Cancer and the Media

A 52-year-old woman wakes up one morning and feels a lump. Days go by and her anxiety rises so she schedules an appointment with her doctor, who, in turn, orders a biopsy. The doctor tries to assure her that it’s probably nothing but it’s necessary to check. Check for what? Malignancy? Life Expectancy? Surgical Options? Chemotherapy? The search begins: the internet, television, radio, newspapers, blogs, governments, pharmaceuticals conglomerates, libraries and oncologists – all of whom have answers. Within ten minutes the internet alone can yield five medical journals, three cancer self help sites and seven New York Times articles on cancer.

In 2008, 7.9% of the population in the United States was diagnosed with cancer with approximatley1500 deaths per day (Cancer.about). It is the second principal cause of death in this country. (CDC). So it is not surprising that thousands of bits and pieces of cancer metadata are distributed each day by the media. A simple internet search of “cancer” will reveal 42 million internet findings in .27 seconds.

Some of the information is relevant to cancer patients, but there is contradictory or supplementary information that may be confusing and even, at times, harmful. Does the media facilitate or damage cancer research and patient treatments? How does an individual distinguish reality and illusion through the tsunami of information from the media? Does media coverage of cancer pay too little on prevention or down play cancer treatments and does it paint an overly optimistic picture of recovery from cancer?

The Cure for Cancer: Can the Media Report the Hope Without the Hype?

Christopher K. Daugherty from the University of Chicago writes a zealous and appealing editorial on media hype and its effects on cancer research and funding. Daugherty’s voice is sympathetic and thoughtful. His historical references to secret cancer clinical trials in the 1940s are direct and educational. As an oncologist, Daugherty has written numerous works on ethical issues concerning informed consent and how physicians discuss prognosis with terminally ill cancer patients.

As a writer and representative of the American Medical Association, Daugherty has a complicated obligation representing himself as a journalist. He does not mince words pertaining to the media and takes aim at Gina Kolata of the New York Times for her article on May 3, 1998 which claimed “within a year, if all goes well, the first cancer patient will be injected with two new drugs that can eradicate any type of cancer”. Obviously, this wildly optimistic quote was to excite the public about cancer treatments and well as sell newspapers for the New York Times. Also, when Daugherty attacks the tell-all television talk shows and celebrity cancer patient’s narratives he exposes an unwillingness to bend his Hippocratic Oath (Daugherty). His medical journal narrative is well written and informative as is his contribution in exposing media propaganda concerning cancer treatment, research and funding.

A Cancer Patient's Social-Media Crusade

Allison Fine and her podcasts with The Chronicle of Philanthropy magnify the need for an authentic social conscious. As a concerned social media tactician, Fine interviews Drew Olanoff, of the Blame Drew’s Cancer campaign. Olanoff has cancer and is encouraging people to use Twitter to blame his cancer for their troubled lives (Fine). Fine is an advocate for this kind of communal media technology, subsequently Olanoff’s personal journey fits well into her social media construct.

It’s problematic that Fine can have a balanced view of her social change podcasts. Like other cancer survivors and cancer advocates, she has an agenda to communicate her social ideals and principles.

Through Olanoff’s voice, one can hear the angst of his cancer battle. It’s a crusade for fighting cancer with one tweet at a time. Fine assists in the battle with her intuitive questioning and concerns in the podcast narrative. As an interviewer and commentator Fine enables Olanoff to tell his story without the usual talk show banter and commercial interruptions.

Fine makes a convincing case with Olanoff’s Blame Drew’s Cancer campaign and through this she spreads her idealism, blind faith and social conscious. These social networks are bringing people together and also are a significant factor in raising money for philanthropy and other social causes.

Breast Cancer Sells

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Lucinda Marshall is a feminist author who delivers passionate pink punches at Madison Avenue in the October issue of AltNet. Marshall unleashes a torrent of facts deriding women’s magazines for their misleading information concerning this disease. In some ways, her voice is unsophisticated and unsympathetic, but Marshall is unrelenting in her tirade at Good Housekeeping and Woman’s Day for erroneous information concerning mammogram screening and offering overly simplistic information about breast cancer risk factors and tips for preventing it in the United States is distressing (Marshall). The attack on Vogue and Ralph Lauren’s T shirts with bull’s eyes above the breasts as sponsors of Cancer Awareness Month demonstrates Marshall’s irritation at vapid symbols and lack of medical substance.

Marshall’s work on breast cancer awareness voices alarm for women magazines, their publishers and commercial sponsors for irresponsible information regarding breast cancer and treatment.

Media Feeds Frenzy Over Shark Cartilage As Cancer Treatment

A group of scientists in Cuba have studied the effects of shark bone as a cancer treatment. James Mathew’s article in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute identified several prominent reports by 60 Minutes and Bill Moyers television series that publicize the use of shark cartilage as a promising cancer treatment. This is not the first time 60 Minutes has been involved in controversial cancer reporting. In 1994, the late Ed Bradley produced a segment about damizozide which was a suspected cancer causing agent sprayed on apples. The 60 Minutes report was challenged in court by apple growers in Washington State. The case was dismissed in the Ninth Circuit court in 1995 (scholar). It may be argued that both of these media titans, 60 Minutes and Bill Moyers should have been more responsible in their reporting. This kind of sensational cancer journalism has become common in today’s media. Mathew’s article is balanced as he presents pros and cons of this issue. This article is funded by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Save the Boobs

Aliya Jasmine Sovani, a VJ for MTV Canada produced, directed and starred in this public service announcement during breast cancer awareness month. Aliya bounces across the screen, watched predominately by a male audience, in a white bikini, with close ups of her breasts bouncing in slow motion, inner cut with the words, “You Know, You Like Them, Now It’s Time, To Save The Boobs”. Granted this video was watched over 150,000 times on YouTube and viewed 420,000 times on break.com (tvzone). The question is who is watching? I suspect it wasn’t females over 50 who would be most likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer. If the PSA was useful, doctors and clinics would have seen an increase of mammograms tests in Canada. Sovani’s PSA was convincing only in that as it pertains to her sexuality and future diva status at MTV, but the way it was produced, it did little to increase breast cancer awareness.

Media Downplay Failings of Cancer Treatments

The underreported bad news about cancer is John Gever’s focus in this MedPageToday article. In analyzing more than 400 articles about cancer, investigators found that palliative care was never the main focus (Gever). In another startling research project Gever discovered the studious New York Times distorted the risks and benefits of cancer treatment, along with Newsweek, People and Time magazines. Patients need to be informed about the trade-offs amid cures and end of life decisions brought about by cancer. This distorted view of cancer is brought to life in his article. Media reporting relating to cancer should show a balanced outlook reporting the bad news and as well as the good news as Gever’s has pointed out.

Whale boosts paddleboarder's charity ride

Lee Cowan, NBC’s roving human interest reporter, sets his gaze on Jodie Nelson who is a professional surfer from California. Cowan on a Southern California beach, begins his “standup” describing Nelson’s journey from the California Coast to Catalina Island as “inspirational” and “magical”. The 40-mile sea journey is to raise money for Keep a Breast Foundation, a non- profit foundation whose mission is to help eradicate breast cancer by exposing young people to methods of prevention, early detection and support (Keep-a-Breast).

During the nine-hour sea journey Nelson is visited by a Minke whale she nicknames “Larry”. Larry is “magical”. Apparently, he is also a cash cow. The viral social breast cancer networks find out about Larry following Nelson and a tidal wave of donations roll in, $122,500 as of April 5, 2010. The message is that the whale, the 30-foot leviathan answered the prayers of Keep a Breast Foundation and attracted NBC News, Grind TV and the Huffington Post. Without the whale, the foundation was expecting to raise $6,000. Money was raised, but the spotlight was on Larry. I believe we might remember the whale, but not the original message. But at least Nelson was able to help her cause through this significant fund-raising event.

Effects of News Events on Response to a Breast Cancer Screening Program

It seems like ancient history now, but it’s important to remember that both wives of President Ford and Vice-President Rockefeller had breast cancer. In this Public Health Report of 1978, the breast cancer surgery of Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Rockefeller removed some of the obstacles to open the discussion of breast cancer and the value of mammograms. This well disciplined study thoroughly analyzes the media effect of cancer news and the increase of mammogram screening and examinations during Ford’s presidential term. There was an overall increase of cancer awareness that cut across all aspects of the female population in this study. Remarkably the nine percent spike in mammogram examinations was due to reality journalism of two high profile political personalities. Similarly, in 1989 when Nancy Reagan suffered from breast cancer, there was a six to eight percent increase of mammogram examinations (Lane). Interesting enough the rise of breast examinations and awareness was not due to social networks, advertising or brilliant marketing campaigns of Tommy Hilfiger, Birkenstock or Susan G. Koemen, but was spread through the “Neanderthal” news media outlets of the 1970’s.

Media Coverage of Breast Cancer Focuses Too Little On Prevention, Study Suggests

In 2008, media coverage of breast cancer prevention was a missing factor in major media outlets including the Los Angeles Times, NBC Nightly News and U.S. News and World Report, according to Science Daily .The report based on the research paper “A Comprehensive Analysis of Breast Cancer News Coverage in Leading Media Outlets Focusing on Environmental Risks and Prevention” by the National Cancer Institute. Over a two year period only 18 percent of media reporting focused on prevention rather than treatment. Lacking were stories on prevention, such as eating right, diet, exercising and avoiding substances that are known to contribute to breast cancer. Cancer narratives reported in the media mostly focused on personal stories and treatment rather than on prevention. While heredity can lead to breast cancer there are never the less steps to reduce one risk to reduce the metastasizing spread. In the battle against breast cancer the voices on prevention need to be heard especially because some studies suggest that the media, along with friends and family members, are more influential than physicians.

Living Can Be Hazardous to your Health: How the News Media Cover Cancer Risks

Cristine Russell writes an irrefutable review that summarizes three decades of media missed coverage of the health risks of cancer. The 30-year war on cancer has created confusion and anxiety among the consumers of print, electronic and web media. This onslaught of cancer good- news / bad- news has desensitized the media consuming public. They are bewildered, not knowing whom to trust or whom to believe. The media consumers are not the only victims; researchers, scientists and politicians have also fallen prey to the misinformation. This uncertainty might be called the National Academy of Science syndrome because so many reports end with a caveat that more research is needed (Russell).

On another striking issue is that once we declare war and this goes for cancer, drugs, poverty or terrorism, it becomes unwinnable in the public eye.

Russell also created guide lines that reporters should keep in mind to improve the coverage of cancer reporting. It’s a level headed approach to a complicated narrative with contextual principles.

Media raise cancer fears

In this BBC health article, the media is lambasted for its misleading reports on cancer. Celebrity cancer in the U.K. amounted to 200 articles a week, suggesting cancer can be glamorous. The paparazzi reporting also included thirty-seven cancer preventive poultices including chocolate, arsenic and mud (BBC). The media was also blamed for its use of the word “cancer” when it described Bill Clinton, Saddam Hussein and Serbs as cancers. This kind of rhetoric only serves to confuse patients. The BBC points out the war imagery of cancer, battle, fight and victim intones a negative connotation. Nicholas Young the chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Relief suggests the language of cancer is inaccurate, confusing and frightening.

Aspirin and Breast Cancer: The Media Does It Again!

Aspirin and Breast Cancer: The Media Does It Again, summarizes the paradoxical circumstances medical journalists find themselves in. Michelle D. Holmes, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, released vital information in the Journal of Clinical Oncology concerning an observational study of aspirins effect on breast cancer. The finding suggested taking aspirin might prevent further recurrences of breast cancer. Bonnie Reichman M.D., a Clinical Associate Professor at Cornell University, who wrote this article, finds these results, alarming and startling. In Reichman’s conservative view, chemotherapy and anti-estrogens have decreased the mortality rate of breast cancer. We also know that lifestyle changes including a low fat diet, exercise and maintaining a healthy weight my decrease breast cancer occurrence. As a neophyte in medical idioms I have become a statistic in this health cat fight. Whom do I believe? Cornell or Harvard? Whom do I trust? The Journal of Clinical Oncology or Women’s Voice for Change?

Conclusion

It’s a decision many will have to face. How to treat cancer? Your doctor and oncologist are trained to treat this disease. The media is also filled with helpful but sometimes contradictory information, sometimes overly optimistic other times dramatically pessimistic.

For one’s own well being it is vital to be informed and knowledgeable of cancer treatments. Before the internet and accessible medical journals, most were in the dark and depended largely on the word of experts. As the research suggests, the media coverage of cancer is complex and confusing. Noteworthy though, the media have recognized their own information as problematic and divided. As noted, palliative care in scarcely mentioned and preventative care is also lacking in cancer journalism. Bizarre treatments for cancer are represented as factual and social networks and some sponsors are more concerned with their image rather than increasing mammogram awareness. As Cristine Russell points out reporters should adhere to guidelines to improve the coverage of cancer, so that it is balanced and represents the whole spectrum of cancer treatments available at this time.

Works Cited

"Auvil v. CBS 60 Mintues, 67 F. 3d 816-Court". Court of Appeals, 9th Circut Court. 04/01/2101 .

Cowan, Lee. "Whale boosts paddleboarder’s charity ride ". NBC News. 04/06/2010 .

Daugherty, Christopher K.. "The "Cure" for Cancer: Can the Media Report the Hope Without the Hype? ". Journal of Clinical Oncology,. 3/26/2010 .

Fine, Allison. "A Cancer Patient's Social-Media Crusade". The Chronicle of Philanthropy. 3/25/10 .

Fink, R. Roeser, R. Vene, W. Strax, P. Venet. L. and Lacher, M. "Effects of news events on response to a breast cancer screening program.". Public Health Reports . 4/02/2010 .

Gever, John. "Media Downplay Failing of Cancer Treatments". medpagetoday. 4/1/10 .

"How Many People Die of Cancer Each Day?". About.com:Cancer. 4/03/2010 .

Lane, D S. "The impact of media coverage of Nancy Reagan's experience on breast cancer screening". American Public Health Association. 4/4/2010 .

"Leading Causes of Death". National Center for Health Statistics. 4/04/2010 .

Marshall, Lucinda. “Breast Cancer Sells". Alter Net. 3/29/2010 http://www.alternet.org/media/65943

Mathews, James. "News". U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 4/02/2010 .

Media Coverage Of Breast Cancer Focuses Too Little On Prevention, Study Suggests". ScienceDaily LLC . 03/29/2010 .

"Media raise cancer fears". BBC NEWS. 3/30/10 .

"MTV News host Aliya-Jasmine Sovani Busts Out The Bikini In Support of Breast Cancer Awareness". ChannelCanada.com. 4/02/2010 .

Reichman, M.D., Bonnie. “Aspirin and Breast Cancer: The Media Does It Again!". Women’s Voices for Change, Inc.. 4/04/2010 .

Russell, Cristine. "Living Can Be Hazardous to your Health: How the News Media Cover Cancer Risks". Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs. 4/02/2010 .

Sovani, Aliya-Jasmine. "Save the Boobs". ReThink. 04/01/2010 .

"The Mission". Keep-A-Breast. 4/05/2010 .

The Fair Use Doctrine and Cases of He Who Must Not be Plagiarized

The Fair Use Doctrine and Cases of He Who Must Not be Plagiarized
Since March of 2000, the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling has been embroiled in several high profile plagiarism cases. The litigations include a Pennsylvanian author, a 50-year- old publication in Virginia and a Michigan librarian.
At issue is the Fair Use Doctrine which permits a limited amount of copyrighted material to be used in other works. Generally a Fair Use case is analyzed, guided or decided on any one of the four following criteria.
1) The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes.
2) The nature of the copyrighted work.
3) The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole.
4) The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work (107).
J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers demand complete control of the Harry Potter image. Any likeness of Harry Potter not vetted by the Christopher Little Literary Agency is usually dealt with severity. For example, A United States Army material command periodical published a cartoon that featured a boy with black hair and round glasses, called Topper who attended the Mogmarts School of Magic. Attorneys for J.K. Rowling investigated the publishers at Fort Belvoir, Virginia for likely copyright violation. After some deliberation, the Army decided not to use the likeness of Harry Potter in future publications (Alvarez 2).
In a court room case, J.K. Rowling was accused of plagiarism by Nancy Stouffer, a writer from Pennsylvania. Stouffer had published The Legend of Rah and The Muggles and Larry Potter and His Best Friend Lilly. Stouffer sued J.K. Rowling, Time Warner and Scholastic Inc. for intellectual property rights violation, contending that she owned the trademark on Muggles and nimbus. In U.S. District Court, J.K. Rowling, Scholastic and Warner Brothers countered sued stating that there was no breach of copyright or trademark. In 2002, the Southern District of New York ruled that Stouffer lied to the court and tainted her documents to support her copyright claim. She was fined $30,000 and ordered to pay part of the plaintiff’s costs (BBC News).
A more recent case involved a librarian, Steven Vander Ark, who is a passionate Harry Potter devotee and created a website called The Harry Potter Lexicon, an online encyclopedia and reference guide to the novels. In 2007, an independent book publisher RDR Books in Muskegon, Michigan contacted Ark about the possibility of publishing a Harry Potter encyclopedia based on some of the materials from The Harry Potter Lexicon website. Ark agreed after he was assured by RDR Books he would not violate any copyright laws (Siskind 291). Rowling and Time Warner Inc.’s Warner Brothers became concerned about the upcoming undertaking by RDR Books and sued for copyright violation. It was a complicated decision by Judge Robert P. Patterson Jr. that came five months after the trial. The 68- page ruling in the Federal District Court of Manhattan blocked the publication of The Harry Potter Lexicon by RDR Books. The court ordered RDR Books to pay $6,750 in damages to the plaintiffs (Eligon).
These significant Fair Use altercations with the J.K. Rowling’s empire are not unexpected. She has toiled at her craft for 17 years and is expected to protect her creative and intellectual property. Also it’s predictable that Rowling’s legal team would engage in these judicial activities since they have a billion dollar investment to defend. But why did Rowling use The Harry Potter Lexicon for her research and award The Harry Potter Lexicon in 2004 a fan site award (Rich)? The online Lexicon used extensive portions of Harry Potter novels without permission from Warner Brother or Rowling, and yet these corporations permitted The Harry Potter Lexicon to continue. This is most likely because of the 1.5- million to 2- million readers a month benefiting her indirectly and shutting it down would have alienated readers. The Rowling empire did not become alarmed until RDR Books proceeded to move forward in publishing The Harry Potter Lexicon for $24.95 and financial panic invaded the halls of Warner Brothers (Hartocollis).
In the Nancy Stouffer case, J.K. Rowling won the legal argument, however Rowling was handed an academic rebuke by Dr. Graeme Morton, of Edinburg University describing Rowling’s work as very minor instances of inadvertent plagiarism (Johnston 1). And in the U.S. Army case, it seems plausible that the monthly magazine would have passed the Four Factor Test of the Fair Use Doctrine, but they lacked the time or courage to tangle with Rowling’s legal squadron.
The J.K. Rowling cases are important. They send multi level tremors through the legal, academic and creative disciples. Anthony Falzone of the Fair Use Project felt that RDR vs. Rowling was so important that he filed a brief defending RDR Books. Mr. Falzone of Stanford University is following the lead of Lawrence Lessig, the founder of the Fair Use Project, who fought the Mickey Mouse Preservation Act, which benefited the corporate copyright holders, preserving billons dollars of profits for the Walt Disney Company (Nocera C1),
As a committed media professional, I have always abided by copyright laws and The Fair Use Doctrine. It is essential that we respect each other’s works and seek permission to obtain rights of usage. But it is worrisome is that the small publisher, author or journalist must create novels, scripts and journals without the protection of the well heeled copyright lawyers.
The conundrum is while there is a desire to defend the writer J.K. Rowling even while she represents a multinational conglomerate keen on protecting profits at the expense of others. Rowling should continue to write and her millions of fans want to read her wonderful books and yet, while she claims to have been distraught over the publishing of The Harry Potter Lexicon saying “you lose the threads, you worry if you’ll ever be able to pick them up again”(Hartocollis), she also seemed to demonstrate hypocrisy by allowing an online lexicon to continue and yet engage in copyright confrontation with the same author when real money was at stake.










Works Cited
Alvarez , Lizette. "Arts, Briefly; Harry Potter Crosses Wands WIth the U.S. Army". The New York Times. 3/15/10 .
Eligon, John. "Rowlings Wins Lawsuit Against Potter Lexicon". The New York Times. 3/13/2010 .
Hartocollis, Anemona. "Rowling Testifies Against Lexicon Author". The New York Times. 3/12/10 .
Johnston, Ian. "Harry's Off The Hook". Evening News, Edinburgh April 13, 2000: 1.
Nocera, Joe. "A Tight Grip Can Choke Creativity". The New York Times Feb 9, 2008: C1.
RIch, Motoko. "Rowling To Testify In Trail Over Potter Lexicon". The New York Times. 3/13/2010 .
"Rowling wins Potter plagiarism case". BBC News. 3/15/10 .
Siskind, Shira. "CROSSING THE FAIR USE LINE: THE DEMISE AND REVIAL OF THE HARRY POTTER LEXICON AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FAIR USE DOCTRINE IN THE REAL WORLD ON THE INTERNET". Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal 27 no1 2009: 291-311.
"107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use". Cornell University Law School. 3/21/10 .

Paul Ryan

Paul Ryan, at first reading, I was surprised where we were going, video tai chi with a camera on his head. Video meditation, alpha states with his negative videos, feeling the Bush administration vibrations on the eve of the Iraq invasion, thru motion of tidal waves or ducks feeding one another, with philosophical overtones. Working with Marshall McLuhan must have been a wonderful opportunity, a once in a life time opportunity. Clearly Ryan’s monastic training in the seminary introduced him to the alpha state of conscience and meditation. In today’s climate I am not sure how many of our fellow graduates have explored T.M., Sufism or other types of alpha soothing techniques. Again this type of viewing takes many years of practice to really see what you are looking for. Or what you are not looking, you are ready to receive a message or lack of or absence of a message to achieve the alpha state. Ryan’s work at Savannah College was inspiring. The sustainability concept in communication and political theatre may be an important tool, to break down the pieces of these modular predictable political encampments. To see what is behind the message, to dice it and quarter it, to look underneath it, to realize it. Paul approach to Semiotics of signs and signals, again is a study in it self. I believe it would take a dear long time to really see, what is there and maybe why it is there.

Chan' s Tin Drum Trilogy

Chan'> s Tin Drum Trilogy is new media, a collage of inspirations. Satire, art and Chans's video ambiance realism. Some from red states including his home state Nebraska would call his work anti-American and pornographic. Others may find his documentaries z-grade. His narrative would not play well at a McCain- Palin rally, here in Tucson today. (March 25, 2010) Palin is stumping for McCain. Deirde Boyle articulate lecture and essay Sleeping with the Enemy:Paul Chan's Flirtatious Tin Drum Trilogy, was insightful. Chan's work is exploratory in the documentary genres. Chasing the boundaries of blurry out of focus video recording. My own taste's chases the more classical form of the "documentary". How do we mix and match Pauline Kael and Robert Mapplethorpe in the context of Chan's work. Oskar in The Tin Drum was an innocent character, reacting to forces around him, he was living the nightmare of Nazi oppression in WWll. Chan is a bystander, a voyeur of the political disaster of Bush, Chaney and Rumsfeld. As the Iraq genocide was unfolded and ignored by "W", documentaries were begging to made, distributed and watched. It is hard to glorify the work, because it is so lopsided and reactionary, alienating the red republicans and independents. But I digress into the "peace maker" documentary, explaining, discussing, outlining. Letting the images be the narrative, without objectification, closing the gap between red and blue.

Dice

Throw dice in the game of craps...
The wondering creative process
Ideas thrown around a table, like a picnic with paper plates
Just get to the point

Intellectual Autobiography

Intellectual Autobiography
Twenty five years in broadcasting has yielded four National Emmys and experience as a facility owner, Avid editor and technical director. I have left my mark at many televisions stations, corporate institutions and universities. I’ve heard and seen it all. Having spent many years as an editor in the silhouetted editing room cutting television commercials, I have often felt that I was aiming at a moving target. The creative objective has always been on the move. I would take aim and make a direct hit one day, and miss the next. It has been both frustrating and very satisfying seeing music and picture glued together by 1/30 of a second decisions.
My motive for pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Media Studies is to broaden my understanding and achieve a wide angle view of film and television. In 1990, I started a Masters of Business Administration degree when I was offered a principal position at a post production facility. It was a dream come true with offline and online editing, sound stage and audio post production. Ten years later I was ready for a change, and I decided to get back to my academic pursuits. I looked at several universities with online programs but most did not have the right combination of production and current media studies. It was by chance that I found The New School for Media Studies. While I was looking at a social networking site I noticed a colleague had just received a Master Degree in Media Studies from The New School. I was intrigued and did some investigation and found it was the right fit. I jumped in feet first.
Let’s rewind the disk drive back to 1968 to see where my career began. A Nikkromat FTN and a high school photography teacher started me on this path, giving me the single most amazing experience a nerdy teenager can have. I discovered an art form without words or pastels. Art Groveman, the bespectacled farsighted Jewish photography teacher from Fairfax, California rode his BMW down La Cienega Blvd into our high school lives. Art opened the shutter of the visual world. We loved him. It was education through the lens. Mr. Groveman, the sensei free spirit of light and shadows showed us the way. Bus loads of eager photo devotes packed the yellow Blue Bird, snapping 1/60 of a second image of Bode, California and the Santa Monica mountains and took photographic journeys to Venice Beach and captured photographs of bums and beauties. We interpreted the camp fires of Wrightwood, California and projected multi colored Ektachrome images on 4 by 3 screens. Kodak Plus-X 125 developed in an acrid bath of Metol and Dimezone responded to darkness. Black and white sheets of gleaming Iflord photographic paper were bathed in developer and fixer. The alchemy of chemicals and paper came to life. The Los Angeles City school teachers went on strike in 1970 for four and half weeks. The strike was won, but the students lost, because Mr. Groveman contract was not renewed.
1971 was an exciting year for the recording and music industry. The Allman Brothers recorded a live album, At Fillmore East, Jethro Tull released Aqualung, Joni Mitchell released Blue and Pink Floyd released Meddle. I read the LP linear notes with fanatical interest. I scoured the record jacket for any bits of technical information, like a doctor looking for symptoms. Recording engineers like Eddie Kramer, Glynn Johns and Alan Parsons were my surgeons. Trident and Electric Lady Land recording studios were my operating theaters. I was smitten with four track analog tape recorders so I purchased an Uher 4400 Report Stereo audio recorder with two Sony consider microphones. I recorded every sound I could get my hands on. Live music, airplanes, Ram Das. I could now tell a story with light and sound.
There are three artists that I have respect for in the film industry. Who have inspired me over the years by their willingness to create something new and original either by accident or by their genius. Director of Photography Haskell Wexler for his sweeping steadycam crane shot in “Bound for Glory”. Ben Burt’s tapping of an antenna tower to produce the light saber sound effect for “Star Wars” and Phillip Glass’s classic minimalist music composition for “Koyaanisqatsi”.

In 1972, I was accepted into the Broadcasting Department at San Francisco State University. My interests in film and video were enthusiastic and I became devoted and inspired by my projects. After I graduated I headed off to Tucson, Arizona to start an educational non-profit radio station.
Based on my own work experience, I believe the best path for educational and corporate change in the video industry is at the management level. I imagine that I could make a difference in the broadcast industry with my work experience and an advanced degree. I have experienced a substantial number of managers who were unable to manage people or resources. These individuals can completely derail an organization’s creativity and spirit. I find this behavior baffling in a creative field. As a ceaseless idealist I would encourage unity and inspiration in the individuals I would lead. I would like to cultivate a management style of a cheer leader, a defender and educator and manage people by example by knowing my products and caring about them as individuals.
There is a flip side to my management aspirations, sometimes I just want to be the fly on the wall documentary film maker, a man alone with his camera and sound equipment. Capturing the moment of an event and interviewing “man of the street” style. I believe this kind of film making could only survive in academic circles, which leads me to choose the life of an academic. Teaching the creative process through what I have learned and experienced over the years.
I would have never dreamed I would be a part of NBC Olympics for ten years. I never thought I would travel the world with Sony Corporation. I never would have dreamed I would have Four National Emmy awards. The creative path is a mysterious one. It is not always linear. But if you are driven you eventually get to where you are going.

Bibliography
Brown, Garret, “Bound for Glory, Birth of the Steadicam”. A tribute and study of Steadicam Operators and their work. Steadishots. March 1989. Web. 26 February 2010
Carlsson, Sven E. “Sound Design of Star Wars.” FIlmSound.Org. “n.d.” Web. 26 February 2010
“Headline History Los Angeles County 1963 to 1979”. Los Angeles Almanac. Given Place Media. “n.d.” Web. 23 February 2010
Simon, Herbert A., “Making Management Decisions: the Role of Intuition and Emotion” The Academy of Management Executive (1987) Vol. 1. No. 1 (Feb., 1987), pp. 57-64

Abstract TNS 2

Abstract
Digital cinema: The transformation of film practice and aesthetics argues that digital cinema creates a new freedom in film making, and an intimacy between the actors and director that was never achieved with the older 35mm Hollywood style film technology.
Adam Ganz and Lina Khatib paint an evolutionary path for digital cinema citing Jerry Lewis first use of video assist and Francis Ford Coppola’s Silverfish remote television van as ground breaking technology that enabled directors to use real time choices in their creative ventures. Also, the introduction of smaller and more intimate digital camera equipment unleashed creative alternatives not available to the common Iranian film makers.
According to Ganz and Khatib, the new digital cinema, with its low technology impact and fewer lighting requirements allows the actors be more spontaneous and improves the actor’s ability for improvisation.
The authors successfully demonstrate the effectiveness of digital cinema with two Iranian films, Ten and 20 Fingers. The film makers feel with their new found technological advance they can create “a cinema without a story”. In addition the Iranian director of Ten, Abbas Kiaostami was able to use a high shooting ratio to capture his actor’s improvisation, usually unattainable with the high cost of 35mm film.
To base eight pages of academic work without mentioning that Ten and 20 Fingers was shot using a DV video camera was a disservice to the reader and the authenticity of this scholarly article. On the other hand, Adam Ganz and Lina Khatib wrote an engaging article. If I were a film maker living in Iran I would applaud the directors of Ten and 20 Fingers for creating cinema with the help of a single DV video camera, thereby evading the constraints of Iranian censors.
Bibliography

Ganz, Adam., and Khatib, Lina. “Digital cinema: The transformation of film practice and aesthetics.” New Cinemas: Journal of Contemporary Film Volume 4 Number 1 2006

Abstract TNS

Abstract
In Ellen Sandler’s The TV Writer’s Workbook, A Creative Approach to Television Scripts, the author explains a series of steps and procedures on how to be a successful writer for television.
Writing a television spec script is not the same as writing a spec screen play.
Writing for television is usually related for financial gain and rarely has any artistic value. When you submit a script to a film producer they are looking for a script, an idea or concept but in television, the producers are looking for a writer.
Ellen Sandler’s used actual examples of her work on television shows such as Coach to reinforce what was expected of her as a writer. She also shared her experience with Joseph Papp, reading scripts for $10, noting she was not reading for pleasure, but for story analysis and theatrical potential.
In my reading, Ms. Sandler’s chapter seemed formulaic and she explored some very simple techniques and guide lines that could make or break a spec television script.
The major contribution of this work is, if you have an aptitude for writing, do so. You should write a speculative script about a television program you enjoy watching and is currently in production. If you follow Ms. Sandler’s guide lines on formatting and binding, there is a good chance of becoming a television writer.


Bibliography
Sandler, Ellen. The TV Writer’s Workbook: A Creative Approach to Television Scripts. New York : Bantam Dell, (2007): 13-23

Tucson

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