What & Why Post - Television

Show Title: American’s Next Top Model
Network: CBS
Is this cable or broadcast channel? Broadcast
Is this show in syndication? Yes
Production Company/Movie Studio Involved in Production: 10 by 10 Entertainment
Production Company/Movie Studio Parent Company: Pottle Productions, Ty Ty Baby Productions
Year the Television show began and ended: May 20, 2003- present
Producer (s): Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Anthony Dominici, Kevin Mock, Justin Lacob
Director (s): J. Rupert Thomson (2007-2008), Kevin Mock (2007) Guido Verweven (2005) Claudia Frank (2006-2007)
Writers: Tyra Banks (2003-2007), Kenya Barris (2003-2007), Ken Mok (2003-2007) Steve Danielson (2005-2006)
Stars: Tyra Banks and Judges - J. Alexander (5 - present), Nigel Barker (2 - present), Paulina Porizkova (10 - present), Twiggy (5 – 9), Janice Dickinson (1 - 4), Kimora Lee Simmons (1), Nolé Marin (3 - 4), Eric Nicholson (2), Beau Quillian (1).

Q&A
America’s Next Top Model is a reality show based on the transformations that a number of girls have to go through to became a potential model and compete for the title of America’s Next Top Model. This television program was created by Tyra Banks, former and world-known supermodel and current talk show host. Banks is the executive producer of the show and also is a judge in the competition and elimination of the future models. The girls compete for a modeling contract with a top agency among others prizes. Some of these prizes for the winner include: a fashion spread in Seventeen Magazine, a 100,000 dollar contract with CoverGirl Cosmetics and the great chance to be managed by Elite Model Management. This show is based on finding and determining the capacity of the chosen girl to start her career in the modeling industry by experiencing the pros and cons of the fashion business.
I was introduced to this show when I was in Panama and the cable channel was showing the first season in 2004. I think I start watching it because I love fashion and I always had been in touch with this industry especially because it entertains me and it defines my personal taste.
I think what I like the most about the show is the different ideas involving the photos, catwalks and trips to different countries, because you get to learn so many new things about the fashion world not only in the United States but all around the globe. America’s Next Top Model has many original and artistic ideas during every season. I think I would recommend this show to the people that enjoy fashion as much as I do, and want to learn more about this industry.

View Clip

Remembering Radio’s Golden Age

Info:
First name of the person you interviewed: Oscar
His age: 80 years old
I found him because he is the grandfather of a friend.

Content:
Since the beginnings, radio has changed our modes of communication and entertainment dramatically. Having the chance to interview somebody who has experienced the Golden Age of the Radio is a great opportunity because now I have a clearer idea about this special time in the communication field.
When we started the interview, Mr. Werbiski told me that he started listening to the radio for the first time when he was about 6 or 7 years old. He says that in his family they never sat together to enjoy the radio because his parents had very busy lives, much more than today (now there’s much more luxury time).
He thinks the radio is 100% different from the Golden Age; back in those years the radio stations were just AM (no FM), there was a lot more news information, there used to be much more static, and there wasn’t as many stations.
One of the moments in radio history that he will always remember was the Yankees & Dodgers baseball game in the World series; he says it was really exciting to hear the plays as they happened.
He thinks that the new generation should learn to appreciate and respect more the history and the great memories of that time in history, because he defines it as “clean with no cursing”; they used to understand the music that they were listening to, and also they relied more on the radio for news and important information because they had no television.
I also asked him some other questions that I thought would be interesting to know. I asked what kind of music played on the radio and he said he used to listen to much more country – western music than today. I also asked about the way that life changed when the mode of media changed from the radio to the television. He said that the television became part of their lives and that by having the television you had the chance to see images so it became very popular.
My last question made to him was if he still values the use of the radio in his life and Mr. Werbiski told me that he still values it on the road because it provides assistance (in high-ways that are closed or detours) and it also provides entertainment (like music).
I think that I definitely learned many things during this interview, especially to appreciate and get to know more about the history of our societies because it influences the present and the future. I learned that time changes therefore influencing our life and customs, just as listening to the radio was part of so many memorable and priceless moments of people’s lives.

What &Why – Music/Recordings

Artist: Alex Ubago
Album Name: Que pides tu? (What do you ask for?)
Popular Songs Included: A Gritos de Esperanza - Sabes? - Ahora Que No Estas - Vuelves A Pensar - Sin Miedo a Nada (con Amaia Montero) - Por esta ciudad – No te rindas
Record Label: Warner Music Latina
Year It Was Released: April 1, 2003
Genre: Spanish Pop-Rock


Q&A

Alex Ubago is a pop/rock Spanish singer who came alive and made up one of 2003's best Latin popular music releases.

The first time that I heard his music was when my brother bought his CD and also on TV because he became a great hit all over Europe and Latin America.

The songs in all of his CD’s are very personal and have amazing lyrics that can reach human emotions. He also wrote every single song of this CD becoming one of the best and most preferred singer-songwriters in Spain and Latin America.

My taste in music I think is very diverse especially because of the different cultural influences that I have had during my life; basically, I appreciate hearing very different musical styles, but still I have my own parameters about what I like. Some of the genres that I frequently hear are: Pop, Rock, Reggaeton, Salsa, Bachata, Ballenato and Flamenco. I also love traditional/pop Greek music (Sarbel) and Pop artists such as David Bustamante, Alejandro Sanz, Reik, Luis Miguel, and Ricardo Arjona. My favorite Reggaeton artist is Daddy Yankee; my favorite bachata artist is Aventura. Salsa is a genre I love to dance all the time and I usually listen to artists like Jerry Rivera and Juan Luis Guerra. Ballenato is also a great genre to dance to especially when listening to Fonseca. I also enjoy listening to American music (JoJo, Fergie, Beyonce, Rihanna, One Republic, Lifehouse, 3 Doors Down, etc).

Usually, I hear my music using a CD or MP3 player.

I regularly get my music from iTunes because it’s convenient and easy.

What & Why Post – Movies

Movie Title: PAN’S LABYRINTH (El Laberinto del Fauno)
Movie Studio: PicturehouseOther Movies Made by that Studio: A Dog Year (2007) – Amusement (2008) – As You Like It (2006) – El Cantante (2007) – The Fox & The Child (2008)
Producer (s): Javier Mateos Morillo, Luis Maria Reyes, Belen Atienza
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Writer: Guillermo del Toro
Stars: Maribel Verdu, Ivana Baquero, Doug Jones, Sergi Lopez, Adriadna Gil, Alex Angulo, Roger Cosamajor, Sebastian Haro, Mina Lira, Federico Luppi, Ivan Massague, Chema Ruiz, Manolo Solo, Milo Taboada.



Q&A

Pan’s Labyrinth is a very interesting and imaginative epic, represented as a very unique fairy tale set in Spain of the 1940’s during the postwar repression of Franco’s Spain.
The fairy tale centers on Ofelia, a 10-year-old girl with a lot of imagination and many dreams. The plot begins when Ofelia moves to Navarra with her delicate pregnant mother to meet her stepfather, Capitan Vidal, a very cruel military leader, who controls the area of rebels. She becomes very lonely in that place of suffering and cruelty, so she creates her “own world” with great fantasy and innocence. Until one night, her fantasy world becomes a reality as she is led to an underground labyrinth ruled by a pan, who believes that Ofelia is a princess. She must complete three tasks, all of which are very terrifying. The labyrinth has many magical creatures who lead her through this story. This place becomes a refuge for Ofelia to escape from the terrifying reality in which she leaves.

I saw this movie on DVD and I became interested in watching it because of all the amazing reviews that it received all around the world.

I think this movie has many aspects that I like especially the very thoughtful representation between good and evil; this battle of good and evil is represented through the eyes of this young girl.

I definitely would recommend this movie especially because it has a stellar production with a great realism in a mystical place that makes us believe in the fantasies and see the cruelty of society.

Magazines Controversies: The impact of Images

How much can an image in a magazine affect our vision or the perception of ourselves?

Nowadays, magazines have a very important and valuable place in our societies and especially in our personal lives. Magazines have the advantage of producing a major impact by the images that they show through their pages. I think this is one of the beauties of media today, because we are able to express our thoughts and even illustrate them for better understanding.

Unfortunately, magazines can also impact us in a negative and less productive way; in many cases this occurs because of the images that are shown. One of the main groups of magazine consumers are women, the ones that want to be in touch with trends, beauty products, etc. We have many magazines that base their content on the woman’s image, but in most of the cases they expose women like a "plastic doll" creating a superficial image beyond everything else. This is something very harmful to any woman because are susceptible targets, taking and using a woman’s insecurities as an advantage to sell their articles by putting images of perfect and unrealistic body types, it can affect and depress a woman's emotions and especially her physical health. It’s shown that most of the women that view fashion magazines prefer to weigh less; they are more preoccupied with the desire to be thin.

With this statement I don't whish to say that all of them are the same but I'm explaining how magazines can affect us and impact our ideas.
I think it’s important to have a real vision and not only a false image of our self, but find the real meaning behind every picture.
Helping us to be inspired by them and believe in our own beauty by not judging our physical appearance.

What & Why - Magazines

Magazine Name: VANIDADES (Vanities)
Publisher: Editorial Televisa Internacional
Type of Magazine: Consumer Magazine
Subscription: Yes

Q&A

I had the chance to read this magazine for the first time when I was 12 years old because my mom used to have a big collection of women magazines. She just loves VANIDADES so that is how I stared to interact more with all the entertaining information that this magazine has, especially because Vanidades has become like a guide for every woman’s life. It has the right articles and ideas informing us about everything that is going on in every aspect of our life.

Vanidades (Vanities in English) is one of the most popular Spanish magazines for women today. Vanidades fits into the Consumer Magazine Category because it features the interests and beliefs of the contemporary Latin women, covering beauty products, focusing in the latest trends and methods to make us feel and be seen as how we want to be seen.

Vanidades targets the necessities and beliefs of every woman’s life informing and helping us to be in touch with all the things that we need and we are interested in knowing like: art, culture, fashion trends, beauty, home decor, entertainment (movies, actors, music, etc.). This magazine regularly features articles about traveling and tourism, about the latest movies, nutrition and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

I strongly believe that I'm the target reader because I love being in touch with every aspect of being a women.
In the cover of Vanidades, they always have the best known Latin artist or world personalities that make us more interested about its content.
I would definitely recommend this magazine because is very complete and thoughtful to a woman’s life.

Professor Julie Beard (Guest Speaker)

Professor Julie Beard was our guest speaker this week and it was very interesting and inspiring for me as a Mass Communication student. She introduced us to the importance and impact that Media has in our society. We talked about some controversies and situations in the media today,like the diversity in technology and the importance of being prepared for this career.
One of the main topics that we had the chance to listen to and practice was the news values and how important it is to have in mind all the aspects that make good stories or good news; the impact that it makes in peoples lives, the importance of informative and fresh news, the proximity with the community, being able to get to the human emotion by presenting touching stories; being prepared for the conflicts that could come from the different opinions that people have about certain topics in our society and even include bizarre or unusual situations which can make more entertaining news. All of those are known as the events that we have to be noticing and have in mind in our communication careers.
As a class we also had the chance to decide three top stories as a gatekeeper, which is something interesting. It also showed me the importance of being prepared and taking into account the situations and evens that are going to interest, mpact and inform the public.
I think for me was very interesting the information and the advices that Profesor Julie gave to us, because it make me have a more clear idea bout how the media works.