TOPICS for Marootian Final:
1) Children’s Programming (Nickelodeon, Disney, PBS) and gender, race,
ethnic stereotyping, violence. Children targeted media as a profitable
market. What do you notice? Make an argument.
2) Compare/contrast American made films with non-American films. You
may also choose another media genre: print advertisements/commercials,
game shows, sitcoms, etc. What do you notice? Make an argument.
3) Research the Media Monopoly: collaboration, cross promotion and
cross marketing. Provide research and analysis of consolidation of
corporate control of media and its social, political, economic and
cultural effects.
4) Research Political “smear campaigns,” spin, VNRs, etc. How does the
government use/abuse media for their own benefit?
5) Research the Corporate Takeover of the Music Industry. Take a look
into the history of Napster, iTunes, LimeWire, current trends. Research
Clear Channel and its effects on music.
6) Research Reality TV: history, current trends, and future. How real is
reality TV? Why is it so appealing both to producers and audiences alike?
From Jersey Shore, to Survivor to Apprentice to the Bachelor.
7. Research the Influence of MTV: How does Music Television
influence the generation? In what ways is it positive? In what ways is it
negative?
8) Research Games Shows: Throughout the history of television, game
shows have been a consistent form of entertainment for audiences and
profitable market for producers. Research the vast variety of shows and
from the past and the present. Why are they so appealing? How have
they changed over the years and how have they remained the same. What
do you foresee for games in the future. Support your speculations. What
was the great Game show scandal?
.
9) FCC and the Telecommunications Acts. Research and explain what
both are. To whom do/should the airwaves belong? Who benefits from
the Telecommunication Acts? Should it be this way?
10) Research Feminine Representation. Examine the history of
representations of women in the media. Has it changed? Have the
changes been good or bad for women? Consider women and violence,
weight, power, dumb blonde, as little girl and other stereotypes).
11) Research Masculine Representation. Examine the history of
representations of men in the media. Has it changed? Have the changes
been good or bad for men? Consider men and violence, athletics, body
image, wealth, looks, power, intellect, and other stereotypes).
12) Research Ideals of Beauty. How have the media shaped views of what
is “beautiful” throughput history?
13) Research the Media Representation of the Handicapped. Explore
media’s representation (or lack of representation) of the handicapped?
How would you judge it? Has it helped provoke compassion or abuse for
handicapped people?
13) Research the Representation of the History of any Marginalized or
Stereotyped Group: the working class, the elderly, teenagers, police, etc.
How has it changed? How has it remained the same?
14) Ethnic stereotyping: Representation of Latinos, Blacks, Asians,
Italians, etc. Examine the history of media representation, the elements
of the stereotypes and the progress or lack of progress/development of
the image of the group over the years.
15) Research the History of the Representation of the American Family.
From Leave IT to Beaver and MY Three Sons or Father Knows Best to
Roseanne, All in the Family, Married with Children, Malcolm in the
Middle and Modern Family, beyond. Compare and contrast. What has
changed? What has remained the same?
16) Research the Video Game Violence Debate. Research the history of
video games and the issue of violence in video games. Use clips and
research to support a well-organized position.
17) Research the History and Current Trends of the Representation of
Homosexuality. Explore the past and the present. Make informed and
substantiated speculations about the future based on your research.
18) Research the History of the Advertising and Marketing of a
Particular Product. For example, how does as McDonalds, Burger King,
Pepsi, Target, sell their product?
19) Come up with your own media related topic! (To be approve