Purple Rain in Michigan

Prince may arguably be the one who changed how we view gender through music. Dirty Mind, Prince’s third studio album was released in 1980 and over the course of the years his image grew. The image of feminized masculinity seeped through the minds of American culture. It was clear to everyone that he was indeed royalty and that he did not fit into the skewed view of the common male in America.

Most other African American men with pop hits in the 70s and 80s were nothing like Prince. Artists like Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder definitely played it safe when it came to music. Not saying that they weren’t amazing artists but they just were not anywhere near Prince’s level.  They weren’t rule bending, non-confrontational, and weren’t eyeliner obsessed: Prince had that all and more. He had his own category and was trying to redefine what being a gay African- American male pop artist was all about.

The mark he was trying to make was there for everyone to see. On the back of his album, Dirty Mind, he posed in high black tights, little bikini briefs, dressed like a pin-up girl. For the front cover of his 1981 Controversy album he was actually pretty covered up but his faced was still caked on with makeup. On Parade, from 1986 he was wearing a crop top and then in 1988 he was on the cover of Lovesexy posing nude. All of these images were meant to make a statement, to have a shock value, to affect the public in whatever way one were to perceive it.
Photo Credits:Pintrest.com

He got all this attention for being so bold and different, good and bad. He became the main figure for uniting all different types of people, but at one point it all got to him. And as a result of this his album Controversy was released. A confused artist who was unsure of himself, “Am I black or white? Am I straight or gay?”. Once Purple Rain was released we heard a famous lyric of his, “I’m not a woman, I’m not a man/ I am something that you’ll never understand.” Whether or not he knew what to define himself it didn’t matter, and that it shouldn’t matter to anyone else.

Prince was all about the connections he made with people. He did this through his music, fashion, lyrics and his dance moves. He was a distraction, a problem and a solution but always searching for satisfaction. Each of his songs were all apart of one big picture. That being, he is after all just a man and a normal person, no different from you and me if you just look past the crop tops, the mascara and blush.

Prince’s mark he left on today’s society has been so beneficial. His message speaks to so many young people of our generation. He wanted people to know that you don’t have to label yourself, to be comfortable with who you are in your own skin and for people to realize that being gay or bisexual or anything in between should not affect how people perceive you. We need more people in today’s society like Prince, someone that isn’t afraid to make a statement and being a strong figure in media for people to look up to. Celebrities have so much power to make such a difference but so many of them don’t choose to use it in the right way.

by McKenna Marchant


works cited

Are These "Challenges" Really Challenges?

Another blog site, Journalistics, made a post about challenges journalists face in this day of age. It stated many different points that some could see as issues. Others could question, are they really challenges?

The blog gave some points such as the problem of having to "write content across multiple formats." This isn't necessarily a challenge. They also talk about how lay-offs are often in this industry. Going back to that "issue" of writing in different platforms, like print and online, they would be contradictory of each other. Usually, there are many jobs within this field for that specific reason of having different aspects of broadcasting the information. There are those who handle the online writing, the social media accounts and so on. Therefore, jobs would need to be filled in order to cover all the areas media news is given to the public.

It also stated the idea that dealing with the constantly changing media is a problem. It's not a problem, it's the job. That's what makes it fun; there's always something new. If the rapidly changing industry wasn't advancing often, no one would watch and the news wouldn't be a thing. That's what the job is and that's what the world loves, new information at the click of a button. 

There are bigger problems that face this industry than these few "challenges" the blog has listed. What they see as problems, others see as a job someone signed up for. Like any job, there are challenges that need to be faced.

Click here to view the blog. 

by Tony Black

Article Marketing and Great Tips

While researching on new topics about the Marketing Industry I’ve come across a very interesting topic which gives us tips on how to improve marketing skills in different categories. This article goes into detail about what article marketing is and its importance. Article Marketing is a type of advertising in which companies write and distribute short articles to a range of outlets such as article banks, forums, and newsletter publishers. Article marketing is also one of the most least costly ways to market a company. 

Multiple benefits comes from Article marketing such as; free to complete the task at hand, brings in more consumers to your company’s website and/or blog, and you can enhance your website’s search engine optimization and backlists. Article marketing should be used with different marketing strategies such as video marketing, pay-per-click advertising, search engine and more to bring in more consumer satisfaction and profit to the company. 

In the online article it goes over what the authors top 10 Article marketing tips are which includes; developing a marketing plan where you include your mission, vision, goals, target market, and what you are trying to accomplish. Keyword research by visiting different websites to find words that are in high demand but little competition. Write good articles that has a distinct purpose, upload completed articles to major article directories, outsourcing, original content, article length, author bio, have a catchy title and article submission software. Having and improving these attributes you are on the right track to successfully use the method of article marketing. 

In conclusion, I do enjoy how the author went about getting his opinion across to the audience and explaining what article marketing is and its importance. He also explains that when you pair article marketing with other types of marketing techniques you will have a greater outcome when selling products. The author then goes about sharing his final thoughts on his favorite marketing tips and how this method of marketing has a great impact in that industry today. 

For more information about this topic please visit online article by clicking here.

     

by: Erica Montgomery 

Media Deception

When dealing with the media, you have to know that nothing is spontaneous. Whether making an

advertisement or recording a famous celebrity walking down the street, everything is set up on 

purpose. Everything was planned out in order to catch the attention of the audience. Rappers blow up, 

enjoy the fame, wild out on television then have a perfectly timed crash and burn when the statistics 

say he/she isn't relevant anymore. Publicity is the name is the game! 

For example, when Rihanna showed the news 

that she was being beat by Chris brown, 

everyone was in complete shock and disbelief.

Everyone was talking about it but when the

flames died down after a while, everyone

basically forgave Chris brown.

Everything you may see on your television is set up so that you are hand fed information that 

someone wants you to know. So anytime you see your favorite celebrity having a meltdown or 

beefing with another artist, just know that you are being spoon fed a big publicity stunt.


by Justin Woods

Telling A Story To The Public

One of the most important skills a journalist needs to know is to tell a story. Turning a happy moment, a historic event, or a tragic death to the public in only the way you can.

Most recently on September 26th, 2016 I watched reports one after another tell a story. A story about a young up and coming pitcher in the MLB. That man was named Jose Fernandez. Sadly at the age of 24 Jose died from a boating accident in the middle of the night. It was not until the sun came up on September 25th when the world found out of this tragic event. Me being a sports fan i was deeply saddened.

But for this blog I looked at this sad event from a different perspective. To do this I watched every sports network that I know would be covering this event to view how each analyst and reporter told their story of this tragic event.

What I found out was not what I expected. Each story was completely different from the last. Not only did each story just recap what happened to Jose but each reporter had a different experience being around him and bringing those stories to the public is what makes a tragic news story remarkable.

http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/mlb/players/full/32567.png&w=350&h=254

by Justin Frommer

Prompt #7 - Recreation Center Controversy

Issues arose in Ann Arbor due to a recreation center showing political issues Fox News aired on the TV’s in the center. A couple joined the center and did not like that they showed this station on four out of the twelves televisions. Fox News is no different than any other news stations when it comes to what they need to do. Fox News, along with CNN and other big news networks, are broadcasted to inform the public about current topics and issues that develop locally and nationally.

One side of the issue could be that Fox News favors one side of the political scale over the other and, because of that, it could offend some. The couple was unhappy because the news station seemed to lean to the Democratic side of the spectrum. Either is it true Fox favors Democrats, or the couple just viewed it as offensive because of their Liberal views. On the other side, Fox News could just be addressing the current talk of the political topics. They are supposed to inform the public about what is new in the nation and within the government. The station is doing their job; some may like it, some may not.

This type of issue can arise from anything that is shown on TV, not just news stations. It is all about how the public views it. Some people may view a certain topic, like the political debates, as informative and influential. Others could see them as pointless, unfair and unnecessary to show and tell to the public. It is hard to pinpoint how an issue like this can be viewed because people all have different views and opinions.

The couple did not like the fact that the center aired so much Fox News and, in fact, did not want it on at all. While they viewed it as a problem, others did not care and liked having the station on to learn what is new in the country.

Click here to view the article

by Tony Black

Vinyl Are Here to Stay

Vinyl, an analogue sound storage medium in the form of a flat polyvinyl chloride disk with an inscribed modulated spiral grove. One of the most classic forms of music. Vinyl music is the realest and most authentic forms of ones sound.

My dad has a huge record collection, so when I was growing up he would always show me all of his different albums that he has on vinyl. We would always go to record stores by us, trying finding new music to listen to each week. And as I got older that influenced me to do the same. Now my room is like a library of records, and I hope that it keeps expanding. I personally prefer listening to music on vinyl rather than music steamed online. I like it better because you can hear what a band sounds like in their purest form, nothing edited. It’s all so raw. Something about getting an album on vinyl, unwrapping it, and seeing the art that goes with it is so amazing and rewarding to me. And now that there has been a sudden spark in interest for listening to music on these pressed platforms is so awesome to see.

For about a decade vinyl records were a form of the past, no one really used records as form of listening to music. They were just a reminder of technological advances. But now, there has been a comeback for the vinyl record industry. They're no longer a forgotten form of music. Now in 2016 they can be even found in grocery stores, not just at a record store. The demand for vinyl records have reached an all time high. According to Huffington Post, record sales reached their highest levels since 1988 and created more revenue than online streaming platforms.

It seems that when the discussion about vinyl and the medias place in our society the talk about hipsters usually comes up. There is a lot of talk about young people buying turn tables from popular stores like Urban Outfitters to give them that indie aesthetic. And quiet honestly that may even be true. Sometimes we get non-educated people buying records for ridiculous prices because they don't know any better. But then again looking at the other side of this could actually benefit independent record stores. The record stores we love aren't going to be there anymore if no one buys the records, so why wouldn't we want everyone buying records. I’m cool with “hipsters” being into vinyl for two reasons. First being that I have an easier access on getting new parts for my turntable or even a new turntable (if needed) without having to look hard on the internet for decent materials. And second, once vinyl stops being the “cool thing”, people are gonna donate their record and us vinyl lovers are going to have a field day.

In the increasing digital world, its not just the charm and soul in the retro sound of wax but also the art that comes with it. Music and art has always come hand in hand, both are not only for personal enjoyment but are also representations of ourselves and can be a way for how other people us. Ones choice of music can be very defining and displaying these choices makes our identities more real.

by McKenna Marchant

#8 Practicing your knowledge

Upon arrival at Michigan State, I found it quite easy to market myself and spread word of my photography and videography skills. Once word got out, I was asked by a few of my peers to come and document  the first divine nine yard show of the year. Once in the field I recognized the difficulty of actually recording this show. There were plenty of factors that were in the way of recording such as the fact that I was never actually officially appointed as videographer for the event. This fact alone led people to question, “Who is this freshman in the middle of the show and in the way of these fine ass boys dancing everywhere.”I was yelled at and even shoved out of the way. I passed out about 40 business cards and after all of l this, I get home and spend 4 hours editing the video. I announced to everyone that the video would be posted the following day at 6 but waited to 6:30. As soon as I post it, Youtube automatically takes it down because the song I used over the video was copyrighted. Great.

At this point everyone is disappointed and calling me a liar in my social media direct messages. I’m ready to throw my laptop out of the window because now I feel totally discouraged and embarrassed. I decide to reupload the video, this time with just an instrumental so I don’t run into any copyright problems again. After the video is uploaded, I got tons of praise and acknowledgment from the fraternities and sororities as well as a few bookings for future shoots. After all this I was pretty thoroughly stressed out but content.

I don’t feel like any class you could ever take on the art of videography could train you to deal with the amount of stress/pressure people put on you to release good products without distraction and be prompt while doing so. This experience showed me that people expect a lot more from you in terms of quality of your craft and the way in which you conduct it.

Link to video of the MSU 2016 yard show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlMgya_Ocus

by Justin Woods

The 4 Big Benefits of Having a Digital Marketing Career

Over the past week I’ve come across a very interesting online article expressing what they believe is “ The 4 Big Benefits of Having a Digital Marketing Career”. While reading this article I learned new facts, perspectives, and outcomes that this job market has to offer.

According to the article, digital marketing skills are in high demand. With having this skill you are presented with a very large selection of careers through the job market.  A lot of companies are now putting more focus on digital marketing then ever before. When working in digital marketing fields you have become an in-demand professional. It was recored that around 150,000 digital jobs predicted by 2020 and not enough qualified workers to fill those positions. This career path will benefit from having more career choices available to them and with this digital marketers can afford to be choosy about where they would like to work. It was also stated in the article that digital marketers gets paid more than their peers, in a recent study by Prosperity it was concluded that digital salaries are rising faster in 2014 than in the previous five years. Another benefit would be that you can kickstart your own career. In the digital marketing world you are provided with a host of opportunities to kickstart your own career before you go into the work place. Invest in creating a strong social media platform and even create your own blog. By showcasing your talents on the internet you are able to get ahead of your peers.


In conclusion, I believe that this article gave valuable facts and a different perspective on the digital marketing world. Marketing careers are on the rise and this article brought to light the importance of marketers in society as a whole.

For more information on this article click here.


by: Erica Montgomery 

It's One Big Scam

One of the biggest responsibilities and jobs for a manager in the music business is to keep the artist happy and their fans. They have to look at all aspects whether that is working on the business side or personal side of both parties. In this case we are looking at the business side of the new music economy . This article focuses on online music streaming websites, fans experiences with online ticket touting, and how much damage this has done to both the businesses and the fans.

Record labels have been transitioning and turning to online websites like Spotify and Apple Music to allow users to listen to music online. The outcome of these online sites have only been good thus far, and the users have such an open and wide access to music at such a small cost. But now the industry has to compete with other illegal websites that are streaming music, ultimately hurting that side of their economy.

Even though it only plays a small part, it does contribute to one big problem. Those websites play a similar role as to those second and third party ticket sellers.

Artists, record labels and publishers are being scammed out of their money from ticket resellers.

The main focus still is one thing: the fan. They are what keeps the music industry going.

For a band or artist, keeping your current fan base happy and trying to expand that group is the ultimate goal. Fans want the experience of seeing their favorite band at a live show for a more intimate and personal feel of the music. But when it comes to actually purchasing these tickets for concerts it becomes pretty difficult for the buyer due to ticket touts.

Ticket touts is another term used for scalpers, someone who are involved in reselling tickets for more than the face value of the ticket.

When tickets go on sale it has been shown that other sites like StubHub buy a large portion of the quantity of tickets that are actually being sold. So when the customer goes to buy those tickets, often time it gets sold out very quickly. Leaving them no other choice than to buy from resellers like StubHub who have raised prices.

StubHub is an online marketplace owned by eBay, which provides services for buyers and sellers of tickets for sports, concerts, theater and other live entertainment events.

The chart below shows how much StubHub has made in revenue

picture credits: musicbusinessworld.com

I have actually personally experienced this myself many time. For instance, one time one of my favorite bands announced that they were having a show in Los Angeles and that tickets would be going on sale on a Wednesday at 10 AM. So I got on my computer at 9:45 to make sure I wasn’t late on getting tickets, in fear of them selling out. So at 10, I was on their website, about to add tickets into my cart and before I knew it the tickets were sold out, within one minute. The face value of the tickets were listed at $45, but on StubHub they were listed for over $200. I decided to wait awhile in hopes that the prices would go down, but they didn’t. They just got higher. I ended up caving in and actually buying tickets for about $230.

These online ticket touts know that the consumers get desperate and ultimately give in and end up paying a ridiculous amount.

Some argue that this is “supply and demand in action.” But this whole system of buying and reselling tickets is just rigged.

In the article, they give a more specific example. It says “On Mumford & Sons last 16-date arena tour of the US in April 2016 we estimate that $3m went into the pockets of scalpers and secondary sites.” And all of that money taken from customers doesn’t even go back to the band or those promoting the concerts.

If that $3m “value gap” was created after a 3 week tour, I can’t even imagine how much money ticket touts make from artists on a year long tour.

At one of Mumfords’ shows they put 500 tickets at the door to be bought to disturb scalpers. Doing this was only a short term answer to solve the problem. But for long term, there isn’t one.

By McKenna Marchant

An Experience For A Lifetime

I never thought I would have an opportunity to work in the journalism field my first year on campus. And even if I did I never would have thought that my first college assignment would be traveling to South Bend, Indiana to watch my Michigan State Spartans take on one of the school’s oldest rivals, The Notre Dame Fightin Irish. The day started off at tailgate central My first assignment was to go around and interview and record fans from both sides of the rivalry about their tailgating experience, their experience in the rivalry, and what they were expecting and looking forward for in the day. The game would soon began so I got my credential and headed up to the press box.

The experience in there was unbelievable. Watching the game from a different angle than a regular fan and getting insight from different beat writers from both sides of the game on how they see the action and translate it to a news article. The amount of famous people I meant up there was surreal. My favorite was being able to shake Zubin Mehenti’s hand, one of my favorite ESPN anchors.

After the game ended, with an MSU win of course, we headed down to the press room and I had the opportunity to listen and ask Notre Dame head coach, Brian Kelly, as well as Michigan State’s head coach, Mark Dantonio post game questions. After their pressor was over I headed over to the Michigan State side of the facility to interview some of the star plays of the game. I was able to get in a couple questions to both Wide Receiver Donnie Corley, and Linebacker Riley Bullough.

The experience I had in South Bend will be remembered forever. The amount of opportunities and experience in the journalism field that I got is very rare for a college freshman. Being able to see how beat writers up in the press box are able to translate what they see in the game to a news article for the public to read was amazing. I can not wait for my next opportunity.    

                                                       
                     by Justin Frommer

Not the Worst Jobs of 2016

I’ve read a recent article called “The Worst Jobs of 2016” and it talked about how broadcasters, along with other journalistic careers, were ranked at the bottom. I learned that some of the most important jobs aren't appreciated as much as they should be because the public doesn't realize how much it's valued. Reading this shocked me for many reasons. I keep asking myself how they could be ranked so low. Without broadcaster and newspaper reporters, how could anyone find out what’s happening in our world? I don’t think people realize how important those careers are. When one turns on CNN or Fox News or any other news channel, they learn about what’s new in our world, what’s going wrong, and what good things are happening. Without them, we wouldn’t know anything; we would live in the dust.

It might just be me who believes what I’m saying because I’d like to be a broadcaster, but I think those jobs were ranked wrong. If it weren’t for those types of jobs, how would we know what ISIS is doing and what they’ve done? How would we have been informed of the attacks that occurred on 9/11? I’m not saying these are the most important jobs in the world, but I don’t believe they’re last. As technology advances, I believe these jobs do too. There will always be newspapers, TV news, and even online news articles. No matter how this country changes, those jobs will always be there and always be very important to society, even if they don’t realize it. I don’t agree with that article at all. I think they should be ranked way higher than they have been placed. America has forgotten who they rely on for the most recent news and it’s time to change that.

by Tony Black