Blog #4 EOTO Radio

Radios are commonplace in modern life, both in the car and at home. In fact, it would be difficult to find anyone in today's society that has not heard of, viewed, or used a radio at some point in their lives; This hasn't always been the case, especially hundreds of years ago. Even after the radio's creation in the late 1800s, it took a long time for radios to become widespread and a household fixture. The history of radio is intriguing, since it revolutionized how people around the world interacted and communicated over long and short distances.

                                                                        History of the radio

Nikolai Tesla

In the late 1800s, the radio was invented. People were exploring and analyzing it at the time. Although we don't know who invented the radio, Nikolai Tesla demonstrated a wireless radio in St. Louis, Missouri in 1893. 

Guglielmo Marconi

Despite this demonstration, Guglielmo Marconi is widely regarded as the inventor of the radio. Marconi was awarded the very first wireless telegraphy patent in England, securing his spot in radio's history. Tesla, on the other hand, filed for patents in the United States for his basic radio a year later. In 1900, four years after Marconi's invention was issued, his patent request was granted. Regardless of who was behind the creation of the radio, on December 12, 1901, Marconi's place in history was forever sealed when he became the first person to transmit signals across the Atlantic Ocean. 

Radios starting to be used

Radios were mostly used to communicate with ships at sea prior to the 1920s. During WWI, the radio was almost solely used by the military. 

It became an essential tool for delivering and receiving real-time messages to the military without the use of a physical courier. Citizens began to purchase personal radios after the war. Radios began to appear in homes and gradually became essential.  During World War II, the radio played an essential role for both the United States and the United Kingdom. The radio broadcasted military news to the public with the help of journalists. It served as a rallying point for the government in gaining popular support for the war. After the closure of television stations in the United Kingdom, it became the principal source of information. Following WWII, radio stations shifted their focus to "Top 40" music. The popularity of music and radio rose to the point where they became interchangeable. When FM radio stations began to outnumber AM radio stations, new genres of music, such as rock and roll, began to develop.

WW2 Radio

Todays radio

The Radio has evolved far beyond what Tesla or Marconi could have dreamed. Traditional radios and radio transmitting are no longer available.With technology advancing year by year, the radio has evolved to keep up with satellite, music and radio talk shows. Radios are now a staple in vehicles, you most likely won't see a radio not placed in a vehicle. Handheld radios have become crucial in sports, media production, and even commercial aircraft operations because short-range radios have enhanced communications at work sites.

Radio in cars

Blog #12 Final Post

As my Media Law & Literacy class comes to a close, I've gained a wealth of knowledge that I'll put to good use in the future. Despite the fact that we learnt a lot in this class, there was always a consistent theme, which was technology.

Growing up in the age of social media and technology has had both positive and negative consequences. My generation grew up with the introduction of the iPhone, laptops, and social media. Although these advancements have had a great effect on the world, they have also had a negative impact.

Technology's Benefits

I came to High Point University with the intention of majoring in Computer Science, but I despised it. For a time, I dropped that major and went undeclared. When it came time to choose a major, I wanted to choose something in which I excel and am well-versed. Strategic Communication, with a minor in Social Media Marketing, was my choice. Because I grew up in the world of social media, I picked this minor. I've had Instagram when it first launched in 2010. Ever since beginning in 2011, I've had Snapchat as well. I'm familiar with these apps and am aware of trends, so I felt getting this minor would be easy. That is only one of the many ways in which technology has benefited me.

The Negative Aspects of Technology

Clearly, technology has had an impact on my mental health. I'm sure I'd feel a lot better if we didn't have all of these high-tech phones with all of these applications. I have a lot of screen time, which concerns me because it demonstrates how addicted I am to my phone. When I don't have my phone, I feel completely lost. I know I can go without my phone for a long because I went to summer camp without one for 8 weeks, but now I feel like it's the only thing that keeps me calm while it's in my hand. I don't want this thing to have influence over me, and I shouldn't let it, but it's all I've ever known, and that's the sad part. Because I'll be up all night texting my friends or going through my social media apps, technology has had a significant impact on my capacity to sleep at night. I could go on and on about how technology has harmed me, but I believe sleep is the most significant. I used to be able to go to bed by 10:15-10:30PM in high school, but since starting college, the earliest I've gone to sleep was 11:30PM. It's unfortunate that I let my phone dictate my life; nevertheless, writing about it has served as a wake-up call.

Is My Relationship with Technology Healthy?

I consider this subject on a regular basis because I rely on technology for a variety of tasks, but it all comes down to how I utilize it. When it comes to academics, I have a healthy relationship with technology because I rely on my laptop for everything. It's needed for me to write papers, take exams, and so much more. I believe it is healthy for my future because I want to be a social media manager/marketer, and I know I'll need my laptop to schedule social media content, create content, and send emails. Those are two of the most important reasons for me to believe I have a positive connection with technology.When it comes to social media, though, I believe I have a negative connection with technology. It has a significant impact on my sleep and overall mental health. It has complete influence over me; whenever I receive a notification, I have to check it to see who sent it. 

I've gradually begun to reduce my technology usage and become less reliant on my phone. For example, I've started setting my phone to "Do not disturb," which prevents any notifications from making a noise or appearing on the screen. This has given me more control over how and when I use my phone. It's disturbing to think about all the negative effects technology has had on me after publishing this blog. I intend to try to correct it, and I will.

Blog Post #3 Eight Values of Free Expression- Individual Self-Fulfillment

Personally, the First Amendment is one of the most important rights we as Americans have. We are so lucky to have the First Amendment because it protects us from what we say. One of the Eight Values of Free Expression that resonates to me the most is Individual Self-Fulfillment.

What is Individual Self-Fulfillment?

It basically means that free speech allows us to be who we are. It helps us express ourselves and promotes our identity.

Why it's important to me:

Everyone has the right to express themselves they way they want to be seen. Luckily the First Amendment comes to hand in protecting the rights of individuals when they are expressing themselves. Individual Self-Fulfillment indicates that when we express ourselves it creates a path of recognition and identification of ourselves. The government cannot stop us from the way we express ourselves or the opinions we have. That's what makes Americans rights so special. Unlike many other countries we aren't forced to believe one thing without having an option on another. This is why Individual Self-Fulfillment is so important to me. We have the freedom to express ourselves the way we want and have our own opinions without being shut out.

Why I find it personal:

Growing up in a household with an Italian Dad and Jewish Mom changed the way I spoke and perceived things. Especially living on Long Island. I am not saying that I cussed but it changed the way I expressed myself. Italians are loud, I got that from my Dad. Even though my parents were both brought up differently, it shaped the way I am. This has made me more confident in the way I speak to others, and has helped me find my identity. As I got older I becoming more educated with what is happening around the world. It has shifted my opinions and I'm proud to be able to think the way I want without being stopped. It is important for us to have a voice and share it.

How it affects today:

The 2020 election was one of the most the most important election for me because I was of age to vote for the first time. As Americans we are allowed to have our own opinions. When I shared on Social Media who I wanted to win, I lost followers and got yelled at by people who didn't have the same opinion as me. It is totally fine to share different views but when you take it to a different level and get called words that don't define you, that's when I have a problem with Individual Self-Fulfillment. I am here for sharing our own opinions, I don't judge anyone or will "unfollow them." But it is important to express ourselves and if people are shutting others out because their beliefs don't align, then that isn't right. There has been many societal issues for the last 2 years and we should have the right to communicate our opinions without being shut out by people. It is sad that we are being judged from other Americans for just our beliefs. The Constitution has created our freedom to be able to express ourselves, it shouldn't create unnecessary problems.

We are so lucky to be given the First Amendment. Out of all of the Eight Values of Free Expression, I value Individual Self-Fulfillment the most.

Blog Post #2 Supreme Court

1. What did you learn about the Supreme Court that you didn't already know?

    I don't remember a lot of what I have learned in High School when speaking about the Supreme Court. This video has made me remember a lot of what I have learned but I don't remember learning that the Justices can switch sides during difficult cases. I thought they were suppose to have one stance and that's what they are believing in and going with. Since they do have the ability to switch sides I think that is great because it shows more of a perspective to what's going on and that the Justice is really taking into consideration all of the details.

2. What is the most important take-away point about the Supreme Court?

    The most important take-away point about the Supreme Court was that they all respect each other even though they may believe differently. Justice John Paul Stevens states, "We disagree as you know on very fundamental things from time to time, but we really all share the same basic objectives and we all respect one another's good faith in trying to achieve that overall objective." It's important to know that even though they may not share the same values, they still respect each other because they are all trying to do the same objective.

3. What was the most surprising thing you learned?

    What surprised me was the process of the Supreme Court Justices receiving the cases. It's done in such an organized and routined way. It was interesting to see how many cases they receive, and how many cases they have to go through per week, and the process of receiving the cases.

4. How did the video change the way you thought of the Supreme Court?

    The video changes the way I thought of the Supreme Court because even though I have learned about it in my classes in High School, I didn't think that they were such a big deal. Now 3 years later and paying attention to the media has definitely shifted my thoughts of the Supreme Court. This video has too. In High School we didn't really dive deep into the Supreme Court and this video intrigued my interest in the Justices because I was actually listening to them speak. When they are sharing their perspectives on the constitution it is so interesting and brings a lot of honor to the rights we have today.

Blog Post #1 My Top 5 Favorite News Sources

I am the type of person that likes to follow what's happening around the world or keep up to date with trends. It's important for me to receive this information, so I am not questioning anything or being confused. Below are my favorite news sources:

Fox News: 

I tend to frequently use Fox News for all political information. I trust this news source more than most when it comes to politics. I find them very trust worthy and credible. Although people may think Fox is "one-sided," I prefer to listen to what my view is, and I find the information more compelling. I also use Fox for other sources of news, such as the weather. 

E-News:

      E-News is my go to news source when it comes to following up with my favorite celebrities. I love reading celebrity news because it's entertaining and I like catching up with my favorite celebrities. E-News also used to stream "Keeping Up With The Kardashians," so I would usually go on their website to see the latest news on them as well.

 

Daily Mail via Snapchat

Daily Mail is one of my favorite news sources because not only does it keep me updated with news around the world, it also keeps me updated with entertainment as well. It's a UK news source, but since it's on Snapchat, I use it often because it's right there on the app. I find out the latest news about celebrities and influencers while also finding out what's going on in the world.

News 12 Long Island

As a kid, I watched News 12 because it was my local news at home. I love News 12 because it informs me of what's going on in my neighborhood and the towns around me. News 12 is informative with local news and sports news as well. When I come home from school, I watch News 12 to learn about what's happening in my town or other towns. It also keeps me up to date with crime. Even though crime does not regularly happen around me, it is informative to know which places around Long Island I should be careful of.

Twitter Explore

Twitter has been one of my most used social media apps. Not only for tweeting, but also for keeping up with the news.On Twitter's Explore page, it shows the most recent and most popular news that is happening. What I really find handy about Twitter is that you can find information fast. For example, when Instagram or Snapchat is down, I go to Twitter and search for Snapchat or Instagram, and they are tweeting that their app is down. It is helpful to find that information fast, so I am not waiting for it to come out from other sources.