All in the Family Vs. Modern Family

Although both "All in the Family" (AF) and "Modern Family" (MF) are both successful sitcoms, there are clearly differences between them, mainly because of the time period they first started airing. This factor affects the characters as well as the content of the show. Yet the underlying messages of both shows may be more similar than audiences would think.

While both sitcoms center around the family and what goes on within the family home, the cast of characters widely contrast each other. In AF, the Bunkers are the typical, middle-class Caucasian family who live in New York. Archie, the father, is the channeled ignorant bigot, whose constantly reinforced as a manly-man racist who shuns at progressiveness. His wife is apparently an idiot, but is kind-hearted. His daughter and son-in-law both represent the "newer" generation and are seen as having more taste and a more liberal nature.

On the other hand, MF surrounds the three different immediate families, who are overall one big, loving family, residing in California: The suburban, well-off family, the multi-cultural family and the gay family, consisting of two fathers and an adopted daughter.

Also, other than their completely different comedy stiles, the shows are filmed differently. AF is filmed in traditional sitcom style, breaking the fourth wall at times. Whereas MF is filmed mockumentary style.

Yet, the writers of the show have similar underlying messages. In AF, the creator of the show wanted to challenge the audience and ultimately make them question the older generation, which Archie represented. In terms of race and sexuality, the creator wanted audiences to think about equality in society. MF takes it a step further. They let audiences accept the different types of families and establish it as the contemporary norm, throwing out prejudice.

Both shows dealt with homosexuality, but portrayed it at different levels. In AF, Archie complains about his son-in-law's friend being "fairy," and in the end he leans that one of his own friends is actually gay. Archie's bigoted opinion of homosexuality is meant for people to laugh at.Yet in MF, the two gay main characters are generally accepted by society, and its their own insecurities that make it funny to audiences.

Still, race, at least in the episode I watched, was not brought up as much in AF. They didn't seem to outright deal with race, unless it focused on Archie's racism. But even that, only the African-American culture was featured in the show, not other vast minorities. In MF, the show deals with a Columbian wife, who makes her culture apparent, in both her dialogue as well as plot lines. They really delve/make fun of these stereotypes of strong, latina women that AF wasn't even close to covering.

Technological Change: Progress = Success?

Orson Wells

With technological change, the social and media changes embedded in "radio days" was inevitable. Much like the rise of internet and its fresher take on music consumption (Pandora and Groove Shark to name a few), audiences back in the 1920s had access to an easier way to consume media. Without technological change, being the building blocks of the radio industry, the government would not have anything to regulate and consumer demand would not exist. To technological entrepreneurs, such as Guglielmo Marconi, technological change is necessary to further society successfully.

Technological change acted as a locomotive, since it helped the radio industry become more accessible to an eclectic audience - from the middle-class workers to the elite-socialites. With the rise of FM radio, the accessibility became even more apparent. Yet it was diversifying the content at the same time, having social and cultural effects. With FM being able to travel 30 miles within range and with the ability of 20 FM stations to broadcast over many cities, people in cities had more of a variety to choose from. Shown thoroughly in Radio Days, what was featured on the popular shows became a market success. It would not be possible though, if technology hadn't evolutionized.

Furthermore, this ability to reach more consumers definitely shaped the way companies targeted their niche markets. In lecture, commercial broadcasting, which is basically sponsors selling consumer goods on-air, was touched on. Without the change in the technology that allows companies to exercise this type of brand marketing, a huge majority of radio shows would not exist in the 1920s (and integrated advertising would not have developed.) The programs and the products' sponsorship went hand-in-hand, such as in the radio to television program, Ozzie and Harriet. Today, commercial broadcasting is still apparent, its just the products sold and the music its combined with that's different.

Social Learning: The rise of Jackass

The concept of social learning has definitely put the popularity of "Jackass," the Johnny Knoxville stunt and practical-joke show into perspective for me. According to the textbook, social learning is how media effects one's behavior to imitate what they see in media. The example given is Bandura's Bobo doll experiment, where children watch as a model acts violently toward a Bobo doll and then rewarded with a prize afterwards. This then influences the children to act violently, imitating the video they saw, in order to receive a reward.

To further explain social learning, we allow the media to influence our behavior because of the outcomes we expect after acting a certain way.

Jackass, which first aired in 2000, has had been under scrutiny ever since. This is mainly because younger boys and fans of the show started to imitate the random, dangerous and violent acts that were on the show. In one show, Johnny Knoxville allows little children to shoot him in the privates with paintball guns and in another episode, he lights himself on fire. Two children suffered serious injuries after trying to copy-cat the latter stunt.

In comparison to the Bobo doll study, the boys who imitated the stunts sought attention (such as the kids seeking treats) and saw it as a way to gain recognition as jokesters, much like the Jackass crew. Through social learning, they saw how much popularity and laughs the Jackass cast received and wanted to repeat that outcome. The violence in both the Bobo doll study and the Jackass imitations are very pertinent to each other.

Below is just a sample of the many Jackass imitators that tried to leave the same mark on YouTube as Johnny Knoxville left on TV.

Post #2: Framing In Axe Commercials

Framing undertones many advertisements in today's culture, which shapes the consumer's idea of "society norms."

Dominating groups' use of the media in order to push certain ideas onto subordinate groups (consumers) is embedded in both framing and agenda setting. Dominating groups' (such as big advertising agencies and media conglomerates) tendencies are not just limited to advertisements, but are embedded in the news, entertainment industry and even in a school's curriculum. Branding these ideas are necessary in setting their agenda, or what they want the consumer to think in order for them to purchase their products.

The AXE brand has succeeded. It's hard to turn on the TV or click on a website nowadays and not watch their "Hair Action" Ads. The basic gist of these commercials is that women will notice and immediately lust over men who use AXE products, pretty much throwing themselves at them. The "normal" ideas reinforced include: 1. Hygiene and male grooming are essential in order to have any sort of sexual contact with a female. 2. Girls are easy to fall in lust with guys that have styled hair. And they're promiscious.  3. It's okay for the typical males to go from girl-to-girl in a short span of time.

In addition to reinforcing the idea of guys being a "ladies' man," AXE commercials may offend women consumers, especially with this ad:



What does it say about women? That in society, women are very fickle and get bored easily with men, but sexually they like men who are transit and always changing. Therefore, men need to buy AXE products in order to keep their women interested.

Axe frames these genders stereotypes for the sake of their business.