The Golden Arches

     Golden arches, vibrant colors, and fast service is what has made McDonalds who they are today; a multimillion dollar company.  When people think about an organization that has achieved success, they should take a look at how McDonalds started.  It was McDonalds, who put fast food on the market and gave millions of people a place to dine for an inexpensive price.  McDonalds provided advertising and marketing for their product, which one them popularity all over the world.   It is also known for lawsuits that indicate their misleading production of sales.  Regardless of evidence presented against McDonalds, it is still the most popular fast food chain to date.  


     McDonalds started with two brothers, Richard “Dick” McDonald and Maurice “Mac” McDonald.  The brothers noticed how popular the food industry was, and decided to take their loan of $5,000.00 and buy a hot dog stand (McGrath).  A few years after seeing how much of a profit they made, the McDonalds brothers moved to San Bernardino and opened McDonalds Barbeque.  Wanting a faster way to get their food out to the customers, Richard and Maurice swapped out indoor seating and various items off the menu, and decided to have a more machine based kitchen with only a few items on the menu.  By doing this, the McDonald brothers saved a good amount of money, and kept the customers happy.

     Seeing how beneficial partnering with the McDonald brothers could be, Ray Kroc, a travelling milkshake mixer salesman, pitched his franchising idea to the brothers.  Apparently the brothers did not see Kroc’s vision and turned his first offer down.  It was not until Kroc lowered his price for his franchise idea, and told the brothers that he would do all of the work.  The brothers then accepted his offer and the McDonalds franchising began.

     Kroc opened up his first location in Des Plaines, Illinois.  He wanted to make sure the process went as smooth as possible before he started launching other locations.  After buying the McDonald brothers name, Kroc stood by and watched the franchise become a household name.  Aside from these three men, who took the time and resources to build McDonalds, it also took branding to help McDonalds sore.
Public relation goes hand and hand with businesses attempting to market themselves to potential customers, or buyers.  The public relations team that works in conjunction with McDonalds has done some amazing things to push this franchise to the forefront.  The success of McDonalds comes from the vast amount of campaign advertising. Using catchy slogans like “I’m Loving It” helps to differentiate McDonalds from other competitors.  It also helps to capture the interest of the younger generation, as well as the older generation.


     Take for example the way McDonalds public relations team markets to families with children.  McDonalds became popular by focusing on making their business family friendly with a focus on children.  It was also beneficial and pocket friendly for McDonald’s organizations and consumers.  The public relation teams came up with eye-catching advertisements to lure children to their establishment and give parents a break from cooking.  It was also helpful that the growing number of McDonald’s restaurants were present in local communities.  The food that was served to the children also gave McDonalds a good name.


     Ever wonder how McDonalds became increasingly popular with children?  An outing to McDonalds was more than just a meal for little ones; it was the adventure of being young.  Children had the option of ordering off of a menu that catered towards them.  Happy meals, which launched in June 1979, are one of the popular items on the McDonalds menu.  The meal comes with a hamburger, cheeseburger, or chicken nuggets, a small order of French fries, and a drink (www.wikipedia.com).  The price averaged from $3.00 to $4.00.  This was the perfect size for children and also the perfect price for parents.  If the price for the entire meal was not enticing, McDonalds offers a small popular toy for children.

     Children love toys, and McDonalds took note of that.  The toys that were provided in the happy meal proved to be a great contribution to the franchise.  Children would quickly reach for the toy in the happy meal, before they even began eating their meal.  McDonalds gave out toys that were popular at that particular time.  A few toys that were featured at McDonalds were Hot Wheels, Hello Kitty, Barbie, and the popular Beanie Baby toy.  By giving a toy along with a child’s meal, gave families a reason to visit McDonalds.

     Another exciting feature that McDonalds has for the children that dine at their establishment is McDonalds Playland.  Building a Playland in McDonalds allowed children to have fun outside of the house, and be around other children.  Having the ability to take off their shoes and climb up inside a playground is ideal for a young child.  It is also great for parents or caregivers who need a small break from entertaining their young ones.

     Ronald McDonald is also a great feature McDonalds used to advertise their products.  Ronald McDonald is a clown character used as the face of McDonalds.  This clown is shown in McDonald’s commercials, full of joy and smiles when he is around children, while the children are equally happy to see him.  Ronald McDonald is an inspiration to young children and puts smiles on their faces, whether sick or healthy.

     On the other hand, with the large amount of press around McDonalds, there has bound to be a small setback.  Most people have visited McDonalds in their lives; whether it is as a child eating Happy Meals, or as an adult ordering a Quarter Pounder with cheese.  Even vegetarians had choices at this fast food chain.  McDonalds came out with the McVeggie Burger.  This was a perfect addition to McDonalds; because now vegetarians were able to have a complete meal; a veggie burger, French fries, and a drink.  Little did vegetarians know, McDonalds world famous French fries had a hidden ingredient.

     McDonalds French fries had an interesting, and appealing taste.  This was because of the oil they used to fry their potatoes.  According to McDonalds Corporation, the French fries that they produced were vegetarian and only cooked in vegetable oil.  It was not until a Hindu man questioned McDonald’s methods of preparing their famous fries, that the real ingredients found in McDonald’s fries came out.  A spokesperson from McDonald’s Corporation shed light on what “natural flavoring” meant in their ingredients. It was said that the vegetable oil used to prepare the fries and hash browns was not pure, but contained essence of beef for flavoring purposes (McCann, 2002).  A small amount of beef fat was used in the initial process of cooking the French fries before the frozen product hit the fast food chain.  This contradicts the claim McDonalds had by saying their French fries were “vegetarian friendly”.
 
       McDonalds now faced a lawsuit for failing to advise customers of the use of beef flavor in their French fries.  This fast food chain over the years repeatedly said only vegetables oils were used in their French fries and hash browns.  This was appealing to vegetarians and McDonalds franchised in India because they did not consume any form of beef product.  With the recent lawsuit that lingered over McDonalds head, they apologized for the misunderstanding consumer had about the French fries and they agreed to donate an estimated $10 million to Hindu and other groups, in the hopes of settling the lawsuit.
   
     Even after the $10 million lawsuit that McDonalds had to shell out, they still did not make their French fries vegetarian friendly.  The ingredients are now listed as such:  Potatoes, vegetable oil (canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor [wheat and milk derivatives]*, citric acid [preservative]), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain color), salt.  Prepared in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness).  Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent.
CONTAINS:  WHEAT AND MILK.
(Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients) (Nutrition.Mcdonalds.com/Getnutrition/ingredientslist.pdf).


     Another drawback that McDonalds encountered was when the documentary Supersize Me came out on DVD.  The documentary was about a man named Morgan Spurlock who wanted to prove just how unhealthy it was to eat fast food.  Unfortunately for McDonalds, they would be the target of his theory.  Spurlock set out to eat McDonalds for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with only one rule; if a McDonald’s worker asked him if he wanted his meal to be supersized, he was able to do so.  After doing this for only 30 days, Spurlock noticed a changed in his heath and mood.  Spurlock gained around 25 pounds and his cholesterol went from 168 to 230.  This was just the start of the negative effects McDonalds had on a person’s body and well-being.  Depression also was an issue while Spurlock was doing the 30-day challenge, and he also became ill in the process.  
   
     With these alarming numbers, and the fact that McDonalds causes weight gain and illness, it is shocking that parents still take their children to this establishment and allow them to partake in high calorie foods such as French fries and chicken nuggets.  In recent studies it was said that McDonald's has been under intense scrutiny for the nutritional quality of its food and its marketing to children (York, 2011).  Obesity and or overweight children are still a growing concern in the United States.  According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past thirty years (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).  Fast food chains, especially McDonalds have meals that promote obesity in our nation, but they cannot take the blame for the amount of fattening products young children consume.


     It is up to the parents to control what their children are eating.  Year’s back, McDonalds did not have food options like they do now.  When a child ordered a kids meal, it came with processed foods with a high caloric count.  Now McDonalds provides options for children and parents to choose.  In recent years, McDonalds introduced apple slices as a healthier alternative to French fries.  


     Public relation ideas are also noticeable in charitable work.  McDonalds has branched out into providing a non-profit organization, The Ronald McDonald House to help families with ill children.  This non-profit organization started when a football player in Philadelphia, by the name of Fred Hill had a 3-year old daughter who was diagnosed with leukemia.   In 1974, Fred Hill along with the help of his Philadelphia Eagles teammates had a fundraiser to raise money for the Leukemia Society of America, which in turn gained interest from McDonalds.  Seeing a great opportunity to market them, and help children in need, McDonalds proposed a promotion agreement.  If well-known footballs players promoted McDonalds new Shamrock Shakes, a portion of the money would go to Ronald McDonald house.  With great success along the way, Ronald McDonald house was able to open 302 establishments all over the world.


     Ronald McDonald House provided families with a place to stay while their child undergoes treatment for their illnesses at local hospitals.  The cost is very minimal, and Ronald McDonald House provides meals, and playrooms on top of their already generous contribution.  In some ways profit and non-profit organizations are similar.  Both need to produce money in order to survive.  The difference between Ronald McDonald House non-profit organization and another organization that is for profit is the fact that you are giving to your community by doing good.  Also, a for profit corporation has investors that come together, providing money for the start up and giving ownership to a particular person.  As far as McDonald’s non-profit organization, they do not have one particular owner; instead they only have people who provide funds.


     McDonalds has seen its share of good and bad times.  They have been the talk of many heated debates, from childhood obesity to undisclosed ingredients, yet still produce mind-blowing numbers.  McDonalds has been in the lime light for over 50 years and continues to build their franchise.  Paying attention to detail and seeing what the consumer likes, gives the fast food chain an advantage over other competitors. Advertising has also helped McDonalds surpass their competition, by being creative and appealing to an audience.




     Catchy slogans, fun toys, and discount prices on top of inexpensive menu items brought thousands to the numerous drive-thru and fast food lines.  In order to appeal to both young and old, McDonald made their service speedy and their prices low, and for the children they introduced fun features for entertaining.  With their continued success, McDonalds franchise will be around for years to come.

References

Childhood Obesity Facts. (n.d.).  Retrieved from
          http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm.


McCann, H .  (2002,). McD settles suits over French fries. Chicago Sun -    
          Times,p. 64.  Retrieved March 09, 2012, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID.
          126099831.


McDonald's USA Ingredients Listing for Popular Menu Items (n.d).  Retrieved from  
nutrition.mcdonalds.com/getnutrition/ingredientslist.pdf.


McGrath, J. (n.d.)  How Mcdonald’s Works.  How Stuff Works.  Retrieved March 10,  
          2012, from http://money.howstuffworks.com/mcdonalds1.htm


York, E.  (2011). Happy Meal to tilt at obesity :McDonald's to add
      fruit or veggies, downsize the fries. Chicago Tribune,p. 1.1.  Retrieved March 09,
         2012, from Chicago Tribune. (Document ID: 2407474241).

Intercultural Communication

   
          In today’s society, technology has become very mainstream; in essence intercultural communication goes hand and hand.  Now a day, there are large amounts of people using the Internet to communication with other individuals.  People also communicate with one another via online gaming, and video chatting, which has come increasingly popular.  The phenomenon that is used by literally millions around the United States and other countries has given us new pathways on how we communicate with other cultures.  Through the variety of ways we communicate with each other can have its positive and negative outlook.  Intercultural communication through virtual worlds is a way for individuals to learn and or benefit from one another.  
          Online gaming gives people of multiple cultures the opportunity to interact with others in the cyber world.  This could be through online gaming, such as Second Life and World of Warcraft.  Individuals create life through an animated character that represents or mimics them to some certain degree.  These avatars may have some similar characteristics as the person creating them.  Examples of that would be race, age and body type, just to name a few.  With there being so many cultures using the internet to interact with one another, it allows individuals to share their views on their culture as well as other cultures, and also gives them the opportunity to learn how cultures operate.
          There are benefits to using virtual worlds through online gaming.  One would be the communication or the exchanged we have with one another.  When individuals play video games and design their own Avatars, they interact with other that find gaming interesting as well.  Individuals are able to express their ideas, perceptions of other cultures, as well as their values through gaming.  Rita King and Joshua Fouts, founders of a virtual world called Second Life created a dialogue that involves the issues of Islam.  Through this online video gaming, individuals are able to share information about their ‘real lives ad beliefs’ in a virtual world (King & Fouts, 2008).  Although this study focused on Islam, it could prove beneficial to other cultures, as there would be more conversations with individuals from diverse cultures.
          Another benefit from a virtual world through communication is learning about other cultures, you may have never known before.  For me personally, I would be interested in learning how other cultures differ from our cultures. Virtual worlds give us insight or knowledge into the many different views of other cultures that surround us.
          With that being said, there are some limitations that come with the virtual world through intercultural communications.  An example of that would be people not understanding one another.  Today we have so many cultures with different beliefs and rituals, that other may not fully understand.  When we use the internet or online gaming to interact with people, we would not know where they were from.  Individuals may not be aware of where people are from and may some or do something that can be hurtful or disrespectful which was not their intention.
          Another limitation that may come with intercultural communication through virtual worlds would be opening up to one another.  Even in the real world, we disclose information that we want people to know about us.  That could be true with online gaming or through the cyber world.  There have been instances on the news where people are using fake online profiles to get into contact with individuals.  This could be dangerous because people do not know who the person is that is in contact with you.
          Since the Internet has been introduced into our society, it has allowed people to learn other cultures and or customs that we may have never taken the time to learn before.  Individuals are able to ask questions through the Internet and receive different views on the topic.  If we are able to be open to understanding other cultures and their values, people would be more accepting of our diverse world.










Reference


Jandt, F. (2010) An Introduction to Intercultural Communication (6th ed.).
          Washington D.C.: Sage Publications.


Fouts J. S, King R. J,. (2010 , March 15). Understanding Islam through Virtual Worlds
          (2008-2009). Retrieved from  http://www.cceia.org/programs/archive/002/index.html

Communication is KEY!

Research the many organizations available to Communication Professionals.  Select a minimum of five and provide a brief summary of the purpose and audience for each.  Discuss which organizations you would consider joining and explain what benefits you may expect from membership.


Through my findings, there are many organizations available for Communication Professionals.  Communication is a necessary skill to have in our everyday lives; from our home life to our work life and everywhere in between.  Below are some great organizations that are made available to Communication Professionals.




1.  The Association for Women, Women in Communication (AWC) http:// http://www.womcom.org/AWC-Home.asp


 “The Association for Women in Communication is the one organization that recognizes the complex relationships that exist across communications discipline (www.womcom.org, 2012).  It is their mission to empower women in the communication field by giving them the support they need in order to get ahead in their field.  This is a positive organization for women who have just started their path into a communications career because there is so much support shown in the Association for Women in Communication.




2.  Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC)  http:// http://www.aejmc.com/


 AEJMC is an organization that is made up of 3,700 members including educators, students and practitioners for various parts of the world (Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, 2011).  The organization is has been around for many years because of the positive work they do for people in the communication field and others who are trying to get there foot in the door.  An example of that would be how AEJMC ‘encourages the implementation of a multi-cultural society in the classroom and curriculum’ (Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, 2011).  This is very important because we deal with a variety of cultures in our everyday lives that it is necessary to understand the melting pot of cultures.




3.  International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) http:// http://www.iabc.com/


 IABC is a member only organization that helps individuals find their path into a communications career.  You are able to view online documents written by other people in the field of communication, and also are able to find jobs through their online network.  You are also able to interact with others who are also trying to find jobs related to communications through a discussion board.




4.  Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals (AMCP) http:// http://amcpros.com


 AMCP began its organization in order to ‘honor outstanding achievement and service to the communication profession’ (Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals).  Through competitions, they were able to give credit where credit was due to people in the communications field.  Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals is also a membership organization, which is automatic if you enter into one of their competitions.  What is also great about this organization is that they want individuals who put their communication skills to use through public service and charitable organizations (Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals).  They in turn offer grants to show their appreciation to the efforts made by members.






5.  Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)  http://www.prsa.org/


 Public Relations Society of America is the ‘world’s largest and foremost organization of public relations professionals (Public Relations Society of America).  PRSA has a large number of members in their organization that hold a career in public relations and or communication fields.  These members range from individuals just graduating college with their communications degree or others who hold a position in this particular field.  Through this organization, individuals are able to gain knowledge from others through networking and attending conferences.




Although all of these organizations are great to be a part of, I would be interesting in joining the Women in Communication.  There, I would be able to find other women who are knowledgeable in the field of communication. They would be able to mentor me in this field as well as provide a networking and mentoring.  Since there are ranges of women who are in this organization from college students, to working professionals, I believe I would be able to learn the ins and outs of communicating effectively.





References:  

http://www.prsa.org

http://www.amcpros.com

http://www.iabc.com

http://www.aejmc.com

http://www.womcom.org/AWC-Home.asp

Blog Lovin'

Creating the Perfect Blog

In the past few years, blogging has moved up to the mainstream.  It allows individuals to show their creative personality. Blogs now have their own search engine, and even forums for others to write their thoughts and or feelings about a post.  They have also gained popularity because unlike a webpage, blogs are free!  You don’t need to pay for your domain names or hosting the blog; therefore many businesses have opted to start a blog because they don’t have to put in money to gain the interest of people.  Blogs can be started for personal reasons, business or corporate reasons, or even educational reasons.  Heck, blogs can be started just because!  For a blog to gain appeal of readers, it has to stand out above the other thousands of blogs that have been created.  If you have a good number of people reading your blog at the moment, it is important to understand and follow some of the tips and tricks to keeping the readers interested in what you have to say.  This will ultimately make your blog appealing to others. 

When starting your first blog, you want to make sure that you choose a layout that best suits your personality.  Blogspot.com, a popular blogging website has made it easy to get started posting on your new blog.  Ready-made templates are available when choosing the perfect background; therefore you can pick one that fits your personality and style.  Using colors are beneficial in creating an appealing blog, but make sure you don’t use ones that take away from your posting. Instead chose colors that invite readers in.  A perfect example of the use of color would be from one of my fellow classmate’s blogs.  Http://Kirstensoler.blogspot.com shows just how using colors in a blog can be welcoming to a reader.  Kirsten used a soft baby blue as her background and kept the text box white.  There were small images of birds flying in the background of the blog, which still did not take away from her words.  Using colors on a blog adds more dimensions to a page and also makes a blog pop.  Adding color can also help lure viewers to reading your blog, but don’t get too hung up to stressed about picking a color.  Be aware though, that color can affect how viewers perceive a blog. 

Another thing to think about when starting your blogging career is to make sure that you proofread your blogs.  I have read a few blogs that did not take the time to read over their blog and make the proper corrections.  This in turn leaves the blog with misspelled errors, which will only make the readers want to critique everything that is written. 

One thing I am drawn to when reading a blog is how the blogger interacts with me, the reader.  I want to read a blog that uses their words and images to invite me in to their world.  The way to do that is by writing how you would talk to a person face-to-face.  We all have a specific way of talking; if you are bubbly and outgoing, it translates the same in your writing.  When blogging be sure to write how you would speak because when you try and write differently than you speak, people may sense the difference in your tone. 

When I am reviewing a blog, I look for people who know their stuff!  Most people create a blog to express their creative side, which is interesting to me because I could then learn a thing or two.  A great example would be blogs that teach me how to have a creative outlet, like that of blogger Chole at http://cholesnails.blogspot.com.  This blog is a how-to-guide to achieving the perfect set of nails.  As many women know, getting their nails done is a process that takes time out of your day and can really add up financially.  I recall a time when I would get my nails done every two weeks (sometimes once a week if the polish chipped).  Although my nails looked nice at the moment, I would always try and do things to prevent me from having chipped nails, so I wouldn’t have to make another trip to my local salon. 

            I started doing my research on bloggers that perfected their nails at home, and stumbled onto Cholesnails blog.  She took a set of plain nails, and turned them into designs that caught people’s attention.  This particular blogger knew what she was doing and it showed in every photo she uploaded. 

One major component in creating an appealing blog is the images you use.  To me, this is one of the most important aspects of a blog; it could either make you or break you.  Using images on your blog can relay a message to the readers, which to me is a necessity when trying to build more readers on a blog.  An image helps to set the tone of a posting, and also appeal to the readers.  When bloggers use images, readers then want to know the story behind the photo and then would continue reading, which may not always happen when you just have text on your blog.  From the Webdesigner blog, writer Krisit Hines writes, “Images add richness to your content, and make readers more willing to read a long article (Hines, 2011).  This is definitely true when I choose to focus my attention on a blog. 

            Lastly, when trying to appeal to an audience, be passionate about what you are putting out.  Keeping readers interested can be achieved with the colors, posting, and images, but if you want readers to continue to view your blog, they need to know what you are presenting is something that excites you; which in turn will excite them when reading your journey.  You will be known as a credible blogger and more and more people will find your passion interesting. 

Blogs will continue to gain popularity because with a blog you are able to share and read about things that are appealing to you.  People love to read about the latest fashion or the new book that just came out, and could find that with a click of the mouse.  Individuals love to post on their own blogs as well as on others, which will only give the ever so popular blogging trend a spot in technological history. 

 Reference

Chole’s nails.  Retrieved April 4, 2012 from http://cholesnails.blogspot.com.

Hines, K. (2011).  1^st Web Designer.  Why Images Are Important for Blog Posts and             Content.  Retrieved April 04, 2012 from http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/design/why-images-are-important-for- blog-posts/#.

Soler, K. (2012).  Truth.  Retrieved April 4, 2012 from   Http://Kirstensoler.blogspot.com

Conflicts....Who needs them??

Employee conflicts are something that should be dealt with very carefully.  The wrong move from a supervisor can result in the employee filing a lawsuit against you and the company for unfair treatment.  In this situation, it is known that the employee is lacking in a skill that should be dealt with at the most highest technical expertise.  It is also apparent that this employee has shown confrontational behavior, which in turn creates a hostile work environment.

Being a manager, I would approach the employee and situation with the intentions of trying to help them produce the work they once provided, instead of taking a negative approach.  It is said that confronting the conflict is the initial step toward its resolution (Cowan, 2003).  This way, they will see that I am not there to attack.  My first approach would be confronting the employee one-on-one.  Usually when there are others around, employees may not want to speak about why they are not satisfied with their position.  The next approach would be to provide examples of the issues that I am having with their work.  Since they have been with the company for some time now, they know the standards that I have set for them.  If the work is not matching up to that, then this is the time to figure out solutions. 

Maybe the situation has nothing to do with the workplace, but it stems from the home.  I have seen people take their anger and frustration out on other employees when it has nothing to do with them.  They don’t or can’t sit down with their loved ones and say what is really bothering them.  If this is happening, it should be resolved with communication from both parties. 

Another reason could be that this employee is overwhelmed with their work.  If that is the case, then maybe we can bring in help or place them in a position where they do not feel pressured to produce large quantities.  Moving a person to another position in this case is not reprimanding them; it is actually saving their career and sanity. 

Depending on how I, as a supervisor handled this particular situation will benefit and or hinder the outcome of the employees position in this organization.  I believe they will see that I am not there to reprimand them, but understand the reasons as to why they creating a negative atmosphere between themselves and others around them.  Once again communication will be the ultimate way to reach out to this particular employee, therefore giving him the opportunity to express his concerns. 

Employees are the most valuable assets to any organization.  If they are not happy with the way things are in the workplace, it will show in their attitude and in their work.  It is important to keep up a positive morale and in turn they will produce the amount of work to keep a business afloat. 

Cowan, D. (2003). Taking Charge of Organization Conflict:  A Guide to Managing

        Anger and Confrontation.  Personhood Press.

  

 

 

Media Technology

If you ever stop and look around, you may notice the large amount of technology being presented to

us in many forms. The four media technologies that I chose to discuss are television, Internet, radio,

and smartphones. These are perfect ways of communicating and interacting with one another.

Media technology brings consumers up to date with new products that are out, which would only

boost the sales of their product. One example of media technology the ever-changing television.

Before the Internet or cell phones came into my life, I was drawn to the television. As a young child,

I grew up watching My Little Pony and the Cosby Show. I use to pretend that I was one of the

Huxtable children every time I would watch that show. For me, television was just another way of

interacting with others. Over the years, television has become popular for young children, and older

adults. It has also been influential to people in our society. On an average, Americans watch around

five hours of television per day (Park, 2011). This is beneficial to companies because they use

television to promote their products. They actually see the growing number of people who tune in to

 television programs that they are now providing television shows that cater towards everyone.

Television companies such as Time Warner Cable, AT&T Uverse, and Dish Network offer consumers

over 200 ranging from Nickelodeon, ESPN, Oxygen and the Home Shopping Network. The variety

of programs is convenient to people that like to watch multiple programming. This also helps

companies get their product out to the public. Although there are a large number of people to tune in

to their favorite channels, television would not be as popular if it was not for the advertisements.

Internet is another form of media technology that has been a huge part of the way we communicate

with one another. Social media allows individuals to communicate or share information with one

another through a variety of outlets. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn are just a few forms

of communication that people use on the Internet. These forms of communication give up the

opportunity to create profiles that can be viewed by others, as well as send and receive contact

information and photos. Through the use of the Internet, it is easier to stay connected with one

another because everything is just a click away.  What is also great about the Internet is that

individuals are able to communicate with others that may lives thousands of miles away. People can

interact with others in different companies or right down the street.

Radio is also a great from of media technology. While we are driving to work or home, we tend to

listen to the radio.. On certain channels, the audience differs. If there are children in the car listening

to the radio, Radio Disney is something that that would appeal to children. For adults, the channels

may vary. What is great about the radio is that people are able to listen to music throughout the day,

but radio also provides news and traffic to people out on the road.

Lastly, smartphones is another great way to capture an audience. It seems as though more people are

on their phones. You can now download movies and play games on your handheld device. You can

even talk face-to-face with people thru Face Time or Skype. Now that there are applications like

Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin, it is easier to stay connected and appeal to the masses. Consumers

like these forms of social media because it allows people to see what you are doing by the click of a

button. It also allows people to interact with others that may share the same interest as you may.

Since smartphones are so convenient, there is no wonder why companies such as Verizon, and Apple

have become popular.

Media technology is a way we communicate with one another. With the ever changing forms of

media, it is easier for us to all stay connected.














Park, A. (2011). Time Healthland. Too Much TV Linked With Disease and Early Death.


Retrieved March, 19, 2012 from http://healthland.time.com/2011/06/15/too-much-tv-


watching-linked-with-disease-and-early-death/

Be the Blog...

Have you noticed how some bloggers have thousands of followers, while others are having a hard time reeling people in? I have found that I gravitate towards blogs that are consistent with their entries. I am looking to see what their view is on a current debate or the latest fashion trend they are sporting for the season. Along with being consistent, I believe it is beneficial to bloggers to respond back to comments made on their page. I have been on blogs that hardly ever respond to the comments left. The worse part about that is the bloggers are providing reviews on items and if people need to know more information, they are not able to get into contact with anyone. This is where communication plays a large role in how successful you are in the blogging world. Another way to become a successful blogger is to think outside the box. A creative person is able to lure their readers in with their character and style. A creative writer would be able to use words that are welcoming to the reader, which would only make them want to read more, and more!
 Last but definitely not least is to be passionate about what you put on a blog. It is the passion that you have in your writing or in your choice of photographs, make people want to know more about you. Take the time to find out what you enjoy in life and be passionate about it.

 If you build it, they will come!!