Media, Marketing and Culture Jamming

A difficult topic to come to terms with but I think I have an overall perspective on the issue and have gained a strong perspective on culture jamming and how we as a society need a voice against the common capitalist ways!

The media and overall product and service market play a major part in Culture Jamming and accepting today’s capitalist environment. The TV and radio are constant communication mediums that use advertising as their primary revenue model.

What does this mean? Well in simple terms....more adds!

Foxtel, which is suppose to be add free as the consumer pays a monthly fee, are advertising on their local stations. Who would ever have thought that a subscription based service would eventually turn to advertising for more revenue........ Unbelievable!

The definition of culture jamming is the act of transforming existing mass media to produce commentary about itself, using the original medium's communication . Basically using the communications medium and expressing anti-capitalist or views that the organisations that run the medium do not agree with. As seen in the example below!

I found the Nike "shoe they wouldn't sell" case very interesting, the fact that they would allow customisation of a shoe but not allow the phrase "Sweatshop" which does not break any of the rules specified by Nike to create. It obviously shows that Nike has a lot to hide and are not willing to show the public that some of their products are produced in sweatshops.
Basically using Nike’s communication medium to state the obvious. I love it!

Adbusters are well known for their culture jamming campaigns and their popular magazine which generally shows the opposite to what you read in newspapers or see on TV. Adbusters currently have a lawsuit against many TV corporations due to not allowing Adbusters to advertise. This is a perfect example of how communication medium owners refuse to allow programs or advertisements they make inflict their organisation and financial position


Lastly, I must mention feminist culture jamming because I feel strongly about this point.
Commercials, TV shows and movies always seem to exploit the female body, knowing that this will attract the masculine gender and most likely keep then attentive and active. One that I found quite funny was how a billboard showing a female in lingerie caused several accidents! How could they allow the billboard to go up in the first place? Quite simple...Money! Think about how much the company advertising billboard just made! Coperate and capitalist greed.

To conclude, I think free speech and advertising through any communication mediums should be allowed and should be government controlled via societies opinions. Just because they are privately owned does not mean we as a society have no say on what and what cannot be shown! Because in the end, we are a democratic society aren’t we?
/End of rant

Overall Review On Gaming

Gaming has been around for many generations, I will be discussing how gaming is viewed in our society, the effects of gaming and the target audience.

Computer Games have been apart of my life since the age of eight. The first console I played was the Atari. From that point on, I have always been a fan of computer games, but I will admit I was oblivious to its effects.

Gaming is targeted at the younger generation. The baby boomers of our society generally have a negative view on youths playing games and often see them as 'socially' negative. Of course I disagree, games in my point of view is a away to escape into a posmordism environment. To sometimes escape life’s everyday problems and responsibilities and of course to have a bit of fun!

However I do agree that playing voilent games and watching aggressive movies can effect the viewer and can generally bring on aggressive behavior that may not have existed if that media wasn’t viewed. I know from a personal experience when I used to play games when I was younger I was generally aggressive if I couldn't beat that certain level or if I watched a Van Damn movie.

Studies from various websites such as: http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=H7LYpKnnCdyJsrNWbL1H2mGkL1Y55T6WcGgTmTqvtySpfkj1SYS2!-2107061068?docId=5001244015
have concluded that gaming has effects on the younger generation and creates an "own sex favoritism"

Gaming is definitely gender based, most games targeting the mail or masculine culture. Some of the reasons are as follows:

• Stereotypical representations of females
• Lack of female game characters
• Patriarchal

The characters in general always seem to be targeted to the mail gender. For example Lara Croft being the male fantasy and typical damsel in distress situations (Always being the female that needs to rescued...example: Mario rescuing the Princess)

Today’s gaming generation is changing, enabling online play and customability to allow the individuals to create their own characters online. This is bringing the female gender into the gaming world because it is now involving a sense of creativity and personality rather then just clicking buttons. I think more females are now coming to terms that the gaming world might be changing its stereotypical stance and now focusing on both the male and female gender!