CH. 7 What Media Classes Really Want to Discuss

Reading Summary

In chapter seven of What Media Classes Really Want to Discuss, the author discusses what mediums are in media, technology, and the internet. A medium can change an existing form of media and how audiences view realism. The essence emphasized is what makes different forms of media have unique factors and traits. For example, the best technology is not always developed through specialized innovation and it ultimately transforms the way the public views and interprets media. A convergence is when new media transforms into old media by making old media seem newer to audiences. It is important to note that no medium ever starts from scratch; it must have content from previous mediums. Overall, mediums do have some type of uniqueness but technological advances make it hard for mediums to have complete essence.

Outside Example

While reading this chapter, I thought of Netflix and how they created a platform for viewers to watch their favorite media entertainment. The Netflix Originals have multiple shows and movies that allow viewers to watch at their own pace at their own time. The Netflix Original, YOU, is a psychological thriller series based on a novel by Caroline Kepnes. The show begins when Joe Goldberg, a bookstore worker in New York city, meets and falls in love with this beautiful girl named Guinevere Beck. He then becomes infatuated with her and stalks her on social media and tracks her every move in New York. He thinks he is doing her a favor by eliminating any possible dangerous obstacle that stands in the way of their “relationship”. What is unique about this show and Netflix Originals in general is that each episode leaves a viewer wanting more. Even though there are no commercials, the viewer is left with cliffhangers and becomes more invested with the show because they can go at their preferred pace.

Reading Connection

In the chapter, the author discusses how people interpret television differently than movies mainly because movies don’t have commercials or interruptions that we find a lot more in television programs. While we argued in the previous class how commercials keep audiences on their toes, this chapter argues against that theory. Having commercials can result in short/interrupted attention spans and can leave viewers not as interested. What I specifically connected to was how Netflix is one of the most streamed services in the world and they have a clever way of keeping their audiences dialed in by having episodes end with semi cliffhangers. Netflix Originals allow viewers to have a main platform for their favorite shows, movies, or documentaries all in one place. They have no commercials or advertisements so the viewer can be free from distractions while watching their preferred entertainment. I focused on the series YOU because I was so obsessed with the show and found myself binge watching it almost all day. I believe that Netflix used this theory and created shows similar to YOU in order to get the same effect on audiences as they left them with cliffhangers at the ends of episodes.