The Media in my Life

I use media for surveillance, correlation, and entertainment.  I use media for surveillance by going on social networking websites such as Facebook or Twitter.  These sites help me stay connected to the people around me and help me keep a check on what my friends (or enemies) are doing.   I use media for correlation by watching the news or reading the newspaper.  Usually when I want to check the news and I am in a rush, I connect to my local newspaper through my blackberry to get the latest headlines.  Doing this helps me stay aware of what is going on in the world and in my community.  Finally I use media for entertainment.  There is nothing I love more than watching Criminal Minds on A & E.  I don’t have to do much thinking; I can just sit back and be content with being personally entertained.  I agree that we are a media saturated society, but I especially agree with the limited effects model from our textbook.  I believe that we interpret media according to our own preexisting beliefs.  I know that when I use media to correlate, or become informed, I scrutinize the news.  I do not believe anything ABC or Fox tells me because I already have formulated my own beliefs about things.  Media is all around us and it can be used for great opportunities.  I believe if more people agreed (or actually lived by) the limited effects model, media would get less of a bad reputation for some of the issues it displays.