journalism essays

journalism essays Since 1968 America has been better enlightened than previously concerning current events and happenings around the world. A considerable factor for this occurrence is the television program 60 Minutes which debuted on the air in September of 1968. Many other television newsmagazines have been produced since its creation, however none have possessed the longevity nor the influence of 60 Minutes. In fact, 60 Minutes, which is owned by CBS News, was the first regular network news program to cover actual stories as opposed to topics. Today, similar newsmagazines can be seen every night of the week on various stations, all of which were sparked by the inception of 60 Minutes. All of the tabloid television programs being shown today are also a result of 60 Minutes and its bold, gutsy, "gotcha" style of television journalism. 60 Minutes changed the way that the American public receives its television news, stemming forth a whole new format of television broadcast journalism. 60 Minutes has a vast history of stories covered, yet the format has remained unchanged. Don Hewett, creator and producer of 60 Minutes, has been the subject of much criticism for his stubbornness. Since its origin, 60 Minutes has continued to adhere to the same formula that made it such a success. The hidden-camera interviews, the surprising of unsuspecting alleged crooks with a bombardment of questions, the longevity of the featured reporters, all of these are what made 60 Minutes a successfinishing in the top 10 Nielson ratings for 17 consecutive seasons and counting. Other than the fact that it changed from black- and-white to color with the new technology, the appearance of 60 Minutes has remained consistent. There is no reason to change a thing about such a prosperous show according to Hewitt. Not only has the format remained constant but the reporters have as well. ...

The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day. Essays

The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day. Essays The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day. Essay The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day. Essay Essay Topic: Arguable In this research project I will explore whether the James Bond movie reflects the society and time which it is constructed through its narrative structure, analysing The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day. I believe most James Bond films do reflect the worldwide society. The narrative structure of each Bond film is quite similar, but each obviously has different story lines. The similarities include the action, the stunts, the sexy women and a traditional high-speed chase. In the words of the new director Lee Tamahori Awesome sets, breathtaking stunts and a well-practised monster machine are what makes a Bond film.(1) The chase is one of the areas that I shall look at to see how action and speed help dictate the narrative pace. The chase being the ice chase from Die Another Day directed by Lee Tamahori. As well as the opening sequence and the scene in Kazakhstan of the World Is Not Enough, directed by Michael Apted. Both produced by MGM which in itself is a big institution which is well known for big budget films, just having MGM as the producing company set high expectations of the audience. These are all vital scenes, which help to dictate the narrative pace and also backup the ideology that Bond, Played by Pierce Brosnan, falls under the action/ Thriller category in terms of genre. The genre category of Bond however is not so straight forward to categorise. An action film is described as having stunts and chases, high energy, possibly with rescues, battles, fights, escapes, non stop motion, spectacular rhythm, pacing and adventurous heroes.(2) Which both The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Die have. But there are so many individual conventions that Bond films alone have, it is arguable that Bond has become a sub-genre of the action thriller genre. The most profitable film series of all time is James Bond(3). Conventions such as the Bond girls, action etc. It is also important to look at the main characters in any movie, here it is James Bond, and see how that character helps carry the narrative. We know so much about Bond already from the previous 18 films, so ther e is no need for character introduction so the storyline can commence from the beginning of the film. We know that he will get into trouble and the question in each film is how will he get out of it? The whole Bond characters could easily fit into Propps theory of character construction. He believes there are eight character roles. The villain, in reference to The World Is not Enough an example of this is Renard and Gustav Graves in Die Another Day. The villain in Propps theory is someone who opposes or 1. Lee Tamahori, Sight and Sound magazine November edition. 2. www.filmsite.org 3.Guinness world records Adam Irvine .2 actively blocks the heros quest that is shown in quantity in both Bond films. The hero who seeks something which in all Bond films is filled by the man himself, Bond. The Donor who provides an object with magical properties, in this case of Bond these are gadgets that Q offers Bond in all the Bond films. The helper who aids the hero that is Dr Jones in The World Is Not Enough and Jinx in Die Another Day. The princess which acts as the reward for the hero and the object of the villains plot in The World Is Not Enough, Electra King fills this role and Miranda Frost in Die Another Day. The princesses father whom acts to reward the hero for his effort (father figure e.g. M). The dispatcher who sends the hero on his/her quest via a message which in both cases is M. The false hero who disrupts the heros success by making false claims. Pierce Brosnan is James Bond this is because Pierce himself is British and has the aura of being a spy. As he has been Bond for several films he has been connected and established as James Bond, his clean cut looks give the sense that all spies look like this and are all well looked after. Every man wants to be him and every woman wants to be with him. Bond always wears suits this may be because of the stereotypical British man from the views of Americans and worldwide it gives a distinct connection to being British. Bond is described as an anomic hero, as Geoffrey Hurd named the category. Anomic hero meaning he works alone, foregoing typical pleasures in order to focus on his work, and instead receiving metaphorical rewards. Which are the woman he has sex with, which does represent women in a negative light, appearing weak and under a male dominant world, but they often have their own contribution later on in the film. For example in The World Is Not Enough Electra King played by So phie Marceau, appears to be weak and in need of protection by Bond however we later discover that she is the main villain and Renard is working for her. And in Die Another Day Jinx played by Halle Berry, appears initially to be independent, which indeed she is, but still needs Bond to rescue her later in the film. My point being the position of Bond woman is also important to the theme and the narrative. They have important roles but are not heroes of any description, just an aider to Bond. Within The World is Not Enough iconography is used by showing the Dome this shows that Bond is moving into the 21st century with the rest of the world it also gives the audience the thought that they have been places that Bond has Been to. In James Bond London is the only place in the UK that is used although it is only a small part of the UK it is well known and helps audience world wide establish that its being set in the UK. Toderov has discussed an equilibrium Theory- which discusses the concept of narrative being initially balanced then disrupted by conflict and then finally resolved at the end. This technique is used to capture and sustain an audience this is quite clearly illustrated in The World Is Not Enough. As I shall explain when I de-construct the opening sequence. In looking at narrative structure today compared to how it was when the first film was made in 1962 Philip C Congleton Adam Irvine .3 has much to say on the filmeras and sub- genres, all of which are relevant to narrative. The first Bond, which was made in the 1960s which Congleton called the transition era..(1) When colour and television were developing and most importantly film was mature (2) the action move was new and was very exciting to an audience, still with large budgets, with cold war threatening, there was much emphasis on making enemys Russian or Communist in decent. But today in the modern era there is a more technological focus and special effects play a huge part. There is still however things that never change included in the Bond film. Current political affairs appear to be the focal point The World Is Not Enough having important scenes and many references to the Middle East. The Bond films also deal mildly with social values and cultures, With a lot of involvement of Chinese and Japanese cultures. Particularly in Tomorrow never Dies and Die Another Day starts with Bond after an action sequence caught and being tortured during a 14-month period, before he is exchanged for the main villains henchman, Zoa. This is not the sort of narrative we expect from a Bond movie. But it is enlightening, showing poor conditions and treatment associated with various armys during recent years. But despite this setback with the opening sequence, he still manages to beat the bad guys, save the world and get the girl, which in this case is Halle Berry. She play s Jinx and after they meet in an exotic location and exchange a few sexual innuendoes, they sleep together. It isnt until he catches he catches up with her later the next morning that he realises she is a secret agent for an American government agency. This is an important factor to the narrative structure of the film because so many times before in the bond films, a woman that bond encounters seems to have an individual project connecting to the villain that makes a sort of side narrative that keeps us the audience intrigued. But Jinx isnt the only girl that Bond sleeps with, He also has sex with Miranda Frost, an MI6 agent just like Bond, that we first suspect, begin to trust and then discover that our first thoughts were correct and that she is in fact working along side the bad guy, Gustav Graves, these characters are all important to the narrative but the one main scene that I shall examine is the ice chase. I think this is the most important because it gives a sense of pace an d represents a typical Bond movie. But first though The World Is Not Enough analysis. The opening sequence begins with Bond walking down a Spanish street, looking smart and composed. This is where Toderovs theory is able to be implemented, with equilibrium being in place for about 60 seconds whilst we see Bond walking down the street then see the panning shot of the majestic Swiss bank, just to give the audience a sense of location. The next shot we see is a close up of Bonds gun having been placed on the table. This almost tells us there will be 1. Philip C Congletion, www.jamesbond.com 2. Philip C Congletion, www.jamesbond.com Adam Irvine .4 trouble and the fact that Bond carries a gun, is a connotation that he also carries disequilibrium with him. Bond then has a rather tense conversation with the arrogant Swiss banker before he uses his rigged glasses to set of a small explosion that disorientates the two henchman watching Bond, allowing him to kill one and knock out the other. The quick editing and mise-en-scene techniques such as close ups on Bond sets the pace of the movie once again. All of the action in the bank office happens in a few short seconds and dictates the narrative pace. Bond then escapes, as we know he will, rather fantastically, by jumping out of the window, attached to nothing except a blind cord. Also carrying the merchandise he was apparently sent to retrieve, none other than money. So far already many conventions of Bond have occurred and Bond is doing just what we the audience wants him to do, announcing danger. The next main scene is the one set in Kazakhstan, where Bond infiltrates a Russian sc ientists layer named Dr Arkov. As Bond is being driven down the dusty track, the explosion on the side of the road almost warns the audience that this will be a dangerous situation for Bond. He then assumes the role of a Russian scientist and cleverly fools the people around. But doesnt convincingly fool the beautiful woman that Bond encounters, Dr Christmas Jones. During their brief and cagey conversation the Doctor appears to be dominant, with her angry opinions about having to fix the problems Dr Arkov caused. Dr Arkov being the man that Bond is impersonating. Dr Jones then tries to catch Bond out by talking Russian but Bond calmly and smoothly replies in Russian also. This mild flirting between the two gives us an idea that something more serious will happen between them. The general sight of Dr Jones in her minimal clothing is one thing to keep the male audience interested at this point, and also reinforces the tradition that the Bond films have had since the beginning. The scene after a delayed shot on Dr Jones face cuts to a high angle, birds eye view of Bond descending well below ground level in a dark elevator. The tense non-diagetic sound sets the mood that this is a dangerous place, and the subdued lighting signalled once again that dark times maybe ahead for Bond. When he reaches the bottom of the lift he is confronted by a dark tunnel, with oil drums with DANGER signs virtually tell the audience that Bond will again encounter danger. Also a flashing bright neon light, which could represent the long tunnel of death on the way to heaven, but being an anomic hero that he is, he struts confidently and unfazed down the tunnel only to encounter his nemesis Renard. It is at this point that we see how Bond is represented. He is represented as the really good guy, being lit and full face in the picture and the bad guys face in darkness and shadow. He is also shown to be humane, by not shooting Renard straight away. Between them, Bonds other side to his character is shown when when Renard torments Bond. Bond then becomes agitated and starts moving and re-positioning his gun. A few minutes on when the position of dominance has shifted to Renard. Bond first instinct is to protect Dr Jones. He then exhibits the sort of charm that female audiences are looking for. After re-loading his gun he stands and gets his legendary gadget watch out and just before he fires the grappling hook he says to Dr Jones stay calm assuming she is a typical weak woman, however as we subsequently see Adam Irvine .5 she isnt. She plays a pivotal role in their escape being able to unlock the damaged electrical doors, just in time to save Bond as he Is swinging down the tunnel followed by a ball of fire from an exploding bomb. He then escapes with another spectacular stunt following Bonds unsuccessful pursuit of Renard. These mise-en-scene techniques such as the camera angles like point of view shots of the enemys plus all of the action, fast editing, gun fire, and gorgeous women keep the narrative flowing and are exactly what we the audience want to see. The scene is excellently constructed to continue the good flowing narrative structure. Particularly the fast editing. The chase is what I believe to be one of them most exciting parts to a Bond movie and in Die Another Day they dont let the audience down. It dictates narrative pace and reinforces values that we all like to believe that it would be great to have a fast car, and the fact that Bond always has, makes the audience more envious of wanting to be Bond. The ice chase begins when Bond who has secretly crept into his invisible stealth car unnoticed, but the gets discovered and shot at by Zao in his Jaguar. The product placement of these two cars signalling that they are the best and can do anything. The pursuit begins and after a few minutes they find themselves chasing each other on the frozen lake. There are a lot of close up shots on Bonds face whilst he is in the car, with a determined but concentrated look upon his face. Zao is piling the attack on Bond, firing as many weapons as he can at one time but Bonds car gadgets seem more than a match for the oncoming shelling. There is at this time lots of cuts and quick editing, with the longest shot being at the most 5 seconds. The best part of this scene is when one of the missiles fired at Bond hits quite close and turns Bond onto his roof and he is left sliding along the ice on his roof. So the legendary 007 makes his escape from this situation look quite simple he opens the sun roof and releases the passenger ejector seat and subsequently turns the car back onto its wheels, just as another missile flies under the car while it is in the process of turning. Of course these techniques of camera angles give the best view. The lighting is carefully constructed to look like one place when the scene was actually filmed in two locations. The main stunts were filmed in England because there was a danger that the ice could break if they toppled a moving car on it. The camera techniques used create great tension and grad the audiences attention. This whole high-speed chase was actually filmed with the cars moving at about 15 miles per hour and the camera recording speed slowed down. So when they resumed the film speed to normal it appeared that they travelling at around 60 miles an hour. The end of that particular scene then finishes with Bond bumping the back of Zaos car with his own and knocking Zao of coarse. He does regain control and they disappear into the distance towards the ice palace. This was perhaps the best chase in the history of Bond when it comes to mise-en-scene projection and cunning techniques. At this point I was gripped to the film and pulled into the narrative further. Adam Irvine .6 The best filming techniques that I have ever seen on screen! (Peter Francis.) It is clear that one of the main things that dictate narrative structure is narrative pace, particularly in Bond films. They are as we have discussed almost their own genre so the conventions of Bond films are unique to Bond films as they are only to be seen together in a Bond film. In analysis I can conclude that James Bond films do reflect both the society and time in which they are set. This can be dominantly found in their representation of women, reflecting the change of womens roles in society over the years that Bond has been around. When it first started women were looked at to just stay home and cook for their man, but now are seen as equal in society. Although The World is not Enough and Die Another day are set in various countries they offer a central representation of the middle east. This is because of the change in the travel industry. Now people can travel easier so James Bond producers no longer use luxurious places so people wish to visit them as they already can. Particularly using the Middle East however gives the whole audience a political look at that area, distinctly where there is conflict. This offers an audience an inside look and a view on real life conflict areas. The narrative is very important to every genre, particularly to an actio n thriller.

Understanding Expressive Roles and Task Roles

Understanding Expressive Roles and Task Roles Expressive roles and task roles, also known as instrumental roles, describe two ways of participating in social relationships. People in expressive roles tend to pay attention to how everyone is getting along, managing conflict, soothing hurt feelings, encouraging good humor, and take care of things that contribute to one’s feelings within the social group. People in task roles, on the other hand, pay more attention to achieving whatever goals are important to the social group, like earning money to provide resources for survival, for example. Sociologists believe that both roles are required for small social groups to function properly  and that each provides a form of leadership: functional and social. Parsonss Domestic Division of Labor How sociologists understand expressive roles and task roles today is rooted in Talcott Parsons development of them as concepts within his formulation of the domestic division of labor. Parsons was a mid-century American sociologist, and his theory of the domestic division of labor reflects gender role biases that proliferated at that time and that are often considered traditional, though theres scant factual evidence to back up this assumption. Parsons is known for popularizing the structural functionalist perspective within sociology, and his description of expressive and task roles fits within that framework. In his view, assuming heteronormative and patriarchally organized nuclear family unit, Parsons framed the man/husband as fulfilling  the instrumental role by working outside the home to provide the money required to support the family. The father, in this sense, is instrumental or task-oriented he accomplishes a specific task (earning money) that is required for the family unit to function. In this model, the woman/wife plays a complementary expressive role by serving as the caregiver for the family. In this role, she is responsible for the primary socialization of the children  and provides morale and cohesion for the group through emotional support and social instruction. A Broader Understanding and Application Parsons conceptualization of expressive and task roles was limited by stereotypical ideas about gender, heterosexual relationships, and unrealistic expectations for family organization and structure, however, freed of these ideological constraints, these concepts have value and are usefully applied to understanding social groups today. If you think about your own life and relationships, you can probably see that some people clearly embrace the expectations of either expressive or task roles, while others might do both. You might even notice that you and others around you seem to move between these different roles depending on where they are, what they are doing, and who they are doing it with. People can be seen to be playing these roles in all small social groups, not just families. This can be observed within friend groups, households that are not composed of family members, sports teams or clubs, and even among colleagues in a workplace setting. Regardless of the setting, one will see people of all genders playing both roles at various times. Updated  by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Summary of an article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Summary of an article - Essay Example The main purpose of the article is to inform and well as generate awareness amongst the parents of the society regarding the negative effects of Disney princesses on the teenage girls of the society. The author has even authored the article to alert the policy makers regarding this prevalent issue within the society. The article has been divided into sections that focus on the issue, research, opponent’s view and refutation of the opponent’s view. The author states that a blogger named Mary Finucane noticed the impact that Disney princesses were having on her own daughter. She states that at a very early age her daughter started getting interested in looking sexy and waiting for her prince. These elements are clearly depicted in Disney serials and movies such as Hannah Montana. For this purpose she started a blog and identified that there were various other parents facing the same problem. The problem is that Finucane identified that the impact of the images of girls depicted in Disney entertainment programs are quite long-term in nature. The initial impact becomes much worse when girls start adopting a lifestyle and pursuit of a body that is unhealthy for them. The author states that the parents are not taking the matter seriously and they state that the changes in the girls are a sign of rise of feminism. The author then focuses on the various studies that have been conducted to verify whether the impact about which Finucane is so worried is actually true or not. The author states that the concern is quite valid because girls who age between 3 to 6 years old and are exposed to Disney channel are quite worried about the body weight and children who are between the age of 14 and 17 are exchanging naked pictures of them with others. The author even states that girls of very young age want to look sexy and each year they are spending around $1.6 million on thing underwear. The author states that several

Financial Statements for Harvey Norman Australia Essay

Financial Statements for Harvey Norman Australia - Essay Example Overall, Harvey Norman Australia produced profitable 2011 and 2010 business operations. A) Analysis the Company Liquidity Position: The liquidity ratios focus on the Harvey Norman Australia’s ability to pay its liabilities on time. A company is liquid if its current ratio is positive. The company’s liquidity ratio is favorable, if the quick ratio is also positive (Brigham, 2009). 1. Current Ratio. The current ratio is shows the relationship between the company’s current assets and current liabilities. A positive current ratio shows a favorable picture of the company. The current ratio is arrived at by dividing the current assets by the current liabilities (Morrell, 2007). On the other hand, a negative current ratio indicates that the company is not able to use its current assets to pay for its currently maturing liabilities on time. Table 1 shows the company’s 2011 current ratio is 1.82 times. The above computation shows that company’s 2011 current assets (1,433,227.00) is higher than the prior year’s current assets (1,254,100). Likewise, the company’s 2011 current liabilities (786,852.00) are higher than the 2010 current liabilities (669,328.00). The ratio shows that the company’s current assets are 1.82 times higher than the company’s current liabilities. ... 2. Quick Ratio. The quick ratio is shows the relationship between the company’s quick assets and current liabilities. The quick asset amount is arrived at by deducting the inventory amount from the total current asset amount. Similarly, a positive current ratio indicates a positive image of the company. The current ratio is generated by dividing the quick assets by the current liabilities (Smart, 2008). Table 2 espouses the company’s 2011 quick ratio is 6.33 times. The ratio shows that the company’s 2011 quick assets (1,291,009.00) are higher than the prior year’s quick assets (1,200,183.00). The ratio shows that the company’s quick assets are 6.33 times more than the company’s current liabilities. The company’s 2010 quick ratio (5.64) is lower than the 2011 quick ratio (6.33). Using the quick ratio financial statement analysis, the two quick ratios show the company performed financially better in 2011, when compared to 2010. The quick ratio similarly proves that the company has the available funds to defray its present liabilities. B) Activity Position: The activity ratios measure the efficiency and liquidity of Harvey Norman Australia’s management. The ratios include determining how fast the company converts cash into other assets and the other assets back into cash (Taylor, 2006). 1. Inventory Turnover Ratio. The ratio determines how fast inventory is sold. The ratio is arrived at by dividing the company’s cost of goods sold by the average inventory (Taylor, 2006). Table 3 confirms the company’s 2011 inventory turnover ratio is 11.52 times. The ratio analysis shows that the company’s 2011 cost of goods figure (1,129,517.00) is lower than the prior year’s cost of goods amount (1,344,455.00). The ratio also

International and National Relief Efforts - BHS412 Module 4 - Case Essay

International and National Relief Efforts - BHS412 Module 4 - Case - Essay Example By first establishing a consensus on the plan of action as well as ensuring that all stakeholders are working towards a common purpose it could be that the relationship would foster better communication as well as ensure more effective results. From one perspective it could be argued that when both parties operate independently, there may be both redundancies in operations as well as serious deficiencies. When time is a critical factor there needs to be strong coordination. Is there a difference between the relationship when responding to a domestic disaster relief effort as compared to an international relief effort? In principle this may not be the case however practice may be different. In international operations workers must take into consideration a number of externalities (FEMA, 2011) For example perhaps the infrastructure is not as well developed as the workers are used to. Perhaps there is a language barrier, or the local customs prevent actions that would be considered acce ptable in the home nation. Although it could be argued that relief efforts should not be hindered by cultural customs the reality is that by violating these traditions there may be very serious long term consequences. Moreover by not preparing for a language barrier there may be serious delays in getting real services running and accessible to all people.

Survey finding & conclusion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Survey finding & conclusion - Essay Example Nonetheless, this sporting activity seems not to be popular among university student and the research was carried to determine their attitude towards the sport and how the same could be increased among the same students. The research was carried through interviews. 3.1. The Cause Taken By the Participating Student in the Research Table 1: showing the respondent per QUTCI Course Figure 1: participating students in the study in relation to the course they are taking 3.1.1. Findings From the findings as indicated in the figure 1 above, it is apparent among the 20 students who participated in the study most of them were those who registered for the diploma studies. Statistically, 14 were registered for diploma studies, 5 were registered for the foundation studies, and only one registered for EAP. 3.1.2. Conclusion Students registered for diploma has the more free time to participate in the study than students perusing other courses. Notably, rock climbing has not become a popular sportin g activity among students since the climbing sites are never around schools among other learning institutions. Additionally, of the students usually consider rock climbing as dangerous activity (Hill, 2007). Therefore, other students never wanted to participate since they might have regarded that the entire excise could have been a waste time since they knew less or virtually nothing regarding rock climbing. This statistics indicates that there are needs to promote the sport among the student even those who feel that they are too busy and committed in their studies. 3.2. Participants According to Ethnicity or Country of Origin Figure 2: showing participant per ethnicity or country of origin Table 2: showing the number of participants per country or ethnicity 3.2.1. Findings It apparent from the graph 2 and table 2 above those different students from different ethnicity perceive the different sporting activity. From the table 2 above, only China, Korea, and India showed a significant participation in the research at figure of 4 for student from china and 3 students each for Korea and India. 3.2.2. Conclusion This indicate that different students form different ethnicity or country perceive research activity in different ways. Some of the student perceives research as means of development through understanding the research question through participation. However, some students usually consider research work as a waste of time and they may convert such time into other useful activities (Hill, 2007). Additionally, different nations usually have different perception to different sporting activities. Therefore, some will tend to understand sporting activities through research especially that affect their citizens directly. For instance, student from Brazil are expected to focus match on research involving football as opposed to rock climbing and this indicates why only one student participated in the research (Kidd, Hazelrigs, and Wilderness Education Association (U .S.), 2009). The same reason may apply to other students; moreover, it is worth noting that students from certain countries never value sporting activities and that result above support their poor participation. 3.3. The Participants who have ever participated in Rock Climbing Ever Participated in Rock Climbing YES NO 3 17 Table 3: Showing the number