Parental Ordinances

     What if you were told that five children, as young as twelve years old, were found roaming the streets last night in your neighborhood after fifteen cars had been broken into by having their windows smashed?  One of the vehicles was yours and this was the third time this has happened in the last month.  Also, your favorite flower shop down the street had been vandalized by a fifteen year old boy who was also with this group of kids.  He spray painted a vulgar word on the entire front wall of the shop.  How does that make you feel?  Are you a little mad right now?  If you are, then you are probably not alone.  There have been an increasing number of crimes committed by juvenile delinquents across America.  This is probably of no surprise to you.  In addition, it is not surprising that our American justice system continues to struggle with trying to balance the tradition of punishment and rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents with the empty after effects of blame and responsibility.  There appears to be marginal satisfaction to victims in our current juvenile justice system.  There are millions of dollars lost every year by cities, organizations, and individuals through the commission of these crimes by juveniles.  The only way to recover most of these costs is through insurance coverage, which only increases the premiums for everyone, including the victims.  The real question that needs to be answered is how do we prevent these unnecessary juvenile crimes from happening?  The answer to this question is simple but hard to hear for many.  The prevention is in parenting.  Yes, that’s right, good, attentive parenting.  Then that raises another question, how do we get parents to be thorough and attentive when they are too busy or really just don’t want to be?  The answer to that is simple too.  Parents should be held legally responsible, in some capacity, for the crimes their children commit!  Is that a scary thought?  Only to those parents who do not grasp or embrace the entire purpose of being a parent.  Of course we could not hold all parents unequivocally responsible for everything their child did.  There are situations that would warrant exceptions, such as if a child was diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder or had some type of identifiable substance abuse.  That being said, parenting is the first line of defense in this increasing epidemic.  Parents are the first to teach and monitor their child and should bear the responsibility of correcting any early anti-social behavior.  Admittedly, it would be a tall order to implement any legal responsibility onto the parents of these juvenile delinquents, but anything is possible if we work out the details.  The first step would be to start with some reasonable ideas, discuss them, and then not be afraid to try some.  Making parenting a community effort as opposed to pointing a negative finger at the guilty parents can also help make the transition to more responsible parenting an easier pill to swallow for some reluctant parents as well.

     It is common knowledge that every human being is different, and this includes children.  Even children from the same family, who seemingly have the same up-bringing, can behave in completely opposite manners.  There could be many different reasons for this.  A couple of which could be diagnosed psychiatric disorders and possible substance abuse.  It would not be fair to hold parents responsible for their child’s actions if their child fell into one of these categories.  Bruce Bower confirmed that “Youngsters who exhibited emotional ailments, such as depression, anxiety disorders, along with substance abuse had the greatest chance of getting arrested for serious and violent crimes by age 21” (Bower, p. 308).  This is not to say that the parents are free of the responsibility to get their children correctly diagnosed and with the necessary medication or therapy.  This is only to recognize that even when a parent exercises reasonable control over their child, there can be some circumstances that are still out of their control.  In these cases, the parents should not be held legally responsible for the crimes committed by their children.

     Although there are inevitably going to be exceptions, it shouldn’t draw attention away from the most important preventative measure, which is thorough, attentive, caring parenting.  Parents are obviously the first ones that can recognize anti-social behavior in their kids.  As reported in the Journal of Experimental Criminology, there has been significant evidence that has indicated that early parent involvement and monitoring was effective in reducing delinquency and crime later in adolescence (Journal of Experimental Criminology, 2009).  It is not unreasonable to expect a parent to be somewhat involved with and monitor their children.  A person writing into the Townsville Bulletin puts it this way, “It’s a fundamental responsibility of being a parent that you keep an eye out for them…law-abiding parents know where their children are” (Townsville Bulletin, 2009).  If parents choose to distance themselves from this responsibility early in their child’s life then it is only fair that they be shouldered with some of the legal responsibility of the delinquent consequences of these actions when they arise later. 

     At first glance, it may appear to be a daunting task to actually get to a point where legal responsibility on parents is practical and fair.  Appearances can be deceiving.  We only need to start the discussion and not be afraid of trying some of the suggestions.  For example, the city of Debuque, Iowa has come up with a proposed parental responsibility ordinance that makes a lot of sense.  Here is a brief description of that was being proposed if a parent fails to exercise reasonable control over their juvenile delinquent.  For the first violation the parent would receive a warning letter that the parent is in violation of the ordinance and a statement setting forth the fines for future violations.  A second violation would incur a municipal infraction and a fine of $250.  In lieu of a fine, and subject to approval of the police chief, the parent may elect to complete a recognized course of instruction on parenting skills or submit in writing a plan of action for steps that will be taken to prevent further unlawful acts by the minor.  The third violation would warrant an issuance of a municipal infraction and a fine of $500.  Additional violations would be penalized with a fine of $1,000 for each violation.  Anything past a fourth violation would also be referred to the county attorney for review in consideration of a possible criminal charge (Piper, 2007).  “This ordinance makes the parents or guardians responsible for the behavior of any juveniles in their care and requires they exercise reasonable control of the juveniles” (Piper, p.A1).  This ordinance was challenged in the Iowa Supreme Court by some citizens who were not willing to take on these responsibilities.  The Iowa Supreme Court ruled by recognizing a municipality’s right to implement parental responsibility ordinances.  They said, “Laws such as this ordinance are based on the fairly simple rationale that, if the state imposes sanctions or threatens to impose sanctions on the parent for the delinquent acts of his or her child, the parent will exercise better control and supervision over the child, thereby reducing or eliminating future acts of juvenile delinquency by that child.  When a child resides with his or her parent, the parent is probably in the best position to control the child’s behavior.  Thus, there is a reasonable fit between the government’s interest to curb delinquent acts of a child and the requirement that a parent should exercise reasonable control over his or her child” (Piper, p. A1).

     It is a common reaction for people to get offended when someone insinuates that something is wrong with the way they are parenting.  Parenting can be a very personal and private topic.  Nobody wants to be told they are a bad parent.  This is part of the current problem.  Egos and feelings get hurt and the focus turns to the parents defending their parenting honor instead of where it should be.  The focus should be on how the community, as a whole, can come together and support these parents while changing the boundaries and expectations of acceptable parenting.  Society has relied too long on enforcement and punishment for juvenile delinquent crimes.  It has been too easy for parents to hide behind the veil of private enforcement and punishment, which is often considered to be private family matters.  Leslie Harris explains that, “The express messages of parental responsibility laws are that parents can and should exert significant control over teenagers and that it is appropriate and suitable for the community, as a whole, to define good parenting”.  She goes on to say, “This message seems positive…research has shown that neighborhoods in which parents collectively share the responsibility for supervising children are less likely to experience high crime rates than neighborhoods in which parents do not attempt collective supervision” (Harris, p. 38).  This supervision is not only meant in the literal sense.  It can also be conveyed by new expectations in parenting and the acceptance of the responsibility of these expectations within the community.

     There is no doubt that being a parent is one of the toughest things you can do in life.  It is a lifetime gig that can offer challenges that seem unending and unrelenting.  Most parents would probably agree that, given that, the rewards still outweigh the risks and tough times.  They may even think that bearing the legal responsibility of their child’s mistakes are just too much.  On the other hand, is it fair that society bears the legal and fiscal responsibility of their child’s mistakes?  Of course not, that’s why parents should be legally responsible, in some capacity, for the crimes their children commit.  Community involvement and raising the expectations of acceptable parenting is the best way to tackle the problem of juvenile delinquency if we want to see long term measurable results.  And even if the results turn out to be less appealing than expected, isn’t it still for the better?  It is widely accepted that the most effective way to improve in any aspect of life is to raise the bar and always strive for more.  Let’s not be afraid to raise the bar on parenting and see what happens.

References

Anonymous. (2009, Parents must lead the way. Townsville Bulletin, pp. 66. ProQuest.

Bower, B. (2007). Crime growth. Science News, 172(20), 308. ProQuest.

Driessen, J. (2011). Focusing on juvenile justice reform in Minnesota. Corrections Today, 73(1), 38. ProQuest.

Harris, J. H. (2009). Making parents pay. Family Advocate, 31(3), 38-41. ProQuest.

Piper, A. (2011, Parents might pay for kids' misdeeds. Telegraph-Herald, pp. A.1. ProQuest.

Piquero, A. R., Farrington, D. P., Welsch, B. C., Tremblay, R., & Jennings, W. G. (2009). Effects of early family/parent training programs on anti-social behavior and delinquency. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 5(2), 83. ProQuest.

Saving Labor Unions

     There is no doubt that the economy has been the most explosive topic for citizens and politicians here in America for the past couple of years.  Opinions differ on whether it is getting worse or better but there is one thing we can’t deny, the bad economy has affected all of us in one way or another and large amounts of Americans are worse off financially than they have ever been before.  Perhaps it was the over-inflated real estate market or the unethical discretions of some of the decision makers on Wall Street that led us in this seemingly inevitable direction.  The causes can be debated and we can be sure that the blame game will continue, but the fact is, we are where we are.  So, what do we do next?  Well, one issue that has come to the forefront of this blame game and has become a popular scapegoat in local government is the public sector labor unions.  Recently, there have been an increasing number of cities across America who are coming forward to raise concerns over labor unions and the large costs that they burden these cities with.  One of the main costs that these labor unions have incurred is their pensions, which were legally negotiated with and agreed upon by city officials.  In some cities they are projecting that these pensions will take up to 50 percent of their budget in future years.  It appears as if some of these cities, and more specifically the local politicians, are not only looking at solutions to cut costs but to abolish these labor unions all together.  Some politicians are hesitant to make such bold statements as to ask for the complete abolishment of these unions.  Instead they are going about it in a sneaky way by trying to take away their collective bargaining rights, which they know would cripple the unions and all but dissolve them.  These particular politicians have managed to get a significant number of American popular opinions to back them.  Perhaps people have just forgotten the benefits that unions have forged over the years, not just for their members but for all workers here in America.  Or, maybe it’s just that they don’t care and think it won’t affect them.  Whatever the reason, I contend that the abolishment of public sector labor unions would hurt the average American worker as we move out of this economic recession and into the future.

     Labor unions have a long and storied history here in America.  It has most certainly been a ride with its share of contentious incidents.  Labor unions had a controversial birth.  During colonial times in North America, there was often no prevailing moral ideology among certain workers and unions were far from respectable.  They had a reputation for being anti-social and even criminal.  Some unions were forms of secret societies that engaged in intimidation and violence, even against uncooperative workers.  Despite this, they were able to secure advancements for the American worker that we are still enjoying today.  People have sacrificed their financial security, family, friends and at times even their lives for the advancement of labor unions.  Conceding that the true beginning of labor unions was long before our parents were even born and would make for an interesting discussion, I will be focusing on the modern era of labor unions, and more specifically public sector labor unions.  I would also like to disclose that I am a current member of a public sector labor union and will attempt to be fair in my arguments.  One of the factors that helped to propel public sector unions was President John F. Kennedy’s executive order 10988 that was signed in January 1962.  It promoted unionism in the federal bureaucracy by declaring that “the efficient administration of the government and the well-being of employees require that orderly and constructive relationships be maintained between employee organizations and management” (Reynolds, 2009).  The original purpose of labor unions was to organize workers to achieve common goals to benefit the workers.  Some of these common goals included such issues as wage equality, antidiscrimination, workplace safety, procedures for hiring and firing of employees, and even the 8 hour workday.  In spite of these advancements that unions have accomplished over the years, membership has markedly decreased over the last 3 decades.  To get a better idea of the scope of labor unions in America right now, I have compiled a few statistics from the United States Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics).  In 2010, the percent of wage and salary workers who were members of a union was 11.9 %, down from 12.3% in 2009.  Union membership rate for public sector workers was 36.2% versus private sector workers which was 6.9%.  Workers in education, training, and library occupations had the highest unionization rate at 37.1%.  The demographic characteristics of union members were interesting.  There are 12.6% men versus 11.1% women.  Also, minorities make up a large percentage of unions.  The white membership was at 11.7%, meaning that 88.3% was made up of a mixture of a number of minorities (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011).

     One of the most recent and visible events that has brought this issue to the forefront is the battle going on in the state of Wisconsin.  It has been hard to miss it on any of the major news networks.  The public demonstrations have been mighty and the rhetoric coming from both sides has been piercing.  Wisconsin, like several U.S. states, is facing a major shortfall in their next two-year budget.  I believe the amount is somewhere near an estimated $3.6 billion dollars.  The intention of this paper is not to start another unending back and forth political debate or to point the finger at any particular political party.  However, it should be noted that the issue in Wisconsin has become a partisan problem between Democrats and Republicans.  The bill at issue is being pushed through by Wisconsin’s Republican Governor, Scott Walker.  According to Todd Richmond of the Associated Press, the essence of this bill is that “the law would force public employees to pay more for their healthcare and pension benefits, which amounts to an 8% pay cut.  It would also eliminate their ability to collectively bargain anything except wage increases no higher than inflation” (Richmond, 2011).  Recent developments have ensured that this bill is on hold for at least a couple of months.  A judge in Wisconsin will be considering whether the Republicans passed this bill into law illegally.  In the meantime, the rhetoric will continue and there is no doubt that each side will be planning their next move.

     The fight between the anti-union faction and the pro-union supporters is very volatile.  Tactics on both sides have been fierce and at times, border on unethical.  With the explosion of media outlets here in America, the anti-union proponents are masterfully trying to gain the upper hand by targeting the emotion of the general public during these hard economic times.  Nelson Lichtenstein tells us that the Center for Union Facts, which is a well-financed anti-union public relations operation, puts out videos denouncing union officials by using explosive words such as greed, corruption, deception, intimidation, and mismanagement (Lichtenstein, 2010). These words are hard to swallow for Americans that are battling just to pay their bills every month.  The anti-union faction really doesn’t care if they are true or not.  They know that just the use of these striking words will turn the struggling American worker against the idea of unions, even without having the full truth about the issues.  This is unethical.  The truth is that labor unions “are now highly regulated institutions, far more so than almost any other voluntary institution in American society” (Lichtenstein, p. B9).  In addition to being unethical, it may just be illegal to swipe the bargaining rights away from these unions.  There will be many court battles in the near future, beginning with the one in Wisconsin, and all of America is watching.  Like I mentioned before, I really want to stay away from any political debates but it appears more and more as if there is possibly an underlying reason for this union battle that has taken shape, and it is political.  Republicans would like to do away with these unions and Democrats are doing their best to save them.  It is no secret that public sector unions have been long time supporters of the Democratic Party and have contributed millions of dollars to their campaign funds.  Is it possible that the clever Republicans are using this unfortunate economic climate to turn the average American workers against each other in order to squash a key support structure for the rival political party?  It is very much possible and I believe that is what is happening before our eyes.  Beyond that, Hector Sanchez points out that, if public sector labor unions are allowed to dissolve, we will be in danger of losing some protections that we have long taken for granted.  Minimum wage, paid sick leave, social security, medicare, retirement funds, paid vacation time, and child labor laws are all protections that workers in the labor movement helped secure for millions of Americans.  “Labor unions are central to having a healthy middle class…they strengthen the economy, our tax base and help build the middle class by helping workers secure higher incomes, critical benefits and workplace protections” (Sanchez, 2011). A good portion of these public workers are teachers, police officers, firefighters, librarians, social workers and road repair technicians.  I would venture to say that most of these careers are not entered into by individuals to get rich.  It is because they have a strong desire to help a segment of our communities in a positive outlet.

     Nobody is arguing that America is not in a budget crisis, the likes of which it hasn’t seen in a long, long time.  This recession has hit local government harder than anyone and there will be some tough decisions that have to be made.  Immediately rushing to strip public sector labor unions of their collective bargaining rights is unfair and will hurt the average American worker in the future.  Although I am a member of a public sector union, I am not opposed to changes that need to take place in order to accommodate budgets.  If it turns out that the courts are not able to stop the politicians from taking away the collective bargaining rights of these unions, then victory or defeat may lay in the hands of the American people and greater public opinion.  With emotion and desperation running high in these toughest of times, it is important to take a step back and really analyze all of the options and potential consequences.  I can only hope that the American public, specifically the private sector, realize that the dissolution of public sector labor unions will come to affect them too.  It may not be apparent at face value and in the immediate foreseeable future but it will end up affecting them down the line.  The average American worker is the one who should be wary.  It may be the children of your children that feel it when they try to enter the workforce and a huge wage disparity has slowly evolved again because of the absence of labor unions, someone on the front lines to fight for fairness and equality in the workplace.  Once the labor unions disintegrate, they will not be coming back unless working conditions get so bad that they are unbearable.  Why would we even want to risk that?  Hopefully we won’t have to.

                                                                    References

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2011, January 21). Union members summary [Economic News Release]. Retrieved March 25, 2011, from United States Department of Labor website: http://www.bls.gov/.release/‌union2.nr0.htm

Lichtenstein, N. (2010, January 22). Misunderstanding the anti-union narrative. Chronicle of higher education, 56(19), b8-b10. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/‌login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cpid&custid=s8856897&db=aph&AN=47894025&site=ehost-live

Reynolds, M. (2009, July 17). A history of labor unions from colonial times to 2009 [Web Article]. Retrieved March 25, 2011, from Mises.org website: http://mises.org//‌#part4

Richmond, T. (2011, April 1). Wisconsin union rights law on hold for 2 months [Associated Press Article]. Retrieved April 5, 2011, from Yahoo.com website: http://news.yahoo.com/‌s//_wisconsin_budget_unions

Sanchez, H. (2011, March 18). Warning: If they take wisconsin, they might go after our weekends [Editorial]. The huffington post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/e-sanchez/if-they-take-wisc_b_837757.html

Goodbye Boxing

     If you’re like me, a sports fan who also dreams of being rich, then you have thought too about someday having the opportunity to win a million dollars.  This is how it goes.  I imagine myself on a television game show and I am down to my last question and it’s for a million dollars.  Oh, and guess what the category is.  That’s right, it’s boxing.  This is great!  I am a huge sports fan and I have seen many of the best, world championship boxing matches of all time.  I am already thinking about how I am going to spend my million dollars, and then the question comes.  Who is the current, undisputed heavyweight boxing champion of the world?  I suddenly break into a sweat as I try not to blurt out “Mike Tyson”, because everyone knows he has been retired for several years now.  My heart hurts with disappointment because I was so close to getting that cherry red convertible corvette that was going to massage me through my mid-life crisis.  How could I miss that question?  Then I realize that I can’t remember the last time I watched boxing on television.  What happened to the sport of boxing that we all used to love?  Where did it go?

     The heavyweight boxing champion of the world used to be the most glamorous and coveted title in all of sports.  Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and George Foreman are just a few household names.  These fighters are considered legends but have been retired for decades now.  Can we name any current boxers?  Outside of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, there seems to be little interest in contemporary boxing.

     One of the theories as to what may have led to the disappearance of boxing is summed up well by Jon Saraceno of USA Today.  “Pro boxing once was one of America’s most popular sports.  But the public’s confusion with multiple alphabet-group champions and anger at controversial decisions weakened a tenuous infrastructure.  As advertisers drifted off, so did network television exposure” (Saraceno, p. A01).  I have friends that subscribe to this theory.  The problem is that they are in denial and have a short memory.  They would rant and rave about how their favorite fighter got “robbed” by a controversial decision and they were never going to watch boxing again.  But the very next time there was a big fight on television, we would once again gather at one of our homes for a “fight night” with all the boys.  Although this theory is reasonable and probably did contribute to the decrease in the popularity of boxing, I believe there is something else that has directly led to the disappearance of boxing in our hearts and on our television sets.

     This big, bad, bully pushing boxing out of American sports consciousness is known by three letters, MMA.  Mixed Martial Arts has captured the imagination of disgruntled boxing fans as well as the average American sports lover who has a deep, dark fear of being locked up in a cage with another human being that wants to rip their head off.  “Boxing has historically provided youths an escape, discipline and a way to stay off the streets.  But over the last several years the sport’s popularity has faded in the face of rising interest in mixed martial arts, which uses a variety of fighting techniques, including grappling and striking” (Ahmed, p. 1).  I don’t know if my friends, who are huge boxing fans, even realize it or not, but the last five “fight night” gatherings we have had were all centered on MMA fights.  I am a little hesitant to admit it, but we had a great time and boxing was never even talked about.

     “For the younger generation of fight fans, MMA is quickly becoming the only sport that matters” (Webster, 2009).  This is the unfortunate part.  Boxing just doesn’t matter anymore.  Who is going to put up a fight to bring boxing back to the forefront of American sports? Maybe it will be the alienated boxing fans who have felt betrayed by countless controversial decisions.  I think not.  Maybe it will be the new generation of fight fans who have been mesmerized by the raw, gladiator excitement of MMA.  I think not.  Maybe boxing will help itself by the promoters and sanctioning bodies figuring out a way to revive their sport.  Yeah, you’re right, probably not.  So, I guess this is goodbye then.  Sorry boxing, we have somebody younger, better looking and a lot more fun than you.  And she treats us with respect.  Maybe you can start dressing up the fighters in bright yellow spandex so you can try to compete with professional wrestling.

References

Ahmed, A. (2009, Rocky days for boxing; the fight game may be losing ground to mixed martial arts, but purists are confident the sport can regain its swagger. Chicago Tribune, pp. 1.

Saraceno, J. (2004, De La Hoya gives boxing punch of respectability; champion fighter hopes to revive faltering sport. USA Today, pp. A 01.

Webster, R. (2009, The main event: Mixed martial arts is gaining a rabid following in New Orleans. New Orleans City Business,

MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES

     The evolution of technologies used by media has certainly changed the way we look at our world.  Not only has it made our world smaller and more accessible, but it has also, literally, put the power of massive influence in the palm of our hands.  Nowhere has the advancement been more noticeable than in the field of telecommunications.  The fruition of television, radio, the internet and more recently, smartphones, can largely be credited with creating the world that we currently experience every day.

     Television has traditionally had a strong hold on the influence of audiences from a media perspective.  Bill Hoffman of Cox’s Atlanta ABC affiliate explains why.  “It has always been of high value.  Combine the most influential medium, television, with a large audience and you get a shotgun blast with your message offering.  You also get the added benefit of making contact with not only your primary target audience but secondary ones as well” (Armbruster, p. 11).  The audience for television is very substantial and diverse.  It can also be thoughtfully discriminatory depending on the chosen programming.  The true beauty of television lies in its ability to not only reach the audience, but also touch them in a special way.  “Television’s integration of sound, pictures and motion leaves strong impressions on viewers” (Marsh, Guth & Short, p. 144).  A great example of the potency of television was the September 11^th tragedies of 2001.  People who watched that series of events unfold before their eyes will never forget some of the images burned into their minds; thanks to the media technology we call television.

     Radio is often considered to be the ugly step sister to television but there is an undeniable attraction and value to radio as a media technology.  Although radio does not have the same visual stimuli as television, the theatre of the mind effect that radio provides can still fill that void to a certain extent.  Mark Barber assesses radio like this, “Freely available and effortless to consume, radio on any platform continues to play a unique emotional role in the listener’s life- lifting their mood when engaged in other tasks, wherever, whenever- a role that is impossible for other media to fulfill to the same degree” (Barber, p. 18).  The medium of radio can certainly be fun and it can also garner a significant audience as well.  “The demographic and psychographic makeup of the audience of a particular radio station is based on the station’s geographic location and programming format” (Marsh, Guth & Short, p. 139).

     The media technology that is giving television a run for its money is the internet.  It may soon become the most powerful media technology in the world, if it isn’t already.  The internet is an avenue where most other media technologies can rest their heads too.  It is a willing and gracious host of television, radio and print.  The audience for the internet is just as enormous and impressive as television.  The explosion of social networking websites has validated the internet and ensured that it will probably be the most vital media technology of the future.  Whereas television is more of a one way messaging or communication tool, the internet fosters an environment of real time sharing of ideas that essentially enables instant feedback from the audience.

     A media technology that literally goes hand in hand with the internet is smartphones.  Smartphones are amazing and have almost become a necessity for just about every working adult or student.  “Approximately 57 percent of college students own a smartphone, a number that has nearly doubled in the past year.  Additionally, 100 percent of smartphones are Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capable, meaning that they can communicate with other compatible devices” (Computers, Networks & Communications, p. 191).  Connectivity is the key.  Audiences want to feel connected.  Smartphones allow people to do this.  The audience for this media technology is limited to people who can afford them and have access to the products and networks.  However, the emotional magnetism is very strong.  Once someone has a smartphone, they never want to give up that feeling of connectivity.

     The future of media technologies is bright and the anticipation of new accomplishments and inventions is almost unbearable.  The rate of change has been so fast that it is almost impossible to predict where media technology will be twenty years from now.  There is one thing for certain though; there will surely still be a place for television, radio, the internet and smartphones.

References

Armbruster, A. (2008).  High reach still key to best results. TelevisionWeek. Chicago. 27(19).
     p. 11.  Retrieved from ProQuest.

Barber, M. (2011).  Improved reception. Marketing. London. p. 18. Retrieved from
      ProQuest.

Marsh, C.; Guth, D.; Short, B.P. (2009). Strategic writing; Multimedia writing for public

     Relations, advertising and more. 2^nd Ed. Pearson Education Inc.

Unknown. (2012).  Telecommunications; College bookstores emerge as new medium

     for mobile advertisers. Computers, Networks & Communications. p. 191. Retrieved
     from ProQuest.

Summary

     Welcome to the Communication Studies Portfolio Blog presented by Lance Otani.  “A review of blog literature suggests that blogs may have many social and emotional benefits.  In particular, there is the suggestion that blogging may have benefits in the form of coping, insight and growth, catharsis, as a free space to communicate, through feedback, through recognition, and in social support” (Baker and Moore, p. 379).  With this in mind, it is intended to be a professional blog that features samples of various writings related to Communications fields.  The purpose is to create a fluid portfolio that can demonstrate the author’s writing proficiency in the field of Communication Studies.

     The audience for this blog will be a cross section of potential employers, peers and interested parties that are invited to skillfully critique the writings in an effort to improve the blog and the author’s writing skills.  The design will be presented with the purpose and audience in mind.  It will incorporate the seven elements that Michael Martin says makes a blog look great.  These are structure, balance, color, small details, clarity and emphasis, remarkability and functionality (Martin, 2010).  The blog content will be without hidden agenda.  It will consist of samples of media writing, technical writing and any other business or professional writing that may be relevant to the audience.

References

Martin, M. (June 26). 7 Elements to make your blog look great. Pro Blog Design. Retrieved   

     from http://www.problogdesign.com

Baker, J.; Moore, S. (2010). Creation and validation of the personal blogging style scale.

    CyberPsychology, Behavior and Social Networking. 14(6), p. 379-385.