Post #12 : EOTO Terms and Concepts

Introduction: 

For this EOTO, our group (#4) was responsible for policy. The following topics within the policy section are as followed: Sherman Antitrust Act, Media Consolidation, Verticle Integration, Net Neutrality, News Deserts, and Cord-Cutting. I was specifically in charge of creating and designing the PowerPoint and doing research on cord-cutting. 

Cord-cutting can be described as a pattern of viewers unsubscribing from a service that they once previously used in order to save money or benefit from a different service. This is becoming very popular among American citizens because new and emerging platforms are entering the entertainment industry. There are some pros and some cons that come with the decision to cord-cut and are viewed differently through the eyes of many people. 

Pros: 

• People are able to save money on their service if they don't use all the channels. A great example is Cable. A lot of people only watch specific channels or are only interested in certain shows so paying for the whole package may just be inconvenient and unnecessary. Additionally, if they aren't home as often, they aren't taking advantage of the plan because they are busy doing other things that require their attention.  
• Individuals are now able to pay for whatever they actually want to watch and don't have to pay extra for other things they don't need.
• They no longer have to worry about the satilite connection because they aren't dependent on it anymore. 

Cons: 

• Although you are no longer paying for cable and have switched to streaming, the quality of your entertainment is dependent on the quality of your wifi. If you're having wifi difficulties, the speed of your stream may be slower than usual. 
• There are numerous amounts of streaming platforms out there for the public to choose from. The streaming platform that you choose may not have the specific show or movie you are looking for, resulting in you to potentially purchase a subscription to another service. 

Many individuals have made the switch and decided to cord cut so that they can be apart of the streaming family. Although it may seem like the obvious decision, considering cable prices are through the roof right now, it totally depends on the individual and their preferences. 

There are more images that break down the cost of streaming vs. cable in my PowerPoint located on slides 18-22. Feel free to check them out as they are very informative!

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1v8_zx3YpYWh4s4b_lcwrMcbHoCoZcx8BcYypvEvEmSU/edit#slide=id.ga168e2c622_0_33 

Mid-Term Blog : Communication Technology Timeline

Timelines are a great way to describe change over a long period. At the end of the day, everything undergoes change and can't avoid it, especially communication. The way we get others to understand us is so important because it's how we feel valid. When people can grasp the same meaning and interpretation that we have, it makes it a lot easier to get along and get our point across. Throughout the years, there have been countless amounts of communication introduced to the public. In fact, communication has always been around ever since man touched this earth. Communication can be viewed as the exchanging of information or news to another person or entity. Over time, it's evolved substantially. A prime example of this is the emoji. 

A selction of the modern Emoji Alphabet 

The emoji brings our thoughts and ideas to life, as it implements emotions into our text. Using them has become as normalized and common as one can imagine. When looking at the bigger picture, the evolution of the emoji is fascinating, considering where it all began. During the early existence of our time, Cavemen have been writing images on walls for others to interpret. Over 17,300 years ago, they left paintings, inscriptions, and sculptures for us to analyze that are now considering as one of the biggest leaps mankind has ever taken. At this point in time, we transformed from living on instinct to living on thoughts and feelings. As time moves forward, about 5,000 years ago, the Egyptians then adopt hieroglyphics which propels us forward in the evolution process, resulting in us to read it in a sequence. The images are still present but now there is thinking and reading involved rather than just feeling and sensing. This is a big deal because writing is a huge accomplishment. It's even argued that you wouldn't have history without writing, despite the events that you can count in order. However, this isn't where it stopped. Instead of just using pictures and images, we evolved to symbols because they can tell a lot using a little. Having a set of symbols allow you to use them in whichever order you wish to describe your thoughts, like the alphabet for example. Although there are only 26 letters (symbols) in the English alphabet, there are thousands of words that are able to be produced.

The alphabet did come a long way but it certainly did take time to evolve to what it is today. 

Evolution of the letter A

All the way from cavemen drawing to the emoji alphabet. It's an incredible accomplishment to think about. These emojis that we used are just randomly selected either, you have to know how to use them and where to add them to your message. We live in a day in age where emojis make an appearance almost anywhere we go. Where it's common to use emojis in your messages. Where it's considered weird and creepy if you don't. You can even be considered as a boring and dry texter if you choose to opt-out of emoji use. The new way of communicating your thoughts AND emotions has arrived and in my opinion, isn't going away anytime soon. 

Post #6 ; Eight values of Free Expression

     Although all eight values of free expression are relevant and valid, there are one the stands out as the most important to me, number eight. Protect dissent is something that oftentimes people look over. Dissent, injustice, and the meaning America all rely on this to ensure that that the authorities' opinions aren't the only ones available for the public. Having the ability to protect minority views is something that is invaluable, as it gives the general population the right to share their opinion no matter how unpopular they may be. Everyone is different in this country, resulting in people having different beliefs on varying subjects. Thus, being able to disagree with the government is a very important part of our freedom of speech. As stated in the description, it is our "patriotic duty to criticize the government" as it keeps them on their toes when establishing new laws. However, this isn't the case all the time. It is extremely evident in today's world where we are constantly being monitored about what we say, especially on social media. A prime example is Twitter. The platform allows you to make a post known as a "tweet" to share your thoughts or opinions. Despite our freedom of speech, they have the ability to censor our tweets within a matter of minutes if it "goes against their polocies" aka is not something they agree with.

    This was becoming so obvious during a time where people were sharing their opinions the most, the 2020 presidential election. Although those who generally side with the left were able to share their thoughts without even thinking if it could "violate" the terms of the agreement, those who sided with the right were getting their tweets deleted or censored within a matter of days or even minutes. This action suppresses the individuals who are trying to share their view on the subject at hand while giving others the right to tweet freely. The main reason behind all of this is because the CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, is known to be a democrat and side strongly with the left. Because he is at the top of the chain, it is easier for him to censor any of the president's tweets that go against what he believes in. Additionally, he has people working around the clock to monitor any speech that may "cause a threat" to the general public. 

    Despite the importance of this value of free expression, it is still getting violated today in the world that we live in. Jack Dorsey and Twitter is just one example that explains the problems we are having but there are different scenarios that are taking place all around the country. 

    

Final Blog Post : Impact of Technology

    As time progresses, it is inevitable that things start to change. We as a society are constantly faced with innovation and can't seem to catch a break. This is a good thing and can be a bad thing too. We can all admit that times were different back then. The way people acted was even different. Efficiency was different. Suicide rates were different. These are just to name a few. Whether we like it or not, we have to be able to adapt to change no matter how big or small. It's crazy to think about how someone born in the 1930s doesn't know how to work or type on a computer as fast as someone born in the 2000s. Typing this very blog would have been done through a typewriter back then and now I'm just typing keys without a worry about a mistake because I have the ability to hit the delete button. Not to mention, I have everything at the power of my fingertips. My point being, things have changed so much where it forces our society to change as a whole. The way things are done now are so different than they were once done and it's not our fault. 

    As previously mentioned, the good thing about change is that it can lead to more efficiency and productivity. That goes a long way in a world where information is the leading advantage. In today's age, technology is not a separate entity, it is apart of us. We have a relationship with technology and we will never break up with it. The question left to answer is, is it a toxic relationship? Is it healthy to always be surrounded by technology every single day of lives? Today, you're viewed as weird or "not with it" if you don't have a cell phone in middle school. Having tech implemented into your lifestyle at such a young age leaves you with no choice but to accept it into your life as a "must-have". In my opinion, the truth of the matter is that we spend way too much time with technology than we do with our loved ones. Some people may be different but the majority if Americans at least don't appreciate the moment and would rather capture it in picture on their cellphones. It's actually really sad that some people can't even enjoy others company at a dinner without being on their mobile devices. If you look at dates that occurred back then compared to dates that happen now, you'd see a dramatic difference. On the contrary, technology is a great tool to further your education and better yourself, but only if used correctly. It's crucial that you return back to your roots and appreciate the moment and what you have around you because when things get ugly and you lose a loved one, technology can't bring them back. 

From a personal standpoint, technology was a big part of my life growing up in generation Z. However, I had my first phone in 8th grade, the first piece of tech that I could call mine. Now, my sister has children and they already have Ipads and tablets to play with and watch their TV shows on.

They also use it as a learning device where I had strictly books and group exercises. Throughout my early education, my school used projectors that were reflecting plastic sheets that my teachers were able to write on. Who knows what the next generation will be using. 

Post #1; 5 sources

1. CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com

    One of the best sources I always refer to for breaking news related to business is CBNC. They are able to get updates faster than any other business application and their analysts are well educated, logical people. This allows for accurate information to be published so that there is no fake or fraudulent content, in terms of financial information. Additionally, their website and mobile app make it easy to navigate almost anything you need or are looking for. 

2. Market Watch: https://www.marketwatch.com

    Another great source for financial news is MarketWatch. Their platform offers analytical insight on almost any major publicly-traded company, allowing for investors to confidently make decisions for their desired investment. Similar to CNBC, MarketWatch offers great stock market data and business news on virtually any company that is publicly-traded. Furthermore, the cover news in the foreign exchange markets as well as futures. 

3. Yahoo Finance: https://finance.yahoo.com

    Considering yahoo is an internationally used search engine, it contains a lot of information that can be useful for anyone looking to better themselves or further their education. A search bar is a powerful tool, especially on this website. You can navigate any information from investments to home mortgage rates.

4. Barrons: https://www.barrons.com

    Barrons is yet another great source for financial news. I use this site to compare the data that they give me with what other sites publish. It's always good to have multiple sources so you can see different perspectives on the subject. People can also post on the website to give their personal opinion on the topic which is also helpful. 

5. Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com

    The Wall Street Journal is constantly being updated with the latest news articles relating to big impactful events. Because the stock market is affected by numerous external factors, it is important to know as much as possible about the latest news. One story or write up could change the direction of stock even if everything else is suggesting a certain direction. WSJ is a great source to get the background on any major story.