Blog #4: EOTO Communication Technology: DVDs & CDs

    The first form of communication technology dates back to around 3500 B.C. However, one of the biggest turning points in technological innovation history happened around the birth of the CD and DVD. These two technologies have made a lasting impact on mass communication as a whole. Though these innovations are crucial to the world of communication technology, they have grown to become quite obsolete in today's society. 

    In 1982, the first ever compact disc (CD) was created. The idea of this technology was to eliminate the need for all analog media equipment and cassette tapes. CDs can also record and store any type of playback audio. This was first created by Sony Corporation and Philips Electronics, two of the world's top technology producers. It is kind of ironic how these CDs were created in the 1980's to discontinue the use of obsolete media equipment. Yet, in 2024, CD's are almost considered to be obsolete as everything is now digital. 

    Though the compact disc was created by Philips and Sony, it was the famous record labels who widely promoted the product. The collaboration of these major technology producers was necessary for development, however, there were some hurdles that they faced during the manufacturing process. Since this innovation caused such a turning point in communication technology, manufacturers were worried that consumers would have no interest in purchasing this innovation due to increased pricing and potential piracy concerns. Despite these hurdles, the CD has greatly changed our world, pushing us towards a future of technological advancement. The compact disc benefitted both the consumer and the creator of the media displayed within it. The creators received more interest from their audiences because of the higher quality production, thus growing their success. The consumers were given access to higher-quality media and able to modernize the way they store data and playback audio. This changed the communication between creators and consumers by building a fanbase off of the shared media, the higher quality innovation has harvested a higher quality relationship between them. There weren't many negative effects of the CD, just that it made earlier technology obsolete with its expansion of storage capacity and compactness. 

    In 1995, the first ever digital video disk (DVD) was created. The idea of this technology was to fulfill the need to store data, media, and video for backup and transport. DVDs are commonly used for home entertainment, like movies and TV shows, but are also used for business and marketing purposes. The CD, created by Sony Corporation and Philips Electronics, inspired the innovation of the DVD, created by two other world technology producers, Toshiba and Panasonic. The DVD is also ironic because it was created to discontinue the use of analog media equipment and even VHS tapes and compact discs. Yet, in 2024, DVDs are also considered to be almost obsolete because we now have access to streaming services and on-demand video playing technology. 

    

    The digital video disk was the world's first medium of interactive video technology, setting the course for further development of other interactive equipment. The innovation of the DVD came with many new, impressive features, including expanded storage capacity, the option to pause, skip, and rewind the displayed content. It was also easily accessible for consumers and displayed high quality video. The DVD helped to improve the communication between content creators and consumers. The consumers were able to have access to high quality movies and TV shows, thus building more audience interest and views. The content creators are able to continue producing other versions of their media, thus leading to a successful, growing film franchise. Some negative effects of the DVD invention were depleting the need of compact discs and VHS tapes, issues with music licensing, and piracy concerns over media theft and bootlegging. Though there are these negative effects, the DVD changed the future of media production and development. 

Blog #3: The 8 Values of Free Expression

 

    The main goal of the First Amendment is to protect free expression for all citizens of the United States. This comes in many shapes and forms including freedom of religion, freedom from religion, freedom of speech, press, assembly, and petition. The Constitution was written based on principles and values that defined our country. Our Founding Fathers wanted to write this document to ensure that every citizen has equal opportunities for their rights. The eight values of free expression are a marketplace of ideas, participation in self-government, stable change, individual self-fulfillment, check on governmental power, promote tolerance, promote innovation, and protect dissent. 

    The marketplace of ideas, also known as the discovery of truth, shows that truth will win out over falsehood. Participation in self-government is affected because people will often not make wise, informed choices due to their political candidates' ability to communicate positions being restricted. The people are in need of a well-informed electorate within a debate. A stable change, also known as a safety valve, gives alienated citizens the opportunity to vent making society more stable and less likely for the occurrence of violence. The individual self-fulfillment, also known as self-actualization, shows how free speech enables all citizens to express themselves and develop their own personal identity. The check on governmental power, also known as the watchdog role, shows how freedom of the press often reveals the abuses of power to the American citizens. Thus, making us citizens and the press a crucial part of the checks and balances system. The promotion of tolerance shows that by protecting all types of hate speech teaches the citizens to become more tolerant throughout all aspects of life. The promotion of innovation harvests a more energized society, so it influences citizens to actively and diversely fulfill themselves. The protection of dissent shows how the First Amendment was made to protect everyone by giving citizens the strong right to disagree with and criticize the government. 

    

    The value of free expression that resonates the most with me is the participation in self-government. As a political science major, I will always want to participate in government. It is important, as an American citizen, that I am able to maintain the right of being able to trust in my electorates. For successful government debate, there needs to be effective communication amongst the well-informed electorates and the people. 

    Another value of free expression that feels personal to me is the promotion of tolerance. After years and years of growing up around expressed hate, I have grown tolerant of these behaviors. Thus, I have personally been affected by the value of promoting tolerance. This value is not only beneficial to me, but is beneficial to every American citizen. This value lays out the structure for what is right and wrong, in terms of appropriate behavior in society. 

    The value of free expression that I see most often in today's society is individual self-fulfillment. Nowadays, society is all about encouraging people to find their true personal identity. Freedom of speech allows each individual to express themselves and create their own unique identity. This value of speech theory helps to explain what is happening in the world around us. 

Blog #2: History of the SCOTUS

 

        Since I am a political science major, I have some prior knowledge about the Supreme Court (SCOTUS). The Supreme Court is the highest, most powerful tier of the United States federal government, granting it significant rule over every law in our country. It was created in the Constitution and consists of nine court justices. The main purpose of the Supreme Court is to determine whether every law is constitutional or not. As the head of the judicial branch, it has the power to check the proceedings of both the executive and legislative branches. 

    I learned some more information about the Supreme Court that I hadn't known before. The highest judicial officer in the federal government is the chief justice. The people up for this position are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Some of their responsibilities include ruling in impeachment trials, ruling the Supreme Court, and setting the agenda for meetings. I didn't know that holding this position granted you so much responsibility and came with such a high status. It was written into the Constitution, in the Judiciary Act of 1789, that the Supreme Court would consist of at least six justices who are to remain serving until death or retirement. I did not realize the amount of commitment that goes into being a Supreme Court justice. This new information helped me to understand how important the Supreme Court is to our country's government. 

    The most important takeaway point about the SCOTUS is that throughout their 200+ year history, they have had a heavy influence on important cases. They are known for having a lasting impact on many civil rights cases, however, they have contributed to the rulings on other issues. A landmark civil rights case is Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), declaring that racial segregation was constitutional only if separate but equal accommodations were provided. A significant, controversial case was Roe v. Wade (1973), which granted pregnant women the right to an abortion within the first two trimesters. It is essential for Americans to realize how crucial the Supreme Court's role is in our country's government and political history. 

    The most surprising thing that I learned about the Supreme Court was that many of their case rulings have been overturned. Since this jurisdiction is so powerful, I did not think it was possible to overturn their decisions, especially in such controversial cases. In the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, the decision was overturned by Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954), deeming that segregation in public education was unconstitutional because it violates the 14th Amendment. This was a major turning point for racial discrimination in our country's history. In the case of Roe v. Wade, the decision was overturned by Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022), claiming that abortion is not a constitutional right. These are just a few popular examples of SCOTUS cases being overturned. These decisions have greatly impacted the way our government holds rulings. 

    This article has definitely changed what I originally thought of the Supreme Court. This newfound information is very eye-opening and should be brought to the attention of all Americans. I have always known that SCOTUS was somewhat important, however, I didn't realize how much power they actually held in the rulings of many landmark cases. Something that had the most impact on my thoughts of SCOTUS was that many newer cases have the ability to overturn precedent decisions. This has definitely affected the proceedings of the Supreme Court and changed our political history. 

    

Blog #1: Top 5 Sources of News & Information

     As a political science major, I try to stay as up-to-date as possible when it comes to current events. My top five sources for news and information are Instagram, TikTok, Fox News, The New York Times, and WBTV. Being a teenager in today's world means we often take to social media whenever we want to learn or share any news or information. We are growing up in a technologically advanced world, where media has influenced our own personal thoughts and lifestyles.  

    With that being said, my number one source of information is Instagram. On this platform, every individual can personalize their feed by following accounts of their own interests. Personally, I like to follow accounts that are associated with political affiliation, my university, close friends and family, as well as various news outlets. The same purpose goes for my second source, TikTok. Both of these social media platforms offer an abundance of opportunities for users to discover news and information. 

    However, in recent news, the United States House of Representatives passed a bill that could ban TikTok in our country. This will cause an uproar from Americans, as this media outlet is common amongst our nation's youth. These are my top two sources because social media is the most efficient way to stay up-to-date with active news and information. Though many people think that social, such as Instagram and TikTok, should be strictly reserved for the youth. I disagree with this idea and highly recommend that every person interested in staying informed become active on social media. As our world is constantly changing, so is the development of social media. 

    As I said before, I am a political science major who tries to stay active in current events and political activity. When I was growing up, my family watched Fox News daily. This news outlet has had an impact on my personal political outlook, so I continue to gather a lot of my news and information from this source. This conservative network brings a new perspective to the table, making it one of the most-watched channels in the nation. Even if you share an opposing political view, Fox News can teach everyone something new and offer eye-opening information about what is happening in our political world today. I like this source because it provides a very transparent outlook on American politics and the economy. I would highly recommend this source to anyone who wants to know the cold hard truth about our nation. 

 

   Another great source of information is The New York Times. This source covers almost every aspect of news and information you could think of. Anything from culture to health, they have active information on these topics. I have often used The New York Times for school projects and research, because of how reliable they are. This is why they are one of the world's leading news outlets and have won numerous Pulitzer Prizes. I like this source because it offers various perspectives on hot topics. They don't try to pressure viewers into conforming their ideas, unlike traditional news sources. I would highly recommend The New York Times for any type of news or information, as it is very reliable and accessible. 

    My final source for news and information is WBTV. This is my local news channel, stationed in Charlotte, North Carolina. Personally, I think local news channels are often more authentic than nationwide channels. Since these anchors are experts in news and information for your specific area, I feel that it is easier for them to create a connection between themselves and the viewers. Just as their logo says, WBTV is "on your side". With each session aired, you can tell that the newspeople are genuinely interested in what they are sharing and care about the audiences they are reaching. I like WBTV, or any local news channel, as a source of news because they are experts on what applies to your area but also share worldwide information. I highly recommend that everyone use their local news channel as one of their sources of information.