Conglomerates

After the debate on Thursday I have been thinking a lot about the different affects of media conglomerates on society. Going into the debate I thought there is no way that the side arguing that media conglomerates has a positive effect on society would make a valid point, but they did. Although it kind of got off the track of media conglomerate and steered more toward media text in general I think that they can both be argued very closely. The argument made by the affirmative group about the enhancement of tree-market communication was very good. I agree that through media conglomerates and the works they provide society with that it helps to keep us all connected and communicating. The point that was brought up a few times in the debate was whether or not these conglomerates actually guide the way we think or if it is our free will to choose what we think about. Personally, I think that we do not have a choice of what we think about when we are guided by a media text or conglomerate. The media world has a system of creating products and advertisement that will catch our eye and make us want or at least to consider whatever is being displayed. One example I can think of in my head is the new "Snuggie" blanket and the commercials that they play on television. The product is nothing more than a blanket with sleeves, but by the flashy and upbeat commercial they provide us with multiple scenarios that would make the "Snuggie" blanket a helpful need in our lives. Going all the way through the creation of this commercial it leads back to the media conglomerate who owns this company guides the way of effective attention grabbing. After the debate in class I have changed my view from the idea that media conglomerates or only bad for society to the fact that they are both good and bad for the society.