Sunday, September 18, 2011

What Blogging Should Be…



A blog should be a creative representation of one’s beliefs, interests, or postings of current events.  After all, let’s not forget the boring websites that many of us have accidentally visited at least once in our lifetimes.  You know the one—the website that has a dull layout, typos galore, and nothing interesting to say.  While it is true the 1990s was an age of internet publishing, and many “code jockeys” created elaborate websites that were aesthetically pleasing, the beautiful website layout will not keep the readers coming back for more.  Substance is the key.  Click here for a bad blog.

While, the author has a lot to say, it seems that the blog entries are very long and do not focus on one specific topic.  Instead, the entries seem insightful, but ramble.  Also, the blog is not personable; it reads as a newspaper article or awkward book review.  Think about it: blogs can be very important.  Especially in the medical field, a blog can present an otherwise “foreign concept” as something that is relatable in layman’s terms.  Honestly, most medical related websites are difficult to read.  Shouldn’t medical websites target people who need to be educated about the medical topics—not just people who are already science buffs who understand the lingo in the average science journal?  This is where the blog can be effective.  Using an effective, personable blog to convey medical subjects would serve as an excellent educational source for the average person.

Spotlight on The Nielsen Company


The Nielsen Company is a global media and information company that leads the world in marketing information, media information, and television ratings.  The Company was founded by Arthur Nielsen, a market analyst, in 1923.  Nielsen went on to dabble in radio market analysis in the 1930s, providing ratings statistics for radio shows.  In 1932, the company had monitored food and drug purchases, and measured one’s “share” of the market; Arthur Nielsen is charged with coining the term.  Later, Arthur Nielsen ventured into television, for which he used the Nielsen ratings system that had originally been intended for radio.  In 1936, Arthur Nielsen had first acquired the Audimeter, the device used to measure the radio stations being tuned during the day.  The device was tweaked and the company created a national rating service in 1942.  The information was collected from a sample of 1000 homes.   Nielsen’s rating system has become the premier source of measuring television audiences.  Notably, the Nielsen Company is the first company to offer market research.  As of July 28, 2011, Nielsen reported revenue of about 1.4 billion, a 10% increase from the same quarter a year ago.  The Nielsen Company continues to lead us with marketing information, media, and television ratings by sampling viewers to determine what they are watching or what they are doing on the internet.     


             The Nielsen Company has a hefty hand in media and measures the public’s interaction with the digital world.  The company merged with Dun and Bradstreet Company in 1984, resulting in two separate companies in 1996: the Nielsen Media Research (television ratings) and AC Nielsen (consumer shopping trends/box office).  According to their website, The Nielsen Company prides itself in its presence in “100 countries around the world,” and providing its “clients [with] the most complete understanding of what consumers watch and buy.”  Nonetheless, The Nielsen Company is responsible for perhaps bringing us the ratings that enable our favorite shows to receive acclaim and continue their run on television.  The Nielsen Company’s twitter feed states, “Our social media report says people who use sites like facebook, twitter, etc. are more likely to shop online.”  This is just one of the examples of the media research that The Nielsen Company conducts.  One can say that The Nielsen Company examines the consumer relationship with the digital world.  In a recent field report, Nielsen says “Television advertising continues to thrive in a digital world.”  In fact, television advertising grew 9% to $18.8 billion in the first quarter of 2011, while other more traditional forms of advertisement did not grow as rapidly. http://www.responsemagazine.com/direct-response-marketing/field-reports-july-2011-issue-3652   The Nielsen Company continues to measure what we are watching, what we are doing on the internet, and how these factors contribute to other things consumers do.  Nielsen is watching.    

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Introduction


   Hello, I’m Taresha, a Junior English major at the University of Maryland (College Park) who aspires to attend Medical School.  I’m originally from Oxon Hill, Maryland.  How do I usually access media?  Definitely online; you can be more selective in what you consume.  Also, I enjoy some technology, but would not consider myself a “techie”. 

   But, technology continues to impact our lives.  Whether it is downloading a book on Nook; getting an xray; using a phone app to test our blood pressure; or keeping up with old high school friends via facebook, technology plays an important role in our lives.  In the medical field, technology is especially important.  For instance, there is a new imaging technology that allows an even clearer image of our pancreas and is being used for new studies in diabetes. http://sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110825090319.htm  Also, a new nanosensor is being used to ensure that the correct combination of medicine is given to cancer patients. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110907132106.htm

   This semester I hope to have productive conversations about mass communication.  Some interesting questions I already have are:  How have advances in technology helped to “dumb down” society? And how has social networking contributed to an increase in the instances and severity of bullying?  Social networking has become, what I believe is the most effective media outlet.  Social networking websites have become a staple for businesses, organizations, products, and news.  At the same time, social networking websites have caused disruption in schools, provided an outlet for bullying, and a preying ground for sexual predators.  My goal for my own social networking on this blog is to have an avenue to talk about such topics.  Enjoy.