Communications and Media

A lot of inventions and innovations are being developed in todays society due to the rapid and unprecedented advancement of science and technology. The different innovations are beneficial to the society for they improve and enhance our activities and lifestyles. These innovations are disseminated for public consumption and for them to know the different facets of the product or idea that is new to the public. Mobile phones and digital cameras are some of the most useful products of the worlds technological advancement. Cell phones render several benefits to the user due to their many features and capabilities. The cell phones transformed our mode of communication, especially in contacting people in other places. Cameras are capable of capturing the moment and memories. Most of the digital cameras and cell phones contain SD cards, which is a flash memory device that is capable of storing data and files. SD cards are small but big in capacity. Due to the popularity and prevalence of the use of SD cards, SD players will be a very popular product in the market. This product can enable you to play or view all the files stored in the SD card. This product is highly similar with Amazon Kindle but with wide features. For example, you downloaded a movie in your SD card and you want to watch it, this device is capable of such feature. Because this product is something new to the society and due to the fact that there is a large number of people who own a cell phone and digital camera and is now an indispensable tools in our lives, there is a need to disseminate the information effectively for the public to know. Effective diffusion strategies and appropriate messages are needed in order for the public to fully grasp the innovation.

Diffusion of Innovation Theory
Diffusion of Innovation Theory explains how an innovation is diffused or communicated through different channels over time among the members of the social system. The theory was purported by Everett Rogers. Diffusion is a special term in communication that is concerned with the proliferation of messages that are regarded as new ideas or products in the society. An innovation is simply an idea or product that is perceived as new by the individuals. The characteristics of an innovation, as perceived by the social system, determine the rate of adoption or how fast would the innovation be adopted by the members of the social system. The main four elements of the theory are (a) innovation, (b) communication channels, (c) time, and (d) the social system (Rogers  Scott, 1997).

Diffusion Strategies and Messages
There are a lot of people who are in need of technological gadgets like digital cameras cell phones. The SD card inside these gadgets is very useful as it stores files and data. The leaders or the innovators of the message are the members of the companies manufacturing the SD players and trying to push the product in the mainstream. However, not all these people are familiar with this product. Hence, there is a need to devise comprehensive and effective strategies in order to effectively disseminate the information about the risk of developing causing brain cancer brought by the use of cell phones.

One of the strategies that can be employed to inform the public about the product is through advertising, which is an effective strategy in disseminating information. Advertising can be used to inform the public of the features of the new product and how such will affect their lives. Despite the fact that there are a lot of people who own mobile phones, the approach in sending the messages should be different for every target group.

Innovators
According to the theory, there are different units of adoption which involves the time in diffusion of the innovation. There are five adopter categories or five different classifications of the members of the social system. Innovators are the top group of individuals. This group is highly interested in new ideas. Most of the time, innovators are the first individuals to know and experience the new idea that will be shared to their peers and cliques. Innovators also play a role of gatekeeping the flow of ideas into the different categories of the social system. They are the cosmopolites of the social system. Thus, the information regarding the features of the new product and how it will largely affect their lives will catch the attention of the innovators.

Early Adopters
Early adopters are those that are integrated into the social system. They have connections with the innovators and the early majority. This particular group has the greatest opinion leadership in the social system. Potential adopters look at early adopters for advice  and information about the innovation. Their opinions and feelings toward the effectiveness of the product are of vital importance on the adoption of the new technology. The message for this group should focus on the description of the product and its advantages. This message should also highly focus on the positive facets concerning the technology which will be disseminated by the early adopters to the potential adopters.

Early Majority
The early majority is the group in the social system that is connected to the early adopters and the late majority. They do not hold opinions in the system and they are usually influenced by their peers. The early majority deliberate first before adopting the new idea. The effective diffusion strategy for this particular group is through weighing the pros and cons and the cost and benefits of the new technology. Because this group is deliberating on the innovation, it is best to give basis and something to compare it with.

Late Majority
The late majority is the group of individuals that adopt the new idea after the average member of the social system. Adoption may be due to the increasing peer pressure as this group is skeptical and cautious in adopting the new idea. The late majority will not adopt the innovation until most others have done so. The effective diffusion strategy for this particular group is to show that a lot of people are subscribing to the new product for them to join the bandwagon.

Diffusion of innovation theory is a theory that explains how a new idea or product is communicated in the public and how it is adopted by the social system. All new products of technology are diffused to the public for them to know the different facets of the particular technology. SD cards are a product of technology that proved to be beneficial to the public and is now commonly used by the inherent public. There is a need of SD players which are capable of playing and viewing the files stored in the SD card. This product is likes similar to Kindle but with a wider features. There is a need to diffused the innovation since it will be beneficial to the individuals, especially those who are attached to their files and data. The strategies for the diffusion of the innovation is different and appropriate for the different categories of the social system.

Dear Cropps,
Early September 2009 there were rumors floating on the web and other sources that Cable giant Comcast is trying to build an entertainment empire and in doing so they are planning to buy NBC Universal from General Electric. The officials from NBC Universal denied any such news but rumors were circulating for months that General Electric are looking to unload the news and entertainment company.  As you would know that finally after almost nine months of hard fought negotiations both the companies have put pen to paper. The deal is finalized and according to the deal Comcast would pay General Electric about 6.5 billion in cash out of the total amount of 13.75 billion. The deal would create a joint venture with Comcast owning 51 of the total shares of the company (Kurtz, 2009).

As a media consumer I have certain reservations in this regard and that is why I am writing you this letter. The biggest concern which I have observed around myself is that although this deal would mean that movies would reach rapidly to the viewers after showing in theaters, but it would give too much power to Comcast in the entertainment industry. Comcast that already supply a quarter of all U.S households that pay for the TV would gain control of the NBC broadcasting company and eventually this would lead the industry towards a monopoly.

Some of the consequences that the consumers would face as a result of this deal include higher prices for even non Comcast consumers, as the merger would give Comcast more bargaining power and they would be in a much stronger position to pressurize other cable providers (Whitelaw, 2009). Secondly the primary objective of Comcast from this deal is to get access to the entertainment content and in this regard Comcast would be able to charge extra for the video on demand offering (Peers, 2009).

The reason as per my understanding that why Comcast made this deal is because they are very eager to spread out their holdings, as recently news came out that they were facing infringing threats from online video suppliers, and a more intense competition from the satellite and telephone companies that are providing TV subscription.

Apart from the consumers the businesses that are affiliated with this industry would also suffer as this deal in other words means that Comcast would be able to offer chartbuster movies on the channel ahead of their DVD release. By doing this it would have an effect on the business of the DVD providers. Moreover as Comcast would own NBC Universal the traditional route of movies from theaters to home entertainment would become shorter.

Also history tells us that mergers between the content providers and distribution companies dont work, and a very good example in this context could be given of Time Warner which finally cracked their cable systems operation this year. AOL and Time Warner are undoing their wretched relationship where Time Warner already has got rid of their cable operation business. This example gives the higher authorities a clear message that big media deals rarely works and time Warners breakup is one example (Thomasch, 2009).          
To cut it short I just want to say that apart from consumers point of view just as an observer I believe that with the advent of internet the future for the cable channels are murky as the internet access is only going to increase with the passage of time. Comcast is doing very well with its cable TV operations and it would have been better if they would have strengthened their cable operations rather than getting into content business.

Thank you keeping acknowledging my considerations I hope to see your reply soon.

Thanks and regards

Present research paper focuses on evolution and interconnectivity of different types of media in cultural perspective. The interconnectivity is discussed in the context of mass communications transformation under the influence of economic and electronic revolution. Moreover, new types of media, such as interactive communication and Internet are included in the context of the current analysis. The thesis is defended that the convergence and interconnection of media has both negative and positive implications for the global mass communication. The research paper is developed as a critical discussion of three articles, touching on the chosen issues.

Modern transformations in media
Modern media in globalized era transformed into big conglomerate of previously autonomous mechanisms of producing information. As Gauntlett suggests, electronic revolution of 80s was the main impulse of fusing different types of media such as film, television, journalism and music (Gauntlett, 2005). Internet development stimulated the formation of interactive media, web journalism, internet video and music production.
The fusion is partly explained by the unification of media production that is increasingly dependent on interactive and electronic technologies. Such trend is a direct confirmation of McLuhans argument that media is mainly about technology, not content (McLuhan, 9). However, another dimension of the increasing interconnectivity is monopolization of the Mass Media business by several internationally renowned companies seeking to control different media products, spheres, its production and even consumption.
The described influence directly results into interconnection and cross-fertilization between different types of media. For instance, now each newspaper has its own web-page, where it puts articles and news stories many TV channels also have on-line broadcasting of their programs etc.

For instance, as Brian Stelter and Miguel Helft suggest in their article for New York Times, modern developments in mass media recently resulted into increasing interconnection between TV channels and film-producing companies with Internet on-line video resources, such as YouTube. As Stelter and Helft report, In another step in its transformation from an online jumble of amateur videos to a destination for mainstream TV programs and movies,  HYPERLINK httptopics.nytimes.comtopnewsbusinesscompaniesyoutubeindex.htmlinlinenyt-org o More news about YouTube. YouTube said Thursday that it had signed deals with Hollywood studios to showcase thousands of TV episodes and hundreds of movies on its Web site (Stelter, B. and Helft, M., 2009).
The interconnection between film-producing companies and TV channels and YouTube should be also understood in the context of developing global media business and monopolizing public space of Internet by media monopolies.

Such trend can not be reduced to mere technological change, but should be understood as the product of globalization  the development of transnational media corporations, controlling different types of media, including newspapers, TV channels, internet broadcasting, audio record companies and computer games production (McChesney, 2008). Stelter and Helft fail to interpret the transformation of YouTube from the resource of amateur video to the domain, where such giant corporations as Sony, Lions Gate, MGM market their production.

Mentioned companies became aware of the fact that such resources as YouTube are the heaven for cheap, but effective product placement, because nearly two-thirds of all video views in the United States occur on YouTube, according to the measurement firm Nielsen (Stelter and Helft, 2009).

Hence, the main explanation of traditional and new media convergence may be found in traditional medias desire to capitalize on the increased popularity of such media resources as MySpace, Twitter and Facebook. It is known that YouTube was originally created by amateur internet-user, who decided to place his videos on the Web. Soon, after his registered site got popular, Internet giant Google bought it for approximately 1 billion dollars. Such situation vividly demonstrates the fact that modern media companies often use private users initiative and creativeness to promote their own commercial interests. After YouTube was bought by Google, this company initiated new proprietary services and began cooperation with traditional media companies to commercialize formerly free internet resource. Youtube had already begun such an evolution. As Stelter and Helft argue, to attract more advertising, YouTube is striving to add more professionally produced video. The pacts with media companies allow YouTube to place ads before, during and alongside the videos and split the revenue with its partners (Stelter and Helft, 2009).

Such companies as NBC Universal and News Corporation, owned by Rupert Murdoch see internet media as the new field of capital gains and marketing. For instance, media site Hulu has been recently regarded by YouTube as a great competitive threat. Hulus main competitive advantage is advertising-friendly environment, which allows attracting dozens of TV shows and programs, traditionally broadcasted on television.

To be effective, YouTube also announced a joint venture project with Universal Music Group to develop separate portal for music videos. As analysts put it,   Without premium content, analysts say, YouTubes growing popularity will only mean bigger losses for Google (Stelter and Helft, 2009). Stelter and Helft, however, fail to notice evident conclusion, which results from this fact growing convergence of traditional media with internet media inevitably results in further commercialization of media content and internet specifically.

If earlier Internet was considered to be the resource of free media content, now more services and media content are commercialized by traditional media companies and new internet giants, such as Google. Hence, democratization of mass media contradicts commercial interests of media companies. The discussed article helps us better understand the nature of media interconnection and convergence by providing interesting and relevant facts. However, the authors fail to provide viable generalization and explanation, losing negative trends, peculiar to media convergence from their sight.

The second article written by Stelter shows another example of media interconnection and convergence in the global era, focusing on Xbox media. As Stelter says referring to Microsoft, They want Xbox to be seen not merely as a gaming machine for teenagers, but as a media portal for parents and grandparents, too. The company is even producing shows for users it is in the middle of the second season of 1 vs. 100, (Stelter, 2010).

Such example vividly demonstrates that Xbox in search of commercial revenue seeks to reach different categories of consumers. This results in the convergence of several types of media in one commercial product  games for children and TV shows for their parents and grandparents. However, Stelter does not explicitly formulate the implications of such trend, it is evident that the convergence in this case is mainly driven by the difference in media preferences of different age groups and social statuses of consumers. If in the case of Youtube company, media convergence is mainly driven by commercial competition, in the case of Xbox it is affected by marketing purposes.

The convergence of video and game industry is so immense that Xbox provides additional video and interactive content, which results in that  video game consoles are putting a new emphasis on the video, rather than the game (Stelter, 2010).

Again, as in the case of video internet content, such media interconnection in video game consoles is explained by the immense size and market cover of this business. Several companies in this sector have a monopoly position, including Microsofts Xbox, Sony Playstation and Nintendo.

As Stelter argues, Microsoft sold about 39 million Xbox 360 during January 2010. Such immense sells mean that Microsoft has a real possibility of creating a living room video console network, putting new content, such as digital TV and internet resources in this platform.

What Stelter fails to see, is that such objective developments are sin qua non of contemporary media convergence.

As McChesney rightly put it, media interconnection and interplay would be impossible without the emergence of transnational companies, possessing different types of media, including newspapers, TV channels, internet sites, music records and film-producing companies. Monopolization of different types of media makes it possible to capitalize on them both separately and synthetically (McChesney, 51).

Media convergence and interconnection does not imply that traditional media, such as newspaper will not longer exist. In contrast, it means that they now can exist in different media sets, including other types of media, creating a network. Unfortunately, Stelter fails to generalize information and facts he provides to receive a complex picture of recent developments in media sector.

The interconnection of media in video game console is a recent development, but its scale has been already immense. Internet access through Netflix was added to Xbox in 2008, Sony Playstation users gained opportunity to watch BBC news programs, new deals with Hollywood producers are brokered to gain access to their video content.

The main goal of such development, as Microsoft officials says, it to get as much content there as possible (Stelter, 2010). In fact, such developments result in watering the gap between different media and transformation of media consumption in potpourri of different media content games, news, TV shows, music. This situation also contributes to the degradation of culture of media consumption, because each consumer now meets the mixture of different products, from which it is difficult to choose. Such trend is vividly shown on the example of transformation of traditional book media through merging it with modern electronic media.

Hence, as in the case of other examples of media interconnection, in the case of books it also pursues marketing and commercial agenda.

For instance, Simon and Schuster to raise their profits decided to release so called vooks, a product, where video and electronic text are interconnected. The project is realized on the iPhone and iPod platform. Rich gives a balanced but critical interpretation of such multimedia development, referring to the view of experts, claiming that fiddling with the parameters of books ultimately degrades the act of reading. Richs article is the most critical among already discussed, because it  provides deep understanding of potential threats of such multimedia intrusion to the entire culture of reading.

In our view, transforming reading into mere entertainment can not be afforded in the era of deteriorating education and knowledge. Of course, reading for children should be supported by pictures, but their use should be motivated by text meaning, rather than entertainment.

According to Rich, electronic books still correspond to the traditional reading pattern in contrast to vooks, which make reading just another type of entertainment.

The issue of vooks instead of books is not merely the debate between traditional and new media, but a contradiction between media cultural and educational function and entertainment. There is no denying the importance of the fact, that multimedia companies make all possible to present vooks as something normal and effective. The rationale behind such argument is entirely commercial.

For instance, Bradley J. Inman, the chief executive of Vook said, readers who viewed prototypes of The 90-Second Fitness Solution by Pete Cerqua or Return to Beauty by Narine Nikogosian intuitively saw the benefits of augmenting how-to books with video segments. Mr. Inman said readers then warmed to the fictional editions (Rich, 2009).

The development of vooks production may further progress to the inclusion of music and perfumes into electronic books, which would result in total commercialization not only of books industry, but reading process itself.

Conclusion
The discussed articles shed the light on a wide spectrum of problems, tied with the interconnection and convergence of modern traditional and electronic media. Present research paper located both negative and positive features in this convergence. Positive feature may be formulated as intensification of peoples access to different types of media, depending on their interests and preferences.

Negative trends are far more challenging and wide-ranging. As the facts, found in the discussed articles showed, the media convergence is the result of monopolization of media production by large transnational companies, controlling newspapers, TV broadcasting, Internet and movie-making industry. Such monopolization in part being a result of media interconnection results in undemocratic trends in information consumption.

Commercialization of formerly free internet sources may be explained, as the sign of such trend. Moreover, as the discussed articles suggest, new trends of media interconnection, such as vooks, focusing predominantly on entertainment, negatively affect education and culture in general. Media interconnection often takes a form of potpourri from different types of media, as in the case with Microsoft Xbox, which simultaneously offers games, TV broadcasting and Internet. Such interconnection negatively affects content, increasingly becoming fluid and lacking quality.

This is particularly true of media, which requires certain level of intellectual work and attention, like reading. The authors of the articles discussed are not always aware of the mentioned negative trends. Stelter predominantly focuses on providing empirical facts and information, but his rare generalizations certify to the fact that he considers commercialization of media and its degradation as a natural process. In contrast, Richs article, being the most analytical among three, gives insightful generalizations and critical outlook of media convergence.

Social penetration theory was formulated by Altman and Taylor in 1973 to explain the development of closeness in human relations. The theory suggests that closeness develops through the a gradual course of reviewing oneself and as the relationships grows, communication shifts from superficial and not intimate stage to deep and more private matters. This process of reviewing oneself occurs through a number of stages that evolve from a stage in which we reveal few details about ourselves, to a stage when we share vulnerability develops that we share personal details about us as the relationships become more intimate (changingminds.org, n.d)

Scholars describe these stages to occur in five categories in the orientation stage, we reveal flimsy details about ourselves.  The next stage is the exploratory affective stage in which we disclose personal views about certain topics but not the complete truth. In the next level called the affective stage, personal issues are disclosed at this stage as we become comfortable with others. The fourth stage is characterized by sharing of emotions and personal information. In the last stage called the depenetration stage, there may be a breakdown of the relationship when the rewards of the relationships are less than the cost of maintaining the relationship. At this stage, there is no further disclosure. The process of reviewing oneself can occur either with or without our awareness. The theory uses the analogy of an onion to further elaborate the aspect of our personality (Changingminds.org, n.d). Just as when peeling onions inner layers are exposed, our personality also occurs in layers ranging from the outer layer in which any one can describe to inner surface layers that conceal our private details like values, emotions and beliefs. The deepest core consists of our private realm of who we are. The theory also observes that the amount of self revelation is different between cultures.
Since the field of communications involves forming a lot of interpersonal relationships, the theory is of great significance to this field as it can help one in forming and building relationships. For example, when forming a relationship, it is important to note the stages of self revelation and one should not force or rush things up. Understanding of this theory can also help one to draw boundaries of how fast and to what extent to get into a relationship.

The family as an organization has played a major role in the society as it is the basic unit of a society (Castellano    17). It is a system that consists of members who relate to each and in most cases they are related by kin. This system basically forms the base of a society. It is for this reason that for a society to be considered morally upright, the family as an organization has to be considered. This is to say that if the family members have virtues then they will contribute positively to the society (Winch    13). Hence it is true to state that the family is important because it is a community of people where moral values are taught and both the spiritual and cultural heritage of society are passed on from one generation to another.

The family is also important in ensuring that people are strong in their commitments and encourage both social accountability and unity as it is a place where empathy is brought about and due to love within the family members, each member of the family is recognized, acknowledged and respected (Castellano    27).

The structure of the family
The structure of the family refers to the way in which the different social relationships between persons outline the basis for family arrangements (Winch    12).  The different structures of the family are extended and nuclear families.

Extended Family
This type of family structure is made up of relations for example uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents and so forth. Because of this, there are social reasons that explain the existence of this structure (Winch    102). In other words how its being is related to the various ways in which the family group responds to changes and developments in the society at large.

Therefore, the extended family structure in most cases arises in the societies where a large group of persons who are related and that live together can contribute to each others everyday lives. In simple words is that each family member provides some kind of support to the other members of the family (Castellano    37). For example in agricultural societies where people are reliant on working upon their land for survival, a large group of persons can work together to do tasks such as care for the sick, do domestic chores and so forth. The importance of this structure is that it provides its members with an extensive social support network that can help them in times of emotional or economic difficulty (Winch    272).

In this type of family, the members communicate from time to time by holding reunions frequently in order to maintain closer ties due to its large number of family members.

Nuclear family
The nuclear family basically consists of two generations of family members living together. Family contacts among kin are usually less frequent than among members of extended families. Its structure is usually found in two types of society

In those where a large family would be a hindrance rather than help for example in a case there would be short food supply like in the nomad societies (Winch    242) .

In industrialized societies where the country provides help for the unfortunate through a social security system. In such society, there is a lesser need to rely upon family support.

In this type of family, the members communicate with each other by presenting each member with peers that they are able to rely on in times of stress.

One of the familys functions is to procreate. In simple words, this is to start producing children to satisfy the need for one to become a father or mother. It is good to note that parents have both a right and an important duty to educate their children. Another function of the family is for companionship where a man and woman come together to be lifelong companions. They get a sense of belonging by doing this.  It is therefore safe to state that the family as an organization plays a crucial role in the society due to the factors discussed above (Winch    322).

Russia, the largest country in the world, emerged after the break up of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in the early 1990s. Although he country has since moved away from the centralist form of governance that characterized communism, some of the elments of economic and social order of the country exhibit some residual communism. Of importance however is that government control over citizens activities has greatly been reduced, and in fact, most of the economy is now market driven. These changes in governance and social order have resulted in positive economic change and improved quality of life for the citizens, but the country still faces a myriad of challenges, especially due to the countrys heavy reliance on oil.

Vital indicators
The countrys socio-economic and political conditions can better be understood by studying indicators such as life expectancy and literacy rates.

The statistics are impressive, although one thing that may be of concern to anyone is the difference in life expectancy between the men and the women in this country. The disparities in life expectancy have been attributed to unhealthy lifestyles of the men in this country. Russians have the unsavory reputation of drinking too much vodka, something that has been attributed to the cold climatic conditions (irony). According to (United Nations), the smoking prevalence rates for men are 60 while that of females are 25, an indicator of the unhealthy lifestyle the men in Russia live.
 
For other comparison purposes however, it would be helpful to first look at similar statistics from a neighboring country, and for diversity purposes, avoid countries that were part of the USSR. This is informed by the wisdom that there must be some inherent similarities in population characteristics for former USSR countries to the extent that the resulting political, social and economic order may be too similar, and not representative of the diversity of the region. For that reason, Finland, a Scandinavian country to the North of Russia makes a good comparison. Coincidentally, the country was under Russian rule that ended in 1917. Finland is an extensively welfare state with a small population, and a high quality of life compared to Russia.

Prevalent diseases and infections
Russia has a number of diseases that anyone getting in to the country would face a high risk of contracting. It would not be helpful to provide a list of diseases that are merely prevalent in Russia instead, it would be better to focus on diseases that are infectious because these are the ones that represent high risk for anyone visiting the country. According to (Indexmundi), the following list represents infectious diseases that are common in Russia.

Analysis
The statistics tell a story. They actually validate the claim made earlier on that the quality of life for the Finnish is much better than that of the Russian. However the facts have to be looked at contextually to reflect the historical nature of these countries for the figures to make sense. To start with, Russia was under control of communism for close to 70 years with near disastrous effects to the countrys economy. To date, the country is still reeling from the effects of this policy, and it would be unfair to expect the effect to be undone within a short period of time.
 
The countrys transition was not without problems, there was the economic crisis in 1998 that saw the cash strapped government of Boris Yeltsin pay civil servants in the form of locally produced goods. However, the country has since made great strides, and has had an average economic growth of 7 since 1998, which has led to the doubling of the citizens disposable income (Central Intelligence Agency). Finland on the other hand, has had sound economic policies since the 1950s when it moved away from the largely agrarian economy towards industrialization. It therefore follows that the country has since then improved the quality of life for its citizens because it has always had the economic means for infrastruture and social spending. One distinguishing factor between the two countries is the disease prevalence, especially the fact that Finland shows low prevalence of water borne diseases. High prevalence of water borne diseases is a symptom of poor sanitation conditions, something that is prevalent in societies with poorly developed healthcare systems as well as inefficent water supply infrastructure.

Structured overview
Russia is the largest country in the world in terms of size with a population of over 140 million people. It is a country of enornous natural resources, and is currently the largest exporter of oil and natural gas in the world. Given the countrys size, it also follows that the climate is diverse to reflect the large area of the country that traverses many climatic zones. Some of the climatic zones include the siberia, polar North, southern steppes and the Artic coast. Most of the Russian population is however urban, with 73  of the population living in urban centers (Globalis ).

In terms of ethnicity, Russia is one of the most ethnically diverse societies in the world with over 160 native languages.

Evidently, the Russian dialect is the language that is spoken by the majority of the Russians, and is in fact, the official language. According (Vor) the Russian language is spoken by over 288 million people, meaning that the language is spoken even by those outside the country, most of who are former citizens of the defunct USSR. Russians are very proud of themselves, from their dressing, their flag, language culture and anything that symbolizes being Russian, something attributable to military might and past successes in space exploration. In addition, it is usual for countries with social and political conditions that resemble socialism andor communism like the former USSR, and to some extent the current Russia, to indoctrinate its citizens with philosophies that promote unquestioning loyalty to country. In Russia therefore, ones pride is in being Russian by doing anything Russian, for example, speaking the Russian language or singing the national anthem.

Religion in Russia has undergone a number of changes since the introduction of a clause that ended the era of the Russian Orthodox Church as the official religion of the country in 1904. The introduction of freedom of worship was however short lived because in 1917 there was the communist revolution frustrated the application of this freedom in the country for the next seventy years. However, with the collapse of communism in 1991, religious freedom was once again reintroduced, and since then, the Russian religion has been diverse.

From the figures, it is evident that there is a large number of Russians who do not practice religion. That is the legacy of 70 years of soviet rule during which time, the official religion was atheism.

Like all other aboriginals in the world, the Russian aboriginals are finding modernization having an adverse effect on their lives. The groups are spread all through the vast country, but most have had their populations greatly reduced due to effects of modernization that has denied them their traditional lifestyles such as hunting. The country has over 30 aborigine groups, some with a population less than three hundred (vulkaner). These groups have somewhat experienced a degree of marginalization, although this is common with all aboriginals. Other groups such the elderly, men at the lower end of the labor market and sufferers of HIVAIDS also face constant marginalization from the mainstream society.

There has been a great deal of women empowerment in the country since the fall of Soviet republics, with women having the same literacy standards as the men. This has however led to an uneasy relationship between men and women, thus affecting the family structure in the society. The divorce rates are now higher (50), and a good number of ladies are postponing having babies as they seek to advance their careers (White).

Historical overview
Major historical events that shaped the current Russia started in 1904. It was in 1904 that the country introduced freedom of worship ending the dominance of Russian Orthodox Church. 1917 was the year that the communist revolution started and reached its zenith in 1922, leading to the emergence of communism. It was from this point on that citizens lost their civil liberties such as the right to worship, something that has led to the high incidences of atheism in the country.

The Second World War is also another event that shaped the country. The country played a major role in the war, and subsequently, emerged as a major military power in the world. The end of the war however led to another war that was to be known as the cold war, which pitted the country against the US. The cold war led to an arms race as each of the country sought to strengthen its military, and to date Russia and US remain the highest defense spenders in the world. In addition, the two countries treat each other with a lot of suspicion, the best example being the constant attempt by Russia to reduce US influence in Eastern Europe. Russia, as a result, is in constant conflict with its neighbors, an example Ukraine and Georgia. The countrys aim is to become the dominant power in the region to the exclusion of the US, and to do this, the country regularly uses its oil and natural gas resources to intimidate its neighbors. However, soon the country will have to contend with rising Chinese influence in the region.

Living standards
With the over ten years of sustained economic growth, the quality of life for the Russians has greatly improved, and as noted earlier, the country has seen an improvement in the disposable income of the citizens. According to (Central Intelligence Agency), the service industry employs 58.8 of the population, which is a positive indicator as far as living standards are concerned, which remains a far cry from the 73.2  which is the proportion of those employed by the service industry in Switzerland. Citizens of Switzerland have been known to enjoy some of the highest living standards in the world to the extent that the population living under the poverty line is negligible while for Russia 15 of the population live under the poverty line.

Russian housing is mainly made up of the soviet era housing, which is old and in constant need of rehabilitation, which is a different situation from the Switzerland housing which is advanced, although there is a perennial shortage of houses in the country. In terms of electricity consumption Russia has a per capita consumption of 6,968.565 kWh, while Switzerland has a per capita consumption of 7,897.628 kWh.  Another comparison between these two countries that is indicative of the disparities in living standards is the mobile phone penetration. While Switzerland has 920,655 per 1 million people, Russia has 838.495 per 1 million people.

One area that Russia clearly trails Switzerland is access to water. Most of Russias water sources are heavily polluted, something that has led to the country having difficulties in supplying its citizens with clean drinking water. According to (B, M and A.), although Russia is endowed with enormous water resources, 50 of its population drinks poor quality water, while Switzerland, on the other hand, is able to provide clean water to all its citizens.

Switzerland is a very safe country with violent crime being virtually nonexistent. In fact, the rare occurrences of the crime have been attributed to foreigners, a contrast to Russia, which has a high crime rate, and especially organized crime. One of the things one is always advised to do when visiting Russia is to avoid showing off. To stay safe one is better off keeping such things money in possession a secret because any form of behavior that betrays the amount of money in possession might lead to an attack

The Russian police are very much alike to those of the communist regime. They are not a service per se, meaning that they do not have a lot of regards for human rights. In other words, while the security systems in most of the civilized countries can be termed as police service, the Russian police are a police force.

Medical care in Russia is the same one inherited from the Soviets, but the positive factor regarding the Russian healthcare system is that it has sufficient staffing compared to other health care systems in the world. Switzerland, being a welfare state, operates a healthcare system that makes health insurance compulsory for all its citizens, and thus all the citizens of the Switzerland have access to healthcare.

According to (travelguide), Switzerlands transport system is one of the finest in the world, with 95 of the arrivals happening at less than 5 minutes delay, while 75 of the arrivals happen with delays of less than one minute delay.  The same cannot be said of Russia, whose transport system is heavily reliant on the old rail transport inherited from the Soviets. Most of the well developed transport infrastructure is based in Moscow, which indicates a huge inequality in infrastructure development.

Although the press is not fully free in Russia, per capita access to television and radio remain high. According to (culturalpolicies), 99.6 of the population has access to radio, while 88.3 of the population has access to television. Switzerlands figures are at about 98, but nevertheless, the Russian market is growing.

The entertainment center of Russia is Moscow, which has many theaters, clubs and other entertainment attractions, but, the countryside too is full of attractions such as parks, natural features, and for those who may enjoy traveling, there is the trans-Siberian railway. Similarly, Switzerland entertainment scenery is characterized by a vibrant nightlife, but unlike Russia, the entertainment is well distributed in all the cities across the country. Each of the cities in the country has a symphony orchestra with some having local folk entertainment, this is in addition to amusement parks, films, animations and so on.

In terms of cost of living, Switzerland has a much higher cost of living compared to Russia. To put this in to perspective, the cost of cable television and internet in Russia is 40 while the cost in Switzerland is 93. Similarly, the cost of general house utilities in Russia is 40 while the same costs 641 in Switzerland.

Symbols and culture
Some of the Heroes in Russia include Ivan III, who was the first tsar, Alexander nevsky and Boris Godunov. Most of the modern day leaders such as Stalin, Yeltsin are not yet heroes, but some of them including Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Gorberchev may become heroes in future once the impacts of their leaderships are fully comprehended. The Tsar culture in Russia was alive from the 16th century, and naturally, national heroism was bound to revolve around them.

Holidays in Russia are a fair mix of celebrations. A trait that comes out of these holidays is the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church because even though Russia is a secular state, it adheres to the calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church. Other than that peculiarity, Russian holidays are multi dimensional.

Non verbal communication refers to communication that uses other means other than those that do not engage the use of words. There are different forms of non verbal means of communication and every culture utilizes its own different means that may be different from other cultures or which may be interpreted differently by other cultures. This form of communication is a behavior which is learned but not necessarily taught. The influence of culture on non verbal communication is profound and therefore is the interpretation of these non verbal forms of communication (Kimlee, 2005).

There are many forms of non verbal communication which were categorized into five categories according to scholars. Accordingly, behaviors that can be interpreted to have significance in themselves are called emblems e.g. raising the thumb up. The second category is called regulators which are behaviors that control conversations, like signaling when one finishes delivering a speech. The third is the behavior that conveys emotions and is termed as emotions. The last category is of behaviors that involve body manipulations and is termed as adaptors. All these differ significantly from one culture to another (Matsumoto, n.d)

An example of how different cultures interpret these non verbal forms differently is the use of gestures. For example in Japan, putting a palm down and then scratching signals inviting somebody to where you are while in the American society, one puts his palm up and waves. This act of waving the palm up may mean something very different to another society. Another example of how different these cues of communication are interpreted is hugging. For instance, hugging between people who are not lovers in Korea is widely regarded as taboo, while in Japan or china, the same is interpreted as an act of benevolence.

Gazing is another cue of non verbal communication interpreted differently by cultures. According to matsumonto, the regulations that govern gazing are largely influenced by the culture one hails from. A research that was done by Hall in 1963 highlighted these differences in the rules that govern gazing and observed that in Arabic societies, people gaze into their partners  more openly and for a longer time than do their American counterparts (Matsumonto n.d). The study also classified cultures into two groups contact cultures, being those cultures that involve more contact or physical touch while interacting, and non contact cultures that involve a lot of gazing, and no interpersonal space while interacting. These differences in visual behavior and gazing are also evident within the American society.

The extent to which the nonverbal communication is expressed also varies between communities. For instance, the Chinese use thousands of gestures that are less expressive due to their reserved nature. These are often termed as dead gestures because they are gestures that have been in use for a very long time (Matmasou, n.d). It is apparent that there are a lot of differences in nonverbal communication between cultures and the challenge is for mankind to remain open to these aspects of other cultures that are different from ones own culture. It is however imperative that non verbal models of communication is one of the important methods of cultural exchange and expression amongst people that originate from a diverse outlay of cultural orientation.

Corporate organizations have traditionally been sourcing manpower through recruitment of new hires. Thus, when a job vacancy occurs in the firms hierarchy, the normal tendency is to advertise and look for people from the job market. As soon as the new hire qualifies, he or she is taken in and occupies the vacated position. For some organizations, this process has been the recruitment system for a long time. A new focus on human resources management however, encouraged human resource experts to look beyond and determine whether improvements in the existing hiring processes can provide more value to the company itself as well as bring more motivation to its human capital.

The Internal Recruitment Advantage
Thus, the birth of internal job posting, which is described as a process of identifying equally qualified people from within the organization to fill up new or vacated or soon-to-be-vacated position or positions in the hierarchy. Personnel movements in the organizations, whether the vertical or lateral types, come as a result of resignations, retirements, promotions, terminations or expansion, resulting in net vacancies in the frontlines.        
For a number of human resource managers, internal job positing or internal job recruitment is one strategy to address the motivational and morale issues in the organizational hierarchy. The process involves the identification, selection and training of company employees before external sourcing of new qualified people to fill up net vacancies in the organization. HR experts believe that when organizations initially give attention to its own people for corporate promotions, there is widespread optimism and hope of harnessing local talents and human capital to occupy managerial and leadership positions later. (Bennis  Nanus 1986) For some companies, this is manifested by the conceptualization and implementation of some form of Management Development Programs (MDPs) for new line officers and Executive Development Program (EDPs) for top management positions.

For some experts, internal job recruitment has the advantage of strengthening the organization through the learning and growth approach of the balanced scorecard (Kaplan  Norton, 2004).  Senge (1994) further strengthens this proposition as he advocated the concept of the learning organization where systems thinking includes team spiritedness, interconnectedness creating new organizational energy along the way. Here, the change needed come as a shift of the mind towards re-creating themselves continually expanding its capability to create its future. A high performance profile here is inevitable. (Corcoran, et al. 1995)
   
Internal job recruitment is expected to change the way employees think of their social contract with the organization. Here, employees feel secured and appreciated and their potentials recognized. Thus, behaviors change from a form of indifference to organizational responsiveness. Likewise, quality of decision-making is raised to a higher level benefitting the organization through better forms of efficiency and effectiveness. The values created here give substance to the organization brand and employees take first notice of this corporate value. (Davidson, 2002 p. 208)  
   
Clearly, the motivational drive created by this new systems thinking in human resources management help evolve a new crop of managers that have fully adjusted to the   cultural uniqueness of the organization. Training and development costs are reduced to the minimum considering the inherent competence of internal recruits. Thus, internal recruits are likely to adjust fully well to the new reconfigured organization, thus reducing the tensions created by the required personal and cultural adjustments from the traditional recruitment process. (Tropman, 2001)

Mechanism of Change    
The Human Resources Management (HRM) component of the organization initiates the policy change from the traditional to the emerging recruitment system. However, the various components of the organization participate in the identification and selection processes by designating new potential candidates for promotions from its ranks.  The policy change is expected to bear the imprimatur and approval of top management and even the shareholders who are likely to appreciate the new manpower hiring policies.

Financing the Change    
For an organization wanting to change to the internal recruitment system, the cost of change is relatively minimal considering the familiarity and adjusted nature of the internal recruit to the organizational processes. (Ott  Shafritz, 1991) However, the cost factor is expected to be incurred in the areas of displacements. This is referred to as the series of vacancies occurring as a result of employees filling up the net vacancies created by the job posting system until the net vacancy results at the frontline or entry-level position. Here, the cost is the imputed adjustment that results to a slowdown of operations as a consequence of transfers of personnel.  Compared to the traditional external recruitment system, the imputed cost is borne only by the vacant position and does not affect the other positions as there are no transfers occurring.            

Enforcement Effects, Significance  Inherency
The enforcement of these new policy guidelines begins at the top management levels indicating its adherence to the tenets of the learning organization and as means of providing career paths to employees. The employees themselves are expected to be actively participating in the internal job posting as opportunities are created for them.    

Internal job posting is one of the many effective and workable solutions to the career issues expected by workers and employees. Aside from providing a strong motivation as partners in business, the employees are benefitted by a policy directive that firmly believes in their capacity to change, to improve and to positively affect the lives of others as well. Here, the policy on initially looking for qualified people within the confines of the organization, identifying, selecting and training is one positive means of providing importance to the human capital components. (Berg, 2005)

Abortion is a topic that has been in the public limelight for some time now. The general argument stems from the fact that when it is done, it puts the life of the mother in danger. The argument pits two sides that have strived to come up with logical arguments as to why they believe that their reasons are more conclusive. The protagonists are the conservatives and the liberals. The conservative side consists of the church and human rights lobby groups together with citizens of the various countries in the world. The more liberal side consists of some politicians, lobby groups and a good portion of the worlds population. This argument is a healthy one and therefore it is good for the protagonists to come up with common ground that will form a basis for more sober approaches to issues that affect humankind. As it stands now, we are yet to come up with a solution that is agreeable to all the parties involved. This is due to the intricacy of the whole issue. Not only does it take an ethical dimension but it also constitutes other dimensions that should carefully be looked at before making any step towards a decision that can be accepted by the majority. Both the lives of the mother and child are important. The issue is when the childs birth endangers that of the mother, who between the two should be allowed to die This forms part of the argument. The conservative would argue that the life of the innocent child is equally important whereas the liberals would rebound by claiming that the life of the unborn child has not yet started. Research carried out between the year 1995 and 2003 shows that nearly 25 children in 131 births die during abortion. This is coupled by the deaths of 13 of the women that abortion is performed on (Rosenthal, 2007).

The general assumption made in this argument is that all the players accept the implications of their solutions. For instance, the rates of abortion have not fluctuated after legalization in countries where abortion has been legalized. This means that those angling for the legalization of abortion have not been exposed to such realities. Suffice to say that its legalization did not change much of the original situation. As such, it is prudent to observe that women are bound to abort no matter the regulations. It is only fair that birth control be practiced to avoid unwanted pregnancies. This seems as a watertight solution to control abortions as unwanted pregnancies will be reduced. Another assumption by the conservatives is that the childs life does not endanger that of the mother much. Medical facts point to the danger that some fetuses pose to the mother during the gestation period. The argument could be made better if both the parties can find out what really works for all the parties involved more so the mothers involved. More insights need to be made so that the argument is not based on beliefs alone but conclusive reasoning.        

I have chosen President Barrack Obama of the United States of America for my credibility analysis. President Obama is a credible person simply because he has a strong care and concern over his people and country he is enthusiastic regarding the developments that he wants and the exact message that he wants his people to understand. With regards to his knowledge of his work and responsibilities, we are assured that he has the experience and awareness needed for his work. Although we all know that knowledge is not really the key for being credible, I have concluded that President Obama is very credible also because he can communicate well and can deliver his speechtalk with such high degree of conviction and certainty which contributes greatly to his trustworthiness and credibility.

On the other hand, I have chosen Mr. Bernie Madoff as my non-credible personality simply because he is the brains behind the Bernie Madoff Wall Street scam. He fooled many people regarding investments and took money from them. Later on, it was discovered that the investment structure was a Ponzi scheme or a pyramiding scheme. This shows that Madoff has no care or concern over his constituents however this also shows that he has a high level of knowledge regarding investments but then it resulted to scams.

Credibility Analysis Barrack Obama  Bernie Madoff
Barrack Obama is the current president of the United States of America and is clearly one of the most powerful political figures in the world today. This is the reason why I selected him to be analyzed with regards to credibility. We will evaluate President Obama by these main factors care and concern, enthusiasm, focus and knowledge. Barrack Obama won the recent elections in the USA simply because he is very good in communicating his ideas and beliefs to the people. We can relate this to his genuine care and concern to his land and his people. During the campaign, he had a lot of good speeches and talks with regards to the solutions that he will do to Americas problems. The way President Obama communicates to the people is simply incredible. This key factor contributes largely to his credibility. Knowledge is one main factor in determining credibility but this is limited and needs to be supported by active communication and good rapport with concerned people. Barrack Obamas exceptional knowledge of his duties and responsibilities plus his experiences as a senator further adds up to his credibility level. With regards to President Obamas focus on goals and objectives, we can clearly see that it is already resolved by his clear-cut speech and rapport with the people and his knowledge base.

Proper presentation and good communication skills are the main reasons why I chose President Obama to be credible. Anyone can have knowledge of his country, most people have care and concern over their constituents, others are also very enthusiastic but only a few can really communicate well and present their ideas to the people with great precision, conviction and certainty. These are also the reasons why most people believed him and voted for him. One of the reasons why America is getting back on track economically today coming off from a recession is that they have a good leader  Barrack Obama. Under these key factors I conclude that President Barrack Obama is indeed a credible and trustworthy person.
Bernie Madoff is a former stock broker and a convicted operator of the Madoff scam in Wall Street. He was the architect of what was touted the largest Ponzi scheme in history or what we call a pyramiding scheme. He was guilty of 11 counts of felonies and was responsible for ripping investors with billions of dollars.

Initially, I can say that Bernie Madoff was a bit credible because there were a lot of investors who entrusted their money to his investment company. Although later on we will see why Bernie Madoff failed our credibility analysis. We will evaluate Bernie Madoff by these main factors care and concern, enthusiasm, focus and knowledge. Bernie Madoff started his career well. He took various positions in business related fields and was also a philanthropist. He started his investment company in the late 80s and from there started to earn money. In relation to our credibility analysis we can say that Bernie Madoff is credible to a certain extent only or at the beginning of his career. Let us take a step by step analysis on determining his credibility.
Initially, in terms of knowledge base as a foundation, Madoff qualifies. He indeed has an excellent knowledge regarding the field of his work and his duties. We also clearly say that he is enthusiastic of what he is doing because he already built a company out of his field of expertise. We can also say to a certain extent that has the right amount of focus to be considered credible. However, it is in the care and concern that Bernie Madoff failed. Yes, we know that he has been donating his money to foundations but at the end of it all, the grand PonziPyramid investment scheme ruined his credibility. There was a massive effect of this scheme, foundations were closed and a lot of investors lost their money. This also contributed to the closing of establishments which led to people losing their jobs and of course this hurt the economy. I therefore conclude that based on these factors, Bernie Madoff is not a credible person.

Rhetoric is one of the most debated fields of study. There have been various definitions as to what exactly the term rhetoric means. For some scholars and well established academicians the term rhetoric could be taken to mean the study of the technique and rules for using language effectively especially in public speaking. Others take this term to mean loud, confused and empty talk. Some scholars also refer to the term rhetoric to mean a high-flown style of public speaking in which there is excessive use of verbal embellishment. Finally, there is this other group of academicians and scholars who in their view rhetoric is using language effectively to please or persuade.

Persuasion on the other hand means a personal belief or verdict that is not founded on evidence or assurance. It can also be defined as communication intended to induce belief or action.

Rhetoric in most cases is used for the purposes of persuasion. It is the art of using language as opposed to logic which is the art of reasoning when making arguments. It was taught by Gorgias of Leontini and Protagoras of Abdera, the ancient sophists. Rhetoric was taught in order to make people superb public orators especially in politics. The sophists got much opposition from philosophers Socrates and Plato who accused them of teaching for pecuniary gains (1-2). To critics, rhetoric did not reveal the truth but rather masked it.  In lieu of rhetoric, they propagated for ratiocination which is methodical and logical reasoning. This led to the birth of logic- the art of making arguments by use of reason- a complete departure from rhetoric.

To better understand the relationship between rhetoric and persuasion it is in order to use an article. For the purposes of this paper we will look into the letter that the former President of the United States of America- George bush  wrote to the late Saddam Hussein. The letter was directed to the Iraqi dictator warning him of the invasion of Kuwait.

In the article the use of rhetoric for persuasion is evident. The article is on its surface structure a very persuasive piece of writing intended to convince the notorious Iraqi president to withdraw his forces from Kuwait. When read with a critical eye it can be observed that in the letter Bush puts forward an argument which is neither rational nor is it convincing. There is no debating point for Saddam. It is either he complies or a war may break out.

In essence, it is clear that the major rhetorical objective is not to persuade the dictator- Saddam- to act rationally. Rather it is an attempt to explain to the publicaudience why the country had to go to war with Iraq. President George Bush aims at putting a political spin on a conflict that may turn out to be bloody and which may lead to the perishing of many soldiers.  This is after a consideration that there were some prevalent fears before the war that Saddam was in possession of a vast stock of biological and chemical weapons and also was suspected to be in the possession of nuclear devices. In this letter, Bush develops a persuasive tone. He does this using perfectly calculated diction, repetition, sentence length and persuasive appeals all of which are aimed at underscoring the threatening tone that underlies throughout the context of the letter.

Though the immediate context seems to be that of persuasion, it is not the chief objective of George Bush. This is because the letter in itself does not have a rational perspective at all. Clearly the article does not create room for a rational discussion. It is in essence a one sided article- one that is merely a threat. The letter authoritatively commands Saddam to remove his troops from Kuwait failure to which his forces will be obliterated. This however it does cunningly.

The use of language and also the style with which the language is used by Bush is of great importance to the achievements of his goals. Bush tires to avoid the excessive rhetoric that is typical of political speeches and letters. He does this through refraining himself from using figurative language that basically plays on word meanings and instead uses simple and precise words to deliver his point home.

Within the letter it is also evident that Bush has developed his language to possess some persuasive appeals. He feigns moral uprightness when he asserts in the article that there can be no reward for aggression. He goes ahead in the letter and gives an assurance that the reason for writing the letter is to hasten the process of democracy in the region. One thing that leaves the audience wondering is whether this carefully prepared sense of ethos has anything to do with the oil fields in Iraq.

In true, the mood and tone of the letter is aimed at persuading the world. Bush uses deliberately, inclusive and exclusive words to create an opposition between the world and Saddam. He repeatedly uses words such as world, coalition partners and we in direct opposition to words such as you and your to completely isolate Saddam from what Bush portrays as world opinion.

Evidently the use of rhetoric for the sole aim of persuasion results in negative results. For instance the result of this letter to Saddam was a war that ended up killing thousands of innocent civilians and soldiers. The reason for this is that when an individual is persuaded especially through rhetoric the individual becomes suspicious of the person who persuades himher and thus attains a certain degree of distrust (3).

The trends of expanding media relations nowadays reflect on creating appropriate directions and approaches that can enhance and develop new patterns for individuals and group to understand the value of how it influences the ability to impart vital information supplementary to development. In schools, the application and usage of such facet corresponds to the ability of the professional to correlate to the perspective of the audience in order to objectify and promote organizational goals. By doing this, it can help redefine the value of imparting important ideas with the use of media as a tool for facilitation.

Reflecting on the guest speaker, Mr. Jason Corriher, his inputs concerning his role and profession for Ohio Universitys athletic department coincides with the principle of not only addressing the needs of students but also seeking to understand the ideas that can make them appreciate the value of talent exhibited by athletes. Since his main responsibility revolves around promoting the team for sponsorship and interviewing potential student athletes, he sought to understand the value and perspective of using the tools of media to his advantage.

Likewise, he also sought to identify new parameters for conducting media training for freshman. Under this process, he takes into consideration helping and guiding freshmen to adjust to the current trends of academic life. Since majority of their actions are considerably reserved during the first few months, he sought to redefine this perspective by offering students a new dimensions wherein they can learn to interact to the whole collegiate environment.

Similarly, with the effort to increase the capacity of imparting towards students, he also sought to understand what 19-22 year old students like. That is why he made considerable attention in listening to rap music and other elements that influence this age bracket. Moreover, since he is the one conducting the interview, he made mention of the value of seeking to redefine his communication skills and imparting the message correctly. This then coincides with providing the appropriate direction and an authoritative figure over key issues surrounding practice.

In one of his messages conveyed, he argued that the process of media continues to evolve. For a time, this strategy can be effective however it will come to a point wherein it would no longer be a viable option. In here, he made example of his role in creating a media guide and schedule paper. However, due to its increasing expenses, the use of the internet became an appropriate solution as it tackled better audience and easier access in the process. This analogy then illustrates how the value of media relations can change over time and how technology can help supplement the desire to impart information to those who needed it the most.

Overall, Mr. Corriher pointed out these ideas in order to establish the idea of how important an internship in media relations can supplement ones career goals. Despite its relative limited capacity to earn income, it is a good stepping stone in redefining and cultivating interpersonal skills. For my part, having the ability to promote and use media in a constant and dynamic environment provides the necessary leverage in cultivating greater perspectives on key issues that matter. Since media plays an important part in decision making, the idea of becoming adept in this area can induce potential benefits on my part in the future.

In the end, the interaction with the guest speaker was indeed an essential component to create an awareness of how valuable media relations are. Regardless of the scenarios that may come into play, it can foster new directions for ones profession as it entails not only understanding how it shapes choices and decisions but also instigate new dynamics that can further the ability to respond to societal changes that are happening. This then becomes an important facilitator in achieving academic success and professional competency in the future to anyone who aspires it.

You are annoyed by a friends behavior.I will comment about it and keep my distance from that friend.I will try to understand the main cause of my friends annoyance.A family member is having trouble at work or school.I will articulate that inefficient teachers or unreasonable bosses are what may be causing the troubleI will ask the family members to explain why the problem has surfaced and see how I can help counteract it.A cashier gave you too much change back.I will keep the change because we are living in tough economic times.  Besides, it is the cashiers error.

I will return the excess change and keep what is only rightfully mine, and accept her expression of gratitude.You are falling way behind on a project for class or work. I will work late nights and not sleep until I try to finish the project, or try to request for a deadline extension. I will ask for help from team mates or office colleagues to get the project going faster and do my best to turn it in at the set deadline.You are visiting a close friend or relative and are having a terrible time. I will hurry and reason out that I have another important appointment to go to, then leave.I will try to look at the positive side and find a way to enjoy the company of that close friend or relative.You run into a former boygirlfriend at a party and she is with someone else.I will get jealous and express my annoyance verbally, maybe through a sarcastic remark, to my former boygirlfriend.I will stay calm, think in a mature manner, and try to engage my boygirlfriend in a civil  casual conversation and learn more about hisher companion.Your coworker is once again late for work. I will express disapproval by not smiling and sternly remind the co-worker that the company has rules that must be complied with.

I will inquire why my co-worker is habitually late and based on the reasons presented, will suggest concrete steps to help that co-worker avoid tardiness in the future.Your roommate is annoyed at you for not cleaning up enough. I will be annoyed as well with my roommate for not understanding that I have many other things to do.I will explain to my roommate that I will do my part in cleaning the room as soon as possible, and explain that I have been busy.Youve charged more on your credit card than you are able to pay. I will tear up the billing statement and vow not to use the credit car anymore.I will review my recent expenses and inform the customer service officer of my credit cards issuing bank  that I will settle the bill as soon as possible.You were driving too fast and a police officer gave you a warning. I will be displeased by the inconvenience but I will stop and try to wrangle my way out of the situation.I will speak with the police officer, explain why I was driving too fast, but acknowledge my oversight, then avoid making the same violation.Your clothes are feeling very tight lately. I will blame the fastfood industry for making me fat, and take the opportunity to buy new clothes.I will assess the reasons for my weight gain, and also take a look at the quality of the outfits then resolve to work out to lose excess weight.

Things learned from doing the exercise
I learned from the exercise that I have both an impulsive side and a rational, level-headed side.  The impulsive part of my personality will prompt me to do or say things I may later on regret.  On the other hand, my rational side will let me carefully assess things first before acting or uttering something.  The latter is more helpful for good interpersonal relations. One other important thing I learned is that in a communication situation, there are so many factors that the involved persons are dealing with, so it is best to try to take a look at things first from all angles before expressing something. Any communication exchange is situated in a social context that constrains the linguistic forms participants use. How these participants define the social situation, their perceptions of what others know, think and believe, and the claims they make about their own and others identities will affect the form and content of their acts of speaking (Krauss and Chiu 2). To cultivate the ideal self, it is important to strike a balance by allowing some time to think about a situation before acting.

Analyzing the article by Lim, it highlights the transformation of Malaysian society towards redefining the idea of nationalism and how the globalization impacts its detriment and continued growth. By citing the media (Malaysian idol), the document argues that this program is an essential tool used by directors to pursue their nationalist interest and promote the development of Malaysian culture and heritage using different facets such as SMS poll, fans club, online community (Lim, p.76).  Such dynamics then redefines the aspect of nationalism and brings about the conception of a modern nationalist perspective that showcases the real identity of a true Malaysian.

Similarly, Lim also argues that despite the show originating from Western ideals, the show provides unique opportunity to highlight and intensify the unique Malaysian culture and personifies new directions that can strengthen its capacity to showcase a feeling of belongingness (Lim, p.78). Due to this, the author argues that the emergence of this show not only highlight the ability to address both local and international perspective of Malaysian nationalism but also carry out the competence to retain their values amidst the prominence of Western ideals. It is through this that it portrays a reality deeper than one could expect.

Reflecting on the authors argument, I do believe her claim that the development of Malaysian idol is indeed a direct response towards globalization and finding nationalist ideals in the 21st century. This remains to be apparent since the country has long sought to establish its own personality after numerous years of colonial rule. It is thus understandable that the element of media particularly Malaysian idol is used as an instrument towards identifying common binding and unifying traits present to all. Such dynamics then becomes a good melting pot where different cultures correlate and share the unique heritage and rich culture.

In assessing its strengths, it can be seen that the article made a good analysis and foundation about the relevance of media and globalization. Here, the method used was to effectively determine its corresponding impact in terms of its function towards redefining common barriers and bridging towards the creation of new principles and identity. The attempt of Malaysia to consolidate on this effort remains essential as it seeks to draw out a balance between their values and differentiate it towards their Western counterparts. In essence, the media became a binding tool that solidified and established patterns for greater cultural appreciation.

On the other hand, one comparable weakness of the article revolves around the inability to assert that the media can also dictate something that is not real. Rather than providing something that connotes the ideas of what is happening in life, viewers are merely provided a faade an idea of what a few people would like the people to see. Seeing this, the public must also be careful about the preference they give to these for it can create a false sense of identity that will not only divide the nation but also illustrate an indirect control over their lives.

This paper is a critical review on a New Zealand television program show based on global market of media known as Mataku. It is an analysis of the program in respect to indigenity, media and global culture as was first directed by Maori. His  program was  produced  at a  time  when the  whole  world  was  faced by  global economic hard  times and  many government institutions borrowed  some  tactics from Mataku show  that helped  in administration. New Zealand government was faced by threat of neoliberalism and the artistic presentation of this program was instrumental in tackling with such threats (Glynn, Tyson, 206). The program is based on traditional practices and narratives that were orally narrated to past generations. The oral narrations in the past created a frame work through which the television show Mataku is based on. It shows the resurgence of supernaturalism in form of pictures presented through electronic device basically the television.

Traditional narratives reflect the way people treasure cultural practices and beliefs such as appearances of supernatural beings in the life of many individuals. This was taken as a means of communication from a superior being to people on earth. As it happens today, the media is used to communicate the daily happenings and events that are associated to human activity. In the modern world, the issue of beliefs is out of hand and real life experiences are seen as means of communication. This is reflected in the television show Mataku that embodies cultural globality and shows how cultural beliefs have upgraded. The show reflects how people have left the old way of doing things and are now adopting modern technology (Stuart, Graeme, 17). In the past, cultural practices and beliefs posed a lot of challenge in the lives of community members and made life to be complex. The complexity of life can be reflected in Mataku television program that compares the past and present (Glynn, Tyson, 211).

Culture involves the way individuals carry on their duties and practices. People in the  past were very  much obsessed with their  culture  but  in the  modern  world  things  have changed  to a level of cultural hybridity. The program by Maori narrates how things have changed resulting to increased modalities. One major importance of the television show in New Zealand is to reflect these modalities. The television show is a form of media that is used to enlighten people of New Zealand on how to leave the old way of doing things and adopt modern culture. The  issue  of  supernaturalism in the  show  is  a way  of  reflecting  traditional complexity that can be  related  to culture colonization. However, this is  not  far  from the  old  way  of  explaining  a  particular phenomena in various  cultures.

Supernatural events in television shows are connected to how information is passed from one generation to another. The complexity of the matter is what matters in particular episodes. For instance, traditional narratives are very much scary to a level that children are made to develop fear on particular supernatural beings. The television show Mataku is not exceptional because viewers develop fear on certain parts of the show that are related to supernatural beings (Wang, Jan, 41). Indigenity cultural globalization and media are major areas reflected in the television show. Media in particular television shows connect indigenity and culture to create an environment of enlightenment.

Indigenity
Indigenity is related to cultural anthropology and is used to address the issue of human migrations from a certain historical origin. It claims on cultural beliefs and political positions of different individuals in a political organization. Indigenity entails deployment of particular indexes in respect to social movements, knowledge, capital and global advocacy. These  aspects of  cultural and  political organizations  are  reflected  in Mataku especially the  area of neoliberism threat that was  a  major challenge  to the government. It shows the identity of indigenous people that advocates for human rights, political claims, environmentalism and cultural practices (Napoli, Gillis, 460).

Indigenity has been used as a tool for language and cultural programs preservation mode. The media through development of television such as Mataku in New Zealand is a way of reviewing individuals commitments towards cultural anthropology. In addition, it creates a good understanding of culture, geography, human rights and sovereignty in the society. Performance is one major aspect of indigenity that is used to understand particular issues of culture, politics, aesthetic and ethics. The modern world is dynamic and advocates for adoption of social practices that constitute the lives of many individuals.

Some people regard themselves as indigenous to particular cultural displays, political groupings and festival events that constitute to development of media. In such fields or areas, indigenity is considered to shed light through reflection of the common areas that relate to human life. Indigenity in another aspect is related to religion of different individuals. The television program is a good example that showed how people were divided into different religious groups (Miller, 13). There are those who belief in the modern way of worship and those that belief in supernatural beings as a form of worship. The media is instrumental when it comes to issues of religion whereby it produces programs that help viewers appreciate their religion and culture.

Cultural globalization
Cultural globalization is defined as traversing of attitudes, values and ideas across different national borders.  The rapid traverse of values results to exchange and sharing of ideas from one culture to another. Cultural globalization leads to interconnection and interaction of individuals with diverse way of life and culture. Media is the major area that has led to spread of culture from one nation to another. The television program by Maori in New Zealand was watched over by other individuals around the world. This led to spread of cultural practice of New Zealand people as was reflected in the program.

Many individuals in the world and government entities borrowed the sentiments of New Zealand as was shown in the television program to resolve areas of conflict. Media and other communication technologies are considered to be the common elements associated with cultural globalization (Donald, 25). One major role of media is to enlighten and educate viewers in certain matters that relate to human life. This is achieved through dissemination of events and issues across national borders including remote areas.

Conclusion
The television show Mataku is a good example of how media can be used to promote indigenity and cultural globalization. Media is an instrument used to transform the way people used to do things by adopting modern technology and leaving traditional practices. It is a tool used to make a nation develop through exchange of cultural and religious practices. Developed and developing nations must support and promote media as one of the most important instrument fro development.

The 20th century has been an era of change largely dominated by advancement in technology. Media ecology seeks to evaluate how media and advancement in technology has affected human understanding, perception value and how it can hamper the very survival of human. Through media ecology, one has an understanding that it is possible to cut on the advertising costs which is normally achieved by posting advertisement even in the social networking sites. Also, media ecology has led to understanding that it is possible to do online business and handle transactions which require real time processing like in hotel bookings and air ticketing. This is possible if proper online processing softwares are utilized by companies.

Moreover, media technology has promoted the understanding that the just in time technique is achievable within organizations which dont require production to stop while waiting for raw materials. Through media ecology it is possible to reducing the lead time in organizations. This can be affected through the use of electronic data interchange (EDI) which ensures that structured information can be delivered form one business to another (B2B) and form one a business to customers (B2C). Also, the use of extranets can be used to link different business partners in remote locations (Jeremy, 2004).

Media ecology has led to an understanding that, organizations are in a capacity to study the behaviors and preferences of their clients. This is often achieved through the use of customer relationship management software (CRM). In addition, media ecology has led to an understanding that harmony can be achieved between different units of an organization through the use of enterprise resource planning which ensures that one there is efficient flow of information from one department to another. More importantly, media ecology has enabled organizations to come up with databases of potential employees who can meet the recruitment criteria. Organizations have gone to the extent of using the profile over the internet and use them as the basis of recruitment though critics argue that the profiles are often pseudo and should not be relied (Jeremy, 2004). Similarly, individuals are using the advertisements placed over the web to search for vacancies which translate to a save in traveling costs.

On the other hand, media ecology has led to an understanding that the advancement in technology can have negative impact on our very existence. For instance, there is a recent revelation that the social networking sites are being used to taint the images of our political opponents and business competitors. This is common when one posts a blog or a malicious message with the sole intention of defaming his or her opponent. The same technology has interfered with the security level of organizations and businesses. Sensitive information is availed to the public through the use of electronic messaging. Computer crimes such as hacking, spoofing and sniffing are also on the increase due to the advancement in technology.

Media ecology has further brought to the limelight that, the cultural values which we once held dear are now a thing of the past. This has been accelerated by the number of porn sites which are even a favorite haven for minors who lack consent. Through media technology, I have an understanding that, the advancement in technology has had its toll on our health. The current generation is relying on junk foods which are prepared via microwave. The radiation form the microwaves predisposes us to cancer which scientists have not been able to contain. Finally, media ecology has led to an understanding of why lifestyle diseases are on the increase. This is due to the fact that they youth will feed on junk food and spend a large percentage of their time screwed to a movies or playing video games (Jeremy, 2004).

The television show American Idol is part of mass culture. It began as an American version of the popular British show, Pop Idol.  It was meant to be a show that was better than Star Search with Ed McMahon, but it was yet another reality TV show in a rising field of reality TV shows. It definitely changed since its beginning and it continues to grow season after season.  9.9 million people viewed the opening show in 2001 but by the time the finale of the first season aired, over 50 million tuned in.  The main finalist of the show the first year was Kelly Clarkson.  Since then many more stars have been created because of the show changing the face of pop music forever such as Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Jennifer Hudson, and the current Adam Lambert.  Those in the winning circle of American Idol have won Grammy awards, Emmy awards and have made millions of dollars worldwide.  In an article written in 2009, American Idol was described as a lucrative exercise for Fuller and others. His 19 Entertainment, a division of CKX Inc., last week reported an operating profit of 92.5 million, a 37 percent increase over 2008s 67.4 million. Fullers net worth in 2008 reportedly approached 1 billion (Star Tribune).  This substantial success indicates its mass appeal.

American Idol expresses the hegemonic ideology that the American dream is alive.  The thousands and thousands that turn out for the auditions reflect that the hope that they could be the next star is evident. Its impact on the American culture as well as world culture would be incalculable when you would take into account the impact from the successful talent of the show. It dominates the buzz on the internet, television, music industries.  Many Idol spin offs have begun world wide as well.  In this season, to attract Ellen DeGeneres as a judge indicates the shows pervasiveness into American culture.  

The show receives much discussion throughout the media.  The judges and Idol hopefuls are the top choices for the talk show circuit, tabloids, interview buzz.  It is most always spoke of in positive terms although it stirs up controversy from time to time. One would think that the outspoken Simon Cowell would have been the source of controversy however, Paula Abduls demeanor was criticized regularly while she was on as a judge.  Recently, rumors were that Simon was possibly being replaced by Howard Stern, however, a source familiar with the search for Cowells replacement told The Daily Beast thatStern was never even being considered and the show is months away from choosing a new judge to replace Cowell (Reality TV World).  Rumor also had it that Stern may have been using the possible bail out from his show to Idol as leverage for a better current contract.  Surprisingly, even the CBN (the Christian Broadcast Network) producer commented about the American Idol special Idol Gives Back  Last night, the shows charm didnt just draw viewersit moved them. What started off as a glorified karaoke competition is literally changing the world (CBN).

I do believe that I, like so many, consume American Idol.  I think that is popular because of its hopeful ideology.  It is consumed because of the positive, feel good quality of the show. It is a show where the underdog could win it all, the unknown talent can be found, the dream of success is alive.  Those are some of the reasons I watch and feel inspired by the show.  I like the appeal of the rags to riches stories of the show.  It is entertaining and inspiring.