March 8, 2007 Response to Media Panel

I thought that the media panel was very interesting. I liked hearing what both of them had to say about their jobs and what they are doing to try to promote anti-mainstream media. It kind of scared me to think that the fact that we have absolutely no control over the media that we are exposed to. I think that both panelists had very different attitudes toward popular culture and it was really interesting to hear what they had to say. I liked that important records is more of a "true" indie label than the ones that produce "indie" bands like "The Hold Steady" etc. I like both of their attitudes towards popular culture and thought that it was interesting how they both viewed it as something that we need to find ways of getting around.

Big media companies can say that they are just "showing what the people want" but that is not necessarily the case. Isn't it not so much what the people want but what the people with the money want? I like that 106.1 doesn't take money from advertisers but the concept is still a little confusing to me. It seems that although they don't do any direct advertising they do still have to concentrate on pleasing a certain demographic in order to be able to receive pledge money (or do those "brought to you by" things that aren't advertisements... I don't remember what they're called...).

I found both of the presenters to be really interesting and inspirational people but I was especially intrigued by hearing about the radio station. I was very surprised that anyone can go in there and broadcast after receiving the proper training. I am seriously considering trying to look into that myself. Although I don't know if I would actually be interested in going into radio but I think it would be amazing to know how to do that for future reference. Even if they just gave me random air time at like 2AM I still think it would be crazy to be able to broadcast music that I like. I think that it would be such an empowering thing to broadcast something you relate to to the world... even if nobody heard it.