For the purpose of this paper, I will be reviewing media messages from The New York Times newspaper. I will analyze, interpret and evaluate different media texts as they available on this newspaper. The first media text that I retrieved from The New York Times is an advert of NYTimes application for Android smart phones and tablets. In this advert, there are bulleted points that give the reader the specifications of this new app, which is meant for Android operating system devices. The application that is also branded as the New Android-only Times Experience has a new android optimized design for an enhanced reading experience, access to more than 25 sections, which include innovative media with slide shows and videos. It also has an improved navigation with the Action bar, text to speech capabilities, ability to create a custom playlist and social networking such as sharing articles through Facebook, e-mail and Twitter.
The next media message that I would analyze from the same newspaper bears the title ‘colleges adapt online courses to ease burden’ in this technological news text, educators in colleges are reported to have resorting to using online materials in order to meet the toughest challenges in school (Lewin). They consider these online materials to give students to meet deadlines, access college and graduate in time.
Additionally, form the same newspaper, a text that covers the issue of H.I.V., which is titled ‘cured of AIDS’? Not yet’, reports a miraculous curing of Mr. Brown in 2006 of AIDS (Mcneil). He has been suffering from leukemia and had two very risky bone marrow transplants. Doctors believed that a special mutation in the donor tissues could be responsible for this cure of Mr. Brown.
The second last media message that I have extracted from this newspaper is a statistical report on the decline in state financing of the preschool programs. According to this news article, between the years 2011 and 2012, the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University reported that the government funding declined in the aforementioned period by close to 10% (Motoko).
Finally, I will focus on President Obama’s backing of the F.B.I. in an instance where they were criticized over mishandling a Boston bombing suspect (Baker & Schmidt). The president further indicated his satisfaction with the cooperation showed by Russia after this attack. From the above media messages, I can summarize them to include technology, education, health, statistics and politics related news articles.
Media patterns
According to the excerpts from the newspaper above, message producers have various meanings they hope media consumers will get. For instance, in publishing the advert of the New York Times Android app, the message producers intend to inform their readers with such devices to access their services, especially if they cannot reach print versions or if they prefer the electronic forms to the print forms of media. The other evident message they send to the consumers especially on the president’s message, they wish to clarify for the public to understand the government’s position in its relationship with Russia, and this would reduce tensions that may arise between these nations. The message producers are also aware that the citizens are entitled to information regarding the services they receive from the government, especially those touching on their taxes. In this regard, they seek to inform the public of the government spending, for example by giving information on the reduced early education financing from the government.
In my opinion, these media messages serve their intended purpose since they inform the public of different circumstances. The consumers get the relevant information they seek form the media. For instance, a person with interest on the government position in relation to Russia’s cooperation will find the relevant information covering this topic. Online readers will also access the New York Times online from the Android-operating system smart phones.
The weaknesses of these newspaper articles is the fact that they fail to classify their clients according to demographic factors such as sex, age, educational level, marital status and income levels among others. For instance, when reporting on the online education for college students, there are illiterate parents who would not read this message even thought they might require these services for their children. In the abovementioned case, the parents need to take action since they require such services and would wish to reach such information. In this case, parents represent the consumers of this industry (Ohler 67 – 91). The media need to respond by sending other forms of messages such as electronic forms like audiovisual communication. Both the media and the consumers stand to gain in this strategy since as the consumers receive and interpret relevant information, the New York Times will be increasing sales.
Part II
In this section of the report, I will present a typed report that illustrates a media platform/plan for the topic discussed in part I of this assignment. The platform that I have chosen to use is ‘Feedback’. In trying to gather the concerns of their consumers, the New York Times have a feedback channel through which they get information from these clients. In my opinion, in addressing the above topic, consumers need to send their feedbacks to the newspaper producers with messages of what they expect from them. The newspaper should also create a department that is charged with the responsibility of responding to queries and concerns from the consumers and advising the management of the best course of action to take in different circumstance. As earlier mentioned, both the parties have benefits from this strategy. The response to the customers’ feedbacks should also include contacting the customer for more clarification.
Works Cited
Tamar Lewin. Colleges Adapt Online Courses to Ease Burden. The New York Times. Web April 29, 2013.
Donald g. Mcneil jr. ‘Cured of AIDS’? Not Yet. The New York Times. Web April 29, 2013.
Peter Baker & Schmidt Michael. Obama Backs F.B.I.’s Handling of Boston Bombing Suspect. The New York Times. Web April 30, 2013.
Rich Motoko. Preschool Financing Has Dropped, Study Finds. The New York Times. Web April 29, 2013.
Ohler Jason B. Digital Community, Digital Citizen. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, 2010. Print.
