I have always
been aware of the fact that different news sources and varieties of
presentation forms reflect different biases and views, but in the past I have
just used that to help me navigate towards publications and websites with
specific views in mind. I stuck to the news sources I tended to agree with,
instead of using multiple sources to analyze the truth and identify the most salient
points. I made The Wall Street Journal my homepage, and I think I will keep it
that way because now whenever I open up my internet I try to find an article I
hadn’t read or am inspired to find another take on a WSJ article through The
New York Times, The Oregonian, MSN, CNN, NBC, FOX, etc. This course has
challenged me to read articles with stronger opinions one way or another than
the semi-neutral ones I am used to, and I have enjoyed that because instead of making
me feel like I was constantly pitted against the way an author was writing, I
have been able to use alternative perspectives to become more informed. This
ultimately makes me more confident in my own opinions, since I feel more
educated on all sides of a topic before confirming how I feel about it. I
needed a little push to stay updated and I think this class has given me just
that. I look forward to constantly feeling the importance of being in the loop
with current events!
Monday, March 11, 2013
Princess Problems
Dismal
Disney Drama
For years, big
pink castles and beautiful princesses have characterized young children’s
dreams. Disney has explored unthinkable amounts of profit-inducing marketing
schemes, and the world has come to love anything and everything associated with
the fictional lives created by the multibillion-dollar company. Lately, though,
Disney has received heat about its approach to racial diversity. With the 2012
introduction of Princess Sofia, who arguably may or may not be Latina, Disney presented
the media and opinionated Internet users with a new, ever-expansive outlet for a
sudden explosion of discussion.
The majority of
information about Princess Sofia is presented in disgust, or at least a relatively
negative light. These articles were the ones that initially informed me Disney
was even creating a new princess in the first place, and memorable because they
were written in a way that made me want to do more research on Disney’s
subliminal messaging. According
to CNN, a fairly balanced but slightly liberal news source, “As recently as
seven days ago, Sofia was Hispanic. In fact, she was introduced -- informally,
haphazardly and clumsily -- as Disney's first Hispanic princess by someone who
ought to know: the executive producer of the TV movie, Jaime Mitchell.”[1]
About a week later, though, Disney made a statement arguing Sofia is just
Sofia, neither directly confirming nor negating her Hispanic culture. This is
not the first controversy, though, as Disney’s timeless Belle, “is
from southern France, where the people typically have olive skin, and even
though Belle was given brown hair and light brown eyes, her skin was porcelain”[2].
The controversy, though, is aimed towards Disney in general.
CNN.com countered
Disney’s Sofia announcement with the harshest language of any sites I stumbled
across. Ruben Navarrette, the editor, began his article with a news video from
a different source, sharing the opinion he would soon delve into. His initial
word choice delivers the force of his argument, exclaiming, “The breathtakingly incompetent way that
Disney handled the introduction of what was thought to be the Magic Kingdom's
first Hispanic princess has me wondering: What kind of Mickey Mouse operation
is this?”[3].
Within an instant, Disney’s innocent characters are charged with serious
identity issues beyond their animated control. The article focuses mostly on
how the Latino community has potential to be a humungous pool of consumers, but
that Disney screwed up their marketing schemes. After informing readers of the
situation, the CNN article then dives in detail into the controversy. Sofia’s
name is spelled with an “f” instead of a “ph”, which makes her name sound
Hispanic, and a Hispanic actress voices her mom. Not only is Sofia’s voice
different from her mother’s, but also her skin is pale, her hair light, and her
eyes a sweet shade of baby blue. CNN pays close attention to the way Disney has
presented princesses in the past, and categorizes them, saying “Sofia is the
latest addition to a very exclusive club that also happens to be one of the
most lucrative franchises in the Magic Kingdom. You have the Old Guard: Snow
White, Cinderella, Belle and Sleeping Beauty. Then you have the racial and
ethnic wing: Mulan (Asian), Jasmine (Middle Eastern), Pocahontas (Native
American) and Tiana (African-American).”[4]
Navarrette emphasizes that each of these princesses is proud of her heritage
and defines the three major arguments associated with Disney’s presentation of
Sofia: first, those who found it insulting that Disney would not embrace their
first Hispanic princess as coming from the background that she supposedly did;
second, those offended by her lack of dark skin like her mother’s; and third,
those, mostly in the blogosphere, who don’t agree that her skin must be dark to
identify as Hispanic. CNN’s approach, starting off with strong
opposition, is beneficial for drawing in Hispanic readers, as well as those
simply opposed to Disney’s actions.
Many who
understand Disney’s attempt to relate to all consumers are more focused on the
way Disney handled the situation, and less on Sofia’s background. As quoted on
NBCLatino, one week after the executive producer uncomfortably let Sofia’s
Spanish heritage slip, Disney announced, “What’s important to know is that Sofia is a fairytale
girl who lives in a fairytale world. All our characters come from fantasy lands
that may reflect elements of various cultures and ethnicities but none are
meant to specifically represent those real world cultures.”[5]
In response, a skeptical blogger responded, “What Disney executives meant was
that Sofia could be anything you wanted her to be because she’s a fictional
character. If they wanted her to be our first Latina princess, they would have
been shouting it out themselves.”[6]
When Huffington Post reported on the issue, it merely introduced both sides of
the argument, quoted Disney’s removal of Sofia’s “Hispanic status”, and
continued with details about the movie and TV shows’ airdates. This approach
focuses on appealing to all audiences and informing curious adults and children
about this new character. With Huffington Post’s approach to announcing Sofia,
readers who want their opinions confirmed will not be interested in its
article. It serves more as a general announcement and analysis than an argument
or petition of sorts.
While the
majority of articles and blog posts related to the introduction of Sofia are
focused on a side of the controversy, many instead highlight other aspects of
Sofia’s introduction. DisneyMoviesList.com blogs about how Sofia is catering to
a new audience, 2-7 year olds, which received literally no publicity on the
major news sites.[7] The New
York Daily News used a similar focus, writing an entire article on the consumer
products and toys already being produced and Sofia’s anticipated success.[8]
The only quote from Disney in the entire article is, “Sophia the First”, note the reference
to her more official title than the other news sources provided, “will feature
plenty of pretty dresses and sparkly shoes, but with an emphasis on ‘what makes
a real princess is what's inside, not what's outside.’"[9]
This focus is entirely different from the controversy altogether.
Still, others put
the attention on how Sofia’s introduction is no different from the way Disney
has handled any other princesses. In fact, many others have been altered
between TV and commercial items in order to appeal to a certain audience. “Cinderella
had strawberry-blonde hair and silver dress in her film, but is blonde with a
blue dress in the franchise”[10]
Changing the princess’ appearance is one way to draw different fan crowds, but
so is following cultural norms. When Tiana, the first African-American Disney
princess was introduced, people wondered how sales would do. Yet, with the
Obama girls being seen as popular icons today, youngsters do not even know the
difference. “Girls of all races have already caught
princess fever, and young black girls embrace the white stars of ‘Hannah
Montana,’ the Jonas Brothers and "High School Musical" without worrying
about race. But some of their moms are making sure their daughters understand
the significance of the princess with her brown doe eyes, fuller lips and
elegant tiara.”[11] In
cases like these, it is apparent that sometimes parents emphasize things that
kids have grown up with different feelings towards. Perhaps once Sofia takes
off, the controversy over her heritage will disappear. After all, the point
Disney is trying to make has everything to do with morals and personal
characteristics and should not be based off of appearance. That said, many
Disney characters pride themselves on looking prim and proper for their perfect
princes.
From articles about Sofia
being Hispanic or not, to those discussing how Disney approached the issue, to
even commercial items-based articles and opinionated pieces, all are doing one
thing similarly: each of these articles is bringing attention to Disney. Whether
or not people are in favor of what the princess represents, the controversial
introduction of Sofia the First is giving Disney an opportunity to prove itself
and an expansive audience to be the judges of this new, young, figurehead. Civilian
responses to many of these articles include personal comments such as, “why not write about the ~40% High School dropout rate of
latinos, or latino gangs, or high latino teen pregnancies. etc.,” and “OMG Really.....
Maybe she should of been half black and latino
in a wheel chair and born of lesbian parents.
She could of also been
handicapped with a misformed hand or wore a back brace or a artificial limb
too,” and even
“hmm. I'm hispanic and she does look like me... i have
brown hair and light skin”.[12] Even if online arguments
stray from the context of the original articles, the most consistent and
effective theme of interpretation aims to hold Disney to a high enough standard
that it should be able to embrace its characters in whatever world they supposedly
come from.
[1] Navarrette
Jr., Ruben. "Why isn't Disney’s Princess Sofia Latino?." CNN,
October 26, 2012. http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/25/opinion/navarrette-disney-hispanics
(accessed March 11, 2013).
[2] Vultaggio
, Maria. "Princess Sofia & Other Disney Princesses Who Ignited
Controversy." International Business Times, , sec. Media &
Culture, October 23, 2012. http://www.ibtimes.com/princess-sofia-other-disney-princesses-who-ignited-controversy-852729
(accessed March 11, 2013).
[3] Navarrette
Jr., Ruben. "Why isn't Disney’s Princess Sofia Latino?." CNN,
October 26, 2012. http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/25/opinion/navarrette-disney-hispanics
(accessed March 11, 2013).
[4] Navarrette
Jr., Ruben. "Why isn't Disney’s Princess Sofia Latino?." CNN,
October 26, 2012. http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/25/opinion/navarrette-disney-hispanics
(accessed March 11, 2013).
[5] Carrasquillo,
Adrian. "Disney: Our first Latina princess isn’t actually Latina." NBCLatino,
October 22, 2012.
http://nbclatino.com/2012/10/22/disney-our-first-latina-princess-isnt-actually-latina/
(accessed March 11, 2013).
[6] IBID.
[7] Hayes,
Matt. "A New Disney Princess!." Disney Movies List (blog),
December 12, 2011. http://www.disneymovieslist.com/blog/1658/a-new-disney-princess
(accessed March 11, 2013).
[8] Maitland,
Sashana. "Disney unveils newest princess, Sophia the First, for toddlers
Read more:
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/disney-unveils-newest-princess-sophia-toddlers-article-1.991655
[9] Maitland,
Sashana. "Disney unveils newest princess, Sophia the First, for toddlers
Read more:
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/disney-unveils-newest-princess-sophia-toddlers-article-1.991655
[10]TVRopes,
"Franchise: Disney Princess." Accessed March 11, 2013.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Franchise/DisneyPrincess?from=Main.DisneyPrincess.
[11] Scott,
Megan. "Black parents teach young girls significance of Disne'ys first
black princess." MSN, sec. Entertainment, November 11, 2009.
http://entertainment.ca.msn.com/movies/canadian-press/article.aspx?cp-documentid=22575138
(accessed March 11, 2013).
[12] Navarrette
Jr., Ruben. "Why isn't Disney’s Princess Sofia Latino?." CNN,
October 26, 2012. http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/25/opinion/navarrette-disney-hispanics
(accessed March 11, 2013).
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Dismal Disney Drama
Dismal
Disney Drama
For years, big
pink castles and beautiful princesses have characterized young children’s
dreams. Disney has explored unthinkable amounts of profit-inducing marketing
schemes, and the world has come to love anything and everything associated with
the fictional lives it has created. Lately, though, Disney has gotten heat about
its approach to racial diversity. With the introduction of Princess Sofia in
2012, Disney presented the media and opinionated Internet users with a new,
ever-expansive outlet for discussion.
The majority of information
about Princess Sofia is presented in disgust, or at least a relatively negative
light. These articles are the ones that initially informed me Disney was even
creating a new princess in the first place, because they were written in a way
that made me want to do more research on Disney’s subliminal messages, which
ultimately helped these articles stick out in my memory. CNN.com countered
Disney’s announcement with the harshest language of any sites I stumbled
across. Ruben Navarrette, the editor, began his article with a news video from
a different source, sharing the opinion he would soon delve into. His initial
word choice delivers the force of his argument, exclaiming, “The breathtakingly incompetent way that
Disney handled the introduction of what was thought to be the Magic Kingdom's
first Hispanic princess has me wondering: What kind of Mickey Mouse operation
is this?”[1].
Within an instant, Disney’s innocent characters are charged with serious identity
issues beyond their animated control. The article focuses mostly on how the
Latino community has potential to be a humungous pool of consumers, but that
Disney screwed up their marketing schemes. According to CNN, “As recently as
seven days ago, Sofia was Hispanic. In fact, she was introduced -- informally,
haphazardly and clumsily -- as Disney's first Hispanic princess by someone who
ought to know: the executive producer of the TV movie, Jaime Mitchell.”[2] About
a week later, though, Disney made a statement arguing Sofia is just Sofia,
neither directly confirming nor negating her Hispanic culture. After informing
readers of the situation, the article then dives in detail into the
controversy. Sofia’s name is spelled with an “f” instead of a “ph”, which makes
her name sound Hispanic, and a Hispanic actress voices her mom. Not only is
Sofia’s voice different from her mother’s, but also her skin is pale, her hair
light, and her eyes a sweet shade of baby blue. CNN pays close attention to the
way Disney has presented princesses in the past, and categorizes them, saying
“Sofia is the latest addition to a very exclusive club that also happens to be
one of the most lucrative franchises in the Magic Kingdom. You have the Old
Guard: Snow White, Cinderella, Belle and Sleeping Beauty. Then you have the
racial and ethnic wing: Mulan (Asian), Jasmine (Middle Eastern), Pocahontas
(Native American) and Tiana (African-American).”[3]
Navarrette emphasizes that each of these princesses is proud of her heritage
and defines the three major arguments associated with Disney’s presentation of
Sofia: first, those who found it insulting that Disney would not embrace their
first Hispanic princess as coming from the background that she supposedly did;
second, those offended by her lack of dark skin like her mother’s; and third, those,
mostly in the blogosphere, who don’t agree that her skin must be dark to
identify as Hispanic. CNN’s approach, starting off with strong
opposition, is beneficial for drawing in Hispanic readers, as well as those
simply opposed to Disney’s actions.
Many who
understand Disney’s attempt to relate to all consumers are more focused on the way
Disney handled the situation, and less on Sofia’s background. As quoted on
NBCLatino, one week after the executive producer uncomfortably let Sofia’s
Spanish heritage slip, Disney announced, “What’s important to know is that Sofia is a fairytale
girl who lives in a fairytale world. All our characters come from fantasy lands
that may reflect elements of various cultures and ethnicities but none are
meant to specifically represent those real world cultures.”[4]
In response, a skeptical blogger responded, “What Disney executives meant was
that Sofia could be anything you wanted her to be because she’s a fictional
character. If they wanted her to be our first Latina princess, they would have
been shouting it out themselves.”[5]
When Huffington Post reported on the issue, it merely introduced both sides of
the argument, quoted Disney’s removal of Sofia’s “Hispanic status”, and
continued with details about the movie and TV shows’ airdates. This approach
focuses on appealing to all audiences and informing curious adults and children
about this new character. With Huffington Post’s approach to announcing Sofia,
readers who want their opinions confirmed will not be interested in its
article. It serves more as a general announcement and analysis than an argument
or petition of sorts.
While the
majority of articles and blog posts related to the introduction of Sofia are
focused on a side of the controversy, many focus on other aspects of Sofia’s
introduction. DisneyMoviesList.com blogs about how Sofia is catering to a new
audience, 2-7 year olds, which received literally no publicity on the major
news sites.[6] The New
York Daily News used a similar focus, writing an entire article on the consumer
products and toys already being produced and Sofia’s anticipated success.[7]
The only quote from Disney in the entire article is, “Sophia the First”, note the reference
to her more official title than the other news sources provided, “will feature
plenty of pretty dresses and sparkly shoes, but with an emphasis on ‘what makes
a real princess is what's inside, not what's outside.’"[8]
This focus is entirely different from the controversy altogether.
Still, others put
the attention on how Sofia’s introduction is no different from the way Disney
has handled any other princesses. In fact, many others have been altered
between TV and commercial items in order to appeal to a certain audience. “Cinderella
had strawberry-blonde hair and silver dress in her film, but is blonde with a
blue dress in the franchise”[9] Changing
the princess’ appearance is one way to draw different fan crowds, but so is
following cultural norms. When Tiana, the first African-American Disney
princess was introduced, people wondered how sales would do. Yet, with the
Obama girls being seen as popular icons today, youngsters do not even know the
difference. “Girls of all races have already caught
princess fever, and young black girls embrace the white stars of ‘Hannah
Montana,’ the Jonas Brothers
and "High School Musical" without worrying about race. But some of
their moms are making sure their daughters understand the significance of the
princess with her brown doe eyes, fuller lips and elegant tiara.”[10]
In cases like these, it is apparent that sometimes parents emphasize things
that kids have grown up with different feelings towards. Perhaps once Sofia
takes off, the controversy over her heritage will disappear. After all, the
point Disney is trying to make has everything to do with morals and personal
characteristics and should not be based off of appearance. That said, so many
Disney characters pride themselves on looking prim and proper for their perfect
princes.
From articles about Sofia
being Hispanic or not, to those discussing how Disney approached the issue, to even
commercial items-based articles and opinionated pieces, all are doing one thing
similarly. Each of these articles is bringing attention to Disney and its new
addition of Sofia the First, so whether or not people are in favor of what she
represents, Disney is given an opportunity to prove itself because everyone
will be watching her debut.
[1] http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/25/opinion/navarrette-disney-hispanics
[2] http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/25/opinion/navarrette-disney-hispanics
[3] http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/25/opinion/navarrette-disney-hispanics
[4] http://nbclatino.com/2012/10/22/disney-our-first-latina-princess-isnt-actually-latina/
[5] http://nbclatino.com/2012/10/22/disney-our-first-latina-princess-isnt-actually-latina/
[6] http://www.disneymovieslist.com/blog/1658/a-new-disney-princess
[7] http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/disney-unveils-newest-princess-sophia-toddlers-article-1.991655
[8] http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/disney-unveils-newest-princess-sophia-toddlers-article-1.991655
[9] http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Franchise/DisneyPrincess?from=Main.DisneyPrincess
[10] http://entertainment.ca.msn.com/movies/canadian-press/article.aspx?cp-documentid=22575138
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
A Sneaky Influence
A Sneaky Influence
Stickers pile up, advertising a
history of markdowns; the store is dark as night; and the figure’s sad eyes are
veiled by a sheet of tin. Is this the work of marketing geniuses appealing to
modern society’s love for the thrill ride? In fact, it is quite the contrary,
sharing the dreary tale of many locally owned businesses today. This OregonLive
article tells the story of a young boy hoping for a fun visit to the mall, who
left without the personal satisfaction for which he was searching.
The
photo of the boy is placed in the top left corner of the article, so it is the
very first spot readers’ eyes are drawn to. Looking at this image, even before
any text, brings up subconscious ideas. The boy is wearing red and black,
colors that signify riches and debt, and his display of both colors emphasizes
his childish innocence.
The caption reads:
Riley
Page, 5, visited Excalibur Cutlery & Gifts at Lloyd Center recently to see
its reproduction of "The Hobbit" character Bilbo Baggins' Sting
Sword. But the retailer was locked up after filing for bankruptcy. The
Eugene-based retailer will liquidate all its goods at the Lloyd location
starting March 1.
These couple sentences instill multiple
emotions in the reader’s mind. He or she may wonder what is going on behind the
fenced in area, feel bad for the kid for not being able to find what he was
looking for, and at the same time wonder if maybe it would be best if he didn’t
enter into the darkness. Then, the article begins by making malls seem like the
“bad guys”, favoring corporations’ sales of the same items local businesses
carry in their stores. It goes on about how being dropped from Washington
Square Mall, its most profitable location, made Excalibur go out of business
altogether. The article itself then tries to mimic Riley’s innocence by coming
off generally neutral to the situation. The language shifts from pointing a
finger at malls themselves to data supporting the opposing point of view. This
is the most obvious benefit of the image at the top of the page, because it
essentially, with the view of the concluding sentences, bookends the article so
it slyly influences the way the reader thinks.
The
image’s initial effect is to make the reader wonder about the downfall of local
businesses, but subconsciously it is identifying local businesses as bad
because of how dark and hellishly dismal the right half of the photograph is.
The neutral, innocent boy separates the slouching figure on the right from the
well-lit, well-stocked, pristine class case on the left. The article’s uses
stronger language and rhetoric in its latter half, quoting the CEO of another
successful Portland mall who says about malls’ store-selection process, “They face a lot of pressure to deliver more bottom-line
profits, and it's just more efficient for them to deal with national tenants”. If,
after reading the article, the reader takes another look at the image, he or
she will likely relate more to the child, agreeing with his face peeking into
the dark side but his feet firmly planted in front of the financially-sound,
more visually-appealing, industrial side of things.
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