Textbook costs empty student wallets

Share: Students are already paying hundreds of dollars for classes. So, on top of that, paying an additional amount for textbooks is not ideal. As the spring semester kicks off, PCC students are being required by their professors to buy what many people deem “expensive textbooks”. There are a couple of options to get around the expensive costs of books though, such as buying used, or even online ebooks/pdfs. “All my classes require textbooks, except for my stats class, which has an online pdf textbook,” …

What is the future of physical media?

Share: With a few clicks on a remote or our phone, we have millions of movies, songs, and a multiverse of media at our fingertips. People are now accustomed to having access to any form of media they want within minutes. With these huge leaps in technology and streaming, it begs the question, what is the future of physical media? So many different companies and groups have decided to remove more and more physical media to create their own streaming platforms or other services instead. …

Media overload has shattered kids’ attention spans

Share: While the average attention span feels like it’s never been shorter, one overlooked factor has been the difference in technological advancements from generation to generation. The current generation is always unfairly maligned by the previous for not displaying enough of the same positive virtues they remember through their rose-tinted spectacles. The time when the library was the best place to go for research is over as access to whatever information you want fits conveniently in your pocket. The increasingly shorter attention spans of Millennials …

Former vampire unexpectedly makes a good Batman

Share: Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves gives viewers a look into the very human struggle and the motivation of the “caped crusader” and less of the Bruce Wayne perspective. In the beginning we Pattinson gives a monologue explaining what he’s up against and what his actions have done in hopes of creating fear in the hearts of the criminal element in the city. Pattinson’s Batman voice is amazing, deep, with a raspy strength that is expected when portraying the character. …

To censor or not to censor, that is the question

Share: Censorship of television and movies is a discussion the American public has been having for over 100 years. Some believe in the freedom of personal expression while others feel as though movies and TV should be regulated in order to protect the public from graphic material. Whatever the circumstances, there is no doubt that the content in most television and film has become increasingly explicit and violent over the years.  Since the early 1900s, members of the film industry and lawmakers have been debating …

Sinclair’s politically motivated script hoisted red flags for a path of destruction

Share: Irony is inescapable as you watch the Deadspin video that stitches together Sinclair Broadcasting Group’s reporters as they recite a script hypocritically claiming to defend democracy. It evokes a  hair-raising feeling of dread reminiscent of 1984. The message criticized fake news, which seems like a noble message until you consider the political context. From a national news standpoint, the script echos Trump’s favorite talking point about “fake news.” From an independent journalism standpoint, the command to broadcast is threatening to mute journalists’ critical and …

It’s time for a heavy focus on obesity

Share: Obesity has taken a major focus in recent media and medical studies as it has become an epidemic plaguing 35 percent of Americans, according to the Journal of American Medicine. Southern states and regions that lack fresh produce and whole foods, typically known as food deserts, are the highest in obesity rates, with regions that are land-locked following behind, according to The State of Obesity. Follow:

Media needs to do a better job at covering tragedies

Share: Major media outlets are more likely to cover tragedies in first-world Western countries than in underdeveloped nations. This is no more evident in the coverage of last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris as opposed to the coverage of terrorist attacks in northern Nigeria. The attacks on the offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and another attack on a kosher grocery store in the French capital generated global outcry in the hours after they took place. The attacks left a total of 17 people …