Interview with parents
For Media Criticism class I had to interview my parents with a number of questions about family, politics, religion and sports to see how medias have changed over the years in these aspects. After I did this I had to interview myself with the same questions to see how the answers differ. It was a good way to look at how television, newspapers, and advertising has changed over the years.
Family
Many of the questions concerning family were about the number of televisions in the household, were there restrictions for who watched the TV and when, and did family members read books together, listen to music or the radio together. My parents said that the main medium in my parents house while they were growing up were newspapers. Both my father and mother said their families found out a lot of information from local, state, and regional newspapers. My parents also said they didn’t watch very much television when they were growing up, and if they did it was for family entertainment. They both also had only one television in their house. My parents also told me that children never really watched television during the day because there was not a huge interest there because they would rather have played outside. As for reading books and magazines together as a family my parents said there was a lot of reading going on in their houses. At night all the children got read to, and during the day kids would read by themselves, with each other or a parent. Music and the radio was another family entertainment medium. My mother said she remembers taking Sunday rides in the car and her father would put on show tunes.
A lot of the answers my parents said have changed for me. I would say the most important medium for my families house today would be the television. There are so many 24 hour news programs on today that it can be the fastest way to receive new information. In my house we have five televisions. There are not really any rules for who can watch the TV’s and when, as long as everyone can agree on what to watch then we can watch whatever we want. However, when I was a child I remember I played outside a lot more than I watched TV. My brother, sister and I did not watch as much TV as we do now. I remember we read a lot of books too, especially with my parents. Every night we each got read to several books. I think that influenced us to read more as we got older. My family goes to a lot of Broadway shows, so we do listen to that music together, and there is usually a stereo somewhere on in the house that is just on as background music. I wouldn’t say my family purposely sits down together to listen to a specific radio station or CD.
Politics
My parents said they got a lot of their political information from a mix of reading newspapers and talking to other people. They also read a lot of news magazines like Time and Newsweek. My mother never went to a political rally, but my father went to one but he didn’t remember much about it. My mom said that a lot of advertisements were in black and white, but there were no political ads that stuck out in her mind. My mom also told me that her family watched the campaign election results on TV. She said it seemed slower than it is now, and they didn’t project like they do now. Everything was also hand counted, and so it took much longer to get the results.
I know that a lot of people my age get political information from television, and talking to others. I think people are more aware of political events, rallies, or speeches going on, but I’m not sure if they actually go to them. I remember my family went to one when President Bush Sr. was running for office he came to speak near my home town and my family went. Today there are so many political ads that it is hard to have just one stick out in my mind. I find that sometimes the television ads that put the opposing guy down can be somewhat annoying to watch.
Religion
My parents remember going every Sunday to church. They also said that there was a Catholic mass on the local television station on Sundays, but you didn’t watch that unless you were sick because you were supposed to be at church. My mom remembers that you were taught not to question religious leaders, and to accept what they said. My mother also thinks that religion has changed in the past several decades, for instance the recent scandals in the catholic churches. My mother thinks that TV has had a tremendous impact on getting the information out. Public radios, 24 hour news stations (CNN) have allowed people to be up to date with what goes on when a priest leaves a church, or a church is burnt down. My mom says there wasn’t the type of coverage when she grew up as there is now, and it seems to have a big impact on some institutions.
I know that there are a lot of religious television shows on now, and I think there is a channel for church to be on most of the day. My family does not watch these channels, because we would rather go to church that watch it on TV. I think we know a lot more about religious leaders, and I think we are more able to form our own opinions about them. I agree with my mom that mediums have had an impact on religions, especially because you can constantly find out what is going on.
Sports
My mom said that as a family when she was little they would go to see the Red Sox a few times a year. She says that she also remembers going to school sports many times a week. My mother also remembers her father keeping track of sports through the newspapers, especially baseball. My dad said that sports are more like a business now, than a leisure activity. My parents also remember that if you liked a player you had to send them a letter through the mail and hope that they would respond back. However, now you can just pop onto the internet and find out any thing and more about a specific player. My mom thinks that sports players salaries today are obnoxious and way too much, but she also understands that they have to support their families. My parents don’t really care about advertisements during games. They think the super bowl ads are funny, and they make it so that more people can look forward to the ads as much as the game. They think that the ads can affect everyone because everyone wants to look like the big shot players.
I feel that a lot of what my parents told me about sports is how I feel. My family has been to a lot of Red Sox and Patriots games together. Football is a huge sport in my house, especially because my younger brother plays. Whenever there is a high school football game you can count on my family being there. We also watch a lot of football games together on television, and we read scores and next day write ups in the newspapers about the games. I think that sports players today get paid a lot, but I don’t think there is much any one can do about it. I also think that there is a lot of advertising during games on TV, and when you are at the games. It doesn’t bug me, but I think it can have an impact on little kids.
For the most part, I thought this information was interesting to take in. I expected to hear most of this from my parents, and I didn’t really find any thing that was too shocking to me.
Family
Many of the questions concerning family were about the number of televisions in the household, were there restrictions for who watched the TV and when, and did family members read books together, listen to music or the radio together. My parents said that the main medium in my parents house while they were growing up were newspapers. Both my father and mother said their families found out a lot of information from local, state, and regional newspapers. My parents also said they didn’t watch very much television when they were growing up, and if they did it was for family entertainment. They both also had only one television in their house. My parents also told me that children never really watched television during the day because there was not a huge interest there because they would rather have played outside. As for reading books and magazines together as a family my parents said there was a lot of reading going on in their houses. At night all the children got read to, and during the day kids would read by themselves, with each other or a parent. Music and the radio was another family entertainment medium. My mother said she remembers taking Sunday rides in the car and her father would put on show tunes.
A lot of the answers my parents said have changed for me. I would say the most important medium for my families house today would be the television. There are so many 24 hour news programs on today that it can be the fastest way to receive new information. In my house we have five televisions. There are not really any rules for who can watch the TV’s and when, as long as everyone can agree on what to watch then we can watch whatever we want. However, when I was a child I remember I played outside a lot more than I watched TV. My brother, sister and I did not watch as much TV as we do now. I remember we read a lot of books too, especially with my parents. Every night we each got read to several books. I think that influenced us to read more as we got older. My family goes to a lot of Broadway shows, so we do listen to that music together, and there is usually a stereo somewhere on in the house that is just on as background music. I wouldn’t say my family purposely sits down together to listen to a specific radio station or CD.
Politics
My parents said they got a lot of their political information from a mix of reading newspapers and talking to other people. They also read a lot of news magazines like Time and Newsweek. My mother never went to a political rally, but my father went to one but he didn’t remember much about it. My mom said that a lot of advertisements were in black and white, but there were no political ads that stuck out in her mind. My mom also told me that her family watched the campaign election results on TV. She said it seemed slower than it is now, and they didn’t project like they do now. Everything was also hand counted, and so it took much longer to get the results.
I know that a lot of people my age get political information from television, and talking to others. I think people are more aware of political events, rallies, or speeches going on, but I’m not sure if they actually go to them. I remember my family went to one when President Bush Sr. was running for office he came to speak near my home town and my family went. Today there are so many political ads that it is hard to have just one stick out in my mind. I find that sometimes the television ads that put the opposing guy down can be somewhat annoying to watch.
Religion
My parents remember going every Sunday to church. They also said that there was a Catholic mass on the local television station on Sundays, but you didn’t watch that unless you were sick because you were supposed to be at church. My mom remembers that you were taught not to question religious leaders, and to accept what they said. My mother also thinks that religion has changed in the past several decades, for instance the recent scandals in the catholic churches. My mother thinks that TV has had a tremendous impact on getting the information out. Public radios, 24 hour news stations (CNN) have allowed people to be up to date with what goes on when a priest leaves a church, or a church is burnt down. My mom says there wasn’t the type of coverage when she grew up as there is now, and it seems to have a big impact on some institutions.
I know that there are a lot of religious television shows on now, and I think there is a channel for church to be on most of the day. My family does not watch these channels, because we would rather go to church that watch it on TV. I think we know a lot more about religious leaders, and I think we are more able to form our own opinions about them. I agree with my mom that mediums have had an impact on religions, especially because you can constantly find out what is going on.
Sports
My mom said that as a family when she was little they would go to see the Red Sox a few times a year. She says that she also remembers going to school sports many times a week. My mother also remembers her father keeping track of sports through the newspapers, especially baseball. My dad said that sports are more like a business now, than a leisure activity. My parents also remember that if you liked a player you had to send them a letter through the mail and hope that they would respond back. However, now you can just pop onto the internet and find out any thing and more about a specific player. My mom thinks that sports players salaries today are obnoxious and way too much, but she also understands that they have to support their families. My parents don’t really care about advertisements during games. They think the super bowl ads are funny, and they make it so that more people can look forward to the ads as much as the game. They think that the ads can affect everyone because everyone wants to look like the big shot players.
I feel that a lot of what my parents told me about sports is how I feel. My family has been to a lot of Red Sox and Patriots games together. Football is a huge sport in my house, especially because my younger brother plays. Whenever there is a high school football game you can count on my family being there. We also watch a lot of football games together on television, and we read scores and next day write ups in the newspapers about the games. I think that sports players today get paid a lot, but I don’t think there is much any one can do about it. I also think that there is a lot of advertising during games on TV, and when you are at the games. It doesn’t bug me, but I think it can have an impact on little kids.
For the most part, I thought this information was interesting to take in. I expected to hear most of this from my parents, and I didn’t really find any thing that was too shocking to me.
posted by a.h.w. @ 1:56 PM
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