Diffusing Stereotypes Through Knowledge: Exploring Spanish-Language Documentaries

Anita Santa-Coloma and I will share with audiences coverage from Texas State University's recent international Spanish-language documentary festival "Puntos de Vista" and provide Web viewers with a more in-depth look at issues discussed in the documentaries. The event took place Thursday, April 8 in the LBJ Student Center and showcased 16 documentaries from eight institutions in four Latin American countries (Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru).

We plan to incorporate photographs from the event as well as video footage and interviews with a few of the festival's participants. It will be interesting to hear the students' opinions on the issues presented in their documentaries as well as their perceptions of media in the United States.

Lambda Delta- Leadership Development Program

We decided to do our project on Texas State's "Lambda Delta"- Leadership Development Program. Our focus is going to be about how the program got started and why, as well as what some of their goals are. We will also be hitting on who some of the members are, why they joined, and what they hope to get out of the program. Finally we will be including a section on the philanthropy project that the members are working on in the quad this week.

Amanda and Claire's final project idea

This multimedia project will tell the story of Texas State commuters through the eyes of one. It will also serve to recognize the non traditional student population at Texas State.

We are going to profile a commuter/nontraditional student. She is commutes from an hour and a half away and is a mother and wife as well. She is also pregnant.

This project will include a studio interview, printed story, map, chart, etc.

Eric and Rhea Tx State Music Site

In our site Eric and I are going to explore the music interest of Texas State students. On the homepage we plan to include a list of recent Texas State music events (songwriter's night, live performances) as well as resources relevant to students interested in local music. In another page we plan on shooting some video of live Tx State musicians in this section we will also include any interview with the musicians. We also want to include an interactive which correlates major to music interest. Finally we plan to include interviews with students and faculty discussing what they listen to and their thoughts and opinions on music. There may be sound-bites with this part.

A Virtual Tour of San Marcos

Lisa and I are planning to make a website (not Web site, thanks to the new AP style handbook) about how great San Marcos is and what makes it so unique. We will include all aspects of San Marcos from class-life to nightlife. We will have a "People of San Marcos" section, a "Texas State" section, a "Nightlife" section, a "Local Business" section and a "River" section. Our goal is to basically give the people that go to our site a virtual tour of San Marcos.

And it'll be awesome. Just saying. :)

College students and diet - the way we eat (final project idea)

Adri and I are going to do our final assignment on the topic of college kids and diet. We plan to explain the way college kids eat, cook, and stay healthy (or unhealthy).

While many students rely solely on Ramen Noodles and EasyMac, others take the time to cook and plan meals on a daily basis - depending on lifestyle and schedule.

On the site, we could have pages that provide recipes for the on-the-go students, plans and tips to prepare meals when you are constantly busy, and unhealthy habits to kick. Also, we could provide a page that talks about how students actually eat and the unhealthy long term effects of such eating habits.

Maybe our pages could be this: 1) typical college diet 2) side effects of typical college diet 3)healthy alternatives (college friendly recipes) 4)tips for planning meals 5) interviews with students 6) helpful links

For the interviews, we could interview students around campus on camera and ask them questions about a normal day for them when it comes to diet and exercise. We could feature unhealthy students, as well as healthy students.

Online Change

The internet is not your ordinary search tool. You can now achieve pretty much everything through the internet. If it had a middle name it would probably be "innovative."
The internet has now mastered becoming THE marketplace. Ebay is extremely succesful and convenient. It has allowed people to sell and buy thei things through a computer screen.
Amazon is unother very succesful website. It is the biggest bookstore via web. You are allowed to browse for the book you want while in the comfort of your home. And variety is a must here.
Chris Anderson's publishings explain to us the internet's diveresity and adaptability to consumer's needs. The internet runs on our desires; our wants and our needs.
Rhapsody is the perfect example of meeting people's needs. They have an abundance of tracks available for consumers to listen and purchase.Again you are given the opprtunity to do this at home and not have to step out to a store to get the music you want. Not only is it convenient but it's perfect; you no longer have to buy a whole cd to listen to the song you want. Yes, you can now purchase single songs.

The Digital World is Booming!

The Internet has forever changed the way we do things. Big contributors to this change are eBay and Amazon. Both of these companies found a way to create ecommerce. EBay's creator developed a way of online auctioning and Amazon is the biggest bookstore online. Although, both have different aspects of ideas, they both wanted to level the playing field for all people and make information fair and accessible. The markets boomed with both companies although eBay was more successful. Even after the horrible Black Friday in the 2000s they have bounced back and continue to empower ordinary people to use the tools of the Internet.

Chris Anderson, author of The Long Tail, explains how all types of music, books and other things can be available to consumers. The Long Tail is explained as being able to reach all types of audiences and breaking barriers set by top hits to go beyond the popular to reach all types of audiences wants'. Through online distribution and retail, we are entering a world of abundance . For example Rhapsody, an online streaming music service has over 735,000 tracks. Rhapsody streams all tracks giving audiences a chance to hear something that they may like; It's not all about the top hits. Also buyers get a choice to buy by the track instead the whole CD, which is the main option available in stores.

On the net, a lot of things are provided for free, but it's not all free. While magazines, and newspapers may provide their publications for free they make profits through advertisements. It's like a trade off they offer some things for free and reap the profits in other areas. Many companies promote themselves by giving things away for free like the Gillette disposable razors idea and create a demand for their product.

This is the wave of the future, so jump on board while it's hot!

-Selina O. Affram

The Changing Online Marketplace

The expansion of the online marketplace in the past 15 years has revolutionized not only the Internet in general, but also how people conduct business. Advancements in e-commerce have led to changes in everything from product pricing to shopper behavior. While many were once skeptical of its reliability and level of convenience years ago, several computer-savvy individuals now cherish and rely on e-commerce for various purposes.

There once was a time in business when a customer could only buy products that were in stock at nearby stores (and that were at that price). Nowadays, a typical person can easily perform a search on the Web for a product and find detailed information regarding the product as well as a price comparison from multiple online sellers. International businesses are now recognizing all the resources that typical consumers have at their disposal to become more knowledgeable on the products or services they intend to purchase. Generally speaking, today’s shoppers are “smarter” and more selective than ever before. It will be interesting to see how companies adapt their business models to appeal to a better informed and more segmented consumer base.

Chris Anderson’s articles reveal how target audiences today are becoming increasingly diverse in their product tastes and more challenging to reach using traditional marketing methods. While the business models of online sellers will continue to evolve gradually in the next decade, I believe that more considerable change will bring new opportunities to the field of communications and public relations. More online businesses may consider employing integrated marketing communications (IMC) strategies to better connect with their current and prospective clientele.

online business

I believe online business will be extremely successful moving forward. This is mainly due to the fact that the world as a whole is going digital and all of the technological advances resulting from that. Shopping online has made purchasing products quick and easy for consumers, and with more time I am sure this will become even more popular. The businesses that will succeed most are the ones that bring people what they want the easiest. Businesses which sell products everyone needs will find the industry most useful, as the ease they offer will attract consumers to get the wanted and needed products online. Examples currently seen of this include iTunes for music and Amazon for books, software and other products,

However, one of the biggest challenges to online businesses is the threat of identity theft. When shopping online consumers will face the possibility of picking up viruses on their computers or having personal information stolen by hackers. This has and will continue to turn some consumers off to the idea of online shopping and I think is the biggest thing handicapping the industry going forward.

Change

Change is the major message behind today's market, driven almost entirely by the Internet. Change in business model, change in technology, change in price and how businesses compete.

The Internet is causing businesses to be always on their toes, because competition is coming from everywhere. The fact that anyone can interact with anyone else at anytime, in almost anyway they want to has opened the doors to commerce for everyone. These doors used to be sealed to business suave guys, people that knew how to build a chain of stores, develop shipping trades, create great products to offer, and pay money to tell you why you need it. The model isn't like that anymore. It is not a market like "I have this product, and I'll do you a favor by giving you it for cheap". Businesses are going into relationship counseling.

Businesses that have succeed in the past are the ones that make you love them. They are the ones that will make you think, "I would kill myself if I didn't have so-and-so." Google has done this. Think about what your life would be like without Google. Pretty crappy, huh? The reason an Internet company succeeds is it creates life so much better for you, the company becomes ingrained in your daily habits. While I write this, I am using spellcheck, and I would kill myself if I didn't have spellcheck. I love Microsoft Word.

Gasoline companies did this. People love to drive their cars. Walmart did this. People love to one-stop shop. Yet these companies were offering products. Successful businesses in the future will not offer products. Wait. Some will, because people need things like clothes, houses, and beer. But the Internet has opened a whole new market, the tool market. Tools to shop, tools to be entertained, tools to make money, tools to find people, tools to do your taxes, tools to learn, tools to share. And the fact is money doesn't effect how good your site is, it is more based on creativity. That means you get it cheap, sometimes free. So the little man has the wheel, but the only way he is going to get your money is if your riding in the seat next to him.

As for advertising, who knows where the Internet will take it. I do think that advertisers are going to have to start thinking alot "dumber" though. Take a look at the top 10 viewed youtube video's as of Jan. 2010. I'm a fan of some of these videos, but they are dumb.

The future of online business

When I read about the assignment and how we should discuss which companies will be most successful in regards to the future of online business, I reflected back instantly on a question a student asked Robert Quigley, Austin American-Stateman's social media editor, during a panel. The student asked him, "What do you think the Internet will look like in 10 years?" Quigley laughed and responded with something along the lines of the idea he didn't know because certain aspects of the Internet change constantly.

I believe the same answer can be applied to this assignment. It's not easy to gauge whether or not, and how, online business will boom or bust. Experts in the video showed these signs, as many of them admitted they were unsure of how, and if, companies like Amazon and eBay would last. They took a risk, though, and these companies in particular have been successful since.

This video and the previous ones we've watched, as well as discussions we've had in class and the Long Tail article, basically address the same concept: The Internet is all about taking risks.

I believe the Long Tail is one of the best business models when it comes to online business, especially because it drives users to do their own way of promoting their favorite product/band/whatever it is and do it for free. People use the Internet for finding and engaging in information and pioneers of the Long Tail business model recognize this idea, which, in turn, results in a (currently) successful business model, making both the consumer and producer happy.

Of course, business models can be improved and new ones can be created as the Internet and users' preferences change. It's (as I mentioned before) hard to gauge what that business model could be now, but as social networks change and the Internet becomes more advanced, I believe the same concept will be applied to future business models -- one in which companies will continue to engage users and get them involved in order to make a profit.

photo courtesy of maximumpc.com

Online Business- The Real Story

Previous to viewing Chris Anderson's articles and "The True Story of the Internet," I had no idea how differently numerous online businesses run as compared to other websites. Ideas such as Jeff Bazos', creator of Amazon.com. He had the amazing idea of "Get Big Fast," basically, as more money came into Amazon.com, they would lower there prices so that they received more and more exposure. At the same time having stock traders promising that the company was about to explode- not to mention thousands of day traders working from home.

Chris Anderson discusses "Free."

I thought that the article "Free! Why $0.00 Is the Future of Business," was very interesting and I hadn't read about it before, although I am a recipient of his business strategy. On more than one occasion I have received a free Gillette razor and have continued to purchase the disposable heads. With the amount high tech companies that are located in Silicon Valley, options are endless for the general public to strike it rich through e-commerce. Stockholder cash was being given away by these companies to help start up new online companies, of which all but one in each category will fail miserably.

A dash of creativity and practicallity

So, Chris Anderson is clearly a genius. It is difficult for a society like ours to redefine the meaning of success — or perhaps better yet, the means of getting there. However, Anderson's concepts, centered around the premises that free sells more and niche-audiences actually do matter, make even the most traditional of business leaders take a hard look at what we think of as successful economic models.

E-commerce has revolutionized supply and demand and the modern day form of capitalism. You want it? You can find it. In fact, you can find items, information, services, that you didn't even know you wanted — or perhaps were simply unaware of. At the crossroads of capitalism and the Web comes a breeding ground in which discovery can take place. Through sites like Amazon and Ebay, users can find what lies beyond spot commercials and billboards.

What is most interesting are the people behind this synergy. The inventors, creators, venture capitalists, the movers and shakers — whatever you want to call them — are of a unique breed. They are equal parts savvy business-minded, risk-takers as they are creative geniuses. Clearly, it's a combination which has the potential to lead to much success — billions of dollars of success.

Watching "Download: The True Story of The Internet - Bubble" in conjunction to reading Anderson's "The Long Tail" and "Free", I can't help but think of this year's Common Experience theme: A whole new mind. The theme, of course, comes from Daniel Pink's book. The concept is much the same as Anderson's and that of the Web pioneers' he discusses: no longer will the traditional business model be acceptable. Or at least, lead to success. A successful economic model and service will (and is already beginning to) stem from a combination of creativity and practicality. And taking a few risks doesn't hurt, either.

Understanding Online Business Models

Obviously, Amazon and Ebay are two of the most mentioned companies when talking about online businesses. After reading "The Long Tail," I didn't quite realize how launching your product on either of these sites could make it so popular. The fact that someone can feed off of another person's popularity and creativity without copying or plagiarizing their work is really mind-boggling at this point in time.

How many sites do we travel to and make a purchase, only to be directed to the side of the screen to more items with the title, "Users Who Bought This Also Bought:"? I know just the other day, I ordered a Kate Spade cover for my iPhone, and I was directed to a link that provided other links to headphones, workout straps, and other iPhone accessories that I didn't originally intend to buy, but they were looking kind of interesting. Obviously, according to "The Long Tail," people often do click those links and make their purchases larger than they had originally intended.

The Internet makes business easy because it is measurable, but it is vast. Even though a small percentage of the world is online than most think, the Internet allows businesses to do business without having physical stores within reach of consumers. I remember visiting the Mall of America in Minneapolis, MN one Christmas, and my dad commented to a sales clerk that they were not as busy as he was expecting. She commented back that most people prefer to online shop. It gives consumers the convenience of getting everything they need in the comfort of their own home (and possibly their own pajamas).

I think one of the challenges of online businesses are the fact that they are impersonal. People like the idea of having a salesperson help them. What if the size is off? What if the watch doesn't work? What if there are more iPod colors available? A person can help in all these areas in which a computer cannot. However, the opportunities for online businesses seem to exceed the challenges. Businesses can expand and become worldwide without actually having worldwide locations. Online shopping is also more vast than in-store shopping. If Target runs out of green sweatpants in a size Medium, I can just order them online.

I think online businesses are only going to become bigger and better as the years go on. With things like Facebook and Twitter out now, consumerism is getting huge. Conan O'Brien tweets that he loves popcorn jelly beans...and all of a sudden there is a popcorn jelly bean shortage. :)

Wednesday-Friesen

The Long Tail business model seems to be rebuilding the relationship between buyer and seller. Obscurity can now compete with popularity. There is no need for a trade-off. It is cheaper to just offer everything—all products. This allows for a fuller culture with less focus on the hits. In contrast Amazon’s Get Big Fast model appears to be a one-time fling. The strategy rose and fell with the Internet-induced economic boom. It is still going strong today, but no company could successfully start now with the same strategy. There is a major point to take from Amazon, and Gillette for that matter, losing profits now can cause a worthwhile return in profits later. The Internet allows “free” and cheap to be more prominent than ever.

The Internet’s unabashed ability to cross any and all geographical limitations negates the price of shelf space. Production costs for entertainment and information are also significantly reduced through Internet use. Even services are cheaper and more convenient. The Internet doesn’t need coffee breaks, minimum wage, and can pull endless shifts. One issue that isn’t addressed in the readings is how labor will be changed. When machines become more prominent, labor transitioned into service. As computers and the web replace personal services, where will the jobs move to next? Will the jobs be fewer? More specialized?

Boom, Bubble, Bust & Resurection

After watching The True Story of the Internet: Bubble, I realized how interested I am in e-commerce and just how valuable this information is. For sure most new technological advances are started in a garage or a back room in someones house, but the fact that it's a new way of commerce aimed at reaching individuals and where regular people could compete on a level playing field with the "big players" is what catches my attention.
It's the idea that most of these new start up companies aren't out to get you, but to help you to help yourself and others that stands out to my ideals.

In the future I'm sure there will be more changes and bigger and better business models and technology, but for now I think we are on a steadily growing hill that's beginning to look like a mountain. We've ushered ourselves in to a technological generation with out thinking of the consequences. If everything is based on the internet, there could be some major problems that I hope others foresee as well.

The challenge now is just to keep up with your invention and don't let it take over from what you had first dreamed or imagined. Technology has a way of taking over and becoming an idol. Technology is a tool, to be used as a means to help, not something to take over absolutely every way we do every little thing.

There are many opportunities available for new companies to jump in with e-commerce. It's relatively simple and a great way to make money as well as to stay involved with clients and get involved in new clients in far away places.


Facebook and Twitter are definitely a great example of being successful in a new web venture without even asking users to pay for the service. It's an idea and a means of 
 sharing information that definitely appeal to most users.



Beyond these companies, I believe we need to continue to watch out for the intentions of companies. There are too many out there building, with ideas that are a rip off or not so great, that are spending too much money and just copying the guy next door.

Just like the AB testing mentioned in a SXSWi session for web sites. AB testing should be done on companies and start ups and blogged about, reported on, or a web site made about it to inform every user from novice to expert what to watch out for and expect on these sites.

Online Business Models

I think the future of online business models, or e-commerce is boundless because of mankind's need to make spend money.

From the videos, I think the "bubble" encompasses the balance of what will survive, occasionally join with other bubbles (economic ventures and mergers), and what will burst, or fail. The readings by Chris Anderson further develops this with the story of freebies, subsidies, recommendations, and overall having to create a demand for a product or service that wasn't there before, like the Gillette disposable razors. In some cases going back and selling more of a product that maybe be forgotten, like Joe Simpson's Touching the Void. Amazon has been found to do that in its suggestions.

I think sites like eBay and Craiglist (which has also become a verb in its own way) allows consumers be their own merchants and traders in this online auction forum. I think that in itself has a kinship with citizen journalism. Facebook even has an online "marketplace." It all plays off the old saying John Heileman alludes to: "one man's trash is another's treasure." Take the story of the red paper clip for example.

I think the challenges online business models face is the trust factor. We are always hearing of these scams people fall for and sometimes are made fun of or portrayed as a victim in the media. The second part of the "Bubble" videos gave me some comfort that my identity and information was thought of to be protected. I just ordered from Amazon the other day without any risk crossing my mind. I've dealt with Amazon on the phone before (and I actually had a pretty pleasant experience - no waiting on hold and a very understanding representative). I know people actually work there, and it's not just some company operated by robots. Being an unsecured business would be an easy way to lose revenue and profits.

I believe any business can survive if it 1) finds a niche that has never been served or created and 2) is marketable and is marketed well. Opportunities for online businesses are limitless. Just when we believe things can't get any better, another genius crosses the finish line as a billionaire in the venture capitalist game. I think the companies that involve the consumer in multiple ways, is interactive, will succeed.

The online business model

Online businesses have the gift of extreme potential. As Anderson says in 'The Long Tail' one of the best qualities of the web is that online markets can offer anything, as they are no longer constrained by physical space. Not only can the web offer anything, but offering anything for free is becoming increasingly possible.

In connecting 'The Long Tail' to the music industry, we will start to see less 'filler' tracks and more substance. Why? Tracks are being evaluated individually on their own merit. The benefit of paying per track is that consumers no longer have to pay for tracks they would skip over on the cd. And rather than solely hit songs being profitable, the 'misses' or what's on the long tail will also see profit. It's not just about the grossly profitable anymore, mildly profitable is still profit.

Amazon was used as an example by Anderson and by the bubble video because what Amazon did is create the ability to buy any book, not just the bestsellers. Now, without the constraint of physical bookstore space, anything is possible. Also, search terms and suggestions mean convenience.

Although Rhapsody was cited as a good example of music's success because of the long tail, I believe that it will eventually fail because of the free concept. There are sites like pandora that offer the same thing, without a monthly fee. Good luck Rhapsody.

As John said in the end of the video, the dotcom bubble and bust was terrible for some investors. However, sites like amazon and ebay are relevant today because of survival of the fittest. I believe that sites like these two will continue to survive because they both do something so well: put the power into the hands of the consumer.

Understanding Online Business Models

EBay and Amazon are two successful businesses that sell online because they are the ones who understood what people what. In the free article, he wanted to invent something that people could throw away, or what people wanted. People want easy. I use online retailers all the time, including eBay and Netflix. Netflix learned that people will keep searching for what they like until they find it. I use Netflix so I can watch documentaries, just like the article The Long Trail said.

I also use iTunes because it’s easy to pay a dollar and get the song I want from my computer. Online retailers have the good and bad just like anyone business. I think though they have more good. They are open 24/7 and anyone with internet access and a credit card or pay pal account can get something shipped to their house. On the downside, if you do not have one of those things then you are forced to pay cash, which you can only do in person. I think eBay will always be a successful business; I’m one of the customers too.

The whole point of even having the online shopping, like the movie said, is to create a marketplace where everyone could come together and when everyone comes together, it doesn’t take long to get a huge number. I think these big companies that just started over a weekend will stay in business because of stock holders, and their already loyal customers.