In our lectorial today we were placed into groups as an experiment to notice the media around us.  My group was sent to the state library to sit and observe the media around us.  It is actually quite shocking that media is literally everywhere you look.  You can’t turn left, right, up or down without noticing some form of media.

Firstly the most noticeable form of media was what was: our own media- right in the palm of our hands.  Below is a formulation of where we found the media surrounding us.

In our hand:

  • I checked my texts twice
  • I added my group members on Facebook
  • I was taking photos of media (using media to observe media…ironic)
  • I checked the clock on my phoneUntitled

In the mid-ground:

  • People sitting on benches playing on their phones
  • Advertisements everywhere in sight
  • A woman using her camera to capture a special momentUntitled

In the Background:

  • There were Myki advertisements
  • Telstra and Optus posters
  • The was noise of the chatter to people on the other end of their phone
  • There were tram noises intermittently drawing our attention to the brightly coloured posters and ads stuck strategically on the side of the vehicleUntitled

On the ground:

  • we saw each others phones, sitting there waiting to be touchedUntitled

Up high:

  • There was a huge billboard on the top of a building – Batman vs. Superman- advertising (a form of media) a film (another form of media)image
  • ‘Free exhibition’ posters hanging down from the front of the state library.  Right in your line of view from the bottom of the stairs.  Colourful and sizeable- CleverUntitled

This experiment was extremely awakening.  I have always known that media is predominant in my life but I wasn’t aware of how manipulated I am by everything I see.  While walking to the library out of the corner of my eye I could see the warm browns of theGloria Jeans logo- Yes seeing these colours made me crave a Very Vanilla Chiller.  In the background I could see the posters for Optus which reminded me that I need to recharge my credit.  We are constantly toyed with by mass produced media through text, audio, video, colour, sound and so many more.  I think that this media course is going to be very important in understanding and surviving in todays society.