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THERE WAS AN interesting challenge for students at University of Oregon recently. A group of them were asked to go on a 48-hour “media fast”.
The Poynter journalism site reports that this included “no books, magazines, movies, newspapers, radio or Internet”. The study of students’ experiences on the no-media fast was carried out by the university’s journalism and communication department. While forcing – shock, horror – more human interaction among the students who were temporarily starved of other means of communication, it also made at least one feel “immensely powerless”.
Teachers at the Stony Brook University in Long Island apparently use this experiment annually with new students in their News Literacy course. According to Dean Miller, director of the course, the reason behind the temporary blackout is to make students think about where they get their news, how they get it and “to start students on the lifetime search for reliable information”.
Professor Roger Bohn of University of California, San Diego, said in 2009 that the average adult is exposed to more than 100,000 words a day, a phenomenon being branded “information bombardment”. This is how we consume those words in a day:
The majority is through TV (44.85 per cent), followed by computer/internet (26.97 per cent) and print (8.6 per cent).
Which medium could you NOT do without?
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Whoa, got on that poll waaay too early, feel bad about my Internet addiction now..
I can watch tv, listen to the radio, and call people via the internet. If I want I can even print articles off of it.
It has to be the Internet u can watch tv listen to the radio read newspapers and it’s interactive
Anyway, my favourite type of Internet entertainment doesn’t come across so well in print. ;•)
I think the radio is the best but in the bar we keep the TV off so that customers can have a chat and a laugh.We have some great nut cases in and they are a great laugh.
The internet can easily combine all of the other types media, so for me, it’s the Web.
Couldn’t live without the journal..
Cats on youtube, Keith?
Porn.
Print. It’s the original and the best and doesn’t require an account with the ESB.
Do you read in the dark?
Of course I read in the dark when a light source is available.
My brother reads Braille in the dark without a light source.
Excluding the internet.It is not a question of could you live without TV or Radio but a question could you live without the hand picked biased establishment salary serfs that work for both of them.Truthfull media is dying in this country tinges of the truth and diversion of the real facts from the Green jersey media.
Thanks for that. I’ve never heard that view before.
Professor Morgan Kelly i rest my case.
Yes yes i remember how all the D4 pet journos laughed haw haw when King Bertie told him to commit suicide.Who’s laughing now oh ya Berie and still the same ol faces who lead us down the garden path .So its not radio or tv its them little lying faces and voices that you see and hear from them.Sorry for pointing out the obvious Donnacha but did you look at the polls haw haw.
I’m surprised at the low percentage for the phone. I couldn’t do without my phone but it drives me mad & I resent how accessible it always makes me to others & intrudes on life! Wouldn’t be without it though so basically technology is messing with my head (-:
There is no option for “none of the above”. I love going on holidays: no phone, Internet, tv, newspapers, silly radio shows for a whole 2 weeks and guess what – the world doesn’t end!
Bliss!
Its the interweb for me.
Easily the internet, since I moved to Scotland and don’t have a televison, I wouldn’t be able to hear about how the banks have fecked us over on a daily basis
I agree with all posts.
Mr magoo, there is a compelling thrust to your comment
The Net.I could do without a telly as long as there is a PC in the house.
Phone, but then that’s a smart choice ;)
definately the internet!!
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