Noodles & Company

Sadie interviews Ella Phillips to gather her thoughts on important issues within media and society. Ella believes she is media literate and considers social media to be the most important media content available today. She believes social media heavily influences society's opinions. Ella is not knowledgeable about media industries and regulation but feels that regulating social media content is crucial due to its accessibility. She believes advertising has the largest impact on society as it is everywhere. Ella believes social media influence is the most important media effect. She thinks the amount of media consumption is the biggest problem facing media consumers, especially children who have easy access to media. Ella hopes to broaden her understanding of media and society through the class. Hi, my name is Sadie and I am here today in Columbia, Missouri with Ella Phillips to find out what she thinks about the number of important issues within media and society. Please state your name. Ella Phillips, what is your major? Sport management. How media literate do you consider yourself? I would say I'm pretty literate. Now I'm going to ask you about a few important areas that are related to media literacy. First I'd like to ask you about the area of media content. How knowledgeable do you consider yourself on media content in general? Pretty knowledgeable. What is the most important media content available today? Social media. Why do you feel so? Because it's so prominent and dictates I feel like society's opinions on what's going on in the world. Which of the following areas is most important to society right now? Radio and podcasts, print, television, or social media? Social media. Like I said before, I just feel like people are very influenced by what's going on with celebrities and in the media and a lot of people just create their opinions based on that. Can you give an example? Yeah, so like there's a new social media star, Alex Orwell, and I feel like a lot of people have changed like their daily lives and makeup products like based on like what she's recommended. Now I'd like to ask you about the area of media industries and regulation. How knowledgeable do you consider yourself on media industries and regulation in general? Not very knowledgeable. What is the most important media regulation or industry today? I would say the regulations of social media content. And why do you feel so? Anyone can access social media. We see kids having iPads on social media all the time and it's like very important just to kind of monetize that because you never know who can see what. Which of the following affects society in the largest manner today? Media economics and practices, advertising as an industry, public relations as an industry, or media legislation and regulation? Advertising as an industry. Why do you feel this way? Advertising is just everywhere. Can you give an example? Yeah, so in New York City when you're walking through Times Square, everywhere you look is an ad and they're persuading you to come into their store or get this app or buy in or something. Finally, I'd like to ask you about the area of media effects. How knowledgeable do you consider yourself on media effects in general? Decently knowledgeable. What is the most important media effect or issue today? Social media influence. Why do you feel so? I just think people are really influenced by people who hold a lot of power. Which of the following is the most important problem facing media consumers today? Media's role on phones, social activism, violence in movies and television, violence in gaming, gender stereotyping in media and gaming, racial stereotyping in media and gaming, using media as a source of social progress, media as a connecting and disconnecting product within society, or the amount of media consumption in general. The amount of media consumption in general. Why do you feel this way? I just think that children have a lot of access to the media and are easily influenced because they don't know they're right from their wrongs yet. Can you give an example? Yeah, so when I'm in the classroom, kids have iPads that they use to do schoolwork, but most of the time we catch them on Safari just looking at things that are in the news or on TikTok. Thank you for taking time to be with me here today. I would like to conclude today by asking you one final question. What is one thing you hope to learn from this class? I hope to broaden my outlook on media and society and just become more aware of the role I play.