Pretty Little Liars, well they are definitely little– (week 1 revised)

Violence, lies and deception—all current themes that are weaved throughout ‘adult’ programming. Except, it isn’t just restricted to the adult viewership, these same themes are too interwoven into teen and tween drama. However, it is a matter of encoding and decoding the messages within that directly impact the ‘gullible’ audience. Or do they?

In just one year, one thousand murders, rapes and assaults are viewed by adolescence through television shows—thus desensitizing the individual to real life violence. (Dworjan.T, 2015)

Media Rulers

Let’s re-enter the realm that was the early 17^th Century where Kings and Queens sat upon a cushioned seat, crown placed on their heads and manipulating the nobles of the country in order ensure that it was fully under their reign.

Fast forward to today, remove the cushioned seat and replace the crown to newspaper, television and radio and there you have it. The rulers of the media world.

“Think of the children”

Frieke Janssens 2011 “Smoking Kids”

the New Woman of the 1920’s boldly asserted her right to dance, drink, smoke, and date—to work her own property, to live free of the strictures that governed her mother’s generation. (…) She flouted Victorian-era conventions and scandalized her parents. In many ways, she controlled her own destiny.

It’s not over until I say it is. Sleep tight while you still can. –A

http://giphy.com/gifs/pretty-little-liars-JpxdaqcO27bG
Simultaneously, all four girls receive the same text message.

Anonymous sender.

Threatening undertones.

A constant flow of messages.

Today’s society is currently in the midst of the technological age where conversation is merely authenticated by the touch of a button and the only face to face confrontation is through the means of a screen.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” –Charles Dickens. (Tale of two cities)

Current intermission

Wake up call at 6am.

Fully occupied bus.

Holding on for dear life as the  bus shunted toward uni.

Welcome to the next 3 years!

As a first year, the first day at university is different for everyone, mine however was a mix of excitement and expectation.

Within the four month intermission–or much needed break from the HSC–many people reinvented themselves rendering their “old” identity as a thing of the past looking to the future with a new shade upon their head, or a fake tan, 3 times darker than their skin colour. Others came out of their shell whilst some became introverted.

I however didn’t deviate from the path that I was on and the identity I had forged over the last 18 years.

So, Hola!

My name is Monique Lombardo. I am a first year student at University of Wollongong studying a bachelor of communication and media majoring in journalism.

Here’s just a little bit about me…

I am 18 years old and have the birth sign of twins–the gemini. I live at Narellan so that means I need to commute by bus to get to uni! For as long as I can remember I have been a dancer across most genres. As time went on and the natural process of growing up took place, I decided that it wasn’t  profession that I wanted to pursue.

Here I am, currently undertaking BCM112, BCM110 and JRNL101. I want to take these classes to challenge my ideas of the world and broaden my knowledge of the changes in media.

Why journalism?

I love taking preconceived ideas or notions and adding a spin thus providing a different insight into an already stressed topic. It is this that I believe will contribute to the change in media in this era.