Interview With Matt Phillips

I interviewed Mr. Matt Phillips, The AP Government and U.S. History teacher; He was formerly a speech writer.

#1: How Strong of an effect does the media have on a persons beliefs and ideals?

Phillips: I think the media is able to influence opinion change in small doses, but is not able to change the overall opinions of a viewer.  However, many small changes of public opinion added together could equal a large swing in public opinion.  

#2: Does the media do a good job at changing the viewers beliefs and ideals or does the media just help confirm a viewers ideals?

 Phillips: I think most people watch the news outlet they are most comfortable with and that is usually the outlet that confirms what they already believe.

#3: Are all media outlets bias?

Phillips: Yes. Think of the three roles of media.  Those roles require bias.

#4: Would you say that persons beliefs, views, or Ideals are past down

 through family or are they acquired from external sources, factors, and life events?

 Phillips: Both. I think your background has the most impact on your personal ideology.  Parents certainly are a large part of that.  But, some are likely to do the opposite of what their parents believe.  Others will do exactly what their parents do. Socioeconomics are the largest factor.  Being rich or being poor impact your world view the most.

2/1

So far for my capstone project I plan on interviewing local journalist within my mentorship to get their opinion and knowledge on the subject at hand. I will gather more information about the topic from teachers, general public, and local politicians. My interviews will be presented in a short video on my website.

1/5 Assignment

Hall county is a diverse region of beliefs and ideologies. My research is being driven by the curiosity to see if the mainstream or local media has any effect on a persons belief. The essential question still is "Does the mainstream media influence a persons beliefs and can someones beliefs be changed by the media?".

In my presentation I will create a documentary style film in order to inform the audience of what is going on in and around the community. The film would last roughly five minutes.

I will inquire statistics in Hall County about ideologies, beliefs, and many other variables to take in to account.  

Essential Question

1) How strong of an effect does the media have on a person's belief? Can the media change ones belief on an issue?


2)

•  I chose this as my essential question because I have noticed that people have many different views and are not willing to change their views no matter what one person says. I want to see if the media has some effect on changing their mind or solidifying their belief.  
• What excites me most about is that I get to go out in to the world and ask and find many different opinions. Hall county is a lot more polarized than people think.
• Yes because I want to find out how much of an influence the media has on someones day-to-day life. 

11/16

http://growingleaders.com/blog/first-soft-skill-develop-students/

Youth face many challenges today. Youth may seem to lack the responsibility and strong work ethic to actually have a job, yet that is not the case for many young adults. Many youths are hard working (at least most of my friends are) and love to work. They set goals and that ultimate goal is to make money. Social intelligence is showing character and caring for others. Social intelligence is key for any person trying to be friendly, personable, and well mannered. Being presentable spoke to me the most. In my internship it is all about grabbing the viewers attention and making them want to read more about it. You have to be presentable.      

11/9

This past month at The Times was very informative. I learned a lot of new things while at The Times. I kept learning about how to write AP style which is quite different from your regular style of writing you were taught in school. I got out in to the field and reported on articles and took pictures and videos. I have helped one of my mentors by helping her write articles for the "Get Out" section of The Times.
One class that has helped me would be AP U.S. History. That class has helped me become a better writer.

11/2

The goal I have met while at The Times is to get known in the community, because the only to get places in film and broadcast journalism is to have connections and know people.

Ways I have made my supervisors life easier is we help her write articles for the Get Out page about what is going on in the community