Category Archives: Uncategorized

Guest Blog Post: Olympic Games are great for propagandists – how the lessons of Hitler’s Olympics loom over Beijing 2022

Posted on November 18, 2021 by Ralph Hanson

Editor’s Note: Thanks to my friend Dr. Michael Socolow, University of Maine, for letting me reprint his article from The Conversation.  Dr. Socolow takes a look at China’s repression and human rights abuses and asks whether cheerful media coverage of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Guest Blog Post: Olympic Games are great for propagandists – how the lessons of Hitler’s Olympics loom over Beijing 2022

My Year of Living ‘Strangely’ – Yes, it’s time for the results of my 2021 TS Grand Tour

Posted on November 8, 2021 by Ralph Hanson

(NOTE: Pressed “Publish” instead of “Save.” There’s more to come.) For the last six or seven years, every summer I do a national-scale motorcycle scavenger hunt run by a  motorcycle club out of Minnesota known as Team Strange. Each year … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off on My Year of Living ‘Strangely’ – Yes, it’s time for the results of my 2021 TS Grand Tour

What’s The Fuss About Facebook, Inc.? Part I – The WSJ

Posted on October 28, 2021 by Ralph Hanson

Editor’s Note: Facebook and its various properties (Instagram, WhatsApp) have been in the news a lot lately, and not in a good way.  Congress has been holding social media hearings where Facebook is the #1 bad guy, the Washington Post  has had … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on What’s The Fuss About Facebook, Inc.? Part I – The WSJ

Everything is a Remix – Apocalypse Pooh

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Ralph Hanson

Back in 1987, comedian and filmmaker Todd Graham had a thought. What if he combined sequences from Francis Ford Coppola’s classic reboot of “Heart of Darkness”  Apocalypse Now with segments of the Disney version of Winnie the Pooh and the Honey … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Everything is a Remix – Apocalypse Pooh

Everyone’s Gone to the Movies – Let’s talk movies in class

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Ralph Hanson

NOTE: This is a collection of videos I’m going to be using in class this week to go with my discussion of the movies in Global Media Literacy. You all no doubt think you are of the “cat video” generation. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Everyone’s Gone to the Movies – Let’s talk movies in class

Everything is a (musical) remix

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Ralph Hanson

Updated 2/28/24 Kirby Ferguson did a remarkable series of videos about ten years ago under the title “Everything is a Remix.” He’s now in the process of remaking (remixing!) the series for a new decade. Below is the first segment, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Everything is a (musical) remix

Return of “Missing White Woman Syndrome”

Posted on September 22, 2021 by Ralph Hanson

Editor’s Note: Please note that nothing in this commentary is intended to minimize the violence perpetrated against Gabby Petito. But there are significant news coverage issues brought up by this case that I think need to be discussed. Ms. Petito … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Return of “Missing White Woman Syndrome”

Meet my commentary and blogging students

Posted on September 16, 2021 by Ralph Hanson

Looking for some interesting college students from out here on the prairie to hear from? Here’s your chance. Here are the blogs and Twitter feeds for my #JMC406 Commentary and Blogging students: Alexis Henry Blog: https://alexisjhenry.wordpress.com/blog/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexisjaidyn14 Ashley Hopkins … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Comments Off on Meet my commentary and blogging students

Memories for the 9/11 anniversary

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Ralph Hanson

Editor’s note: Much of this is drawn from a series of annual posts I have made over the years to commemorate 9/11 It was 20 years ago tomorrow morning that I was teaching my freshman media literacy course at West … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Memories for the 9/11 anniversary

Ten Twitter Accounts Worth Following

Posted on August 30, 2021 by Ralph Hanson

One of my first assignments for my commentary and blogging students is to have them put together a post of 10 Twitter feeds worth following. Overall, I want them to be the kind of people who would be of value … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Ten Twitter Accounts Worth Following