News articles

One new tag I'd like to add to my blog is "News." As a journalism student who naturally craves news, exciting stories and up-to-date information, I must be aware of what's going on in the world (as told by reputable media sources).

My GoogleReader tablet which I now read daily follows publications from Chicago, New York and Columbia, Missouri as previously mentioned. Almost every day I'm reading or skimming the news, I stumble upon an article that fascinates me for one reason or another. Thus, any articles under the label/tag "News" will be an accumulation of news stories that stand out for either the subject or the way they are written. In addition, I will probably include an opinion I formulate on that particular subject.

To start the trend, here are two articles on the same subject from the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Breaking Business. Both discuss how Chicago O'Hare airport will now sell advertising space through Clear Channel Communications on bathroom mirrors within one of the world's largest international airports. Not only will they be print advertisements or propaganda, as college and high school bathrooms thought of years ago in terms of advertising, but these will be video screens that can play still graphics of video commercials.

With the average American already viewing up to 3,000 advertisements a day, where can you go to get away from the influence of other and form independent thoughts and opinions? Whether your thoughts are formulated with or without the suggestions of others, this advertising begins to flood your mind and become the only thing you know if it is what you are constantly exposed to.

If O'Hare does this, will other airports begin to advertise in bathrooms? Will every local mall or restaurant have video advertising boards to sell companies' images? Besides expansion, what is next? These are all questions that I ponder.

Today's environment needs to have more places where people can go and enjoy the nature or utilize the purpose of the place they are at for no other reason but that. Public parks now have signs and advertisements around them, detracting from nature's beauty. Our bedroom walls are covered in photos and posters. Living rooms are full of artwork. The highway is lined with billboards; public places have advertisements everywhere. If a bathroom cannot even be a place where you cannot expect to be spoken to by the media, where can?