Posts in COM 616
The Fall of Blockbuster Video - Final Presentation (COM 616)

Established in the fall of 1985, Blockbuster LLC was the leading provider of media rental services by the mid-1990’s. The media giant was a forced to be reckoned with, revolutionizing the way families would enjoy their weekend movie nights (Time, 2010). From the newest movie releases to hit video games, a trip to Blockbuster was the highlight of every 90’s kid weekend.

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COM 616Maggie Pendergrass
Misinformation - Blog #7 (COM 616)

It’s not uncommon in today’s media to look around and see an urgency for literacy of both media intake and output. As Arnett, Fritz, and Bell state, “We are no longer in a time of information increase alone, but in an era of responsibility increase as well, a time to learn and engage information that we do not know and would not even care to know (p. 220).” We live in a society that regardless of where the information comes from, we are responsible, as those who share it, to engage thoughtfully with the information being provided to us.

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COM 616Maggie Pendergrass
Health Interpersonal Communications - Blog #6 (COM 616)

I’ve been fortunate enough as a young adult to have only been ill a few times in my life. Most doctors visits are due to the occasional strep diagnosis or annual check up, however, when I was 6 years old, I was brought in on some tests for my anosmia (inability to smell). What they understood to be simple tests was a complete shocker to a 6 year old girl, who’s view of healthcare was relatively slim.

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COM 616Maggie Pendergrass
Communication Ethics - Blog 5 (COM 616)

In 2011, I was initiated as a sister in Alpha Omicron Pi fraternity at East Carolina University. I had never planned on “going Greek” but I was forging my own path and thought “why not?” After joining, I was consistently reminded that my actions as a sister, but as a collegiate on ECU’s campus, should always be for the “good of the order.” My actions were not just my own and my words represented a body of women much larger than myself. I was held to a new standard, one that I was expected to uphold.

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Narratives - Blog 2 (COM 616)

The value of experiences has never been lost on me. My parents both raised me to believe that your experiences build your future and fulfill your purpose, both positive and negative. Arnett, Fritz, and Bell define as a story that provides guidelines for human action, but our narratives can stem from both experiences, education, and our personal identities (pg.37). My petite narratives are built from my identity and my experience as a child and how it’s shaped me into the person I am today. 

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Buying In - Blog 4 (COM 616)

In looking for an article for this blog post, I was faced with the challenge of finding an article that I wanted to read, but with a comments section. I have been trying to discern what media I “buy into” since I already spend a majority of my time on the internet for work. I searched a few sites for some unbiased politically centered articles (as those always seem to have the most charged comments sections), however I was met with the surprise that most comment sections have been shut down or are carefully moderated.

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The Good - Blog 1 (COM 616)

Looking for the current “good” in my life has also been exploring my “why,” why I choose to work the way I do or why I volunteer my time. As In exploring this week’s reading and the blog topic, I knew that my current “good” is directly to my “why.” Arnett, Fritz, and Bell indicates that “the good” is what we as a culture strives to “protect or promote.”

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