Postmodern style often addresses its viewers as sophisticated media readers and consumers. Referring to Sturken and Cartwright's chapter "Postmodernism, Indie Media and Popular Culture," and the Onion News Network clip posted above, describe how the text operates on the level of satire. In particular, how does the clip make use of parody and irony?
Sam Szymborski
ReplyDeleteThe Onion News uses techniques of irony and parodies very well within their newspapers and as well as their internet shorts. The clip chosen was a parody of a news show, addressing “Time” magazine’s the “Least Influential People” as if it were an actual news broadcast. Parodies take certain aspects from a film or movie and tweak it to the point where the outcome is similar to the original, yet has some sort of humoristic approach. The Onions News Clip, had characteristics of a typical news broadcast, including interviews, top stories, and the sense of an actual new show. The irony behind the story is that, instead of The Most Influential People, the list was in fact the Least Influential People, along with the fact that the Parody was of a newscast. More often than not, people turn to the news to keep updated with current events, as well as cultural happenings throughout the world, so the fact that the Onion portrayed a news broadcast, as well as reporting a topic that could’ve been on the news, is both ironic and a parody. The humor behind the internet clip is that if the clip was shown, and the viewer wasn’t entirely paying attention, one could mistake the clip for an actual news broadcast. The Onion is a very funny newspaper and their use of satire addressing current events and pop culture, is very clever and original.
This ONN clip is a parody on the real issue of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people and turned it around to the 299-million least influential people. It's ironic that they chose to select 299-million people because there are only around 300-million people in the United States. It seems to me that they are trying to play off of the originally selected 100 by Time. The ONN uses a realistic newsroom and techniques such as a detailed look into one of the "most un-influential" people's lives. They also had one of his friends speak to provide an example of his un-influential character. The onion uses parody's often to attract attention for it's comical view on modern issues and storys.
ReplyDeleteThe Onion News Network uses satire and parody as the form of their productions. They are known for using this in both print and web shorts. In this "newscast," ONN turns Time's 100 most influential people into 299 million least influential through the form of satirical entertainment. By honoring and reporting on Jim Stutts as one of the least influential standouts, irony is brought out for he has influenced this report enough to be featured mainly. Also, the use of a realistic newsroom equipped with newscasters, interviews and footage of Stutts creates a credibility to their spectacle. This type of news, though fake, entertains a vast audience showing great success through its clever uses of parody and satire. Like The Simpsons, ONN is influenced by an outside source - films, news, etc - and uses those themes with their characters and forms of media, while making it their own, original piece.
ReplyDeleteThe renowned satirical new source known as the Onion reports parodies of Popular Cultures finest focuses in society with a humorous twist. From politics to a Radio broadcast stating that a recent pole shows that "Positive things are Better than Negative things", stating the obvious through irony and parodies for societies entertainment. In this video duplicated a real broadcast from a news station, the news cast creates the "Times" Magazines 100 Most Influential people into the 299 Million "Least Influential people" of 2007. The parody is clearly seen through the "Fake" newscast of an influential Magazines tradition of the most Influential people. The Onions parody follows the definition of replicating an actual piece of media but twisting it just enough to create some humor and not to take away from the original story base. The Irony comes into because the Onion is in fact covering such a story, it is what they due, and they have been influenced by the "Times" original story of 100 Most influential people.
ReplyDeleteNiamh O'Neill Culhane
ReplyDeleteSection 807
The Onion News Network is a brilliant example of parody an irony in the modern age. The format of the clip goes to great lengths to imitate an actual news broadcast making it seem, at first glance to be just that; a real news broadcast. In fact they have done such a good job that in the past, people have actually believed their stories to be fact - sad, but true. They even have fake headlines rolling along the bottom of the screen such as “Officials say the next 9/11 will replace 9/11 as the new 9/11”, and “Cincinnati man joins Air Force so girlfriend can use the recruiter’s bathroom.” Sturken and Cartwright pose a great question in asking (in relation to postmodernsim) “Can there ever be new ideas and images - things that have not been thought of or done before?” In the case of the Onion News Network the answer is no. All of their stories are parodies, the definition of which is in fact ‘imitation’, and therefore could not exist without the original subject to imitate.
Niamh O'Neill Culhane (continued)
ReplyDeleteSection 807
(I accidentally only posted my first paragraph - here is the other)
The aspect of irony is obvious in the Onion News Network Clip. In broadcasting a national story on "Jim Stutts, Time Magazines Least influential person of the year " they are essentially showcasing this human being while stating he has absolutely no "effect on anyone." While this doesn't make 'Jim' any more influential, it is ironic because in being the Least Influential Person of the Year, he inspired or, one could say, influenced their decision to broadcast this report.
This ONN clip is a product of the perfect combination of parody and irony.
Kawika Kakugawa
ReplyDeletefilm 114
The Onion News Network's "Most Un-influential People" uses parody before the news caster even starts speaking. This is done through emulating CNN's news show style by using a similar background and even takes the CNN to twist it into ONN. The scrolling text at the bottom, which for CNN shows headlines for today's news, has a satirical twist. I would call the tatic of emulating the CNN style by ONN parody, because it takes all these fimilar visual ques to the educated audience. The educated audince being the audience that can see the pop-culture references. Another example of parody can be seen through using Time's "Most Influential People" a popular article that Time produces usually for the most influential people around the world for the year congratulating these individuals for their achievements. The ONN through the use of Irony twist the article into the most un-influential people. They then go to highlight Jim Stutts as the most un-influential person who beat out Kelly from Iowa, because she owned a pet that listens to her. The emulation of the CNN style and the Irony of the Time's "Most Influential People" smashes parody and irony together bringing the educated viewer enjoyable satire.
The Onion and ONN uses satire and parody in everything they do. They are a satirical news program. This particular piece of "news" is satirical in nature because there is a list of the most influential people in America. I interpret the broadcast as poking fun at the aforementioned list. To me, a list of the most influential people in America is kind of ridiculous because it seems silly to be able to make a list of the most influential people anywhere. The obvious people would probably be leaders, but who's to say that the average American can't be very influential on many people? The best part about the Onion and ONN is that they take a serious approach to the way they broadcast their "news". They make a great effort in making their news seem legitimate, which completes the satirical genius of the Onion.
ReplyDeleteBrian J McGuire
ReplyDeleteThe ONN's "Least Influential People" makes use of parody by using the viewer's knowledge of Time Magazine's "Most Influential People", as well as the genre's conventions to produce a comical news piece. As Sturken and Cartwright point out, the text follows the genre codes as well as parodies those same codes to work on two different levels. This forms a satirical and ironic piece, played seriously, that is drawing attention to someone who cannot draw anyone's attention.