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Media Bias:Understanding Media Messages"1984"The heroine (Anya Major) running with her sledgehammerDistributed byApple Inc.Release datesDecember 31, 1983 (local broadcast in Idaho)January 22, 1984 (only national broadcast)CountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBudget$370,000–$900,000What do you think the message behind this commercial is? Explain using details and an example from the ad.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1984 Media Message Analysis"1984" is an American television commercial that introduced the?Apple Macintosh?personal computer. English athlete?Anya Major?performed as the unnamed heroine and?David Graham as?Big Brother. It was aired only twice on American television, first in 10 local outlets, including?Twin Falls, Idaho, where Chiat\Day ran the ad on December 31, 1983, at the last possible break before midnight on?KMVT, so that the advertisement qualified for 1983 advertising awards.?Its second televised airing, and only national airing, was on January 22, 1984, during a break in the third quarter of the telecast of Super Bowl XVIII by CBS. In one interpretation of the commercial, "1984" used the unnamed heroine to represent the coming of the Macintosh (indicated by her white?tank top?with a stylized line drawing of?Apple’s Macintosh?Computer on it) as a means of saving humanity from "conformity" (Big Brother). These images were an?allusion to?George Orwell’s noted novel,?Nineteen Eighty-Four, which described a?dystopian?future ruled by a televised "Big Brother". The estate of George Orwell and the television rights holder to the novel?Nineteen Eighty-Four?considered the commercial to be a copyright infringement and sent a?cease-and-desist?letter to Apple and Chiat\Day in April 1984. Originally a subject of contention within Apple, it has subsequently been called a watershed event?and a masterpiece in advertising. In 1995, The?Clio Awards?added it to its Hall of Fame, and?Advertising Age?placed it on the top of its list of 50 greatest commercials. Plot AnalysisThe commercial opens with a?dystopic, industrial setting in blue and grayish tones, showing a line of people (of?ambiguous gender) marching in unison through a long tunnel monitored by a string of?telescreens. This is in sharp contrast to the full-color shots of the nameless runner (Anya Major). She looks like a competitive track and field athlete, wearing an athletic "uniform" (red athletic shorts, running shoes, a white?tank top?with a?cubist?picture of Apple’s?Macintosh?computer, a white sweat band on her left wrist, and a red one on her right), and is carrying a large brass-headed?hammer. Rows of marching minions evoke the opening scenes of?Metropolis.03810000The?Big Brother-like figure (David Graham) speaking to his audienceAs she is chased by four police officers (presumably agents of the?Thought Police) wearing black uniforms, protected by?riot gear, helmets with?visors?covering their faces, and armed with large?night sticks, she races towards a large screen with the image of a?Big Brother-like figure (David Graham, also seen on the telescreens earlier) giving a speech:Today, we celebrate the first glorious anniversary of the Information Purification Directives. We have created, for the first time in all history, a garden of pure ideology—where each worker may bloom, secure from the pests purveying contradictory truths. Our Unification of Thoughts is more powerful a weapon than any fleet or army on earth. We are one people, with one will, one resolve, one cause. Our enemies shall talk themselves to death, and we will bury them with their own confusion. We?shall?prevail!The runner, now close to the screen, hurls the hammer towards it, right at the moment Big Brother announces, “we shall prevail!” In a flurry of light and smoke, the screen is destroyed, shocking the people watching the screen.The commercial concludes with a portentous voiceover, accompanied by scrolling black text (in Apple's early signature "Garamond" typeface); the hazy, whitish-blue aftermath of the cataclysmic event serves as the background. It reads: "On?January 24th, Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you'll see why?1984?won't be like “1984.” The screen fades to black as the voiceover ends, and the rainbow Apple logo appears.Tweets about 1984-342900760730You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.-?Juan Pablo00You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.-?Juan PabloAfter watching the “1984” commercial you decide to check out what others have to say about the hidden media message. You start off by looking at some YouTube comments, and observe the following:-3429001076325Yes. Apple will save us from the terrifying 1984-style future, for as we can clearly see today, no longer are people lined up like cattle for hours and hours on end! No longer will people dress alike in cold, colorless environments! No longer will any cultish-style groups gather together to honor a grand controversial leader! And most importantly, no longer will we be brain-dead, lifeless zombies who plug ourselves into the machine of life we can also call "The System". Thank you, Apple. You have done well.?--Jess00Yes. Apple will save us from the terrifying 1984-style future, for as we can clearly see today, no longer are people lined up like cattle for hours and hours on end! No longer will people dress alike in cold, colorless environments! No longer will any cultish-style groups gather together to honor a grand controversial leader! And most importantly, no longer will we be brain-dead, lifeless zombies who plug ourselves into the machine of life we can also call "The System". Thank you, Apple. You have done well.?--Jess-34290047625Ironic how Apple has become the very thing they swore to destroy. Android is the new woman.?-Michael00Ironic how Apple has become the very thing they swore to destroy. Android is the new woman.?-MichaelAfter analyzing other viewers’ comments and some careful analysis, you decided to write your own comment to the video: ................
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