The inaugural post for Chris' MediaLog

This is the inaugural post for Chris' MediaLog. I am a brand-new blogger, so I am feeling my way through this experience somewhat tentatively and slowly for now. I may or may not ever get to the point of daily (or multiple daily) posts, but I hope to post at least every other day once I get into the groove of blogging. The main thing I am learning is the intricacies of utilizing the Blogger.com interface. As I do so, my posts will get more sophisticated in terms of including links, images, and other bells and whistles.

The content of Chris' MediaLog will pertain to the very broad topic of "media"--thus the name "Chris' MediaLog"--which I consider to include movies, TV, radio, popular music, mainstream trade books and periodicals, the World Wide Web, new media (including the "blogosphere," podcasts, RSS, e-mail, and gateway sites such as Yahoo or Google), and popular culture in general.

A particular interest that will be reflected here is media history, mainly of the so-called "traditional media" (especially movies and television), as well as the history of pop culture. I also hope to post on such topics as new DVD releases (again, primarily for "classic" movies and TV) and reviews of what in academic media studies are called "media texts" (which could include the latest movie I've seen on DVD/TV or in the theatre, a new TV program or blog or podcast or recording artist that has caught my fancy, or the latest book I've been reading--whether or not it is a new release). I will also likely post on a variety of pop culture ephemera; I've entertained interests over the years in everything from vintage cereal boxes, comics, "Star Trek," baseball history, advertising, "Mad" magazine, and the SimCity computer game. I've also had longtime interests in broader subjects such as architecture, urban studies, American history, and technology. Any of the above could pop up in posts, and at one point or another most of them probably will.

The other element of Chris' MediaLog is Chris (that's me). I have a Ph.D. degree in film studies/media studies, but have had no luck in four years of seeking at landing a college teaching job in film/media (which is pretty much the only thing you can do with a Ph.D. in film/media studies!). As a result, I have begun taking classes for a Master of Library Science degree with a specialty in archival studies, which means that topics related to information science could also make their way into the MediaLog. I mention these "credentials" in part to inform readers that I do have some basis from which I consider myself knowledgeable enough to publish a blog on the media, and also to provide some perspective as to where I come from in terms of my perspective on media (i.e. an academic perspective, in part). This perspective has some idiosyncrasies in regards to thinking about media, which those of you who might also be media academics know about and which I might later elaborate on for those of you who don't.

I would love for people to comment on my posts, and I have set the preferences for Chris' MediaLog to allow this. In these early days of the MediaLog, I am especially interested in finding out whether or not anyone is out there reading this, and if there is, what people think of it. I am open to suggestions either on topics to discuss or features for the blog. So, please leave comments, either general ones about the blog or specific ones regarding my discussions therein. Most of all, I hope that readers find Chris' MediaLog engaging, informative, and interesting--and maybe even entertaining.