Scan Lines
The On Air with Ryan Seacrest logo is very interesting. I sat down to watch television for the first time in months (I watched for about 20 minutes straight … not bad huh?) and was immediately struck by the logo’s colors, font, and how the thing represents the base of a microphone that reporters use. On top of that, the logo makes for a fun flash animation with which to interact on the official website. Obviously, the show’s audience is teens and young adults who are hip enough to use technology like text-messaging, and who have the disposable income to burn on things like … text messaging. While the logo does do a good job of conveying the show’s young content, I couldn’t help but feel like it had been done before - on MTV. All MTV’s graphical work has that same hip, line-art feel to it. Unfortunately, I unconsciously associate that visual style with mindless (and to my shame, occassionally entertaining) “reality” shows where everyone is beautiful and insists on whining. So much for music television. Either way, regardless of the MTV content (or lack thereof) that the logo hearkens back to, I think the graphic artist responsible for establishing the show’s “identity” created something eye-catching, vibrant, and memorable.
I heard an interesting piece of news on NPR today. Entitled, “FDA Seeks Suicide Warning on Drug Labels,” the report outlined how some antidepressants have been linked to causing suicidal thoughts and tendencies. These drugs include Zoloft, Paxil, and other antidepressants. To paraphrase a soundbite from a doctor interviewed during the piece, “… people seek a magic pill to solve these depression problems … they don’t realize that the whole person needs to be considered and treated.” It is true, doctors are expected to give out prescriptions like candy. People expect a pill for everything and thus can’t deal with the doctor saying “I don’t have a drug for that.” Furthermore, prescription drug companies put enormous pressure on doctors to sell their drug. Warnings on drugs will not do one thing to change these narrow-sighted panacea and profit driven practices by patients, doctors, and drug companies, but they are a baby step in the correct direction. Most shocking to me was the statistic that the report concluded with: 11 million prescriptions for anti-depressants are written per year, for teenagers alone. In a nation of 292 million people, this is simply unacceptable. When is this pill-popping insanity going to end?
In unrelated but equally important news, John and I played DDR at the arcade today. His skills on doubles are unbelievable. Furthermore, I bought a hat for $6.99 - a steal - marked down from $21! I love this hat. However, I really owe Steve a huge apology for completely stealing his style. Sorry man, you have full priority on NC gear at home, as you were the first to own. It looks like my very first concert could be a Switchfoot concert. I think this is appropriate.
If you are a teen, please take some time to watch this. The following quote about said show may be helpful:
nils: what’s it about?
alex: how every aspect of teenage lifestyle is bought and sold by large corporations for a share of the immense buying power that we wield
As I went on to say, do not get me wrong, I am not some rabid MTV hater. However, moderately unbiased knowledge is still power. Furthermore, one can never know too much about the pill. See? TV watching is not all bad.