Final Blog

It’s hard to believe we’re already at our “final blog.” This class seems to have gone by extra fast for me, but I have come out of it having learned more than I ever thought.

When first enrolling, I thought that given the name “Introduction to Communication and Technology,” how hard could it possibly be? Being an Advertising and Public Relations major, I felt as though I had taken many communications classes over the years, leaving me with a strong knowledge on most things relating to the topic. This however wasn’t exactly true. Although I have learned a lot about communication over the years; how and where it started, who contributed to its success, types of media, etc,. there were topics discussed throughout the course of this semester that I had never really given much thought to.

 

Some of the topics we discussed which really grabbed my attention, were new media, online identity, social networks/communities, participatory culture, remixing/mashing, and especially; game play.

 

I had never thought about how the internet, and essentially new media as whole, has allowed for people to come out of their shell in many ways. An abundance of online communities and social networking sites, have been created as an online space where people can choose to be their “everyday selves,” or choose to be someone completely different from who they are known as in “real life.” These online identities are entirely ours to create. A good example of this can be seen in what’s referred to as “Second Life.” This whole concept more than baffled me, as I really can’t relate to it on any level, or necessarily understand how anyone possibly could. But I do have to admit that after learning more about it in this course, I did start to understand a little more as to why some might find this appealing.

 

When discussing the “game play” topic in class, it was really interesting to see how online “chat” first started, how WOW can have such a pull on people, and it was especially funny to look back and see just how far video games have come in such a short period of time. The games I played as a child are so “old school,” compared to the Wii games my little sister now plays.

 

What I also found to be really interesting, was just how fast things spread through the use of the internet. I knew this before, but had never looked at the details of it. When looking through popular youtube clips and seeing how quickly they travelled from one country to the next, it just showed how the internet really does connect people, and allow for this feeling of being “a whole.” It unites people in so many countless ways, from all over the globe. Networking sites, such as Facebook, Myspace and Twitter are great contributors to this “linking” of people and communities. Facebook and youtube are not only using their popularity for friends to keep in touch and for people to be entertained, but also for a greater good, such as helping raise awareness of important causes and organizations. These causes include: breast cancer, juvenile diabetes, child abuse, UNICEF, WWF, Toys for Tots, St. Jude, Charity Water (a personal favorite of mine), and many more.

Here is a link for a PSA posted on youtube for “Charity Water.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AqlLyLeJuQ

 

Below is a really interesting article about how two people came together to create over 400 youtube video’s to raise awareness of charitable causes. A huge hit on youtube.

 

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/how_2_nerdfighters_took_over_youtube.php

 

Such sites have also taken advertising to a whole new level, which is something I am especially interested in, given that it is my major. In the following article, Chief Creative Officer, Mark Tutssel, of Leo Burnett, says that youtube is the advertising mode of the future. “The viral, interactive and community-led nature of the free video-sharing site make it the ideal platform for ads and marketing.”

 

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2159133/youtube-lauded-advertising-site

 

Here are some other related links:

http://www.youtube.com/advertise

http://news.cnet.com/YouTube-Too-rough-for-advertisers/2100-1024_3-6063536.html

http://www.facebook.com/advertising/?src=aw05

 

Improvements made to video games, constant updates and add-ons being made to social networking sites, remixing/mash-ups being made to our favorite songs, advertising exploding on youtube, are all a part of new media, which I believe will only continue to improve and grow over time.

 

I do have to wonder, how far can it possibly go before it hits a stand still?

Can we continue to keep updating and evolving with technology or will we one day run out of ideas to improve what we already have?

And something I think about often, what’s it going to be like for our kids one day?

 

In conclusion, I really enjoyed this class, and feel that I have learned a lot out of it, that I can apply to everyday life, as well as my future career.

 

Online Democracy

 

 

After reading Lister’s “Networks as Public Spheres,” it made me start comparing the internet vs. other forms of media. Looking past the obvious benefits that the internet has to offer, such as convenience, an abundance of information at your fingertips, fast speed, and the fact that you can pretty much get it anywhere in the world, I really started thinking about how it allows for public interaction and provides the public with the ability to get involved more than any other form of media allows. As Lister states, “Here, in the internet, was a communication system that demanded not channel-flicking passivity but active engagement and dialogue, (pg. 177). And, I think, it is for this reason, that it has been so successful. It is seen as an online “soapbox” by millions of people around the world.

This is evident in the recent outburst of internet blogging sites, newsgroups, online polls, bulletin boards, and discussion forums. All of these forms of online interaction are especially buzzing when it involves politics or any other such important topic of discussion. Everyone knows how politics, religion, and many other controversial topics of discussion can often stir up some serious emotion when discussing it with others, and it is therefore often advised not to bring up such controversial issues to avoid conflict and disagreement. The internet however, has given us the opportunity to speak our minds “in hiding,” in a sense. We are free to voice our opinions as much as we like, and feel a certain protection by doing it online.  It’s an online Democracy. “As a ‘public’ communicative space the internet does indeed appear to offer highly specific and limited engagements- whatever your politics, whatever your fetish, a corresponding website and ‘sense of community’ can be found online, (Pg. 178).

Lister writes, “This diffuse theoretical understanding of the net as new public communication space hardens round two positions. The first is that the internet, through democratizing the means of media production, revives the participatory nature of the idealized public sphere. It encourages us to take part in debate and offers us the chance to “talk back” to the media, creating dialogue instead of passivity,” (Pg. 177).

Although the internet as a democracy has been beneficial and has created a whole new online community for the public to engage in, it does not come without flaws. The fact that so many of us online users have taken to the internet to voice our opinions and be actively involved in news ranging from celebrity gossip to such important topics as politics, it has allowed for miscommunication and misinterpretation of information as well.  “The range of possibilities has widened: we are no longer certain of what is reported in the news, and we are much more likely to allow alternative explanations. And perhaps the widening of the range of possibilities leads to a destabilization of the present, (Jones 2000: 177). With all the bloggings, forums, news bulletins, and other online forms of communication, it is often easy to mistake opinions as fact. Many take what is posted on the internet as a form of real news, when this often is not the case. It is important for one to differentiate news from opinion; otherwise, all of these convenient means of expressing our opinions are doing more harm than justice.

Another disadvantage of the internet being so convenient as a means to freely express ourselves, is the fact that it has opened the door to a world of virtual danger. Lister writes, “Nor is cyberspace necessarily a safe space for online masquerade; on the contrary, especially because of post-web pornography and paedophile moral panics, the internet is often seen by consumers as a potentially open channel for frightening materials to enter the home, (Pg. 181).

 

In my opinion, I see the internet as being a great place for those who care to express their feelings in private to do so. I feel it has opened good doors, but bad doors as well.

I like the aspect of being able to speak freely and openly; sharing ideas with others in a virtual community, however I also feel that the internet has become such a large sea of peoples thoughts and beliefs (good, bad, disturbing, evil) that it can often get somewhat overwhelming.

 

My questions are as follows:

Although it seems as though more good than bad stems from the internet, are we too transfixed on the benefits and forgetting about the harm it may cause if we don’t keep a tight rein on it?

Is it growing at too fast a pace for us to keep up with?

Is it all just becoming a blur of information overload, where fact and fiction are being confused with one another? And last but not least, has online democracy gone too far?

 

I found the following sites to be especially interesting. The first site, says it all in the name- an online community to voice your opinions, and argue with everyone who disagrees.

 

The second site- stating “E-Democracy.org- building online public space in the heart of real democracy and community since 1994.”

 

http://www.arguewitheveryone.com/

 

http://www.e-democracy.org/

Spoiling Survivor

When reading “Spoiling Survivor,” by Henry Jenkins, I found myself going back and forth as to whether I could relate with these reality “spoilers.” A part of me can completely understand how quick it is to get wrapped up in a reality TV series. I, myself have done it season after season of watching: The Bachelor, Real World, Survivor, The Hills, Real Housewives of the OC, The Mole, and the list sadly goes on.

I think the main pull of these  reality shows, is the element of guessing what’s going to happen, who’s going to be out, how we would react to certain situations it was us on the show, etc. The unpredictability keeps us viewers going back for more week after week, and year after year.

 

With reality television taking the world by storm, and with technology being widely embraced by our now technology-driven society, it seems only obvious to me that these viewers would take to the internet to do everything they can to solve the “reality television puzzle.”  The lengths that these “spoilers” go to, seem more than overboard and have others wondering, “Where do they find the time?” and “why do they care so much?” but to them, it is more than just a TV show, it becomes a game, with real people as their board markers.

 

I was particularly interested in Jenkins’ writings on “Spoiling as Collective Intelligence.” A quote that stood out to me was, “No one knows everything, everyone knows something, all knowledge resides in humanity,” (pg. 26, Convergence Culture). This quote verifies why so many people have taken to the internet to discuss and analyze their game thoughts, feelings, theories and predictions with other fans. As one person this puzzle may be too difficult to piece together alone, but as a group of many, forming a collective intelligence, everyone has a different piece of the puzzle to contribute, making solving it that much easier. Jenkins writes, “The ability to expand your individual grasp by pooling knowledge with others intensifies the pleasures any viewer takes in trying to “expect the unexpected,” as the programs as campaign urges,” (Pg. 28, Convergence Culture).

 

I think these online forums, fan sites, message boards etc, forming “knowledge communities,” is how people of today’s society are choosing to express themselves. Whether it’s going online to predict Survivor’s final four, or to ask for medical advice, or for boyfriend/girlfriend advice, or any other such issue, people are finding a certain comfort in connecting with others who relate to them on certain levels. Going online allows for privacy, the ability to speak your mind freely without be judged, and overall a sense of belonging to a group who you can relate with and share with; a group who values your opinion, where you don’t have to feel shy or nervous to speak up. To me, I think this is the pull to these online “Knowledge communities.”

 

After reading this chapter, I began to wonder, will reality TV ever lose its grasp on today’s society? Will we one day all get tired of the guessing game? Is it becoming more and more predictable as we are getting better at decoding the outcomes? Will others become so irritated and annoyed at the “spoilers” that they stop watching the show because the spoilers are ruining it for them?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_community

http://realityobsessed.com/

http://www.tvfanforums.net/index.php?showtopic=22798

Third Blog: How Far Will Comics Go In Telling The Story Of Our Lives?

Before reading McCloud’s “Understanding Comics,” there was very little I knew about comics. I had never really read them growing up, and never gave much thought to them as being anything more than tales about super heroes and favorite children’s characters, such as Charlie Brown.

 

When reading through McCloud’s book however, it really provided me with a lot of insight as to how comics are so much more than light-hearted comical entertainment. They often provide important messages and it is up to the audience to interpret these messages and see the spin that the cartoonists have created through the use of their comics.

 

What I found to be especially interesting was McCloud’s writings on the history of comics. I had no idea how far back this form of communication dated back to, but after reading through the book it definitely makes sense, and I found it to be especially interesting.

 

Comics have most definitely evolved over time, and appeal to all ages. Adults however, and especially in today’s world, are often seen reading through comics, as many of them can relate to these cartoon interpretations of our lives. More and more, we are seeing our everyday lives being drawn out and expressed through the form of a comic. Recently, with the failing economy, cartoonists have had a field day creating comics that depict unfortunate situations that are happening to so many individuals around the country. Such situations can be seen in comics depicting business world news such as Bear Stearns being bought out by JP Morgan, increasing gas prices that face drivers, or the crumbling airline industry.

 

After reading “Understanding Comics,” it made me wonder, have comics now become more of a means of entertainment for an adult audience?  Also, are cartoonists focusing more on creating comics that relate to politics and the economy, more than creating light-hearted children’s comics?

How far will these comics go in taking their spin on the unfortunate situations happening in the lives of Americans and citizens all over the world?

 

Sources:

http://www.politicalcartoons.com/

http://www.gocomics.com/explore/editorials

 

 

 

Blog #2 How much is too much?

With new media taking the world by storm, society has embraced all of the convenient advantages it has to offer in their everyday lives. With so much consumer dependency on new media, and the constant technology being thrown at us, it has created a substantial amount of media convergence, as companies have caught on to the many different uses of technology and made an enormous amount of profit from it. Cell phones, once only used to communicate with others, are now tools to play music, surf the web, take pictures, and record video, all in a matter of an instant. Likewise, the internet is not only a tool used to research, it is now host to millions of networking sites world-wide, allowing for non-stop communication and connecting millions of users. Jenkins, author of “Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide,” raises a very good question when discussing the use of a cell phone to view a movie; asking, “will it substitute for going to the movies or will people simply use it to sample movies they may want to see at other venues?” (Jenkins, Pg. 4). In my opinion, all this converging can sometimes be a bit too much, and a little overwhelming for some; that however, has not stopped consumers from going out to buy the newest version of the iPhone, or the MacBook Air.

Jenkins also makes a point of stating that: “Convergence does not occur through media appliances, however sophisticated they may become. Convergence occurs within the brains of individual consumers and through their social interactions with others,” (Jenkins, pg. 3).This is true, for without the individual consumers who use these appliances convergence would not be taking place. It is up to the consumers to embrace the convergence.

Martin Lister, author of “New Media: A Critical Introduction,” discusses such important topics as to whether the media and technology have the power “to determine culture and society,” (Lister, pg. 72). In my opinion, for the time being, it definitely does. I believe that with media continually being upgraded and improved, cultures and societies all over the world will continue to embrace the change and incorporate these modern day advances into their everyday lives. The question is, however, will they ever get tired of continually changing? Will new technology and the convergence of media ever grow tired on its consumers? Will we eventually all get to a point where it has to end?

 

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_convergence

http://graphics.stanford.edu/~bjohanso/cs448/

Readings Blog #1

Before reading New Media: A Critical Introduction, I had never actually questioned the idea of new media vs. old media. I suppose, I have allowed myself to get caught up in the modern world of media and technological advances, thus allowing myself to believe that all media is essentially new. After reading through the text however, it broadened my thinking about where all this new media originally stems from. The internet, digital photography, cell phones, laptops, social networking sites, blogging, and more forms of modern technology, have made many think that media is avant guard, but, when really giving thought to this discussion, one might argue that media is not new at all; and that everything we use now, stems from a form of media that was born years ago. The textbook lists the following as some of the key terms when conjuring up images of new media: “digitality, interactivity, hypertextuality, dispersal, and vituality,” (New Media: A Critical Introduction, Pg. 13). Although all of these terms are indeed new, these concepts would be non-existent had it not been for old media. There would be no texting or cell phones, had it not been for the original invention of the telephone in 1875, and there would be no laptops had it not been for the first computers ever created years, and years ago.

In my opinion, when realizing how much old media and new media have converged over the years, should one not just refer to it simply as media? It no longer is old due to its recent upgrades and improvements, but yet it is not entirely new, because the foundations of the devices we consider to be new, are essentially old. I believe one should recognize and appreciate the history of where media was founded, but everything in life needs continual improvement, and therefore change is inevitable. If media and the technology that improves it continue to soar to new places, should we continue to even bother trying to see the line between where these two medias meet? Or should we just accept it for what it is…..media?

 

Sources: http://www.tech-faq.com/who-invented-cell-phones.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_media

New Media: A Critical Introduction.

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