Watch this clip outlining Stefana Broadbent on the impact of technology on society.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35bLoaUGp2M
Activity;
Write a 1/2 page response to the question below;
"Digital technology has hugely impacted society, in relation to the media area you have studied."
Include Stefana Broadbent's theory as well as the idea of 'the medium is the message'. I also want you to include 'Where are the audiences' research to back up your points.
Media Ecology Question
4 Explain what you think is the most significant change in the media in recent years.
MEDIA ECOLOGY
Media ecology focuses on media as environments, and environments as media, with an explicit concern for their evolution, effects, and forms. It comprises a theory about the complex interplay between humans, technology, media, and the environment, with the aim of increasing awareness of mutual effects
Media Ecology Essay
Intro – Explain that you understand what media ecology is (relating it to the
question) (Theorist – Postman)
o The medium is more important in shaping culture and society behaviour than
the messages being conveyed in the media
(e.g. web 2.0)
- how technology has changed the way society operates
- BLM – hashtag and online - rallies and protests worldwide over George Floyd case
o Theorist – Shirky – End of Audiences theory – passive audiences turning to consumers who are producers (Prosumers) – active audience
o YouTube stats (how many hits daily / how many hours of content uploaded)
o Theorist - Jenkins- Fandom theory – fans enjoy media texts so much they create content based upon it and form communities (Stranger Things) / (Mandalorian fan hired by Lucas Films)
o Change in distribution models (more simultaneous releases – theatrical release & SVOD release – e.g. Black widow & Scarlett Johansson suing Disney)
o Covid’s role in audience trends (streaming services up)
o Technology’s role in audience trend
o How companies are changing / evolving to keep market interest (e.g. Netflix & video games / $ going into creating new content / data mining – algorithms informing them of what people are watching etc)
o Audience trends – more reality TV (audiences like to see themselves / audiences more interactive / audiences asked to be voters e.g. X-factor / audiences involved – make-over shows = audiences part of the production
o Audience trends – watching the news (social media and the way we consumer news has changed)
- Citizen journalism
- Decentralised news (power shift from institution to audience)
- Issue of fake news / misinformation (gate-keepers)
- Global interest (no longer just localised e.g. political US news stories)
o AI – problematic ways technology is going to affect film industry. (benefits and challenges)
Task 1
Research what the MEDIA EFFECTS THEORY is.
- Create a powerpoint that explains the main points using these links and including pictures
https://us.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-assets/45690_book_item_45690.pdf
https://open.lib.umn.edu/mediaandculture/chapter/2-2-media-effects-theories/
Task 2
- Create a second blog post with the title - Video Game Censorship in NZ: Case Study
- Comment on the banning of the video game that was referenced by recent Christchurch Mosque terror attacker. Provide details of the case and what happened as a result of the censorship.
- What are your thoughts on these cases in light of the Media Effects Theory?
- What are some other controversial video games that have been banned/ censored rated in NZ?
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-newzealand-shooting-censor-idUSKBN1XA0D5
- Use this case study to reference a banned video game back in 2004 to comment on the first time NZ banned a video game and why;
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-zealand-bans-murderous-video-game-1.366411
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/rockstars-manhunt-banned-in-new-zealand
Media Regulation
Media Regulation considers issues of morality and decency, accuracy of content and media ownership.
Media Regulation essay plan
Intro – Living in a ‘post-truth’ era (post-truth meaning an era where facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief)
o Core concept 1- What is Media Regulation?
Key Questions
One of the most important essay debates.
o Censorship as part of regulation – Disney & Song of the South / Dumbo
- Should censorship occur / does it stop conversations about things like racism and the past that we need to teach younger generations / who holds the power to say what we ‘should’ and ‘shouldn’t’ consumer?
o Case study for censorship – Mosque shooting in Chch, footage taken off social media and manifesto banned. Was this a good thing? Would have been harmful to society
Livestreamed on social media
Content spread globally
Questions about platform responsibility
Led to calls for stronger regulation
o New Zealand Context and Examples
NZ’s regulatory body / chief censor and how our classification system works
o History of NZ’s regulation (big law changes that impacted film/ TV/ media regulation)
o Case studies for film classified in NZ – 13 Reasons Why (personal opinion on it)
o Case study for videogame classified in NZ – Manhunt
- Audience consumption – families not knowing what kids are consuming
(families not watching TV together because they have internet & technology, able to talk through things/ self-regulate or censor inappropriate content, do we now need moral gate-keepers?)
- Fragmentation / technological convergence / web 2.0
- You understand that social media companies now function like media organisations.
- Challenge of consumers now being producers (Shirky – ‘prosumers’) – harder to regulate online content (e.g. platforms needing to become editors of content i.e. Facebook banning Trump or Mosque shooter’s live video being taken down. (Govt. to regulate internet article)
Issues:
"Are social media companies publishers or merely platforms?"
o Case Study - Youtube (example of UGC) / Social Media – challenge to traditional regulation models
- How do they regulate content
- Is it effective
- Theory - Jenkins - Participatory culture
Audiences create media rather than simply consume it
The 2022 Wellington Parliament protests generated significant discussion about misinformation ecosystems and online radicalisation.
Issues
