T3 | WK 3 | Friday - Fortnite and Media Regulation

Consider the content in the video below for a wider context helpful in media regulation;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F1W7-PlH9s

A NZ context;

 The NZ Classification Office explains that Fortnite does not have a New Zealand classification because it is an online-only game, while international ratings are used. It also discusses online interaction, parental controls, different game modes and in-game purchases

NZ Classification Office — What is Fortnite?

Student questions

1. Why doesn't Fortnite have a NZ classification?
2. What does this reveal about the difficulty of regulating digital media?
3. Why might online-only media challenge traditional regulatory systems?
4. What role do international classification systems play?
5. What role do parents/platforms play?
6. Is regulation becoming more difficult because media are increasingly global?
7. Who should be responsible for regulating Fortnite?

NZ Classification Office — Video Games and Classification

"Why are some games classified in NZ but other online games aren't?"

The Classification Office explains that traditional classification legislation was created in the early 1990s, while online/downloadable games now create different regulatory challenges. 

technology → legislation → industry → audience

T3| Wk 3 | Thursday - Media Ecology - online video games (Fortnite)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-brQavX3IwE

MEDIA ECOLOGY: 

Media ecology speaks to the changing media environments. 

Let's look at video games as an example.

“Fortnite demonstrates the transformation of the traditional media product into an evolving, networked, participatory and convergent media environment.” 

Activity 

- make an exhaustive list of all the media related to or within the Fortnite brand 

eg. 

- online videogame

- live events 

https://iris.ipsos.com/fortnite-shaking-the-media-and-entertainment-industry/

CONCEPT 1 -  Media CONVERGENCE

Consider the idea of media CONVERGENCE with Fortnight as an example. In what ways have the media lines blurred from traditional media to this current version of Fortnite? 

e.g. 

The Travis Scott Astronomical event is a brilliant case study because the event was built inside Fortnite but simultaneously functioned as:

• a music event
• a gaming experience
• a promotional event
• a social experience
• a spectacle
• online video content

https://youtu.be/wYeFAlVC8qU

CONCEPT 2 - PARTICIPATORY CULTURE

Traditional media:

Producer → Text → Audience

Digital media:

Producer ↔ Platform ↔ Creator ↔ Audience

Fortnite audiences aren't simply consumers.

They can:

• play
• create
• stream
• comment
• share
• remix
• discuss
• produce fan content
• create experiences
• influence trends

Key argument

The audience becomes part of the media ecology rather than simply consuming a finished media product.

CONCEPT 3 - PROSUMER 

“When a player uploads a Fortnite video to YouTube, are they an audience member, producer, or both?”

A Fortnite player can simultaneously be:

consumer → player → creator → streamer → commentator → promoter 

CONCEPT 4 - LIVE-SERVICE MEDIA

"Fortnite is an evolving media text rather than a static media product."

Traditional game:

Buy → Play → Finish 

Live-service game:

Launch → Update → New content → Return → Update → Event → Return → Update...

Fortnite therefore becomes an ongoing media environment.

The product isn't necessarily “finished” when it is released.

CONCEPT 5 - SERIALITY 

"Fortnite borrows the serialised structure traditionally associated with television while using digital technology to make the audience interact with the narrative."

Fortnite's:

• seasons
• chapters
• events
• characters
• updates
• mysteries
• reveals

can create a form of serialised storytelling.

CONCEPT 6 - GLOBALISATION

global access

multinational audiences

international celebrities

global franchises

simultaneous events

different national regulations

different cultural responses

localisation

language

platform accessibility

T3 | Wk 2 | Impact of Covid on audience trends

 You are going to do a study into the impact of Covid in the media landscape. 

I want you to explore 

- audience trends

- existing trends that were amplified

- new trends that emerged from that period of time

- all the ways that Covid disrupted previous and existing models of consuming media

- NZ- specific examples 

- technological developments that were used in this time 

- expert commentary on how media consumption was changed over this time (quotes, commentary, thoughts, ideas) 

- stats and research to back up data from this study 

- ways that Big Tech and Media companies pivoted to follow audience trends and keep media available to audiences 

Create a power-point presentation that you will use to present to the AS class. 

You will be marked on;

- your ability to research, interpret and collate relevant information in regards to a media concept Providing relevant examples (both within a NZ context and globally), making connections between data and media concepts explored. 

- your ability to create a media presentation that is of high quality, clearly laying out and presenting your information using appropriate media tools 

T3 | Tuesday - Citizen journalism as a concept

1. Read this article and make some notes. 

2. Write a paragraph in response to 2 different questions;

https://paradigmhq.org/citizen-journalism-how-the-internet-is-decentralising-information-control/

A) What has been the biggest technological impact on the ever-changing media landscape in areas you have studied? 

B) 'Power balance is shifting from institutions to audiences'. Discuss whether you agree with this, in relation to the media areas you have studied. 

T3 | Wk 2 | Tuesday - Power and the Media - essay

   

DUE THURDAY 

Use your power and the media research to write an essay exploring this question;

 Power and the media

3. 3  ‘Now that everyone has a voice in the media, everyone has equal power to influence.’ How far do you agree with this statement? [15]

   
   

   Revisit this video for revision of the core ideas;

   
   

Media Ecology Exam question responses

Use your Media Ecology essay plan to map out an essay response to the following questions. Write an opening paragraph outlining your main points and also the first sentence of each paragraph to show how you'll link the information directly to the question. 

QUESTIONS 

 "‘Technology shapes the way people experience media.’ Evaluate this statement with reference to Media Ecology."

"Assess the impact of emerging technologies on the future of media products and audiences."

"Discuss whether technological developments have benefited media industries more than audiences."

"Evaluate the extent to which developments in technology have changed the production, distribution and consumption of media products."

T3 | Wk 1 | Friday - Technology impact on media (AI challenges)

 Watch this clip and make notes in class as to how AI is impacting the filmmaking industry and what ethical concerns or just concerns in general, we should have about the future of this industry with continued AI development 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBr4xloJky4

ACTIVITY 

Write a 1 page response to this question 

"AI presents some benefits for the film industry but the challenges seemingly outweigh the benefits." Discuss this statement and whether you agree or disagree using examples from the video.