Power and the Media
How do contemporary representations of particular social groups compare with the representation
of these groups in the past?
‘Media representations of social groups can never fully capture their complexity.’ To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Media Regulation
Media regulation will never satisfy everyone.’ To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Evaluate the challenges of regulating contemporary media.
Hi guys,
Looking at 'who holds the power' and thinking about big tech, I want you to do a closer examination of YOUTUBE.
Video #1 - An Origin Story
Video #2 - Youtube's story
- Who acquired Youtube and how much was spent?
- how was allowing people to monetise channels, a major shift in the industry?
- how were algorithms used to Youtube's advantage with subscribers?
- name some of the ways Youtube has changed and added aspects to their channel to increase audience / subscribers?
- why is content moderation hard for Youtube?
Read this article
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-58045787
- why is it an issue of power for Youtube to ban what it decides is 'misinformation'?
- how is it a turning of the power tables to have a news company censored by Youtube?
- write down some of the basic facts from this case to use as an example in your essay for the exam
Have a look at these links and notes below about what audience demographics are labelled, what.
Make some notes on audiences generations and how their demographic affects the way they consume media;
- what are some major trends that are noticeable among the age groups?| Born | Ages | |
|---|---|---|
| Gen Z | 1997 – 2012 | 10 – 25 |
| Millennials | 1981 – 1996 | 26 – 41 |
| Gen X | 1965 – 1980 | 42 – 57 |
| Boomers II* | 1955 – 1964 | 58 – 67 |
https://goknit.com/gen-z-lacking-affinity-movie-tv/
Hi guys,
Here's the 2 articles we are looking at in class. I want you to make some notes on media ecology, mainly how society is interacting with media through technology advancements and what issues may arise from this in the future.
https://medium.com/swlh/prepare-for-the-dystopian-future-of-social-media-1d8c69e37ec
https://mediummagazine.nl/dystopia-and-technology-a-symbiosis/
Hi guys,
This is hot off the press...
Look at this short clip and write some notes about why media regulation online is tricky;
Make notes on the issues surrounding the societal context of representation or lack thereof, for certain groups in society.
" Audiences now have just as much power as media institutions." To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Concepts to include
- War of the Worlds + Stuart Hall's reception there
- narrative (indigineous filmmakers research from Monday)
MEDIA ECOLOGY CONCEPT : celebrity culture
Richard Dyer Star Theory
Richard Dyer is a British media theorist, who discussed a star’s special place in the audiences’ lives. He (similarly to Hall) suggests that a star’s meta-narrative impacts on the consumption by the audience. He argued that the star image is manufactured and artificial and that individual stars have their own unique selling point (brand values) in order to grab and hold our attention – for example – Justin Bieber’s hair, JLS’ colour codes...
Wikipedia's Explanation of Celebrity Culture
Celebrity culture is a high-volume perpetuation[needs copy edit] of celebrities' personal lives on a global scale. It is inherently tied to consumer interests where celebrities transform their fame to become product brands.
Whereas a culture can usually be physically identified, and its group characteristics easily observed, celebrity culture exists solely as a collection of individuals' desires for increased celebrity viewing. Celebrities themselves do not form a cohesive and identifiable group with which they identify themselves, but are rather found across a spectrum of activities and communities including acting, politics, fashion, sports and music. The "culture" is created when it is common knowledge within a society that people are interested in celebrities and are willing to alter their own lives to take part in celebrities' lives. The "culture" is first defined by factors outside of celebrities themselves and then augmented by celebrities' involvement within that publicly constructed culture. Celebrity culture has become a part of everyday society and functions as a form of entertainment.[1] Today, everyday citizens play an important role in the perpetuation of celebrity culture by constantly checking the whereabouts of celebrities, their friends, the trends within celebrity culture, and the general lives of celebrity via media.[1] Celebrity culture is now reflected in social norms and values because of the extreme citizen involvement.[2] Today, as it is now used as entertainment, celebrity culture is viewed as a form of "escapism" from reality and a means of preoccupation for everyday people
Perpetuation of celebrity culture[edit]
According to Oliver Dreissens, celebrity’s social and cultural prominence can be traced back to the success of the mass media.[6]The various forms of mass media allowed for the spread of new images and branding of celebrities. Especially with the inclusion of televisions in the average home, there became more of a familiarity with the people or celebrities now "in our homes".[7] Media surrounding celebrities has heavily influenced not only celebrity culture but the general social environment in our lives.[8]Celebrities are known to not only influence what we buy but many other things such as body image, career aspirations and politics. Richard Dyer has stated that celebrity culture is bound up with the condition of global capitalism in which "individuals are seen to determine society".[9] Newer technologies, such as cable television and 24/7 coverage, have made today’s celebrities manufactured for mass consumption, as opposed to the celebrities of the thirties and the fifties who were more self-made.[10]24/7 coverage pushed for more programming and people to fill the extra time. With this evolved more shows and celebrities who partook in the additional screen time. Reality television has been a large part of fostering a new celebrity culture that is more interchangeable and recognizable.[11] Cable television and social media sites such as YouTube, have made “overnight” sensations which have perpetuated today's perception of celebrity culture.[11]: 493 Celebrities such as Justin Bieber, who rose to immense fame after being discovered on YouTube, are argued to elicit emotional ties and self-reflexiveness that invoke a seemingly personal connection.[11] This can be seen with some fans, especially female fans, feeling like they have a certain ownership or connection over a celebrity.[12]
Questions to consider:
1. How might the Star Theory and Celebrity Culture work together to the advantage of the big 5 and those with funding to hire the A-list actors?
2. How might the Celebrity Culture that exists in the world, impact audiences trends in what types of movies they choose to see?
3. How might it be argued that Celebrity Culture be an example of the 2-Step-Flow theory in the passive audience theory and do you think this is true?
Hi guys,
Take a look at these videos that explain what happened in 1938 when a radio broadcast of a fictional story, caused panic.
Make some notes for your essay in regards to how this story illustrates Stuart Hall's idea of audiences reading the media's dominant reading.
How is the War of the Worlds example of 1938 a good example of audiences relating to a media product? What was the context of this event? How does this demonstrate power that media content creators have over audiences and how this has changed in modern times?
Hi guys,
Take a look at this video clip outlining some of the facts around media ownership.
Write some detailed notes on WHO OWNS THE MEDIA (write down stats, facts and figures to use in your essay).
Write some good points on why the media being controlled by so few companies, is a bad thing.
Here is the article we will be going over in class.
Make some notes in regards to the trends of how audiences are connecting with / consuming media.
https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/
Hi guys,
Today you're going to look at this video and write some notes on what the main points are. Write a few sentences about how these points back to how the idea of power and the media. How are these companies influencing the content we consume?
Write a 30 minute response to the following question on media regulation;
"Media regulation today is complex and becoming more and more difficult." To what extent do you agree with this question?
- Watch this clip
- Make some notes for and against the idea of online, social- media regulation based on the opinions presented in this TV news story.
Today I want you guys to work on creating a document - handwritten, with each theory summarised in your own words.
1. Mc Luhan's 'the medium is the message' theory
2. Stuart Hall's Reception Theory
3. Gauntlett's Identity Theory
4. Shirky's End of Audience Theory
5. Jenkins Fandom Theory
Write down what essay you may use each theory in .
Social Media has transformed the way in which we connect with the world around us and understand it.
Read this article and write down some key notes and stats that back-up the argument that social media is a tool that is transforming the way communities engage with each other.
Social Media is showing that audiences have the power to rise up, together, against institutions.
Hi guys,
In light of our conversation yesterday, unpacking the idea of social media sites needing to be PLATFORMS and not PULICATIONS, have a look at this article and make some notes looking at all sides of the argument.
Remember we are thinking about concepts like freedom of speech, ideology etc.
https://hbr.org/2021/01/are-we-entering-a-new-era-of-social-media-regulation
News - once controlled by institutions, now trends are changing in how people are engaging with news.
Trends
- global interest (effect of globalisation. Eg. BLM George Floyd murder - protests around the world)
- Citizen journalism
- fake news / misinformation
- live-streaming (issue with regulation eg. Christchurch mosque shooting)
Questions for reflection + note-taking
- what are the pros and cons, the sides to the argument for and against media being decentralised?
Due Monday next week
Here's an essay question from a 2021 paper for Media Ecology.
Work independently today to work out what you may include in an essay about this topic, bring your plan to class tomorrow so we can discuss it.
Remember that Media Ecology is your bigger essay, so allow for 60 mins of writing time!
‛The media control how we understand and connect with the world.’ To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Thinking of McLuhan's - 'the medium IS the message' theory, read the following article and write down some comments that you think relevant to how the medium has changed society behaviour or at least contributed to the change...
Article referenced...
https://www.aspen.review/article/2017/internet-social-media-changing-culture/
The Internet and social media are very powerful tools that can influence and shape human behavior. The social media has played a significant role in recent outbreaks of social protest and resistance.
The Occupy protests, the Arab Spring, the mobilization of resistance against the Government of the Ukraine or in Hong Kong was heavily dependent on the resources provided by the social media. Many observers have concluded that in a networked world the social media possesses the potential to promote public participation, engagement and the process of democratizing public life.
That the Internet and the social media are powerful instruments for mobilization of people is not in doubt. However, it is not its own technological imperative that allows the social media to play a prominent role in social protest. Rather the creative use of the social media is a response to aspirations and needs that pre-exist or at least exist independently of it. This technology ought to be perceived as a resource that can be utilized by social and political movements looking for a communication infrastructure to promote their cause.
The culture of everyday life has become entwined with the Internet. The flourishing of online dating offers a striking example of how the construction of significant relationships can draw on the resources provided by the social media. In many Western societies online dating has served as a provisional solution to the problems thrown up by a more individuated and segmented social setting. The stimulus for the cultivation of these online relations is the search for solutions to some of the problems confronting life in the offline world. However, the growing popularity of virtual encounters has had a significant impact on the way that men and women conduct their everyday affairs. The intermeshing of the virtual with the “real” is part of the reality of contemporary culture.
The influence of the Internet has been most significant in the way it has transformed the lives of young people. Their digital bedroom symbolizes a childhood that is significantly mediated through the social media, mobile phones and the Internet. Friendship interaction and peer-topeer relations are increasingly conducted online or through text messaging. Such interactions have had major cultural consequences. Texting and online communications have influenced the evolution of language. They have thrown up new rituals and symbols and have had an important impact on people’s identity—the young in particular. Mediated exchanges often shape and reinforce people’s status and identity. Consequently what happens to people through their online interactions really matters to the way that people perceive themselves offline.
As with the case of political mobilization, the digitalization of childhood can be interpreted as a response to a pre-existing need for new technologies of interaction. The digital bedroom emerged as the outcome of the growing tendency to relocate children’s activities from the outdoor to the indoor. Risk-averse attitudes which verge on paranoia emerged as one the defining features of contemporary child-rearing culture. Apprehensions about children’s health and safety, particularly regarding sex predators have led to new limits imposed on children’s freedom to explore the outdoors. This confinement of children indoors has been associated with the growth of a phenomenon frequently described as the bedroom culture. So the main driver of this process was not digital technology and the social media, but the prior development of an indoor childhood culture.
Bedroom culture is the product of two interrelated and sometimes contradictory developments. On the one hand the confinement of children indoors is the outcome of adult initiative. Surveys frequently attest to the fact that children would rather be outdoors and in particular they would rather be playing with their friends. For example, a series of interviews carried out with English children indicated that they would “prefer to be outdoors: hanging on street corners, shopping, at the movies, or playing sport, than indoors using the computer.” At the same time the specific form that bedroom culture assumes is frequently shaped by children’s desire to create their own space and enjoy a measure of independence from adult control. Arguably it is through the medium of digital technology that some people seek to regain some of the freedoms that they have lost.
Bedroom culture represents the antithesis of the family-centered television viewing in a common room. Media usage has become increasingly privatized and children play an influential role in the construction of the new media home environment. Many children’s bedrooms are media-rich environments—a growing proportion of children have computers in bedroom with online access. Highly motivated to create a separate autonomous space where children can experiment and develop their personality, youngsters seek to evade parental control. The flourishing of bedroom culture encourages the privatization of media usage as young people attempt to forge a world that is distinct from that of their parents. Through pursuing the project of self-socialization, young people attempt to personalize their media to ensure that it directly relates to their interests. This project tends to be pursued in isolation from other family members.
The repositioning of childhood into the indoors has not led to the consolidation of intergenerational ties. On the contrary, the rise of bedroom culture reflects the trend towards the privatization and individualization of family life. Children regard the new media as vehicles for setting themselves off from their elders and for attempting to forge links with their peers. They also seek to protect their interaction space from the monitoring of adults. From this perspective, media technology is not something to be shared but is something to be customized, personalized and consumed privately out of the sight of adults.
Through the Internet the segmentation of social experience is refracted and given greater momentum through its powerful technological dynamic. This amplification and intensification of social trends constitutes the immediate impact of the Internet on the everyday culture. If the experience of printing serves as a precedent, it is likely that digital technology will not simply intensify prevailing cultural trends but also provide resources for reinterpreting its meaning.
