unit 3 exam - Vj : 2015

Tuesday 12 May 2015

New Index

41) Freedom campaigners warn against EU ministers pushing for 2-speed internet - http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/ndm-story.html

42) A digital public space is Britain’s missing national institution - http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/ndm-story_6.html

43) Lesbian app Dattch re-brands as HER after raising $1 million - http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/ndm-story_19.html

44) Twitter puts trillions of tweets up for sale to data miners - http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/ndm-story_20.html

45) Twitter 'could be vital tool in general election' - http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/ndm-story_53.html

46) Cash Transfer For Facebook Messenger - http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/ndm-story_41.html

47) Apple iTunes And App Stores In Global Crash - http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/ndm-story_7.html

48) Microsoft To Ditch Internet Explorer Brand - http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/ndm-story_32.html

49) Tinder hits back at research claiming 42% of its users have partners - http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/ndm-story.html

50) Google admits mistakes with news outlets as it announces new partnership - http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/google-admits-mistakes-with-news.html

51) Verizon to buy AOL in $4.4bn deal - http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/ndm-story_12.html

52) Google shuts off Map Maker after urinating robot ruins it for everybody - http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/ndm-story_86.html

NDM Story

Google shuts off Map Maker after urinating robot ruins it for everybody
Company announces prank has forced it to ‘take a pause’ as it makes changes to how it approves edits made by users

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/may/12/google-shuts-off-map-maker-urinating-robot-

Google has shut down its Map Maker service after a series of embarrassing oversights allowed vandalism – the most notorious example being an image of a Google Android robot urinating on the Apple logo.

The company said it had been moderating all user-generated edits to try to prevent such pranks, but found it impossible to keep up.

Visitors to the Google site were directed on Monday to a forum post that explained the site would be unavailable for editing until a solution could be found.

NDM Story

Verizon to buy AOL in $4.4bn deal
All-cash deal will give Verizon access to Huffington Post and MovieFone
AOL chief executive: ‘AOL is back … Let’s mobilize’

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/may/12/verizon-to-buy-aol-44bn-deal

US telecoms giant Verizon announced on Tuesday it is buying AOL in a deal that will see one of the world’s biggest mobile players takeover the one-time king of the internet for $4.4bn.

Verizon, the US’s largest mobile player, said it was making the move to strengthen its position in mobile video and advertising. The all-cash offer will give Verizon access to AOL’s advertising technology and content businesses such as Huffington Post, MovieFone and TechCrunch.

When completed the acquisition will end AOL’s independence six years after the company was split off from media conglomerate Time Warner. The company has long been seen as a takeover target and had previously been rumoured to be in merger talks with Yahoo.

Friday 8 May 2015

NDM story

Google admits mistakes with news outlets as it announces new partnershipThe Digital News Initiative is likely to be seen as an attempt for Google to improve its image after recently being accused of anti-competitive behaviour

Google is to admit to making mistakes in working with news organisations as it announces a new digital partnership with eight European publishers.

The Digital News Initiative is likely to be seen as an attempt by the company to improve its image after being accused of distorting internet search results and acting anti-competitively by European regulators two weeks ago.

The European Union is investigating whether Google has abused its 90% market share in search to illegally promote its other products and services. News is not directly affected by this investigation. However, publishers have complained for years about the impact of Google’s use of their content.

NDM Story

Tinder hits back at research claiming 42% of its users have partnersDating app says it’s not rife with married flirters: ‘simple logic should reveal that it’s essentially impossible for any of these claims to be accurate’

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/may/08/tinder-hits-back-research-users-partners-married

Dating app Tinder has rejected research that estimated that 42% of its users are either married or in a relationship.

A spokesman told the Guardian that the figures by GlobalWebIndex strongly contradicted its own internal numbers, and criticised the methodology of the survey.

“The results of this tiny, 681 person study in the UK is a totally inaccurate depiction of Tinder’s user base – this firm is making guesses without having any access to real data on our millions of users worldwide,” said the spokesperson.

Section B - Exam practice

The world first heard about the death of Michael Jackson from the online gossip website TMZ.

How has new and digital media change the ways in which information reaches audiences and what are the implications? (48 marks)

In this essay I will be looking at how new and digital media has changed the ways in which audiences receive their news and the effects that the both the audiences and institutions have faced.

One problem that both the large institutions and audiences face is pay walls. Institutions such as the ‘Times’ and ‘The Sun’, are two large news institutions that have pay walls, both institutions have faced problems and have had success. As news institutions have put up pay walls, the number of customers that they had has fallen, as now audiences can access news from other sources, for example other news institutions or social media websites e.g. Twitter. Audiences are now using social media sites such as Twitter as a shorthand to accessing news, Twitter allows the audience to gain all the news they need in one place, and has also allowed large institutions such as 'The Guardian' to post stories. The fact that there are official news institutions posting stories on Twitter validates the stories.

The fact that news can be accessed through so many different platforms and how audiences can almost get news instantly, has changed how we as an audience value news, there is an immediacy for news, audiences want there news to be fast, therefore being able to get news on social media has fulfilled this need. in addition due to the development in new and digital media, audiences can gain access to news faster than they would have done, this is because they can access news on line, this can be done from anywhere as long as the audience have a internet connection. This means that audiences have more and faster access to news, whereas before they would have had to wait for news on TV or read a news paper. This also means that the news may be delayed as the news wouldn't be immediate, unless it was a breaking story, furthermore the news institutions would have focused their news on specific elements e.g. the local area. However now we can get news from all over the world in one place.

There is also a higher percentage of audience members that can provide us with news, e.g. through user generated content. Audiences now have the power to capture video footage of anything that happens and are able to upload it on to the internet, where it then goes viral and audiences get the news they want. This has caused issues for news institution, as the audiences are providing one another with news, which means that the audience receive the news before news institutions are able to show it. This can mean that news institution look for alternative views on stories so that they have something to publish.

The new and digital development has had a huge effect on a range of different aspects, for example feminist. Feminist never had a lot of power before the 21 st century, it was hard for them to open up and share their problems. However forth wave of feminist has allowed them more freedom and has allowed feminist to share problems that they have had and it has created a change. For example the 'Everyday sexism' campaign is an on line page where men and women can share any problems that they have faced due to sexism. This has allowed men and women to stand up and talk about issues that they have. However there are also other negative issues that come along with this, for example as anyone is able to post comments on the page, a lot of anti feminist share rude comments, which can cause the people with problems to become scared and not talk about their problems again. There are also a range of threats that are posted against feminist, which can cause them to become afraid.

The fact that audiences have more power has also changed the way in which they receive and interpret news. Gerbner suggested that messages don't just flow through the audience, and that there is actually another step where audiences can process news and discuss their ideas. This has been put into effect as audience now are questioning news and its values, as they now have the power to question the news and what is being shown through posting comments on line and on social media sites. For example, there is a story that has been published on The Guardian, of the interview between Russel Brand and Ed Miliband. On The Guardian website there are over 1445 comments made by the audience. This shows that audiences are in fact processing the news they gain.

The change in new and digital media has also allowed the audience to gain more power over elite groups e.g. the police. A prime example of this was with the Lee Rigby case, Lee Rigby was passing by when a police officer pushed him to the ground, which then later caused his death. The whole incident was caught on camera by a pedestrian, which was then put up on You Tube, the video later went viral. Due to the video the police officer was sacked from his job, whereas if there was no video evidence then no action would've been taken as they are part of the elite groups. However due to the development in new and digital media the audience/society have more power.

The Marxist view on this would be that the audience still rely on large institutions to get their news and validate what they see, which means that they will always be in power and that they will always be the elite. However the pluralist view would be that the audience have power through the internet as we have more freedom as we can now comment on issues or debates that we do or do not agree on and we can openly say our opinions, which we couldn't do before the developments in new and digital media. Furthermore the news institutions provide the audience with news that we want, which is why the audience stay interested in the news.

Overall I believe that has allowed audiences to get news faster and more conveniently, as they can access it through their smartphones, tablets, and other devices connected to the internet. This allowed audiences to gain more access to news and also have more freedom. Furthermore it has given audiences power to some extent as they have more access to news, and they are able to post comments on issues and debates that they may not agree with, however the internet will always be dominated by the bourgeoisie as they are the elite, and they own the large institutions that are used by the audience.

Wednesday 22 April 2015

Mest 3 - Independent case study

My Independent case study

The basics

My chosen case study is Video games and consoles, and I will be focusing on X-Box one and how it links in with the impact on new and digital media. They use subscriptions to generate a lot of there profits, which initially shows that they put up a pay wall. This is similar to news as news industries now have on-line subscriptions, which means that if the audience want to consume their news, they need to pay a subscription fee. This shows that the news industry is using pay walls to generate higher profits.

X-Box one also generate profits from the on-line content that they have, for example with games like Call of duty and Halo, they on-line map packs and add ones that need to be purchased by the consumer in order for them to use the content. And as gaming has developed over the years, the demand for games and more interactivity is growing thus audiences are willing to pay these fees for more content. ...

Have you received approval for this case study from your teacher?

Yes

Research and answer the following tasks on your MEST3 exam blog:

Audience

1) How has new and digital media changed the audience experience in your chosen industry?

New and digital media changed the audience of my chosen industry as consumers of games and games consoles now want a lot more, for example the ability to play games on the move, whenever and where ever they want. This has been done through the PSP, however the release of the PS3 took a vast amount of PSP users off and brought them back to PS3. However seeing that they amount of people that use the PSP has dropped, they released a new updated, high tec version of the PSP called the PS Vita. This was a portable device that could be connected to a PS3 and PS4, it could be used a console in itself, or as a controller when connected to a Play Station console. It was made to feel similar to a PS4, with a slim sleek look and the aesthetics similar to a PS4 controller.

This shows that the audience are always looking for something new and innovative, and when something new is released the old is almost forgotten. Gaming is going to be taken to a whole new level in the future. Sony has released a new type of gaming experience under the codename 'Project Morpheus' this is a head mounted 360 degree virtual reality device, it will allow users to put the headset on and let them be in the game itself.

2) Has new and digital media changed the way the audience consume your chosen product?

Audiences now want new innovative gaming experiences, with a more realistic feel to the games that they play. Whereas before it was simply about the gaming experience. Now audiences don't just want to play games, they want to be involved in what they do and how they consume media.

3) Has the size of the audience changed as a result of new and digital media?

The amount of people that used to play games and the amount of people that play games now has changed drastically over the years, there are approximately half a billion people world wide that play computer and video games.

4) What are the positive changes new and digital media have brought to the audience of your case study? (E.g. greater choice, easier access etc.)

Now with almost everything connected to the internet, users can access almost everything from their consoles, they can watch movies, play games, down load games, watch t.v and so much more.

5) What are the negative changes new and digital media have had on your chosen audience? (E.g. quality of product etc.)

The negative changes in new and digital media is that because consoles are connected to the internet and a vast amount of gaming content is on line, there can be a range of problems that occur e.g. having a bad internet connection can ruin a whole game, and there are a lot of hackers that have hacked X Box and Play station, and they can shut down the connection whenever they want, and it had been done many times in the past.

6) What about audience pleasures - have these changed as a result of new and digital media?

The changes in new and digital media mean that the quality of gaming is much higher now, most consoles that are now out on the market are HD (high definition) and the quality of the moving image on the screen is close to perfect. This allows the audiences to gain a higher level of pleasure when gaming.

7) What is the target audience for your chosen case study? Write a demographic/psychographic profile.

Males and females
15 - 35
Middle class

Institution

1) How has new and digital media had an impact on ownership or control in your chosen industry?
2) What impact has new and digital media had on ownership in your chosen case study?

3) How has new and digital media changed the way institutions produce texts?

The texts that are now produced are different now to how they were produced, as games that are now produced are much more life like. For example GTA 5 heists, the game play is now more realistic in terms of how the game is played. The cars look more real, and the player can now play in first person view.

4) How has new and digital media changed the way institutions distribute their product?

As a vast amount of the population are connected to the internet, and have smart phones, and social media sites such as twitter have a high activity rate. Institutions are using this to their advantage, for example when the new X Box one was going to be released there were images of the console that were shown on line. This allows the audience to see what is being released thus making it more likely for them to purchase the product.

5) How might new and digital media threaten your chosen industry?

New and digital media can be a threat to my chosen industry, as there are now a range of other forms of entertainment that audiences have easy and free access too, for example downloading games on smart phones, furthermore developments in other consoles such as Play Station, are also a huge threat to X Box as they are the two biggest competitors in the gaming industry, and Play Station are always looking for new ways to satisfy their audience. For example PS are now looking to release a visual reality system, a head piece through which the gamer feels as if they are in the game.

6) How has new and digital media changed the way your chosen industry is regulated?

As games are more realistic the content of the games are more gory (in violent or horror games) thus most games are regulated at 18, which means that it will mostly be an older audience that is purchasing the games.

UGC

1)What examples of user-generated content can you find in your case study?

UGC - Giant bomb

- Star Citizen
- Volume
-Shadowrun: Hong KONG

2) How has UGC changed things for audiences or institutions in your chosen case study?

UGC has not had any major impact on my industry, as the games that are made by gamers, or made in general, don't match the standard that games on the PS3/4 or XBox. Therefore UGC hasn't changed a lot in my chosen industry.

Marxism, Pluralism and Hegemony

1) What would be a Marxist perspective of the impact of new and digital media on your chosen case study?

The Marxist point of view on games could be both negative and positive, as in most video the narrative follows a theme of bring the ruling class down, however in actual fact games and games consoles bring in thousands to millions each and everyday, for example GTA 5 made more than $500 million dollars in its first week of sales worldwide. Thus games and games consoles keep the ruling class powerful, as the revenue from these games go to them. And as games are now becoming more enhanced and appeal to their audience on a higher level due to new and digital media, the revenue from that games that may be being released could be much higher.

2) How would a pluralist view the impact of new and digital media in your chosen industry?

Capitalist would find that games support the Capitalist views, as in games the narrative is usually that your player must bring the ruling class in the game down. For Example in Need For Speed, you must bring the higher drivers down, and become the best. As the best drivers show the view of the ruling class as they are powerful, and your character showing the role of an ordinary person, Capitalists would agree with video games.

3) Are there any examples of hegemony in your chosen industry or case study?

There is hegemony in my chosen industry, as gaming itself has power over people. The institution that provide the consoles and games, also have power over their audience as they are giving them what they want, thus controlling what they play and intake.

Globalisation

1) How has globalisation impacted on your chosen industry or case study?

X Box is a console that can be bought worldwide, and through the use of the internet it allows people all over the world to connect and become one.

2) In your opinion, has globalisation had a positive or negative impact on your chosen industry and case study? Why?

I think that globalisation has had a positive impact on my chosen industry, as it has allowed gamers from all over the world to come together on a platform that they enjoy and understand.

However the fact that people can now stay at home and play games with people across the world or even in their local area, it means that socialization between people will cut down, as they can stay at home and play with their friends, thus there would be no need for them to go out to meet them.

3) Can you find examples of cultural imperialism in your case study or industry? (The 'Americanisation' of the world)

Social media

1) How has your industry or case study used social media to promote its products?

Yes, a lot of games and game console producers use social networks to promote their products. For example when a new game or console is released, there will always be trailers that can be found on You Tube. This allows the audience a teaser of what is to come, thus increasing the likely hood of them buying the game or console.

2) Provide examples of how your case study has used social media and explain the impact this would have on audiences.

Before X Box one was released, they made a Facebook page, With information about the console e.g. the design, new features etc. This was done as a teaser to its audience, as it would give them an idea of what they would be purchasing.

3) Is social media an opportunity or a threat to your industry and case study?

I believe that social media is a opportunity for my chosen industry, as it allows the institutions to market their products, and a vast amount of gamers are online, they will see this content. Therefore its an opportunity for the business to almost sell their products to the audience.

Statistics

1) What statistics can you find to illustrate the impact new and digital media has had on your industry or case study? For example, in news, the UK newspaper industry sold more than 12m copies a day in 2001 but in 2014 it was below 7m.

PlayStation 4 has surpassed 20.2 million systems sold worldwide, while Microsoft's numbers for the end of last year indicate 10 million Xbox One consoles have shipped to stores.

Xbox (2001) - 24 Million units sold
Xbox 360 (2005) - 84 Million units sold
Xbox one (2013) - 10 Million units sold

Play station (1994) - 102.49 million
PS 2 (2000) - >155 Million units sold
Play Station Portable (2004) - 82 million
PS 3 (2006) - >82.7 million
PS 4 (2013) - 20.2 million

2) What impact have the statistics you have found had on institutions in your chosen industry?
3) What has the impact been for audiences?

Theories

1) What media theories can you apply to your chosen industry and case study? Select THREE media theories and explain how they are relevant to your case study. Note: these can be ANY of the theories we have learned over the whole of Year 12 and 13.

Hypodermic syringe model

Blumber and Katz - Personal identity

Todorov - Equilibrium

Issues/debates

1) What media issues and debates can you apply to your chosen industry and case study? Select THREE media issues/debates and explain how they are relevant to your case study.

Wider examples and secondary texts

1) What other texts or institutions are also relevant to your case study? What would be good secondary texts or examples to use to support the findings of your independent case study?

Thursday 19 March 2015

NDM Story

Microsoft To Ditch Internet Explorer BrandThe next version of the web browser will be renamed, as the company hopes to shake off negative perceptions about its software.

http://news.sky.com/story/1447314/microsoft-to-ditch-internet-explorer-brand

After being blighted by security concerns, sluggish performance and frustrated users, Microsoft has unveiled plans to ditch the Internet Explorer brand. Under the codename Project Spartan, the technology company is launching a complete overhaul of its web browser - and hopes a faster, sleeker alternative will encourage users to download it on their PCs, smartphones and tablets. Internet Explorer was an essential tool for getting on-line in the 1990's, but in the face of strong competition from Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome, the software has been lambasted by some critics as being "only good for downloading other web browsers". Despite Microsoft creating tongue-in-cheek adverts where it concedes IE is the browser that "everyone loves to hate", it has been unable to shake off the negative image associated with the brand. Chris Capossela, the company's marketing chief, has confirmed the browser will be re-branded when Windows 10 launches later this year - but its name is yet to be announced. Although far from well liked, Internet Explorer is definitely well known. At one point, its market share of on-line users was believed to be in excess of 90%, partly because of how the browser was pre-installed on Windows operating systems. In 2013, Microsoft was fined $730m (£495m) by EU regulators because Windows users had not been given the chance to choose a different browser - leading the company to fall foul of competition rules..

NDM Story

Apple iTunes And App Stores In Global Crash
Frustrated customers say they are unable to buy songs, films and apps as the massively popular online stores go down.

http://news.sky.com/story/1443078/apple-itunes-and-app-stores-in-global-crash

The company's status page listed the services as red-flagged and "unavailable for all users". The Mac App and iBooks stores were also down. "Customers may be unable to make purchases from the App Store, iTunes Store, iBooks Store, or Mac App Store," said the Apple timeline message. Many users were also unable to sign in to their iCloud mail and storage. Apple said the problems were finally resolved at around 8pm UK time. People were able to access the stores and see content, but reported a range of error messages when trying to buy a song, film or app. Others said the download progress wheel was disappearing without explanation. Users around the world vented their frustration on social media. "Come on #AppleStore #itunes #down #Trinidad," tweeted one user.

NDM Story

Cash Transfer For Facebook MessengerUS users will be able to send money to their friends for free, and Facebook has moved to reassure people the system is secure.

http://news.sky.com/story/1448168/cash-transfer-for-facebook-messenger

The new feature will begin to be rolled out in the US over "the coming months", and will be free to use, the social network said.A dollar sign icon will be added below the text entry box, next to where users tap to add audio notes, images or emojis. Once the icon has been tapped, users will be able to enter the amount they wish to send and transfer it via their debit card. It is not known yet if the feature will be extended outside the US. Facebook has moved to reassure users that the system will be secure, pointing out that some financial transactions have been taking place on the site for years. A spokesman said: "A dependable and trusted payments processor for game players and advertisers since 2007, Facebook processes more than one million transactions daily on the site and also handles all the payments processed on Messenger. "Incorporating security best practices into our payments business has always been a top priority. "We use secure systems that encrypt the connection between you and Facebook as well as your card information when you ask us to store it for you. "We use layers of software and hardware protection that meet the highest industry standards. "These payment systems are kept in a secured environment that is separate from other parts of the Facebook network and that receive additional monitoring and control. "A team of anti-fraud specialists monitor for suspicious purchase activity to help keep accounts safe." The first time users access the service they will have to add a debit or credit card to their Facebook account. Users will then be able to create and use a pin code to complete transfers. Facebook confirmed that iPhone users will be able to use the Touch ID fingerprint scanner to send money. The feature will also be accessible on desktop computers.

NDM story

Twitter 'could be vital tool in general election'
Research from social media platform says 45% of users aged 18-34 became interested in a cause they learned about through the site

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/18/twitter-vital-tool-general-election

Twitter could be an important tool for political parties to persuade young voters ahead of the general election, research from the social media site suggests. Of the Twitter users aged 18 to 34 surveyed, 45% said they had become interested in or joined a political or social cause that they learned about through the site, and 37% said they used the site to actively look for information about politics or the UK general election.

One in three 18- to 34-year-old users had changed their vote from one party to another, 47% had reconsidered their views on a specific issue based on what they’d seen on the site, and 20% said they were still undecided about how they planned to vote.

NDM Story

Twitter puts trillions of tweets up for sale to data miners
Company plans to make content generated by users available to commerce, academia and even police involved in crowd control

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/18/twitter-puts-trillions-tweets-for-sale-data-miners

You are travelling by plane to see your newborn grandchild. As you board the aircraft, the cabin crew address you by name and congratulate you on the arrival of a bouncing baby boy. On your seat, you find a gift-wrapped blue rattle with a note from the airline.

In Twitter data strategy chief Chris Moody’s vision of the future, companies surprising their customers like this could become an everyday occurrence – made possible because Twitter is listening.

Computer systems are already aggregating trillions of tweets from the microblogging site, sorting and sifting through countless conversations, following the banter and blustering, ideas and opinions of its 288 million users in search of commercial opportunities.

It is not only commercial interests that are mining the data. Academics are using it to gauge the mood in a football crowd, and trying to shed light on whether Premier League players such as Manchester United’s Radamel Falcao are overpaid – with a team of researchers from Reading, Dundee and Cambridge universities testing whether top-flight footballers’ salaries are related purely to performance on the pitch or can be boosted by popularity on social media.

Selling data is as yet a small part of Twitter’s overall income – $70m out of a total of $1.3bn last year, with the lion’s share of cash coming from advertising, but the social network has big plans to increase that. Its acquisition of Chris Moody’s paralytics company Gnip for $130m last April is a sign of that intent.

NDM story

Lesbian app Dattch re-brands as HER after raising $1 million
Revamped app promises to introduce users to ‘a lesbian that hasn't slept with any of your friends’

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/19/lesbian-app-dattch-rebrands-as-her-after-raising-1m

Introducing HER, a “lesbian social app” – born after the company behind Dattch relocated from London to San Francisco, changed its name and secured more than $1 million (£630,000) in funding.

The app has been completely revamped, evolving into a much more social experience with expanded content including queer-themed news and blogs, event notices and an improved matching algorithm.

Founder and chief executive Robyn Exton writes: “HER is about creating a space where lesbian, bi, queer, curious, flexisexual, pan sexual and not-so-straight women can meet and find out what’s going on in their lesbian world.

“Dattch taught us a huge amount and you’ll see the best parts of it in HER, along with a whole new experience incorporating everything our community kept asking us for. More social, less dating.”

Identities and The Media - Index

Index

The Riots
http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/mm-38-london-riots.html

Post-colonialism Film analysis
http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/post-colonialism.html

Post-colonialism Theory and clip
http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/post-colonialism.html

Feminism: Post feminism - No more page 3
http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/no-more-page-3.html

Feminism: Waves of Feminism
http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/feminism.html

Collective identity and the media
http://v-sahota.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/collective-identity.html

Feminism

Waves of feminism

First wave: early 20th century, suffragette movement (right to vote).
Second wave: 1960s – 1990s, reproductive rights (pill), abortion, equal pay.
Third wave: 1990s – present, empowerment, reclaiming of femininity (high heels, sexuality etc. See Angela McRobbie's work on women's magazines).
Fourth wave? 2010 – ongoing, use of new technology (e.g. Twitter) for activism.

Fourth wave?
Many commentators argue that the internet itself has enabled a shift from ‘third-wave’ to ‘fourth-wave’ feminism. What is certain is that the internet has created a ‘call-out’ culture, in which sexism or misogyny can be ‘called out’ and challenged.

This culture is indicative of the continuing influence of the third wave, with its focus on challenging sexism and misogyny in advertising, film, television and the media.

Key quote: “power users of social media”

The internet has facilitated the creation of a global community of feminists who use the internet both for discussion and activism.
According to #FemFuture: Online Feminism, a report recently published by Columbia University’s Barnard Center for Research on Women, females aged between 18 and 29 are the ‘power users of social networking’.
Ched Evans:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11324994/Ched-Evans-Who-is-Jean-Hatchet-leading-petitions-against-his-return-to-football.html

Ched Evans is a 26 yr old footballer, who has been convicted of rape. An anonymous woman with little description about herself, apart from the fact that she is a radical feminist and using a pseudonym Jean Hatchet. She has managed to collect over 160,000 signatures in September which stopped the footballer from returning to his former club. She then began another campaign

The situation was sparked by the Jean Hatchet, an anonymous on-line feminist, that didn't want Ched Evans back on the pitch. She got got over 160, 000 signatures on-line which stopped the footballer from going beck on to the pitch. However if she hadn't taken any action then there would still be a big issue about him, however the on-line petition may have a huge effect on the footballers career, as he was going to be signed by Oldham Athletic, however this may not be going forward because of the petition.

I believe that the case is more of a witch hunt than valid, only because there was no hard evidence against Ched Evans. I believe that this is a witch hunt, and the only reason Ched Evans is being accused is because of his profession.

However if there was evidence that Ched Evans had indeed raped the young girl then this would be valid, as rape should not be let off easily, and he should of been punished. However as there was no evidence against him he was not punished and he was let go, however the on-line petition has had a huge impact on his career and his image as a footballer.

Caroline Criado-Perez:
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/aug/04/caroline-criado-perez-twitter-rape-threats

This story is about Caroline Criado-Perez, after seeing that all females were going to be removed from the English bank notes, she had threaten to sue the bank of England under the 2010 Equality act. After being ignored, she was invited to the bank of England and asked if she would accept if they put Jane Austen on the back of the £10 note. After her success she had been sent death and rape threats via Twitter.

I believe what she did was valid as women should speak up and have the right to be equal. However the way she has been treated and the things people are saying and threatening to do to her is totally inappropriate, and the comments have been so bad that two people have been arrested. Overall I think that what Caroline has done is good and she should be praised rather than being threatened. Emma Watson:
http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2014/9/emma-watson-gender-equality-is-your-issue-too

This story is about Emma Watson, a famous actor known for her acting in Harry Potter. She is launching a campaign called 'HeForShe'. She wants to end gender inequality but she wants from both genders, males and females. She says that when fighting for women's rights, it always ends in men hating on women, and Emma Watson wants this to end.

The issue that Emma Watson speaks about is valid and is something that needs to be stopped, as women and men should have equal rights and should be treated equally. and the fact that she doesn't only speak about female inequality but also male inequality shows that she wants equal rights for both genders. Therefore I believe that her speech is valid.

Collective identity

Collective identity is the shared sense of belonging to a group. In Media Studies, we need to consider the influence media has over a person’s sense of identity.

This is closely linked to the key concept of representation as the way groups are portrayed in the media can influence our sense of identity.

Theories

Marxism and the Frankfurt School

Marxists believe identity is constructed through hegemony imposed by the ruling elite. A sense of individual identity is a myth that prevents people challenging powerful groups.
This links to the Frankfurt School, a group of influential Marxists who viewed media audiences as passive vessels. They believe the media is used to control and manipulate people.

Daniel Chandler: CAGE

Daniel Chandler suggested the acronym CAGE, stating our identity is constructed through class, age, gender and ethnicity.

Stuart Hall: media construction

Stuart Hall suggests the media actively constructs our society rather than reflecting it back.

Our identity is part of this and therefore any sense of individuality we may feel is actually constructed through the media we engage with.

1) Read the article and summarise each section in one sentence, starting with the section 'Who are you?'

This section is about how we are constructed through society and social factors have an affect on how we want to be seen.
2) List five brands you are happy to be associated with and explain how they reflect your sense of identity.

- Zara
- Nike
- Adiddas
- Armani
- Creative Recreation

These are brands that I would associate myself with as I wear these brands. They reflect me as a person as they represent me. I don't wear very expensive clothes, and I don't show off too much and I believe through these brands i can look good without having too much attention.

3) Do you agree with the view that modern media is all about 'style over substance'? What does this expression mean?

I believe this view to some extent. The expression 'Style over Substance' means that people in society now would rather look good and are focused more on the brands they have and the materials they own, rather than authenticity.

4) Explain Baudrillard's theory of 'media saturation' in one paragraph. You may need to research it on-line to find out more.

high cultural value being placed on external factors such as physical beauty and fashion sense over internal traits such as intelligence or compassion (from article).

Jean Baudrillards theory is that reality is being replaced. The media magazine is saying that people now care more about how they look rather than being intelligent and having knowledge. Which links to Baudrillards theory as their intelligence is being replaced with fashion, trends, and materialism.

5) Is your presence on social media an accurate reflection of who you are? Have you ever added or removed a picture from a social media site purely because of what it says about the type of person you are?

I believe that my presence on social media sites does reflect me to some extent, as there are some things that portray the type of person of person e.g. images and quotes. However there are also images or written posts that may not be so accurate, as a lot of the things I put up social media sites is more because it is funny and less to do with me.

6) What is your opinion on 'data mining'? Are you happy for companies to sell you products based on your social media presence and online search terms? Is this an invasion of privacy?

My opinion on data mining is that it is perfectly fine, however the persons permission should be needed before a website can use their data on-line. As some people may not want data being looked at and being used, as they may feel it is an invasion of their privacy. However I personally think that data mining is fine and i have nothing against it.

Friday 6 March 2015

NDM story

A digital public space is Britain’s missing national institution
An alternative to the internet as shopping mall is emerging – a place where creative assets can be redistributed for non-commercial use

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/05/digital-public-space-britain-missing-national-institution

Commercial interests have shaped the internet, and have created such powerful organisations that governments now struggle to keep up – out-funded, out-lobbied and outwitted. Rather than reflecting the real world, the internet absorbs and amplifies it, re-presenting a version of our lives, our work and our culture, from the gross disproportion of privilege and access afforded to those even able to access the internet to the misogyny that cripples meaningful debate. Even acknowledging its infancy, the internet does not represent a version of ourselves of which we can be proud. From privacy and surveillance to our collective cultural record, where is the internet we are truly capable of? Quietly, excitedly, and in a modestly British way, there is an alternative emerging. Rather than the internet as shopping mall – defined and dominated by commercial interests – how could we build the public park of the internet?

Many of the concerns I have raised in this column – that we are primarily now consumers before citizens, that the ferocious disruption of technology is not being tempered with ethical oversight, about the failure of the BBC to embrace a digital future – all point in the same direction. We have a missing national institution.

The idea of a Digital Public Space was discreetly mooted by some of the BBC’s most overlooked and visionary staff as far back at 2010. February’s Warwick Commission report, a barometer for the UK’s cultural and creative health, picked out the project as one of six key goals, a digital cultural library of artistic and cultural assets.Many of the concerns I have raised in this column – that we are primarily now consumers before citizens, that the ferocious disruption of technology is not being tempered with ethical oversight, about the failure of the BBC to embrace a digital future – all point in the same direction. We have a missing national institution.

NDM story

Freedom campaigners warn against EU ministers pushing for 2-speed internetWhile the US voted to protect open internet, Europe is accused of permitting ‘every imaginable breach of net neutrality’

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/05/freedom-campaigners-warn-against-dangers-of-two-speed-internet

Days after the US voted to protect an open internet where all traffic is considered equal, proposals agreed by European telecoms ministers of 28 members states could allow a two–speed internet, where companies such as YouTube or Netflix could legally pay mobile networks or broadband providers for faster, more reliable delivery of their content – potentially to the detriment of other internet users.

Campaigners warn the move could stifle online innovation and undermine the digital economy.

The proposals also water down draft laws on mobile roaming. Instead of letting travellers within Europe make calls, send text messages or browse the web from their phones for the same price they pay at home, ministers want a cap on low-cost usage with operators able to charge more once the cap is exceeded.

Friday 27 February 2015

Index