lecture 1 : introduction // new media debate. what is media studies? unlike anthropology or history,...
Post on 19-Dec-2015
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What is Media Studies?
• Unlike anthropology or history, media studies doesn’t have a set of theories that are considered universal.
• Media Studies is defined by it’s object of study.
Media is really about communication.
• How do we give and receive information?
• Who is telling us what?
• Why are they telling a story one way or another?
• Today, we’ll start with a medium most familiar to all of us: social media.
Today we will briefly discuss…
• Media we use every day – social media• 400 million Facebook Users, 75 million Twitter
users (compared to countries). • And ask…(today and next section) is digital
technology changing everything?– Politically?– Socially?
Optimists
• Yes, digital media is changing everything• Makes it easier for people to communicate,
organize protests, and other movements• Don’t have to rely on the mainstream media
anymore. (Wikileaks!)• Iran protests – Twitter, YouTube• UK Student Protests – Twitter (organising)• Change from a media that talks AT you (TV) to a
media you use to communicate (Facebook, Email, Mobiles)
Wikileaks• “We open governments”• Allows people to give – and get – raw
information without relying on the traditional news media.
Twitter in….Iran• Al Jazeera (10 Jan 2011): “In
the summer of 2009, the word on everyone's lips was "Iran." As the youthful Green Movement rose up against what they perceived to be a tampered election, the world banded together in solidarity. The hashtag #iranelection trended on Twitter for weeks, while media outlets spoke of a "Twitter revolution."
•
Twitter in London
• Student protests last month (December 2010) against fees.
• Activists used Twitter and Google Maps to avoid police, and send messages to each other about where to organize.
Pessimists
• No, digital media doesn’t change everything• People’s tastes are still for entertainment• Not everyone has access to digital media anyway,
particularly poorer people• Television still reaches a much bigger global
audience• Even with Wikileaks, most people learn about it
from mainstream media.• Even in Iran, and London, Twitter/new media not
the cause of revolution
Internet encourages“Slacktivism”• Its easy to say you “like” a cause or change
your icon green.• “describes ‘feel-good online activism that
has zero political or social impact” (Evgeny Morosov, Foreign Policy).
Iran 2009– Mostly outsiders tweeting
• ‘Twitter functioned mainly as a huge echo chamber of solidarity messages from global voices, that simply slowed the general speed of traffic,’ (Harkin 2010)
• Most actual protests organized by text or word of mouth (the old fashioned way).
Are these the google searches of revolution?
• Top 10 Google Searches 2010 (Fastest Rising)
• 1. Chatroulette• 2. Ipad• 3. Justin Bieber• 4. Nicky Minaj• 5. Friv• 6. Myxer• 7. Katy Perry• 8. Twitter• 9. Gamezer• 10. Facebook• Source: Google Zeitgeist
TV is Still Powerful
• Someone born in 1990 will have watched 7 years of television by the time they die.
• Americans watched more TV than ever in 2010.– 34 hours of broadcast and basic
cable every seven days– +1 % from last year.
– Sources Kaiser Family Foundation, Pew.
Television Audiences Can be in the Billions (Compare to Facebook and
Twitter numbers earlier)• 1. Michael Jackson’s
Funeral – 2.5-3 billion?• 2. Princess Diana’s
Funeral – 2 billion• 3. 2010 FIFA Final – 1.75
Billion• 4. Funeral of Pope – 1
Billon people• 5. Rescue of Chilean
Miners – 1 billion people.