The Impact of New Media A Level Media Studies

Key Questions Has new media democratised the production of media texts by shifting the control of media content away from large media institutions? Has new media democratised the production of media texts by shifting the control of media content away from large media institutions? Has new media changed the way media texts are consumed and what are the social implications for this? Has new media changed the way media texts are consumed and what are the social implications for this? Has new media technology provided new cross-cultural, global media texts that communicate across national and social boundaries? Has new media technology provided new cross-cultural, global media texts that communicate across national and social boundaries? How active or interactive are consumers of new media and how significant is this in terms of power? How active or interactive are consumers of new media and how significant is this in terms of power? How has new/digital media impacted on traditional media productions and consumption? How has new/digital media impacted on traditional media productions and consumption? To what extent does new media escape some of the constraints of censorship that traditional media encounters? To what extent does new media escape some of the constraints of censorship that traditional media encounters? How is new media interacting with, using and changing traditional media platforms? How is new media interacting with, using and changing traditional media platforms?

The Digital Revolution Video and DVD Portable camcorders Home computer & games consoles Cable, satellite & digital TV Mobile phones & their convergence with other media photography & video The world wide web MP3 podcasts webcams blogs Social networking

New/Digital Media UTOPIAN Del Sola Polle (1977) Del Sola Polle (1977) Suggests new media will facilitate a positive media world Suggests new media will facilitate a positive media world A wider range of media texts can be produced that meet the needs of many more groups in society. A wider range of media texts can be produced that meet the needs of many more groups in society. Provides individual citizens with the capacity to produce/publicise texts themselves. Provides individual citizens with the capacity to produce/publicise texts themselves. This facilitates the growth of different media representations. This facilitates the growth of different media representations.DYSTOPIAN Habermas (1991) Habermas (1991) Argues that media texts should provide a space for citizens to debate and criticise government actions & form public opinion. Argues that media texts should provide a space for citizens to debate and criticise government actions & form public opinion. Suggests new media outlets produce similar sorts of representations that focus primarily on celebrity and trivia. Suggests new media outlets produce similar sorts of representations that focus primarily on celebrity and trivia.

Has new media democratised the production of media texts by shifting the control of media content away from large media institutions? Has new media democratised the production of media texts by shifting the control of media content away from large media institutions?

Alternative Media Forms New media technologies facilitate small-scale media productions. New media technologies facilitate small-scale media productions. This provides for alternative views that challenge dominant ideologies/values of society. This provides for alternative views that challenge dominant ideologies/values of society. The Royal Commission on the Press (1977) defined alternative media as: Dealing with the opinion of small minorities Dealing with the opinion of small minorities Expressing attitudes hostile to widely held beliefs Expressing attitudes hostile to widely held beliefs Espousing views or dealing with subjects not given regular coverage by publications generally available at newsagents. Espousing views or dealing with subjects not given regular coverage by publications generally available at newsagents.

Look at the homepages of the three websites below. In what ways do they provide an alternative media space for those wanting to challenge dominant ideologies in contemporary society?

Alternative media forms Some critical perspectives suggest that alternative media are run in a more egalitarian & democratic way. Some critical perspectives suggest that alternative media are run in a more egalitarian & democratic way. They reduce the cost of media production. They reduce the cost of media production. New media texts can challenge the consumerist norms of a capitalist society. New media texts can challenge the consumerist norms of a capitalist society. They may create ideological disruption & disturbance in relation to values and ideas about areas such as gender/sexuality, religion etc. They may create ideological disruption & disturbance in relation to values and ideas about areas such as gender/sexuality, religion etc. Alternative websites provide ‘citizen journalism’ – allowing ordinary people to give their own alternative versions of dominant news stories. Alternative websites provide ‘citizen journalism’ – allowing ordinary people to give their own alternative versions of dominant news stories. In doing so, they politicise the repression of events & information produced in mainstream news, drawing attention to its selectivity. In doing so, they politicise the repression of events & information produced in mainstream news, drawing attention to its selectivity. However, ‘citizen journalists’ are not necessarily restrained by professional or institutional codes of conduct. However, ‘citizen journalists’ are not necessarily restrained by professional or institutional codes of conduct.

7/bbc-mark-thompson-murdoch-mactaggart 7/bbc-mark-thompson-murdoch-mactaggart Rupert Murdoch and BSkyB Rupert Murdoch and BSkyB “BSkyB is too powerful and threatens to "dwarf" the BBC and its competitors.” “BSkyB is too powerful and threatens to "dwarf" the BBC and its competitors.”BSkyB “News Corp, in effect controlled by the Murdoch family, now enjoys unprecedented industry power in the UK. News Corp owns 39% of Sky and is in the process of buying the part of the broadcaster it does not already own.” “News Corp, in effect controlled by the Murdoch family, now enjoys unprecedented industry power in the UK. News Corp owns 39% of Sky and is in the process of buying the part of the broadcaster it does not already own.” "a concentration of cross-media ownership that would not be allowed in the United States or Australia". "a concentration of cross-media ownership that would not be allowed in the United States or Australia". us-digital-newspaper us-digital-newspaper us-digital-newspaper us-digital-newspaper Murdoch sees the iPad as a potential lifesaver in terms of its reach among the young and its ability to attract subscriptions. Murdoch sees the iPad as a potential lifesaver in terms of its reach among the young and its ability to attract subscriptions.

Homework Has new media changed the way media texts are consumed? What are the social implications for this?

Homework Has new media technology provided new cross- cultural, global media texts that communicate across national and social boundaries?

How active or interactive are consumers of new media and how significant is this in terms of power? How active or interactive are consumers of new media and how significant is this in terms of power?

How has new/digital media impacted on traditional media productions and consumption? How has new/digital media impacted on traditional media productions and consumption?

To what extent does new media escape some of the constraints of censorship that traditional media encounters? To what extent does new media escape some of the constraints of censorship that traditional media encounters?

How is new media interacting with, using and changing traditional media platforms? How is new media interacting with, using and changing traditional media platforms?

Web 2.0 A second generation of web based material which facilitates mobile broadband and wireless connections. A second generation of web based material which facilitates mobile broadband and wireless connections. Web based communities such as social networking sites and wikis. Web based communities such as social networking sites and wikis. These facilitate collaboration and sharing of user generated content. These facilitate collaboration and sharing of user generated content. Posting comments on websites, uploading videos, photos and music and commenting on others’ contributions. Posting comments on websites, uploading videos, photos and music and commenting on others’ contributions.

Web 2.0 Web 2.0’s emphasis was on... Web 2.0’s emphasis was on... Interactivity Interactivity User participation User participation Dynamic content – content that is not fixed but shifting, changing and constantly reconstructed. Dynamic content – content that is not fixed but shifting, changing and constantly reconstructed. Freedom – for audiences and individuals to produce, consume & engage with a wide range of new texts. Freedom – for audiences and individuals to produce, consume & engage with a wide range of new texts. To allow audiences to produce their own content. To allow audiences to produce their own content. MySpace, Friends Reunited, Facebook, YouTube MySpace, Friends Reunited, Facebook, YouTube