WEEK 8: GATEKEEPING, GATEWATCHING & the PROSUMER.

Citizen journalism is a shift from traditional media consumption and content production. Bruns (2009) states that "journalistic content is being overtaken by a flotilla of alternative options". This means that the role of journalism is constantly changing. I believe this is due to the advancements in technology which have now enabled users to become prosumers. This makes information accessible anywhere at anytime.

 In the past gatekeeping was in place to filter information according to what sold. However, now we have gatewatching, Bruns (2009, pg. 5) describes gatekeeping as "first-hand investigative research and the ability to compose succinct news stories". This means that gatewatchers search for "useful and relevant materials that they think should be brought to the attention of the wider community" (Bruns, A, 2009, pg. 6). This is not as extreme as gatekeeping where information "about potentially newsworthy events entered the process" (Bruns, A, 2006, pg. 3). This means that information was selected due to its worthiness of getting attention and gaining capital.

Our information content is hardly controlled in my opinion, people post whatever they want whenever. What are the implications of these? We are flooded with irrelevant information everyday. This also means that we’re sometimes given information that we believe originated from a legitimate source it actually it has been distorted and altered many times before publication. I think when you think about the processes that some content goes through, it is really hard to determine its originality. I think content gathered from citizen journalists are at times untrue and questionable in terms of originality.

I guess it is up to us as producers and consumers of information to decide what information is valid and what is not.


Reference:


Bruns, A. (2009) 'News Blogs and Citizen Journalism: New Directions for e-Journalism' [URL: http://produsage.org/files/News%20Blogs%20and%20Citizen%20Journalism.pdf]

WEEK 7: NEXT 100 YEARS TO SEE THE EXINCTION OF MALLS?

I had never noticed the trend of businesses shutting down due to the invasion of the market by online stores that offer much more in stock and variety than what a physical store is capable of holding. We were given the example of Amazon VS. Borders book store, however, this is not only applicable to book stores but also music, clothing and even grocery stores. Do we really borther to buy actual cd's anymore or do we just download from iTunes?

This youtube video highlights Amazon and it's benefits of selling books online. The video clearly states that there is a completely different business model as the purchase is no longer tangible, it is done online. Does this also mean an end to Woolworths, Officeworks, Big W and other stores that sell the basics. We are able to order anything and everything online. In the next hundred years do you think we would even have a physical market place anymore?

I'm not too sure, I personally think we would be heading towards a shift in online shopping and physical market places would become exitinct. Do you think this would be an implication of our technology?


Reference:

nan0801, 2011, Amazon VS Local bookstore, accessed 10/09/2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfTGcqQquIw

WEEK 6: I AM NO LONGER AFRAID OF COCKROACHES.. because I have friends.

Disregard the title, I saw it in the lecture and found it too funny.


Convergence led me to not being afraid of cockroaches any more. I believe convergence has such an exceptional role today with the use of new media (which is in some aspects convergent media).


This Youtube video outlines just how important convergence is. It explores the digitization and convergence of basic items such as newspapers, books and magazines. Basically print media is no longer print - it's online.

It is evident now that platforms have changed and so has the content. Audiences are no longer passive, but active prosumers (producer/ consumer). Without convergence do you think this would be possible? I would not think so. Gotta love convergence. Jenkins (2006, pg. 3) states that 'the circulation of media content depends heavily on consumers' active participation'. The link I shared above of the Britney Spears parody, it is a perfect example of how Youtube is circulating with consumers active participation. Imagine Youtube without user generated content, it would defeat the purpose of its' existence right? Again, Jenkins (2006, pg. 17) also mentions that convergence "occurs when people take the media into their own hands".

I think it is so amazing that us as audiences or 'produsers' keep media platforms such as YouTube alive. It gives us as audiences such importance in the evolution of new media and other technologies and their capabilities.







Reference:




Jenkins, H 2006,'Worship at the alter of convergence: A new paradigm for understanding media change', Convergence Culture: When old media and new media collide, pp 1-24, New York, New York University Press




VenetianPrincess, 2010, "Britney Spears - I Wanna Go - Parody ("I Gotta Go")" YouTube, accessed 8/9/2011, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q40DDjIKOmY&feature=related




xplanevisualthinking, 2009, "Did You Know 4.0", YouTube, accessed 8/9/2011, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8