Henry Jenkins believes we are living in a culture of media convergence. New and old media industries are in a position to where they must cooperate in order to maintain relevance. Technologies are developing and consumers are becoming more active in their media consumption. And according to Jenkins, "Consumers are learning how to use these different media technologies to bring the flow of media more fully under their control and to interact with other consumers. The promises of this new media environment raise expectation of a freer flow of ideas and content."
The Lost Experience is an example of how active consumers can interact in this convergent media climate to create something wonderful.
The Lost Experience was a multifaceted alternate reality game designed by the creators of the the ABC television program "Lost." The idea behind this "game," was to utilize the large online community of fans, allow them to interact with one another, and provide them with additional content that would not be aired on television. With this, many subplots, minor characters, and pieces of show mythology were able to develop, thus creating a more enriched and comprehensive experience for the most dedicated of fans.
To an extent this is similar to any franchise tie-in, but in many ways it was much different. First and foremost, it was free. The whole experience was made up of several mysterious web pages, blogs, and videos that anyone with enough interest and internet connection could access. It wasn't a product that was for sale. It was crafted by creators of the show but completely propelled and circulated by users.
Also, the television program was designed to stand alone, and doesn't rely on any of the information from The Lost Experience. The Lost Experience was created for avid fans of the show in order to give them more information and delve deeper into the story, while still allowing for casual fans.
I believe this is a great example of Jenkin's idea in action. Various media platforms are working together, creating a positive experience, satisfying an audience, and allowing for their continued success. Television may have to adapt and accept the internet as an integral part to their programming, but in the end, according the Jenkins, in will probably be to their benefit.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Participatory Media Culture
"In whatever shape or form, media bring the world to our doorstep - and we bring our world into media. No one is 'outside' anymore whether by choice or necessity," says Mark Deuze, author of Media Work.
One of his arguments is that because of increased technological developments, we are now more connected than ever in work, play, and nearly every other aspect of our daily lives. And with this technological convergence, we are now living in what he calls a "participatory media culture." Deuze believes that the
I would definitely have to agree with Deuze, and to highlight this, I'd like to examine this two and a half minute clip from the news network CNN's television broadcast about the 2010 World Cup.
Immediately you'll notice that the news anchor is relying heavily on the use of a large touch screen computer. He begins using it to navigate to a page on CNN.com that is inviting viewers to participate in their "Super Fan" program. From there, they cut to a viewer created video, where a man from Denmark speaks from his own perspective about his love for soccer.
Following that, they quickly segue to a view of an application called Map Mash. Map Mash compiles tweets from specific geographic locations set by a user. They use this to find trending topics associated with the World Cup in various countries all over the world. They eve read specific tweets on air, and show a picture taken from someone's twitter account.
Deuze's argument really is undeniable. Through technological advancements, even television is interactive, today. The anchor in this particular clip acts nothing more than a mediator for all of the various forms of user generated content. And if this isn't one great big example of how participatory our media has become, then I don't know what is.
One of his arguments is that because of increased technological developments, we are now more connected than ever in work, play, and nearly every other aspect of our daily lives. And with this technological convergence, we are now living in what he calls a "participatory media culture." Deuze believes that the
I would definitely have to agree with Deuze, and to highlight this, I'd like to examine this two and a half minute clip from the news network CNN's television broadcast about the 2010 World Cup.
Immediately you'll notice that the news anchor is relying heavily on the use of a large touch screen computer. He begins using it to navigate to a page on CNN.com that is inviting viewers to participate in their "Super Fan" program. From there, they cut to a viewer created video, where a man from Denmark speaks from his own perspective about his love for soccer.
Following that, they quickly segue to a view of an application called Map Mash. Map Mash compiles tweets from specific geographic locations set by a user. They use this to find trending topics associated with the World Cup in various countries all over the world. They eve read specific tweets on air, and show a picture taken from someone's twitter account.
Deuze's argument really is undeniable. Through technological advancements, even television is interactive, today. The anchor in this particular clip acts nothing more than a mediator for all of the various forms of user generated content. And if this isn't one great big example of how participatory our media has become, then I don't know what is.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Robots, Vodka, and The Evolution of Advertising
In his explanation of the development and life cycle of mass media, James Potter identifies the fifth stage as adaptation. Adaptation usually occurs when an industry is on the decline, and is in need of innovation. Potter states, "A medium enters the adaptation stage of development when it begins to redefine its position in the media marketplace."
He then applies this to the nine major mass media industries, citing the appearance of television and how it brought about change in radio programming as an example. It is a simple concept that doesn't warrant a lot of explanation, but Potter explains it well.
But what Potter doesn't mention in his analysis is how advertising evolves along with the media industries. As these industries rise and decline, advertisers have to follow suit in order to reach audiences. This adaptation of advertising is as interesting to me as the adaptation of a medium itself.
With the growth of technology, people are able to avoid certain types of advertising. The rise of DVR has made it possible for people to record their favorite television programs to watch at a later time, giving them the ability to fast-forward through commercial breaks. Similarly, streaming video through Hulu.com cuts commercial breaks down into 20 to 30 seconds per break as opposed to the standard two minutes or so that viewers are used to seeing on television. And these are only a few of the ways that consumers are able to avoid these advertisements.
As consumption habits change, advertisers are continuously coming up with new and innovative ways to market their product. An example of this, and a recent favorite of mine, is the Absolut Vodka financed short-film entitled "I'm Here."
"I'm Here" is a short film by the well-known film-maker Spike Jonze and is viewable for free on it's own official website.
The website offers a unique experience, presenting itself as a virtual cinema. It is even has Facebook integrated into it, allowing users to invite friends to "attend" the showing with them. Technologically speaking, it's a long ways from your average 30 second television ad.
And the film itself is interesting. It is a love story, set in a futuristic world, with a robot as the protagonist. It's really quite entertaining. However, the most amazing part about it is that it has literally nothing to do with Absolut Vodka, aside from the brand being plastered onto the opening credit sequence.
Despite this, Absolut has a lot to gain with this endeavor. With "I'm Here" they are able associate their product to a great, cutting-edge film-maker and hip new music, which alone targets a niche audience that will seek this advertisement out. In addition to this, the short-film garnered some critical acclaim and made appearances at various film festivals, thus getting the Absolut brand even more exposure. And all of this was done outside the traditional means of advertisement we are accustomed to.
This is a great example of how advertisers have evolved with media industries, but it isn't the only way. There are new and innovative things being done nearly every day.
But until next time, I'll leave you with this. (Those of you familiar with Chatroullette should get a kick out of it.)
Take Care,
Dustin
He then applies this to the nine major mass media industries, citing the appearance of television and how it brought about change in radio programming as an example. It is a simple concept that doesn't warrant a lot of explanation, but Potter explains it well.
But what Potter doesn't mention in his analysis is how advertising evolves along with the media industries. As these industries rise and decline, advertisers have to follow suit in order to reach audiences. This adaptation of advertising is as interesting to me as the adaptation of a medium itself.
With the growth of technology, people are able to avoid certain types of advertising. The rise of DVR has made it possible for people to record their favorite television programs to watch at a later time, giving them the ability to fast-forward through commercial breaks. Similarly, streaming video through Hulu.com cuts commercial breaks down into 20 to 30 seconds per break as opposed to the standard two minutes or so that viewers are used to seeing on television. And these are only a few of the ways that consumers are able to avoid these advertisements.
As consumption habits change, advertisers are continuously coming up with new and innovative ways to market their product. An example of this, and a recent favorite of mine, is the Absolut Vodka financed short-film entitled "I'm Here."
"I'm Here" is a short film by the well-known film-maker Spike Jonze and is viewable for free on it's own official website.
The website offers a unique experience, presenting itself as a virtual cinema. It is even has Facebook integrated into it, allowing users to invite friends to "attend" the showing with them. Technologically speaking, it's a long ways from your average 30 second television ad.
And the film itself is interesting. It is a love story, set in a futuristic world, with a robot as the protagonist. It's really quite entertaining. However, the most amazing part about it is that it has literally nothing to do with Absolut Vodka, aside from the brand being plastered onto the opening credit sequence.
Despite this, Absolut has a lot to gain with this endeavor. With "I'm Here" they are able associate their product to a great, cutting-edge film-maker and hip new music, which alone targets a niche audience that will seek this advertisement out. In addition to this, the short-film garnered some critical acclaim and made appearances at various film festivals, thus getting the Absolut brand even more exposure. And all of this was done outside the traditional means of advertisement we are accustomed to.
This is a great example of how advertisers have evolved with media industries, but it isn't the only way. There are new and innovative things being done nearly every day.
But until next time, I'll leave you with this. (Those of you familiar with Chatroullette should get a kick out of it.)
Take Care,
Dustin
...For the Kids (Reloaded)
In Chapter 5 of W. James Potter's Media Literacy, he examines children as a special audience and how they are perceived by the public and policy making institutions.
The argument made in the chapter is that children, in general, should be sheltered from specific media based on the idea that they lack the maturity or experience to fully comprehend this media and its messages. It is believed that because children are going through cognitive, emotional, and moral developments, there needs to be regulations on media targeted at children. This ranges from various kinds of content censorship to advertisement regulations and beyond.
The argument made in the chapter is that children, in general, should be sheltered from specific media based on the idea that they lack the maturity or experience to fully comprehend this media and its messages. It is believed that because children are going through cognitive, emotional, and moral developments, there needs to be regulations on media targeted at children. This ranges from various kinds of content censorship to advertisement regulations and beyond.
All television programming, movies, and video games have a rating system they abide by. There are limitations on the length and content of commercial advertisements. There are "Parental Advisory" stickers on CD's with objectionable material. We now have content filters on our TV's and computers, acting as digital locks to keep children away from whatever material we want. All of these things are an attempt to protect the kids.
However, Potter argues that these media regulations are futile without media literate parents to understand and enforce them. And it is his belief that the majority of parents are not paying close enough attention to the media their children are consuming. I must say, that I agree wholeheartedly with him on this one.
And with that, I present you with this video.
This is something that I've encountered an innumerable amount of times. Young children are frequently playing games and interacting on Xbox Live in an environment way above what is suitable for their age.
For starters, the game in this video is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It is rated M for Mature by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) for Blood, Drug References, Intense Violence, and Language. The sale of M rated games is prohibited to anyone under the age of 17. So, in order for a young child attain such a game to begin with, someone has to be ignoring or turning a blind eye to the system, be it a parent or retailer.
Secondly, because these are online multiplayer games, any young child with access to an internet connection has the capability to enter into gaming sessions with much older users. This, in turn, subjects young gamers to even more explicit and age inappropriate content beyond the language, killing, blood, and gore that comes pre-packaged in the game.
Lastly, the worst part of this, and you will notice it in the video, is that children learn to conform to this environment. They get desensitized to the blood and violence and adopt a lot of the more colorful language that is used. All the while, seemingly good parents all over the world are either ignorant or turning a blind eye.
This is by no means a call to arms, and I am most certainly not a strong advocate of censorship. However, I do believe that certain content is inappropriate for some children, and, determining what is and isn't appropriate should never be solely based on a child's age. Parents have to understand that children develop and experience at different rates. There may not be an exact science to it, but having caring, aware, media literate parents would make a world of difference.
However, Potter argues that these media regulations are futile without media literate parents to understand and enforce them. And it is his belief that the majority of parents are not paying close enough attention to the media their children are consuming. I must say, that I agree wholeheartedly with him on this one.
And with that, I present you with this video.
This is something that I've encountered an innumerable amount of times. Young children are frequently playing games and interacting on Xbox Live in an environment way above what is suitable for their age.
For starters, the game in this video is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It is rated M for Mature by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) for Blood, Drug References, Intense Violence, and Language. The sale of M rated games is prohibited to anyone under the age of 17. So, in order for a young child attain such a game to begin with, someone has to be ignoring or turning a blind eye to the system, be it a parent or retailer.
Secondly, because these are online multiplayer games, any young child with access to an internet connection has the capability to enter into gaming sessions with much older users. This, in turn, subjects young gamers to even more explicit and age inappropriate content beyond the language, killing, blood, and gore that comes pre-packaged in the game.
Lastly, the worst part of this, and you will notice it in the video, is that children learn to conform to this environment. They get desensitized to the blood and violence and adopt a lot of the more colorful language that is used. All the while, seemingly good parents all over the world are either ignorant or turning a blind eye.
This is by no means a call to arms, and I am most certainly not a strong advocate of censorship. However, I do believe that certain content is inappropriate for some children, and, determining what is and isn't appropriate should never be solely based on a child's age. Parents have to understand that children develop and experience at different rates. There may not be an exact science to it, but having caring, aware, media literate parents would make a world of difference.
Ratings and regulations are great, but without good parenting they can't be very effective.
A great tool I would recommend for interested parents would be CommonSenseMedia.com
It is a website that posts detailed content information on all kinds of media including movies, television programs, videogames, books, and even YouTube videos, and what general age level they are appropriate for. It's very interesting stuff. Parents, check it out.
Take care,
Dustin
Saturday, September 4, 2010
...For the Kids
In Chapter 5 of W. James Potter's Media Literacy, he examines children as a special audience and how they are perceived by the public and policy making institutions.
The argument made in the chapter is that children, in general, should be sheltered from specific media based on the idea that they lack the maturity or experience to fully comprehend this media and its messages. It is believed that because children are going through cognitive, emotional, and moral developments, there needs to be regulations on media targeted at children. This ranges from various kinds of content censorship to advertisement regulations and beyond.
The argument made in the chapter is that children, in general, should be sheltered from specific media based on the idea that they lack the maturity or experience to fully comprehend this media and its messages. It is believed that because children are going through cognitive, emotional, and moral developments, there needs to be regulations on media targeted at children. This ranges from various kinds of content censorship to advertisement regulations and beyond.
All television programming, movies, and video games have a rating system they abides by. There are limitations on the length and content of commercial advertisements. There are "Parental Advisory" stickers on CD's with objectionable material. We now have content filters on our TV's and computers, acting as digital locks to keep children away from whatever material we want. All of these things are an attempt to protect the kids.
And it is obvious that children do need protection, but it's also obvious that not everyone shares the same experiences and not everyone matures at the same rate. Children shouldn't be exposed to certain material at certain ages, but I don't believe the primary regulator of this should be the FCC. It should be parents. Media literate parents should know their children and be able to make their own judgments on what material is and isn't suitable for them.
However, I don't really think there is an exact science to it. And like it or not, children are probably going to see things that parents don't want them to see. I know I did, but I'm pretty sure my parents think I turned out just fine.
A great tool I would recommend for interested parents would be the website CommonSenseMedia.
It is a website that posts detailed content information on all kinds of media including movies, television programs, videogames, books, and even YouTube videos, and what age level they are appropriate for. It's very interesting stuff. Parents, check it out.
Unless you want your kids watching things like this.
Take care,
Dustin
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