Reaction: Digital Movies

The discussion of the impact that digitalization has had on the movie industry is complex and profound, and certainly extrapolated to go on. From the specific technology in use to view film, to the massive impact it has had on society, digital movies are a cornerstone in the conversation of media convergence.

I will be summarizing, analyzing, and extracting insight from a presentation by a group of students in Dr. Xia's COM 264 Introduction to Media Convergence Class. The group in question did a marvelous gaining the knowledge and presenting it to their audience in true form: with the mantra of media consumption surrounding every clip, image, design, and formatted paragraph.

The group began with a history of cinema. The information flowed cleanly and demonstrated that society's demand for immersive and creative viewing pushed the envelope of innovation; that new technologies like a full-wall movie screen was a consumer-driven demand. Such small moves create lasting effects, like the pillar of media convergence: participatory culture.

Next, they mentioned the equipment used to make movies. They focused on the trend of expensive, high-resolution cameras. They used the example of Black Swan, and how a certain scene was shot with a camera that an eager consumer could purchase at any time. They rounded this example with a lesson in media convergence that society will always demand more surreal experiences from artificial interactions, like movie-viewing.

Then, they moved on to the global impact of cinema, movie technology, and the culture that it bore. They mentioned how industries grew from it, like video games and television. They were honest about the culture phenomena that appear when certain blockbusters hit the theaters, and how much money and discussion it creates, opening the door for civic exploration.

Lastly, the group dove further into the societal aspect of digital movies, citing plenty of examples of ethical issues. Their main example was that of editing and how it can create a false sense of perfection that leads impressionable people astray from a place on contentedness and fulfillment. They showed an engaging time lapse of the editing process that captured our attention and blew us away.

Overall, this group was very successful at teaching the class the evolution of digital movies and the impact they've made, all the while tying notions of media convergence to create a complete picture.

COM 264 Xia Podcast

Podcast URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/43256/265094-rider-u-communications-4-20-15

Podcast RSS Feed: http://www.buzzsprout.com/43256.rss

Citizen Journalism & aggregation

The concept of citizen journalism continues to confound journalists, academics, and students alike. All too often, the lines between the professional journalist and the ordinary citizen become blurred. Many would say this is a wonderful idea. Others disagree.

The more active the population is in publicizing information, the more the people are informed, and in a democracy, you can't have much better. While certainly idealistic, there is a purpose to professional journalism. Mainly: objectivity.

The more that the ordinary citizen becomes involved in producing news, the less trustworthy it become and the likelihood of bias heightens.

Last but not least, the professional and skilled journalists become packed in with the unskilled and uneducated citizens, effectively neutralizing their hard work. What about the credit they deserve?

One specific way that citizens become journalists, and the less skilled become noteworthy news producers is called aggregation.

What is aggregation?

Most buzzfeed and Huffington Post articles you read are aggregative journalism. They've taken content from different sources and published it as a single story. They make heavy use of links and attributions throughout the story as not to violate copyright laws. They get the benefit of producing content without having to find, organize and report the story.

Here is an example. The original topic span over a long time period. This piece is a large summary based on the reports as they were released by The Guardian. To give another example, I found this link by researching aggregation.

How can aggregation be ethical?

Aggregation is journalism, too. It must have an added value in order to differentiate from the original piece. If it didn't come in a new, transformed way, then it's theft.

Blogger Steven Buttry put it best: "link, attribute, add value"

In a further condensed version, blogger Mindy McAddams gave this guideline in her post based on Buttry's post:

"Always link to the original source.

Always include clear attribution (in addition to the link). For an example, see the first paragraph of this post.

“Attribution helps consumers evaluate the reliability of information.” (Buttry)

Always use quotation marks (as in the previous item) when you copy and paste someone else’s text.

Add value to the material — add original reporting, updates, analysis (see examples below).

Another way to add value is to summarize and/or compare reports from several other sources.

Do not simply copy information, especially from unknown or unreliable sources.

Part of the value that you add is that you are using only sources that you trust."

Aggregation may be under heavy scrutiny because it's new(er). But it has cemented its place in Journalism. Like all other forms of reporting: it must be done right.

Thus, the tide of citizen journalism continues to swell. Although unfathomable, Buzzfeed and Huffington Post will eventually fall and some other form of infotainment will take its place. Sites like these may fail to integrate the average person for the next big site, that takes citizen journalism to levels we cannot even imagine now.

Podcast Questions

1.  How does podcasting fit into the organizational communication in business, non-profit, and academic contexts?

Podcasting can be a very effective tool in communicating any message, whether it be business, non-profit, or academic. It is an opportunity for an organization to create a segment of short or sufficient time diving into a certain topic. This is beneficial for marketing or brand building. It can be crafted in nearly any way and has a wide-open opportunity for creativity.

2.  Why does the speaker say that podcasting extends message?

The speaker believes that podcasting extends the message to a more personal sound. It adds the personal element of voice to the communication. Different types of people will align better with listening to someone's voice, or, their availability is restricted to listening. Lastly, it allows for someone to speak at length about something, or have a real-time conversation broadcasted for someone to listen to at any time.

3. How does podcasting encourage participation culture according to the speaker?

According to the speaker, podcasting can encourage participatory culture in major ways. First, business and organizations can pay attention and read the RSS feed actively during their shows, analyze the data on those tuning in, and adapt their approach to better suit their customers. Second, like radio, it functions live in real-time, allowing for listeners to call in and engage with the show personally. 

4. What are the three critical elements of development for a successfully media when the speaker talks about email, blogging, and online ad? Why does podcasting have the three elements?

The three elements of podcasting are:

1. Episodes must be posted on a regular basis.

Listeners are eager and waiting for more. A podcast will lose their interest if it isn't posted regularly.

2. Don't overdue ad placement.

Blatant advertising attempts are annoying to listeners and disrupt the show. They must be placed infrequently and they must be subtle.

3. Tailor the show to the audience, not the product.

Get the audience to be personally engaged in the message of the show, not the product or brand it sells. They won't come back for the product, they will come back for the connection they felt. 

5. How does the concept of digital media convergence get applied in podcasting when the speaker discusses the compounding media?

Digital media convergence has a place in podcasting as well. Podcasts are accessible from multiple platforms and require that listeners have the technology to connect themselves to the media. It encourages participatory culture because the audience directs the show, not the producer. It also guides business models and has an active hand in the total communication of the company.

It's the Audience, Stupid! COM 264

It’s the Audience, Stupid!

What is the new approach to storytelling and how is it being used to broaden audiences?

            The new approach to storytelling integrates digital media. It’s fast-paced, relevant, and has to keep the audience in mind. Reporters and news stations listen closely to what the viewers want and deliver. This opens the content wide open and allows the audience to expand.

How is digital media being used to engage audiences?

            Digital media makes the news content easily available to all types of audiences. Anyone can read, post, comment, and share news. Better, anyone can call in, participate in a survey, or throw in their voice.

Give three specific examples of how you can incorporate storytelling into an article you write?

            Storytelling is necessary in order to engage an audience. First, It needs to have a narrative. There needs to be plot: first, middle, last. It needs to flow. Second, it needs to be compelling. Exploring the human condition is universal; recounting personal experiences easily pulls in an audience. Lastly, it needs to respond to current issues. Being a story requires relevancy. If there is an issue that people are talking about, then keep talking about it!

All the Aggregation That’s Fit to Aggregate

What does aggregation mean?

            Aggregation is the sharing of news stories and media.

Why does the author describe Arianna Huffington as “the queen of aggregation?”  Go to the Huffington Post and provide an example.

            Arianna Huffington is the “queen of aggregation” because her website, The Huffington Post, does not create its own material, but spreads others material. It becomes compartmentalized within categories within the Huffington Post, altered a little,  then shared massively. People trust the articles coming from the Huffington Post, too.

Is aggregation a threat to professional journalism – why or why not?

            Yes and no. Aggregation diminishes the creative work of the original writer by largely paraphrasing and removing “superfluous” parts. This is a disservice to the reporter and trains the reader to look for less from an article. It isn’t a threat because professional journalism can evolve with it, and it is likely that more money will be found in aggregation in the future.

Photojournalism in the Age of New Media

A professional journalist receives a photo captured by a citizen journalist….

·      What are the positives?

-       The journalist gets free media.

-       The citizen gets to help write the news.

-       The media is present and relevant.

·      Why does the professional journalist need to be careful?

-       The journalist wasn’t there to verify the situation.

-       The citizen may ask for compensation.

-       The citizen may have issues with their ownership rights.

-        

·      Why might the content of the photo be called into question?

- The photo could have been altered.

·     How does citizen photojournalist impact the job of the professional photojournalist?

-       Journalists get the help of the common citizen, who is eager to help.

-       The expertise of the journalist is underminded.

COM 264 "Youtube" Questions

1.     How does the interaction online become the key for YouTube video production community? Please use the media convergence concept to explain it.

Online interaction is paramount for the Youtube community. It allows for viewers to comment and provide feedback, and even allows the creator to then engage in dialog with the viewers. The creator can also use many tools like the "like v dislike" feature to get a general feel for how their products are being received. This is, in essence, the nature of digital convergence. It calls for an active participation and an engaged consumer, and Youtube delivers those concepts.

2.     The article mentioned that the teens are mainly passively consumers of YouTube being on the periphery. But seven out of 10 most subscribed partners are teens and young adults. How do you explain this use of YouTube in youth?

The youth on Youtube are not interested in providing that level of feedback. They go as far as subscribing, and then are reluctant to provide feedback. I believe this is because, to the youth, there are always more options. There's no point in trying to change one person's behavior when they may move to another YouTuber that better matches their expectations.

3.     How does YouTube use different techniques to create an online community that is different from other websites?

Youtube relies virtually only on their users to create their online community. They value everything and anything a user contributes to the community. They make these contributions clear and heard by the producer as well. At any time, someone within the community can use voices of their viewership to further develop their persona. The wide-open environment and plethora of content, threaded by constant dialog, has created a user-driven culture.

4.     What is the next step for YouTube development? Please use the concept of participatory culture and media development theory we discussed to explain your answer.

The next step, no matter how far-fetched it may sound, is to create the YouTube experience as immersive and realistic as possible. The media development theory dictates that we look for media to be as "natural" as possible. We want to participate in a culture that is streamlined by technology but does not lose any of the natural sensations from face to face communication. Therefore, the next step is to create 3-dimensional experiences. Or, further, dabble in virtual reality and other simulators.

community? Please use the media convergence concept to explain it.



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Web 3.0

Web 3.0 is the present evolution of the world wide web. In Web 1.0, the information was passed through one space and could not be returned in any form. In Web 2.0, information could be exchanged at a fast pace that allowed producers and consumers to communicate. Web 3.0 takes Web 2.0 and launches it into the future.

Web 3.0 is the concept of the computer processing thought as much as a human does. It makes assumptions, thinks ahead, organizes ideas, communicates them, all like a human would. It applies meaning to bytes of code and interprets it on behalf of the user.