Transcript of We Media & Democracy

7 Questions for you to answer based on the Prezi earlier in blog

Introduction to studying 'We Media' and Democracy

• What is 'We Media'?

Gillmor defines it as: ordinary people creating their own media e.g. blogging, file sharing, video uploading, podcasting, wikis, 2nd Life etc

The important thing is that it uses easily accessible technologies.

• So what is Democracy? A society founded on equality - the people who make the decisions are elected and accountable.

Gillmor believed that the power of the media rested in too few hands (he called these the Big Media) but he also believed that access to  the internet would challenge that  supremacy as the 'former audience'  made its own media and media decisions therefore making it more democratic.

• Activity 1: Do a chart of the pros and cons of Big Media versus We Media

See article by the BBC on Rupert Murdoch - Discuss.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23175564

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14111966

Murdoch: Could his US empire be affected?

Key issues to think about are:  
• Access       • democracy    

• truth     • bias / fairness / impartiality                               • representation                   • privacy

• Activity 2: What are the issues with these?

Spidergram the issues with points springing off them.

• Activity 3: Research the time frames for these and draw a time line for them:

            • look up CNN on wikipedia find out:

            • which news events were they famous for breaking.

            • when did CNN go to 24 hr rolling news?

            • when did BBC news get its 24 hr news channel going?

            • when did ITV and when did it 'can' it?

            • when did YouTube get started?

            • look up Twitter and find out what events it has played a major part in.

            • when did the internet get started

            • what year did CERN announce the advent of the world wide web?

            • make a list of particularly news worthy events which have been covered on 24 hr news and any specific digital technologies which have played a part in the story or   its dissemination. (over the past two years)

                                

• Activity 4: do research into the accessibility of the internet in different parts of the world.

See this article about Hong Kong http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-29420802]

Now for some key terms:

                                                • Hegemony and

                                                • Ideology

make sure you understand these and can use them accurately.  

(Dictionary def in your exercise books too)

• Activity 5: Choose one of these to research:

                               • Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation

                               • the BBC

                               • Richard Branson and his Virgin Media Empire

                               • CNN

                               • Fox News

                               • Google

                               • EMap

• Write a brief summary of their history and the ethos and beliefs held or espoused by the company.

• Describe and explain the effect of any of their ideological or hegemonic views.

This clip is Noam Chomsky on 'manufacturing consent'      - [5 mins]

https://prezi.com/mjequmlagxnh/studying-we-media-and-democracy/

• This clip is about democracy and digital technologies   -   [1 1/2 mins]

https://prezi.com/mjequmlagxnh/studying-we-media-and-democracy/             

• This clip is about the internet and its influence on politics

https://prezi.com/mjequmlagxnh/studying-we-media-and-democracy/

• This clip is about China and Google.

https://prezi.com/mjequmlagxnh/studying-we-media-and-democracy/

• What hegemonic and ideological views are displayed in this clip?

What about Freedom of Speech?

    • look at the 'mother-in-law's e-mail' [see document handed out]

    • and super-injunctions?

    • watch Ryan Giggs and Twitter - mocked on 'Have I Got New For You.'

• Activity 6: Write an assessment of the conflicting issues involved in freedom of the press versus the rights of the individual to privacy giving examples from stories in the media in recent times.

• Watch clips of the news about the London riots and the role of social networks. Search and collate evidence to form opinions. Relate to theorists.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14457809

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14442203

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/mar/28/uk-riots-twitter-facebook

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2011/08/the-two-sides-of-social-networking-on-display-in-the-london-riots/

• Activity 7: 'What will happen next? The role of Twitter and social networking sites.'

Discuss and write an overview of your findings.