NDM Essay
The development of new/digital media means the audience is more powerful in terms of consumption and production. Discuss the arguments for and against this view.
Plan
Pluralism- Citizen Journalism- audiences produce content, footage of attacks, London, Paris etc, content is then used by news institutions who broadcast that content, essentially influencing consumption of news. News values no longer apply, there are no gatekeepers#
Marxism- Citizen Journalism- Eric Garner- person who filmed the incident was arrested- suggests that audiences are therefore not empowered. Institutions still have control.
Marxism- Brexit - immigration as hegemonic ideology- reproduction of status quo- Brexit always prioritised over other news stories. "illusion of empowerment" on social media and other opinion based platforms e.g blogs.
Pluralism- Take a Knee campaign- Colin Kaepernick (NFL) audiences challenging major institutions.
Marxism- Hyper reality (Baudrillard) and Alain de Botton- both against empowerment
Pluralism- Ofcom- Institutions no longer have the power they once had- audiences consuming news in different ways.
ESSAY
There are many ways in which the development of new and digital media empowers audiences in terms of consumption and production. The new generation of web-based material, otherwise known as Web 2.0 (O'Reilly 2005) has allowed people to interact with each other online, through various social networking sites. The internet is essentially a "universal platform" (Mirzoeff, 2015), that allows us to communities to share their views and opinions on the events of the world around them. Citizen Journalism and UGC provide a way in which audiences can control the content that it published and consumed. Furthermore, convergence allows audiences to consume news on various devices which also supports the idea of empowerment through consumption. Also, social media has allowed audiences to become empowered as we actively engage with various political events in today's society. However as new and digital media advances, there are a number of ways in which audiences are not powerful in terms of consumption and production. The reproduction of the status quo by the media (which is essentially controlled by major institutions) supports the idea of Marxism and goes against audience empowerment through consumption. In this essay I will be exploring the ways in which developments in new and digital media both empower and disempower audiences in terms of consumption and production.
Citizen Journalism allows audiences to produce content e.g footage of a significant moment that is happening near them, and distribute it to a number of people on social media. In most cases, news institutions often find these videos or pictures on social media sites such as Twitter and use them in their news stories. This allows this information to be consumed by a global audience and in turn suggests that the content provided by major news institutions is audience- driven. A recent example of this would be the footage of people running from London Bridge where a van rammed into some pedestrians on the pavement. The role that the audience play in providing this content therefore This therefore suggests that developments in new/digital media, empower audiences in terms of production and consumption, as it essentially allows audiences to take up the role of journalists and provide a global audience with content that is reliable and mostly accurate.
However from a Marxist perspective you could argue that citizen journalism still suggests that institutions are more powerful in terms of production. An example of this would be the Eric Garner case- the person who filmed the incident was arrested for filming the police officers attacking Garner. This shows us that institutions are more powerful as they decided to take action against someone who wanted to reveal the real story behind what happened. In a sense, institutions have found ways of mediating texts before they are published/ broadcast online, which essentially affects the way in which audiences consume texts. By depriving them of the empowerment of producing content that is most often truthful and reliable, institutions are able to maintain control by choosing what an audience can consume.
Similarly, institutions are seen to be more powerful in terms of consumption and production through the process of selecting certain news stories over others. A recent example of this would be Brexit as it is always prioritised over other news stories. This also links to some of Galtung and Ruge's News Values as Brexit is "familiar" to audiences (it involves Britain) and it involves "elite nations and people". You could also argue that the topic of immigration and its so called "negative " impact on the UK, is the hegemonic ideology, that is constantly referred to by major institutions. These values and ideologies therefore are indoctrinated within society, making it seem normal. This therefore shows us that institutions are more powerful in terms of consumption and production as they implement specific ideas with society that affect the way in which we interact with news. Ultimately, you could link this to the two step flow theory, as it links to how audiences tend to copy the way in which the "elite" react to texts.
On the other hand, you could also argue that audience are empowered in terms of consumption and production due to social media. Popular social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook highlight the power that audience has on the world we live in- we are constantly commenting on issues and political debates. Recently, the #TakeAKnee campaign has been widely credited for its ability to fight against racism in the US. Initiated by Colin Kaepernick, A NFL player, the campaign's cause mainly revolved around forms of violence in America and how it was unacceptable to take pride in the country that deals with police brutality, racism, and gun violence on a daily basis. This therefore shows us that audiences are empowered in terms of consumption as it shows that they are challenging the hegemonic ideologies that are provided by major institutions and expressing their own thoughts and opinions on the society that they live in. Moreover, it also demonstrates that major institutions, such as the NFL , are capable of going against the "status quo" and realising that the audiences options and viewpoints are crucial in today society as it allows us to see beyond the "mediated" news stories, and into the lives of the people in their communities.
In addition to this, audiences are also empowered in terms of consumption, due to technological convergence. In today's society most audiences access their news through social media or online news articles. A recent Ofcom report (2016) on the consumption of news in the UK states that 94% of 16-24 year olds access the news from social media, whereas 69% of adults access their news from the TV. This suggests that institutions no longer have the power they once had, as audiences are able to consume news in a number of ways. Some major news organisations such as the BBC and The Independent now rely on video based news rather than articles, as it is easier for audiences to share video based content on social media sites such as Twitter.
In conclusion there are a number of ways in which audiences are empowered through the consumption and production of new and digital media. Citizen journalism allows audiences to provide "reliable" and "accurate" footage of a significant event in society that is more representative of society than most news stories that are broadcast on the news. However alternatively, it could be argued that institutions still have power, as some cases (Eric Garner) show us that institutions have the ability mediate texts, and essentially control what the public sees. However, there are also many arguments suggesting that institutions are empowered in terms of production and consumption as they tend to maintain the "status quo" through their selection of specific news stories.
Plan
Pluralism- Citizen Journalism- audiences produce content, footage of attacks, London, Paris etc, content is then used by news institutions who broadcast that content, essentially influencing consumption of news. News values no longer apply, there are no gatekeepers#
Marxism- Citizen Journalism- Eric Garner- person who filmed the incident was arrested- suggests that audiences are therefore not empowered. Institutions still have control.
Marxism- Brexit - immigration as hegemonic ideology- reproduction of status quo- Brexit always prioritised over other news stories. "illusion of empowerment" on social media and other opinion based platforms e.g blogs.
Pluralism- Take a Knee campaign- Colin Kaepernick (NFL) audiences challenging major institutions.
Marxism- Hyper reality (Baudrillard) and Alain de Botton- both against empowerment
Pluralism- Ofcom- Institutions no longer have the power they once had- audiences consuming news in different ways.
ESSAY
There are many ways in which the development of new and digital media empowers audiences in terms of consumption and production. The new generation of web-based material, otherwise known as Web 2.0 (O'Reilly 2005) has allowed people to interact with each other online, through various social networking sites. The internet is essentially a "universal platform" (Mirzoeff, 2015), that allows us to communities to share their views and opinions on the events of the world around them. Citizen Journalism and UGC provide a way in which audiences can control the content that it published and consumed. Furthermore, convergence allows audiences to consume news on various devices which also supports the idea of empowerment through consumption. Also, social media has allowed audiences to become empowered as we actively engage with various political events in today's society. However as new and digital media advances, there are a number of ways in which audiences are not powerful in terms of consumption and production. The reproduction of the status quo by the media (which is essentially controlled by major institutions) supports the idea of Marxism and goes against audience empowerment through consumption. In this essay I will be exploring the ways in which developments in new and digital media both empower and disempower audiences in terms of consumption and production.
Citizen Journalism allows audiences to produce content e.g footage of a significant moment that is happening near them, and distribute it to a number of people on social media. In most cases, news institutions often find these videos or pictures on social media sites such as Twitter and use them in their news stories. This allows this information to be consumed by a global audience and in turn suggests that the content provided by major news institutions is audience- driven. A recent example of this would be the footage of people running from London Bridge where a van rammed into some pedestrians on the pavement. The role that the audience play in providing this content therefore This therefore suggests that developments in new/digital media, empower audiences in terms of production and consumption, as it essentially allows audiences to take up the role of journalists and provide a global audience with content that is reliable and mostly accurate.
However from a Marxist perspective you could argue that citizen journalism still suggests that institutions are more powerful in terms of production. An example of this would be the Eric Garner case- the person who filmed the incident was arrested for filming the police officers attacking Garner. This shows us that institutions are more powerful as they decided to take action against someone who wanted to reveal the real story behind what happened. In a sense, institutions have found ways of mediating texts before they are published/ broadcast online, which essentially affects the way in which audiences consume texts. By depriving them of the empowerment of producing content that is most often truthful and reliable, institutions are able to maintain control by choosing what an audience can consume.
Similarly, institutions are seen to be more powerful in terms of consumption and production through the process of selecting certain news stories over others. A recent example of this would be Brexit as it is always prioritised over other news stories. This also links to some of Galtung and Ruge's News Values as Brexit is "familiar" to audiences (it involves Britain) and it involves "elite nations and people". You could also argue that the topic of immigration and its so called "negative " impact on the UK, is the hegemonic ideology, that is constantly referred to by major institutions. These values and ideologies therefore are indoctrinated within society, making it seem normal. This therefore shows us that institutions are more powerful in terms of consumption and production as they implement specific ideas with society that affect the way in which we interact with news. Ultimately, you could link this to the two step flow theory, as it links to how audiences tend to copy the way in which the "elite" react to texts.
On the other hand, you could also argue that audience are empowered in terms of consumption and production due to social media. Popular social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook highlight the power that audience has on the world we live in- we are constantly commenting on issues and political debates. Recently, the #TakeAKnee campaign has been widely credited for its ability to fight against racism in the US. Initiated by Colin Kaepernick, A NFL player, the campaign's cause mainly revolved around forms of violence in America and how it was unacceptable to take pride in the country that deals with police brutality, racism, and gun violence on a daily basis. This therefore shows us that audiences are empowered in terms of consumption as it shows that they are challenging the hegemonic ideologies that are provided by major institutions and expressing their own thoughts and opinions on the society that they live in. Moreover, it also demonstrates that major institutions, such as the NFL , are capable of going against the "status quo" and realising that the audiences options and viewpoints are crucial in today society as it allows us to see beyond the "mediated" news stories, and into the lives of the people in their communities.
In addition to this, audiences are also empowered in terms of consumption, due to technological convergence. In today's society most audiences access their news through social media or online news articles. A recent Ofcom report (2016) on the consumption of news in the UK states that 94% of 16-24 year olds access the news from social media, whereas 69% of adults access their news from the TV. This suggests that institutions no longer have the power they once had, as audiences are able to consume news in a number of ways. Some major news organisations such as the BBC and The Independent now rely on video based news rather than articles, as it is easier for audiences to share video based content on social media sites such as Twitter.
In conclusion there are a number of ways in which audiences are empowered through the consumption and production of new and digital media. Citizen journalism allows audiences to provide "reliable" and "accurate" footage of a significant event in society that is more representative of society than most news stories that are broadcast on the news. However alternatively, it could be argued that institutions still have power, as some cases (Eric Garner) show us that institutions have the ability mediate texts, and essentially control what the public sees. However, there are also many arguments suggesting that institutions are empowered in terms of production and consumption as they tend to maintain the "status quo" through their selection of specific news stories.
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