It's the Last Call for...Blogging

It's about that time, when Ricks starts flashing their lights, and Skeeps (poor Skeeps doesn't have their own website) puts on their shiners to drive out the crowds. It's approximately 1:55 and the night has come to an end. With only a couple more days left of actual "class" before finals start to kick in, the last call for blogging has begun. 

Oh blogging! It's been fun, but all good things must come to an end. Of course this blog doesn't really have to come to an end, but for the sake of devoting my time to more productive matters, such as 

becoming the best graphic designer, it's time to close up shop. 

In my last couple of posts, I began to reflect on what new media is, my relationship with new media, 

and lastly what I have truly learned in this course. In this very final post, I think it is only appropriate to continue this conversation, and perhaps come up with some final insights on the topic of: NEW MEDIA! I am dedicating this final post to New Media partly because I am supposed (guidelines for Blog Post #10), partly because New Media is going to be part of my future endeavors, partly because New Media is the "it" thing right now (TWITTER, tweet, tweet), and partly because this is what this blog is entitled... "New Media... Just Blog it."

New Media...Just Blog it....

Blog it!

After watching Epic, the video segment on Google taking over the world, I feel like I

 am supposed to be scared about new media, but I'm actually really not at all. Maybe becaus

e I already watched this video for a Communications class (I can't remember which one?).  I mean this is life, new media is life, it is the future, and I am more than fine with that. I am not

 necessarily "happy" about how the New York Times might become endangered, according to the futuristic minds of Epic's writers, and to its dismal sales in real life, but there is nothing to be done about it. Everything goes in waves. There are trends that sweep the world by storm, and then disappear just like that. Does anyone remember pogs?

Media conglomerates have ruled the world far before Google designed its homepage. Referencing back to Communications 361, with professor Russell Nueman, there are 5 different companies that own the world's media. 

1. Time Warner (AOL)

2. Disney (ABC/ Buena Vista motion pictures)

3. NewsCorp (Fox)- Rupert Murdoch

4. Viacom- Sumner Redstone

5. Bertelsmann

and in a close 6th: General Electric (NBC)

So would I be surprised if Google takes over everything (more 

specifically information), not really. It doesn't even matter if Google does succeed in this fete, it;s already being done (just not everyone is aware of it yet, or not so aware of it). The aforementioned companies are closing in on their new media acquisitions, and so the 5 media conglomerates are being transformed into the 5 "new" media conglomerates. Not so surprising, well at least for a Communication Studies major like myself.

New Media....Just Blog it

But, new media doesn't just allow major corporations to monopolize the information airwaves. New media allows people like you and me, to write their own blog, create their own podcast, and  design their own website. So it is irrelevant who owns what service or which company is being bought out today, because it is individual who rules. I produce my own content, and there is no filter, editor, or gatekeeper of information telling me what I can or can't create. New media facilitates the many-to-many module. "Many" produce new media content, and "many" more sort through youtube videos, and scavage the Internet for user-generated content. It's a free-for-all out there, anyone can get a piece. 

Although, anyone can be self-proclaimed new media-guru, some are better than others. Correction: some are more legitimate, credible, and thought-provoking. Of course it is a matter of opinion, on what you prefer to read, listen to, or watch, but there is quite a range in talent out there on the Internet. But, where do I fall into

 this spectrum of very good- good-not so good- average- bad- very bad? Perhaps I have taken some inspiration from the course-evaluation rating scale,

 but my proposed question is for real. Am I "good?" Or could I possibly be"great?" Of course I couldn't be "great" that wasn't even an option! Duh.

Perusing my old posts, I think I have progressed as a blogger throughout the semester. Writing a blog was something of a mystery to me, and it still is. Especially, because this blog is an "academic blog" (check out my older posts, I don't want to get into that discussion again), the lines of what to write about, and what style to write in are still hazy. But, I have broken out of that confused state, and embraced what I know: I write about me, what I think, and what I am up to. A little self-consumed, you might say? Well, of course it is, but a blog is about what the blogger thinks. The whole point of blogging is to share different opinions and perspective on subjects, and to create a forum for discussion. I hope I have accomplished this goal

 somewhat over the last couple of months.

New Media...Just Blog it

As this post comes to a close, I ask you are in we in the midst of a revolution? Has the 21st century brought about not only the worst economic recessions in years but also a new media revolution? As "What Sort of Revolution" claims, we are in revolution. Its nuts to say that 

we are in a revolution, but how can you say that while we are still in it (if we even are?). Its totally nuts, but its also totally new media. New media is in the now. You have an urge to say something, you go ahead and say it. So, today sure I think that we're in a revolution, and new media is that revolutionizing force. Maybe in five years I'll revisit this blog and think: wow that wasn't a revolution, but this is.

New Media...Just Blog it

Blog it

Blog it 

Blog it

club lights image retrieved from:www.myspace.com

thinking image retrieved from:school.discoveryeducation.com

5 image retrieved from: www.archetypeshardware.com

crowd image retrieved from: www.worldofstock.com

revolution image retrieved from: www.myspace.com

And it comes full circle: back to interactivity

It seems like yesterday when we were discussing what constitutes new media. Back then, our class neared towards the consensus that new media had to indeed be interactive. But, as we revisit this subject once again, does interactivity seem all that innovative? It's like when you discover something for the first time, and it seems amazing and totally revolutionary until all of a sudden it doesn't anymore. Is interactivity all that wild, or is it just a jaded talking point? I'll let you decide that one.

But, I think interactivity is still pretty cutting edge and still pretty cool. In returning to our roots of old versus new media, interactivity gives new media a total step up from let's say radio, tv, etc. I like to think of interactivity NOT as Manovich puts it (sorry Manovich!), but as James Milward does in "SXSW Interactive: A Panelist's Perspective."  What Milward puts in parentheses is what I took as one of the most crucial definitions of the concept of interactivity: "( or stories that the viewer could affect, choose or change the plot)". Perhaps my celebration of these parentheses phrase is somewhat skewed by the interactive adventures I went on afterwards, but who cares. I think Milward does a better job of getting across the idea of "interactivity" versus what Manovich does with all of his philosophical jibbering.

Oh and by the way, if you were wondering (I definitely was) tautology, according to Wikipedia, is "repetition of meaning, using different words to say the same thing twice, especially where the additional words fails to provide additional clarity." Well now that I have looked up that definition, Manovich makes some sense, and I am pretty happy that I can add a new word to my vocab last: tautology. 

Back to interactivity!

The subservient chicken was surely a treat, until I got bored of typing different things into the text box. First I typed in jump: the chicken jumped. Then I got a little more creative and typed in jumping jacks: the chicken flapped his wings. The I got restless and told the chicken to sit: he sat. Hmmm alright that was fun for a little, but how did that really sell more chicken at Burger King? Maybe I'm not hip enough, or maybe I'm just not a fast food junkie and can't understand the saturated fat lingo? Either or: I am dumbfounded.  I just can't figure it out, and so I left the site, satisfied that I could tell a chicken what to do and he listened but slightly confused because what was the point of that silly exercise? It was fun though, to have the chicken do whatever I told it (or typed it) to do, more than I can say for how my dogs behave!

Next stop: Dove. I must admit, I really dig Dove

ads, and I even buy their products (so that really says something)! But, actually its because I've been brand loyal since a very young age (I've been using dove bars of soap since forever), but to make the advertisers feel good, let's just say I was swayed by the imagery. Recently there has been an ad circulating where a girl is in the shower and she uses a scented body wash and the experience is invigorating and I get to see the cosmic practices at work! But, "Waking Up Hannah" did not have the same effect on me. It was entertaining at first when Dove (or the Barbarian Group) provided me with a segment featuring Hannah going out and losing her bag and her keys. Been there done that! Actually I thankfully didn't lose my keys (or purse for those non-east coasters) but I lost my ID which was even worse back in the under 21- days of my youth. But, then the fun part: I got to pick what happened to the rest of the story and ironically that is exactly when it went downhill. 

I couldn't remember what scent correlated to what personality and I just randomly picked one. Then, as the clip began I tried to think about what "personality" it was. Anyway, she woke up and the body washes appeared and I'm thinking that she was going to take a shower or something, but I guess I missed that part, because she went the whole day without even changing her clothes (besides the addition of a little jacket). Isn't this supposed to be a body wash interactive video? And the worst part was was that she had a blind date the same day! I don't mean to sound like hmmm idk what word to choose (I'll let you fill it in) but I was repulsed, especially because this was a Dove clip! Of course the message was that Hannah was "confident" with who she was, but does that really mean that you don't need to take a shower before you have a date! 

Oh my, I hope not! I still will buy my Dove body wash though.

Lastly, I checked out the Samsung link and I selected my icons and waited for the story to unfold. The video began, and then buffered, and began and then buffered. I decided to click out after the 3rd or 4th time. This buffering business also went on during the Dove interactive story. Buffering is really annoying, and the bottom line is that whomever is going to go to a company's website, has to be extraordinarily interested in the content or they are not going to sit patiently and wait for everything load. If a brand is going to upload interactive content for viewers it must be fun and interesting, but most of all convenient! Who really has time to sit at their computer all day to what for something to be "buffered?" Especially, when you know in the back of your mind that whatever is being buffered is trying to sell you something...

circle image retrieved from: www.collinatorstudios.com

Milward image retrieved form: www.flickr.com

subsurvient chicken image retrieved from: www.culture-buzz.fr

waking up hannah image retrieved from: www.culture-buzz.com

buffering image retrieved from: www.whatismaxcast.com

From procrastinating to embracing: My relationship with my podcast

As the final version of the podcast nears the due date, I am picking up the pace drastically. At first when I first learned about our enhanced podcast I was really excited to get to work on it. I was especially excited because I had garage band on my computer and I had yet to fiddle around with it. But that was in the beginning, and way before I actually even started by draft.

When I began writing my draft, I became extremely frustrated. I was trying so hard to create a balance between descriptive language and actually telling a story. I found myself piling on the adjectives and flowery language instead 

of getting to what I really wanted to say. Thanks to my critique partners, I straightened myself out and got back to what the podcast is supposed to be about: my relationship with technology. After completely revamping my draft I think that I am getting closer to accomplishing the goal of this podcast.

I was reading my draft to my mom Monday night and she actually enjoyed listening to it. 

She said that I kept her attention the whole time, which is pretty impressive because sometimes I lose her from the get-go.  From that moment on, I became motivated to work on my podcast more and more. After finishing my draft, I went straight to editing my music and looking for pictures to compliment my text. I became excited that I could possibly produce a successful podcast, instead of a boring one that listeners don't care to listen to. Of course my mom is a biased audience, because she is obviously interested in what I have to say (most of the time, except for boring papers on an unusual topics of course), but I think that my podcast has a definite audience appeal (or at least I hope so!)

I try to make my language suitable to listeners ears, while supplementing it with interesting details. I think I am on my way to producing a finished product that is better than what I had originally expected when I first started writing my draft. I hope everything goes to plan and that I am proud of my final version. Tonight, I will try my second attempt at recording my voice, and hopefully I will be more pleased with this version than the last one.

I think technology requires a lot of practice, and if you are willing to put in the time and effort learning a new program, producing a podcast, making a website, or writing your very own blog, they can all be very gratifying experiences. Its thrilling to step back from it all for moment and realize that I created this!

turtle image retrieved from: www.bradftizpatrick.com/store/images/products

race car image retrieved from: www.imageenvision.com/sm/0012-709-0421-2732

finish line image retrieved from www.leehansen.com