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!
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
I hate/love to play the cynic and devil's advocate, but your tolerance towards corporations taking over yet another user-created medium vehicle is disheartening.
ReplyDeleteGoing back to the time when radio was the new thing, there were tons of independent radio stations all broadcasting talks and shows.
The consumers were also the producers and radio was a great place to express one's feelings to the world.
But then corporations stepped in to take advantage of radio and took over so that it's nearly impossible to find a station that's independently owned.
Next up was TV.
Television was full of small company stations when it gained popularity but they were quickly bought up by corporations to expand their empire and make more money.
Now there's the internet which was completely built by the user generated content.
Now big corporations want more and more of the independent internet sites.
Even worse, internet providers want to make parent or partner corporation sites faster while limiting connection to any other websites so traffic goes to them as opposed to the smaller sites.
Comcast, for example, as limited peer-to-peer (P2P) connections for the hell of it even though P2P networks contain much of the user generated content on the web.
It disappoints me to know that you don't really mind conglomerates from taking over yet another great vehicle for media.
Who knows if anyone will be able to write as freely as we do today in ten, five, or even just a year from now.
Remember, US citizens have the right to write about whatever they want, but owners of websites have the the right to publish, which means if Google doesn't like a blog on blogger, they have the right to take it down -- and they have!
Don't be fooled into thinking everything will be ok since it's "natural" for large corporations to take over.
New media isn't inherently ours, we have to fight for the right to do what we please on the internet.
Also, Viacom is owned by National Amusements which also controls CBS.
I too believe that the whole point of this new media business is the sharing of information. If nothing else, the internet has allowed us the resources and speed to share vast texts nearly instantly. In this respect, the breadth of the internet, it's hard to imagine Google really taking over information.
ReplyDeleteOn the flip side, with a unified, mind you business-oriented, source of information, the number of voices speaking may be trimmed down. This could be beneficial, cutting down the junk heavily dispersed on the net. It can also be harmful though, as censorship of any sort is an attack on our core as a society... the ability to communicate. As much as it'd be great to have some of the louder, irrational voices cut off, I wouldn't be too pleased if someone told me that my opinion no longer counts. Would you?