End of Unit Question

13E New and Digital Media: end of unit question

We have reached the end of our unit introducing New and Digital Media and looking at the internet. Using your notes and anything relevant from the NDM stories you have read and posted online answer the following question:

There are always concerns about new technology. In your view, what are the possible benefits and problems attached to the Internet? 

You must include the following:

• An introduction
• Both sides of the argument
• At least three theorists or theories (e.g. Pareto's Law)
• Your opinion

In this essay I will be discussing New and digital media whilst looking at the internet and the concerns that come with new technology. There are a number of benefits and drawbacks to the internet.

The internet is a great and revolutionary concept that is used by over 2 billion people around the world. The internet has various advantages such as it makes information easily available and accessible; it promotes email correspondence, online chatting and education through online tutorials, and its gives individuals an opportunity of downloading software. The internet is an international computer network that makes e-mails and information from computers in places such as educational institutions, government agencies to be available to all.

There are a number of advantages of the internet for example freedom. It is arguable that people have more of a chance to be free and express them on the internet through the use of blogs and forums in which they are allowed to state their opinion to a mass audience. And this is one way in which the internet could be seen as a positive by giving those who may not be able to have an opinion in person to have one on the internet to a large audience.

However there are a number of negative aspects to the internet for example censorship children who are underage may have the problem of seeing uncensored. A great example of this would be pornography, this is so widely available on the internet that children may run into it due to lack of censorship

1) Information on almost every subject imaginable. 
2) Powerful search engines 
3) Ability to do research from your home versus research libraries. 
4) Information at various levels of study. Everything from scholarly articles to ones directed at children. 
5) Message boards where people can discuss ideas on any topic. Ability to get wide range of opinions. People can find others that have a similar interest in whatever they are interested in. 
6) The internet provides the ability of emails. Free mail service to anyone in the country. 
7) Platform for products like SKYPE, which allow for holding a video conference with anyone in the world who also has access. 
8) Friendships and love connections have been made over the internet by people involved in love/passion over similar interests. 
9) Things such as Yahoo Answers and other sites where kids can have readily available help for homework. 
10) News, of all kinds is available almost instantaneously. Commentary, on that news, from every conceivable viewpoint is also available. 


Disadvantages: 

1) There is a lot of wrong information on the internet. Anyone can post anything, and much of it is garbage. 
2) There are predators that hang out on the internet waiting to get unsuspecting people in dangerous situations. 
3) Some people are getting addicted to the internet and thus causing problems with their interactions of friends and loved ones. 
4) Pornography that can get in the hands of young children too easily. 
5) Easy to waste a lot of time on the internet. You can start surfing, and then realize far more time has passed than you realized. Internet and television together of added to the more sedentary lifestyles of people which further exacerbates the obesity problem. 
6) Internet has a lot of "cheater" sites. People can buy essays and pass them off as their own far more easily than they used to be able to do. 
7) There are a lot of unscrupulous businesses that have sprung up on the internet to take advantage of people. 
8) Hackers can create viruses that can get into your personal computer and ruin valuable data. 
9) Hackers can use the internet for identity theft. 
10) It can be quite depressing to be on the internet and realize just how uneducated so many people have become in today's society.

Hegemony in the age of New and Digital Media

The Ian Tomlinson case is a tragic story and shows the power of those who are higher up in society. Ian Tomlinson was an English newspaper vendor who collapsed and died on his way home from work after being brutally attacked by a police officer (Simon Harwood) during the G-20 summit protests. He was unlawfully killed and to make matters worse the video of his death was made viral through social media and video sharing sites such as YouTube. However at the time of his death the officer was considered to be carrying out his duties and the press said nothing of it. This is where digital media took action and normal people expressed their views strongly enough for the story to be covered and for Simon Harwood to be charged with manslaughter. However, despite the great efforts made and number of opinions on the matter shared by people through the use of digital media; the verdict was 'not guilty'. This is a prime example of how those at a higher level of authority still maintain power despite the shift of power through digital media, even though the case was popular (in a negative way) all over the internet, the man still got away with the charges and was free to go as of the 19th of July. Ultimately this could suggest that the power of digital media is strong as it brought the case into the equation, giving it so much coverage that the issue had to be addressed but evidently the officer was free to go, meaning that we don't really have as much power through digital media as we think and the politicians and those who are part of 'traditional media' are still and always will have more power.

The new and digital media is a huge aspect of media; covering social media sites such as Facebook and twitter which ultimately are a huge part of people’s lives. Not only does the new and digital media provide people who are considered to be lower than those in control of the hegemonic views presented in society (usually through traditional media) with a chance to express themselves through the use of social networks and blog sites but it arguably has an effect of what the actual hegemonic view in society is. And so it does in fact challenge the traditional dominant hegemonic views however at the same time it could agree with them. If an opinion is expressed enough by a large amount of people through the new and digital media than ultimately those in control of traditional media may begin to change their own opinions to the same in order to maintain power and control and this ultimately is an example of how new and digital media challenges traditional media.

The Ian Tomlinson case is a tragic story and shows the power of those who are considered to be higher up in society. Ian Tomlinson was an English newspaper vendor who collapsed and died in his way home from work after being brutally attacked by a police officer (Simon Harwood) during the G-20 summit protests. He was unlawfully killed and to make matters worse the video of his death was made viral through social media and video sharing sites such as YouTube. However at the time of his death the officer was considered to be carrying out his duties and the press said nothing of it. This is where digital media took action and normal people were able to express their views enough for the story to be covered and for Simon Harwood to be charged with manslaughter. However, despite the great efforts made and number of opinions on the matter shared by people through the use of digital media the verdict was 'not guilty'. This is a prime example of how those at a higher level of authority still maintain power despite the shift of power through digital media, even though the case was popular (in a negative way) all over the internet, the man still got away with the charges and was free to go as of the 19th of July. Ultimately this could suggest that the power of digital media is strong as it brought the case into the equation, giving it so much coverage that the issue had to be addressed but evidently the officer was free to go, meaning that we don't really have as much power through digital media as we think and the politicians and those who are part of 'traditional media' are still and always will have more power than the little people.

2) Do you agree that new and digital media challenges the traditional, dominant hegemonic views? Why?

Hegemonic

 http://www.itv.com/news/update/2013-07-29/nhs-warned-of-ridiculous-and-dangerous-111-helpline/

This article shows that NHS is being ridiculed in the article for the idea of bringing in the 111 helpline, claiming that it wouldn’t work.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/nhs/10443817/NHS-faces-ruin-and-it-will-take-brave-decisions-to-save-it.html

In any other year, this episode might be an isolated blunder. Instead, as the cold months start, it offers a parable of a health service in mortal danger.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/13/nhs-being-destroyed-labour

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/nov/13/maternity-care-funding-nhs-cuts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpjuSaSFKoo&safe=active

The hegemonic view is that the NHS is positive rather than negative and there was even a ceremony dedicated to them in the opening of the Olympics. Different sources share different opinions on this matter however they are mostly positive and any negative articles or materials put out are usually slandered by those with admiration for the NHS system. And so it is clear that the hegemonic 

word blogpost

In the start of Top boy we see a number of different representations of the youth being portrayed by certain characters in order to fit and represent the stereotype. Some are good and some more negative. In one scene we see a negative portrayal of the youth where one student snatches money of an older womens hand which shows a lack of respect and thus presents the youth in a negative way. However there were positive representations of the youth for example the students goes home and waits for his mother to come which shows them as responsible and caring which is a positive representation.

Gerbners cultivation theory suggest the more audience watch  or live in a TV reality the more they are likely to believe any of the representations that are being shown in that reality. In this scenario, top boy shows scenes of drug use and drug dealing by a black male which therefore makes those who believe the reality believe the black males are drug dealers and thus reinforces the stereotype.

How i remember my theories

alvarodo - PHDE
said - Superior west vs exotic east
fanon white mask

Yasmin and Saids Theory

Does it offer positive or negative representation of British Muslims?
To a certain extent it provides a positive representation of them as it shows they are very calm people who follow their religious values which can be seen as positive. Alternately we get a negative representation of the British by being racist.

To extent does it reinforce or challenge Said's theory of Orientalism - that the west is superior to the exotic or dangerous east?
The muslim man who was eating peanut butter out of the jar with his finger which reinforces this theory by Said that the eastern are uncivilized

Lagardere Group Fact Sheet

Lagardère is a French multinational mass media company head-quartered in Paris, France. The group is led by Arnaud Lagardere and does business in roughly 30 countries including France and parts of western Europe. It was founded in 1992 after a major year of restructuring.

Lagardere own a number of media products. There main focus has now become media however they also own a number of retail outlets. A list of products they own:

- Books

- Magazines

- E-publishing

- Radio stations

- Online Content

- Broadcasting rights

Below is some financial information on the company. 

Here is the distribution of sales by geographic area in the year 2012.

France - 36%

Western Europe - 32%

Eastern Europe - 12%

USA and Canada - 10%

Asia-Pacific - 7%

Other countries - 3%