Please make every attempt to have a Draft 2 exported and on your blog before Specsavers come on Monday/Tuesday.
Even if you don’t export it, make sure you have something to show them.
Collate some pertinent questions for them – technical and creative. They are superstars!
Make sure you export it and upload it to your blog and reflect on it – it doesn’t have to be perfect or even complete but you have to march on with the drafts and the reflection.
Reflect on their advice.
Include screen shots of the technical tricks they taught you and also any youtube videos that would help.
Target what you need to do and focus on either production or post-production wise.
Remember to say they were from the Creative Department at Specsavers, otherwise it reads as though a load of random opticians came in!
To understand how the evolving media environment has led to divisions and culture wars in our society.
Media Concepts:
Audience, Representation, Industry, Language
The Big Debate:
Social media has led to a fragmented audience and conflicting representations of the world.
Lesson Plan:
Starter or Retrieval (TBC)
How has social media lead to tribalism
Understand The Culture Wars
Case Study Exploration (Sex, Gender and Trans Rights)
Plenary Discussion: Identity, media and culture wars
Key vocabulary:
Tribalism, culture wars, polarisation, democracy, prosumer, cognitive surplus, influencer, the two-step-flow model, participatory media
Media Theorists:
Gauntlett, Shirky & Jenkins
Definitions & BIG IDEAS
TRIBALISM, formerly know as FANDOM
To be part of something, to belong, to have a community is a human need that has been programmed into our genres (nature) and culture (nurture).
With the introduction of converged technology and globalisation, a new kind of ‘tribalism’ has been born. A fandom (Jenkins), of ideas and influences and polarised identities…
Task 2
Watch this video and answer the questions on this document (TBC).
Task 3 (Pair and Share)
Explain your understanding of the idea of, ‘A Culture War.’
In small groups consider the following questions, nominate a scribe to make notes.
Alternatively this could be done on a shared document / slideshow.
Consider the following questions…
What do you mean by ‘culture?’
Where is this ‘war’ taking place?
Who or what are the different sides in this ‘war?’
What weapons do they use to attack each other?
What are they fighting for?
Who or what is getting hurt in this war?
Task 4: Explore a current case study
In pairs read through the articles below. Take one each.
Eddie Izzard on Trans Rights (Click)High court ruling on the definition of sex. (Click)
Class Discussion
Discuss the ways in which this is an example of a “culture war.”
How would Shirky say that participatory media and cognitive surplus has driven this social problem.
What would David Gauntlett say about how media can shape and define our identities?
Can this be described as a sort of tribalism?
In what ways can we heal this division in our society?
Note
Note: We understand that this is a difficult debate and there are strong feelings and views on both sides. We don’t have time during the lesson, but if you would like to learn more about gender theory and the difference between sex and gender, watch this video featuring Judith Butler.
Task 5: Plenary
Discuss how we might use this case study to answer the following question
‘Given the dominance of global media, there are now few opportunities for local voices to be expressed.’ How far do you agree with this statement? [30]
Learning Intention: To explore how (media) language and representations are changing in the evolving media ecology as a consequence of changing ideologies and communication technology.
Exam Questions:
To what extent have new technologies influenced the style and form of traditional media? [30]
Some definitions:
Media Language is:
Signifiers in media texts which signify ideas & stimulate emotional responses.
A signifier = a unit of meaning: a man, a low brimmed hat, low-key lighting, a wide shot, eerie whistling, cut to a cat rubbing against the man’s leg. Individually separately mean very little, but combine the codes you have…meaning and representation.
Representation is:
The ideas and values about a person, place, event… encoded in a media text, which communicates an ideology, whether that be mainstream, counter cultural or personal.
Just look at how one ‘right wing’ paper has consistently represented the Conservative prime ministers over time…
Task 1 (Discussion)
Why do representations change over time?
What tools do you now possess in order to represent yourself and your lifestyle?
Think about your own representation – you ‘brand’ yourself. Let’s get personal.
How is your online identity different from your identity in school?
(Negotiated Identity – Gauntlett)
How did old media represent society?
Once upon a time… Baby Boomers and Gen X all received similar message because their choices were so narrow. You might suggest that these generations had much greater sense of their identity, as they lived in traditional communities which were defined for them by a few media channels
In the UK we had 3 TV Channels until 1982 when Channel 4 was launched. So, 4 channels!
So, how does new media represent society and its ideologies?
Now… Millennials and Gen Z exist within a technologically converged and democratised media ecology, including influencers and pundits, and literally million upon millions of competing representations. You might argue that representation is now a contested space (a culture wars some might describe that) and that competing (media) language and representations are more diverse and fragmented than ever!
Aside
Baudrillard, one of our postmodern theorist, argued that:
“…we live in a world where there is more and more information, and less and less meaning”.
With the advent of fandom, tribes and converged technology representation is as broad as it is wide. A multitude of representations, interpretations and ideas.
We have created factions and fandoms but also brought people together.
Some examples of new media language:
Like & Shares
TikTok Video
Virtual Reality
Instagram filters
User generated content
Fan generated content
AI generated text, images and video
Abbreviated language – restricted characters
Hashtags #
Emojis (Peaches & Eggplants) – LOL
Tribe language / jargon:
“Hi Guys, I just though I would jump on here, Grafting, My type on paper, No Carbs before Marbs”
Graphics / Colour Palettes
User Experience and User Interface all designed to guide our consumption.
Photoshop & all editing software
Advertising Slogans… “Just do It” “MAGA”
Spam, Clickbait & Pop ups
Recommendations
Avatars
Memes – (often require cultural competence)
A Universal Language
There is a universality to the image and the meaning encoded. Perhaps the hieroglyph / emoji / meme is the new ‘language.’
Participation, Ritual and Cross Media Convergence
EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF AGE, SEX, RELIGION TAKE PART IN THESE RITUALS – THE DANCING CRAZES…EVEN TV ADVERTISING WE BUY ANY CAR.COM RECENT ADVERT HAS ONE OF THE TIK TOK DANCE CRAZES ON IT – it means so much more to those who are culturally competent and ‘get’ the intertextual reference.
Which representations have changed?
All of them…including gender, race, age, social class, power & status, nationality, ability and disability, ethnicity… see Gauntlett & Lynx ads
More on Gauntlett & the Fluidity of Identity
REPRESENTATION & REALITY TV
Reality TV is new media form which employs cross media convergence and synergy. It has become a dominant and highly profitable format which dominates TV schedules and the online space. (Hesmondhalgh).
This format masquerades as reality, but it is merely a RE-PRESENTATION of reality. It is mediated through a producer and an editor and then our own cultural situation & competence (Hall). Everything we did in Postmodern Media
Add to this list of representations
Hypersexualised
Romantic ideation
Relationships
Filtered lives
Charlie Brooker on Editing & the Artifice of Reality TV
Stuart Hall (once again) on the roll of Media Studies in questioning ideologies and identities shared by mainstream media.
Key Learning: ‘In what ways is the media an extension of ourselves?’
`We become what we behold. We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us.’ McLuhan
Possible questions that might ask for a comparison of traditional media and new media and its impact on societies and also how technologies have always impacted on society.
‘New media will eventually replace traditional media.’ To what extent do you agree with this statement? You should refer to at least two media forms in your answer. [30]
‘We talk about print, film, TV and radio as separate media, but these are all converging and will be impossible to tell apart in the future.’ Evaluate the evidence which supports this view. [30]
To what extent have new technologies influenced the style and form of traditional media? [30]
Analyse the significance of a particular technological development in the media. [30]
To understand this, is to understand much of Media Ecology!
A Recap and a New Concept
The Lenses of Media Studies (we have used during the course)
Traditional Media , a definition
Media that existed prior to the internet, including print, radio, and broadcast television.
New Media – definition
Communication that uses digital technologies such as the internet.
A brief history of media throughout time
And there are huge differences between the impacts of traditional media v new media.
Task 1 – in pairs
Explore the evolution of media and the impact (superpowers) these new media tools have offered humankind.
Click for slideshow
Using the printed copies annotate the images.
Add callouts at each stage of the evolution of humankind and describe what new powers and abilities each stage has given to society, culture and the individual.
In essence, ‘How has each stage of new media technology acted as an, ‘Extension of humanity?’ To coin a phrase from Marshall McLuhan.
Task 2
Help your teacher to create a list on the board for as many advantages and disadvantages for society pre 1990 and post 1990 (the advent of the internet) in terms of what and how media operated. You may have to interrogate your teacher. For example, how did they organise their social life? How did they listen to music?
Some suggestions are in classroom.
And the future – AI and the Metaverse?
We already come across AI on a daily basis:
ALGORITHMS
CHAT BOTS
PREDICTIVE TEXT
But what is the metaverse? We have gone from Web 1.0 (a digital screen that you read but couldn’t interact with) to Web 2.0 that became participatory through a screen and Web 3.0 will take us through to the Metaverse – instead of interacting through the screen, we will be inside the screen.
Don’t think that will ever happen? Well, only a few years ago, we would never have believed we could have spoken face to face, to Aunty Beryl in New Zealand whilst on a bus in Bognor. The magic is ongoing.
The real problems arising are: security, addiction, safety and of course – how reality will be impacted – what indeed, will be reality? Will the representation of reality, become more real than other interactions and experiences?
Learning Intention: To explore what is meant by ‘The Data or Surveillance Economy.’
This was one of the questions from JUNE 2021
‛The media control how we understand and connect with the world.’ To what extent do you agree with this statement? [30]
We need to investigate and research the following areas so that if a similar question came up – we would be ready to answer it.
So we need to consider the following areas:
the relationships between software, hardware and audiences
convergence of personal communication technology and mass communication technology.
the changing nature of media ownership and distribution models including net neutrality
impact on society of technological change including the collection and sharing of information and data protection
Task 1 – Google Bingo
How many ways do you think Google could track your browsing and what kind of information might they be gathering from us. With a partner, list as many as you can and then share them with the class.
But could we actually be complicit in our acceptance of tracking, data surveillance? Is it just something we have come to accept and not challenge?
A digital panopticon
The digital panopticon
The panopticon was a prison designed by Jeremy Bentham, in which any one prisoner in a gaol could be observed by a prison guard secretly at any given time without the prisoner’s knowledge. The prisoners would therefore police themselves, as they were constantly under the assumption that an authority figure might be spying on them at any time, a bit like God if you think about it! This oppressive and authoritarian system is NOTHING compared to the surveillance economy in which our every click, view, movement, relationship, purchase, opinion…is being watch and scrutinised by a tech giant conglomerate, whose agenda does not align with our best interests. A conglomerate who will sell our data to other companies in order to sell us stuff and political parties who can use the data to influence our vote. In authoritarian regimes this data can be used to ensure the citizens remains loyal and do not challenge the status quo!
A personal question
Is anyone prepared to share their browsing history with the class? No, probably not. But we seem happy to be tracked by complete strangers in far off countries. Moreover, we give these people (& their algorithms) permission to analyse that data in order to learn our preferences and triggers in order to shape our media consumption.
Why is that I wonder? Seems like a cognitive dissonance!
Task 2 – your teacher will read this short article to you
With a partner – sum up what it is saying about our lives living in the shadow of continual data surveillance on our favourite converged technology device.
Task 3 – The Facebook data debacle and Twitter too!
A couple of years ago there was a story (a really important case study) which revealed, for the first time, just how devious and manipulative social media data is monetised and used to shape our values, attitudes, beliefs and most importantly voting behaviours!
What do you think about your time and attention being monetised?
How do you feel about Facebook monetising your data, by selling your data to advertisers and political groups so that they can influence you more effectively?
Task 4 – The Right to be Forgotten
That’s why we have data protection and a right to be forgotten.
Even though we are not part of the EU, the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) still applies.
“Jamie Bartlett traces the story of how and why social media companies have become the new information gatekeepers, and what the decisions they make mean for all of us.
It’s 20 years since Facebook launched and the social media we know today – but it all started with a crazy idea to realise a hippie dream of building a “global consciousness”. The plan was to build a connected world, where everyone could access everyone and everything all the time; to overthrow the old gatekeepers and set information free.
But social media didn’t turn out that way. Instead of setting information free – a new digital elite conquered the world and turned themselves into the most powerful people on the planet.
Now, they get to decide what billions of us see every day. They can amplify you. They can delete you. Their platforms can be used to coordinate social movements and insurrections. A content moderator thousands of miles away can change your life.
What does this mean for democracy – and our shared reality?
It starts in the summer of love, with a home-made book that taught the counter-culture how to build a new civilisation – and accidentally led to the creation of the first social media platform. But a momentous decision in the mid-2000s would turn social media into giant advertising companies – with dramatic ramifications for everyone. To understand how we arrived here, Jamie tracks down the author of a 1996 law which laid the groundwork for web 2.0; interviews the Twitter employees responsible for banning Donald Trump who explain the reality of ‘content moderation‘; and speaks to Facebook’s most infamous whistle-blower in a dusty room in Oxford. He goes in search of people whose lives have been transformed by the decisions taken by these new gatekeepers: a father whose daughter’s death was caused by social media, a Nobel prize winning journalist from the Philippines who decided to stand up to a dictator and the son of an Ethiopian professor determined to avenge his father’s murder. Far from being over, Jamie discovers that the battle over who controls the world’s information has only just begun.”
Introducing Johnathan Haidt, remember him from The Social Dilemma?
Author Jonathan Haidt joins Morning Joe to discuss his new book ‘The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness’.
As well as calling for school phone bans, Haidt argues that governments should legally assert that tech companies have a duty of care to young people, the age of internet adulthood should be raised to 16, and companies forced to institute proper age verification – all eminently sensible and long overdue interventions.
AUSTRALIA intend to do just this. Will it work though?
FLORIDA BAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA PENDING:
The Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, has signed a law that has given his state one of the US’s most restrictive social media bans for minors, though it must still withstand expected legal challenges. This Guardian article sums up the legislation.
Once it takes effect, the law will ban social media accounts for children under 14 and require parental permission for 14 – and 15 – year-olds.
It was watered down, under pressure from social media companies, from a proposal DeSantis vetoed earlier in March, a week before the annual legislative session ended.
Debate / Discussion
“This house believes that mobile communication technology, free access to data and information are a fundamental human right and should not be curtailed nor constrained by law, statute, government regulation nor any educational establishment.”
Do these laws remove freedom of speech and right to expression?
Don’t minors have a right to online access for educational purposes?
Do you think it will just lead to the social media companies suing governments?
How would you have reacted if your parents had to consent to your access to social media including TikTok, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Insta, YouTube?
How many of you accessed social media before the supposed, legal age of 13?
How is it going to be policed?
Do governments have a right to control / censor the media the young can access to this extent?
Does this infringe young people’s human rights?
Will this level of regulation be a good thing? Haidt would think so.
Explain the uses of various media effects theories.
Media can impact on us in several different ways – what there is no doubt is that it is impactful.
Initial Discussion:
What are the core assumptions of the ‘passive audience’ effects theories?
Are these fundamentally assumptions essentially patronising?
An alternative set of assumptions is that the audience are more cognizant and discerning. Furthermore, we need to consider a whole range of factors working on the individual which might shape their response to media texts.
The active vs passive audience
“An active audience engages, interprets and responds to a media text in different ways and is capable of challenging the ideas encoded in it. A passive audience is more likely to accept the messages encoded in a media text without challenge and are therefore more likely to be directly affected by the messages.” BBC Bitesize
Theories of The Active Audience
Uses and Gratification
Blumler and Katz, suggest that audiences are more active in seeking out function and pleasure from media texts and that we should think about what they are seeking from any given text and how they use the media in other aspects of their lives:
Social Relationships
Personal Identity
Entertainment
Information
Reception Theory
Stuart Hall, says, the relationship between the messages and connotation embedded in a media text and the ideology of the audience are essential in understanding the ways in which an audience might respond to a text. He suggests that this can be described as:
A preferred reading
A negotiated reading
An oppositional reading
Identity Theory
David Gauntlett argued our heavy exposure to the media could, “hardly fail to affect our own way of conducting ourselves and our expectations of other people’s behaviour.”
So, in many ways Gauntlett is suggesting that the effect of Media is even more profound than changing our behaviour or attitudes. That the media in many ways has a huge impact on our out sense of who we are and how we operate in the world (our identity).
He, like Jenkins, suggests that audiences now have the digital tools to, ‘express and connect and create in ways we didn’t have before and which can help people shape creative identities.’ Moreover, that, ‘social media is part of conversation which can help us, ‘think about ourselves and how we are in the world…that’s what identity is‘
“… identity is this thing you construct for yourself but at the same time there’s all of these ‘representations’ [sic] coming at you. There’s all the stuff that you can create and make and share as well. So identity has opportunities to be very creative and connecting.”
