I've really enjoyed posting on here and I have loved JOUR1111. It was such a nice way to start uni, I really loved the course. If any future uni students are reading this, definitely enrol in JOUR1111!
Although this semester is almost over, and my blog is due in a few hours, this is not the end of this blog. I am going to continue posting on here and expressing my opinions and thoughts on here. This course has really inspired me to get involved with journalism now. Maybe one day this blog could end up like Mia's if I'm really lucky!!
Thank you so much to Bruce and Carmel for this semester.
Thursday, 14 June 2012
Lecture 13: Steve Molk
Our lecture this week was run by guest speaker Steve Molk, who decided he wanted to be a journalist a few years after completing an undergraduate course in Chemistry.
He had a lot of interesting things to say, in particular he mentioned that actually having a real passion for journalism and showing an employer that you are geniunely interested and not just there for the job is essential within journalism.
Blogging is becoming more and more prominent as a way of obtaining news. Blogging is a way of interacting with others with similar interests, simply at a click of a mouse. For example, Steve told us about Mia Freedman, former editor of Cleo magazine. She started up a blog 5 years ago to write about different topics and share her opinions. Nowadays, 520,000 people read Mia Freedman's blog every MONTH. That's 520, 000 individual people. That is incredible! I never knew how powerful blogging could be in that respect!!!
He also talked about the importance of Twitter, how we can obtain news in less than 140 characters, but also share our stories, what we're doing, our opinions etc.. We can also connect and talk with famous people, people in power and of course, other journalists! He really opened my eyes to the potential of social networking and how we can communicate through it.
His story was very inspiring, because even after 20 years in IT he is still following his dream and his passion through journalism, and has made great progress over the past 2 years active as a journalist. I think that's great that even after probably developing an expertise in a certain area, he has still recognised his true careerpath. Many people would think it's too late, but not Steve.
I think what I took away from this lecture was to start now. Start tweeting more, blogging more and even just writing down thoughts and ideas now. There is no harm expressing how you feel and what your opinions entail, and online is a great way to do that. I'm excited now!
He had a lot of interesting things to say, in particular he mentioned that actually having a real passion for journalism and showing an employer that you are geniunely interested and not just there for the job is essential within journalism.
Blogging is becoming more and more prominent as a way of obtaining news. Blogging is a way of interacting with others with similar interests, simply at a click of a mouse. For example, Steve told us about Mia Freedman, former editor of Cleo magazine. She started up a blog 5 years ago to write about different topics and share her opinions. Nowadays, 520,000 people read Mia Freedman's blog every MONTH. That's 520, 000 individual people. That is incredible! I never knew how powerful blogging could be in that respect!!!
He also talked about the importance of Twitter, how we can obtain news in less than 140 characters, but also share our stories, what we're doing, our opinions etc.. We can also connect and talk with famous people, people in power and of course, other journalists! He really opened my eyes to the potential of social networking and how we can communicate through it.
His story was very inspiring, because even after 20 years in IT he is still following his dream and his passion through journalism, and has made great progress over the past 2 years active as a journalist. I think that's great that even after probably developing an expertise in a certain area, he has still recognised his true careerpath. Many people would think it's too late, but not Steve.
I think what I took away from this lecture was to start now. Start tweeting more, blogging more and even just writing down thoughts and ideas now. There is no harm expressing how you feel and what your opinions entail, and online is a great way to do that. I'm excited now!
Lecture 11 (21/05/2012) "Investigative Journalism"
Investigative journalism! (I was actually really excited for this lecture.)
Investigative journalism's purposes:
1. Critical and thorough journalism
2. Custodians of conscience
3. Holds the powerful accountable, gives a voice to those with less power
4. Fourth branch, fourth estate, watchdog
These concepts explored in a little more detail:
Critical and thorough journalism:
- journalist is an active participant
- "active intervention"
- journalist makes a substantial effort
Custodians of conscience:
- "Exposure"
- 'civic vice' - exposed for society to respond to
Holds the powerful accountable, gives a voice to those with less power
- social justice
- public interest
Fourth estate: journalists represent those with less power to balance against the government
Fourth branch of government: journalists ensure free flow of information
Watchdog: journalists make accountable social personalities
"It is not enough for journalists to see themselves as mere messengers without understanding the hidden agendas of the messages and myths that surround it."
- John Pilger
Investigative journalism exists everywhere. It exists locally, in our community, there are journalists who are actively investigating other people's stories and experiences (such as Australian story) or simply investigating issues that concern us living in our community.
There are many types of investigation interaction, which include observations, interviews, documents, theft, trespass and leaks.
Methods of investigating:
1. Interviewing
2. Observing
3. Analysing documents
And of course.. the threats:
ONLINE NEWS! Simple equation:
Less Money + Less journalists + Less time = Less investigative journalism
Journalism vs. PR
PR's choices of facts to persuade public opinion
Journalism's verification of facts to the public
Again: growth in PR = shrinkage of journalism
The future?
YouTube has launched a service dedicated to investigative journalism in order to reduce the "churnalism" and false stories that are placed in the media.
This is a fantastic incentive because so many people use YouTube every single day. This new service is something I didn't know and am keen to follow up on!
Investigative journalism's purposes:
1. Critical and thorough journalism
2. Custodians of conscience
3. Holds the powerful accountable, gives a voice to those with less power
4. Fourth branch, fourth estate, watchdog
These concepts explored in a little more detail:
Critical and thorough journalism:
- journalist is an active participant
- "active intervention"
- journalist makes a substantial effort
Custodians of conscience:
- "Exposure"
- 'civic vice' - exposed for society to respond to
Holds the powerful accountable, gives a voice to those with less power
- social justice
- public interest
Fourth estate: journalists represent those with less power to balance against the government
Fourth branch of government: journalists ensure free flow of information
Watchdog: journalists make accountable social personalities
"It is not enough for journalists to see themselves as mere messengers without understanding the hidden agendas of the messages and myths that surround it."
- John Pilger
Investigative journalism exists everywhere. It exists locally, in our community, there are journalists who are actively investigating other people's stories and experiences (such as Australian story) or simply investigating issues that concern us living in our community.
There are many types of investigation interaction, which include observations, interviews, documents, theft, trespass and leaks.
Methods of investigating:
1. Interviewing
2. Observing
3. Analysing documents
And of course.. the threats:
ONLINE NEWS! Simple equation:
Less Money + Less journalists + Less time = Less investigative journalism
Journalism vs. PR
PR's choices of facts to persuade public opinion
Journalism's verification of facts to the public
Again: growth in PR = shrinkage of journalism
The future?
YouTube has launched a service dedicated to investigative journalism in order to reduce the "churnalism" and false stories that are placed in the media.
This is a fantastic incentive because so many people use YouTube every single day. This new service is something I didn't know and am keen to follow up on!
Lecture 10 (14/05/2012) "Agenda Setting"
Dr Bruce Redman defines agenda setting as "a theory, but like all good theories, is a bit obvious really!"
Social construction of reality:
- one's perception of reality is constructed through a process of communication using shared language
- reality exists and the way in which we understand it is mediated through social life
- the media play a significant role in constructing social reality
There are four, interrelated agendas:
1. Public agenda: what members of the public regard as important
2. Policy agenda: issues that decision makers think are salient
3. Corporate agenda: issues that large corporations regard as important
4. Media agenda: issues that are discussed in the media
So the media don't just report news, they shape it. And because of this, whichever issue is most concentrated on is then seen by the public as the 'most important.'
Harold Lasswell said the media injects influence into their audiences. Hypodermic needle model. Lovely. But very true in many circumstances. Impressive Harold, this model was created in the 1920s!
Another star from the 1920s, Walter Lippman said that mass media create images in our minds of events. Lippman also said that people are very reliant on what is told to them rather than actually thinking about something and making their own judgments.
And of course, throughout history we have seen this happen in our society. The power of words and the power of images, and how they can shape our perceptions of events and what is deemed as 'important news.' Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw proved this in 1968, evaluating that mass media have a profound influence on what we see as important and what is considered newsworthy.
There are two main types of agenda setting theory:
1. First level agenda setting theory: emphasises major issues and the "transfer of salience of those issues." What the media focuses on.
2. Second level agenda setting theory: how the media focuses our attention on certain attributes of issues
(It's actually really nice to see two theories that do not have ridiculously complex/hard to remember/hard to pronounce names.)
Anyway! Agenda setting does many things. It transfers issue salience from the media to the public. It transfers issue salience for both issues and other objects. And elite media set the agenda for other types of media.
Agenda setting also has a family:
1. Media gatekeeping: what the media chooses to reveal to the public
2. Media advocacy: purporseful promotion of an issue
3. Agenda cutting: truth in the world not being represented
4. Agenda surfing: media follows trends and crowds (that seems kind of scary)
5. Diffusion of news: who decides when a media report is released, ie. correct timing
6. Portrayal of an issue: self explanatory. But also how the issue may influence the public
7. Media dependence: the more dependent an individual is on media, the more susceptible to media agenda setting
Perhaps "diffusion of news" may become a little outdated in time? We are already questioning whether or not there really is a prime time for news anymore, especially due to news being accessible to us any time of the day. Interesting.
Like anything, media agenda setting has both strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths: explanatory power, predictive power, can be proven false, organising power, can influence further researce
Weaknesses: Dependent on people (may not have interest in news, not well-informed.. etc), people are set in their ways, news cannot create and conceal problems.
So there we have it, agenda setting!
Social construction of reality:
- one's perception of reality is constructed through a process of communication using shared language
- reality exists and the way in which we understand it is mediated through social life
- the media play a significant role in constructing social reality
There are four, interrelated agendas:
1. Public agenda: what members of the public regard as important
2. Policy agenda: issues that decision makers think are salient
3. Corporate agenda: issues that large corporations regard as important
4. Media agenda: issues that are discussed in the media
So the media don't just report news, they shape it. And because of this, whichever issue is most concentrated on is then seen by the public as the 'most important.'
Harold Lasswell said the media injects influence into their audiences. Hypodermic needle model. Lovely. But very true in many circumstances. Impressive Harold, this model was created in the 1920s!
Another star from the 1920s, Walter Lippman said that mass media create images in our minds of events. Lippman also said that people are very reliant on what is told to them rather than actually thinking about something and making their own judgments.
And of course, throughout history we have seen this happen in our society. The power of words and the power of images, and how they can shape our perceptions of events and what is deemed as 'important news.' Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw proved this in 1968, evaluating that mass media have a profound influence on what we see as important and what is considered newsworthy.
There are two main types of agenda setting theory:
1. First level agenda setting theory: emphasises major issues and the "transfer of salience of those issues." What the media focuses on.
2. Second level agenda setting theory: how the media focuses our attention on certain attributes of issues
(It's actually really nice to see two theories that do not have ridiculously complex/hard to remember/hard to pronounce names.)
Anyway! Agenda setting does many things. It transfers issue salience from the media to the public. It transfers issue salience for both issues and other objects. And elite media set the agenda for other types of media.
Agenda setting also has a family:
1. Media gatekeeping: what the media chooses to reveal to the public
2. Media advocacy: purporseful promotion of an issue
3. Agenda cutting: truth in the world not being represented
4. Agenda surfing: media follows trends and crowds (that seems kind of scary)
5. Diffusion of news: who decides when a media report is released, ie. correct timing
6. Portrayal of an issue: self explanatory. But also how the issue may influence the public
7. Media dependence: the more dependent an individual is on media, the more susceptible to media agenda setting
Perhaps "diffusion of news" may become a little outdated in time? We are already questioning whether or not there really is a prime time for news anymore, especially due to news being accessible to us any time of the day. Interesting.
Like anything, media agenda setting has both strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths: explanatory power, predictive power, can be proven false, organising power, can influence further researce
Weaknesses: Dependent on people (may not have interest in news, not well-informed.. etc), people are set in their ways, news cannot create and conceal problems.
So there we have it, agenda setting!
Best motivation
I'm never going to complain about going to the gym ever again. Proof you can do anything if you put your mind to it.
Tuesday, 12 June 2012
Lecture 9 (30/04/2012) "News Values"
"News values are one of the most opaque structures of meaning in modern society ... Journalists speak of "the news" as if events select themselves ... Yet of the millions of events which occur daily in the world, only a tiny proportion ever become visible as 'potential news stories': and of this proportion, only a small fraction are actually produced as the day's news ... "
-- Stuart Hall, 1973
I liked that quote. ^
Anyway, today's lecture was about news values, I concept I was quite keen to learn about. I knew it had something to do with what goes into a story, which stories are chosen over others and why, and of course I knew about the infamous line 'if it bleeds it leads.'
For example, (just going off on a tangent here) I moved to Brisbane about 4 months ago from Sydney, a place I adore. I have lived in Sydney since I was 10 and honestly, it is one of the best places in the world and very much home to me. In Brisbane, I work at a local supermarket, and they have their own radio station, so I am able to hear the news from both in Queensland and outside of Queensland. When I listen to the hourly update of news, there is ALWAYS something that happened in Sydney featured, without fail. It's always about drink driving, shootings, underage drinking... and plenty of other criminal offences, all of which have taken place in Sydney. There is no doubt in my mind that these sorts of things happen where I'm from, but I just find it interesting that these stories are featured more than others, especially since there are a lot of positive and happy things that happen in Sydney every single day. Just something I've observed and found interesting!
So back to the lecture, sorry if that was a really boring paragraph and sorry if you wasted 5 minutes of your life reading it.
News values. There are 4 concepts that shape news values:
1. Impact
2. Audience Identification
3. Pragmatics
4. Source Influence
Briefly:
If it's local, it leads! <- also very true
So what exactly do these two phrases mean?
"If it bleeds, it leads" means that if a story has any kind of death, injury, violence or crime within it, it is usually more popular and read by people from a wide community. The reason for this is that it is intriguing, people are itching to know what happened, who was involved, why it happened... Some even form conspiracy theories and of course their own opinions about what actually happened.
"If it's local, it leads" means that if a story that contains the same elements as addressed above, but happened within an individual's community, it becomes very popular and read by many people. The reason for this is the same as above, people are intrigued by something that is happening within their community.
An example that fits both of these is the disappearance of Maddy McCann. Even though Maddy disappeared 5 years ago, her story is still very relevant in the news spectrum today.
-- Stuart Hall, 1973
I liked that quote. ^
Anyway, today's lecture was about news values, I concept I was quite keen to learn about. I knew it had something to do with what goes into a story, which stories are chosen over others and why, and of course I knew about the infamous line 'if it bleeds it leads.'
For example, (just going off on a tangent here) I moved to Brisbane about 4 months ago from Sydney, a place I adore. I have lived in Sydney since I was 10 and honestly, it is one of the best places in the world and very much home to me. In Brisbane, I work at a local supermarket, and they have their own radio station, so I am able to hear the news from both in Queensland and outside of Queensland. When I listen to the hourly update of news, there is ALWAYS something that happened in Sydney featured, without fail. It's always about drink driving, shootings, underage drinking... and plenty of other criminal offences, all of which have taken place in Sydney. There is no doubt in my mind that these sorts of things happen where I'm from, but I just find it interesting that these stories are featured more than others, especially since there are a lot of positive and happy things that happen in Sydney every single day. Just something I've observed and found interesting!
So back to the lecture, sorry if that was a really boring paragraph and sorry if you wasted 5 minutes of your life reading it.
News values. There are 4 concepts that shape news values:
1. Impact
2. Audience Identification
3. Pragmatics
4. Source Influence
Briefly:
- Impact: so any news that shocks or surprises the reader
- Audience Identification: relevance in regards to the interests of targeted audience
- Pragmatics: ethics, current affairs, availability (24/7 news), ongoing stories, updates
- Source Influence: how the story is effected by where it came from
If it's local, it leads! <- also very true
So what exactly do these two phrases mean?
"If it bleeds, it leads" means that if a story has any kind of death, injury, violence or crime within it, it is usually more popular and read by people from a wide community. The reason for this is that it is intriguing, people are itching to know what happened, who was involved, why it happened... Some even form conspiracy theories and of course their own opinions about what actually happened.
"If it's local, it leads" means that if a story that contains the same elements as addressed above, but happened within an individual's community, it becomes very popular and read by many people. The reason for this is the same as above, people are intrigued by something that is happening within their community.
An example that fits both of these is the disappearance of Maddy McCann. Even though Maddy disappeared 5 years ago, her story is still very relevant in the news spectrum today.
There are many different news values that have been simplified and re-analysed by many people over time. Here are a few examples of people who have compiled a list of what they consider to be news values. A few areas overlap in some places, but in others new concepts are introduced...
Galtung & Ruge (1965) said there were twelve:
- Negativity
- Closeness to home
- Recency
- Currency
- Continuity
- Uniqueness
- Simplicity
- Personality
- Expectedness
- Elite nations or people
- Exclusivity
- Size
Galtung & Ruge also came up with 3 hypotheses in regards to newsworthiness:
- Additivity: the more factors an event in the news meets, the more publicity it will receive
- Complementarity: the factors that tend to exclude each other
- Exclusion: the factors that satisfy no factor will not become news
Judy MacGregor reduced Galtung & Ruge to 4 factors including that of visualness (their appeal to TV, online audience or advertising), conflict (a true news value), emotion (something that appeals to human interest) and celebrification of the journalist .... interesting. Personally I think G&R covered more areas than MacGregor.
Golding & Elliot (1979): Personalities, Size, Proximity, Negativity, Brevity, Importance, Entertainment, Visual attractiveness, Drama, Recencies & Elites. (Quite similar to G&R)
O'Neill & Harcup: (A review of Galtung & Ruge)
- Power elite: so stories that involve powerful members of society, e.g. politicians
- Celebrities: stories that involve famous people, e.g. movie stars, singers, sportspeople
- Entertainment: drama, gossip, wit, humour e.g. scandals or an ongoing drama
- Surprise: stories that shock the audience e.g. the unexpected result of an ongoing drama
- Bad news: stories that have negative undertones e.g. a plane crash or violent crimes
- Good news: stories that positive overtones e.g. cure for a disease, a successful rescue, a discovery
- Magnitude: stories that are significant in size e.g. closeness to home, amount of people involved
- Follow up: an update of a story alreading circling in the media e.g. a result of a crime investigation
- Newspaper agenda: stories that set or represent a company's own agenda
Murray Masterton: (Big 6): Significance, Proximity, Conflict, Human interest, Novelty, Prominence.
So of course, there are tensions that threaten newsworthiness, and they include the influence of public relations in journalism, reality of being a journalist (constant pressure to produce stories, results in potentially lazy or incompetent journalism) and the commercialisation of media and social life.
Gathering news unethically (such as the News of the World scandal), tactics of public relations companies in order for their stories to sell to the journalists, untrustworthy and false representations of news... all of these factors have implications for newsworthiness.
Here is where the audience comes in. In this lecture, Dr BR was saying that the audience is potentially losing faith in their journalism, which is a huge threat to newsworthiness. What happens if the audience simply stop reading, watching or listening to news because of the fear that it is untrustworthy or fake? That would also significantly impact journalism as a practise too...
And what about the different interpretations of what is newsworthy? We all have different interests, so what happens if people simply ignore news because it doesn't meet their standards or affect their interests directly.
Journalists have a huge responsibility to live up to. Althought I already had some idea of this, this lecture really opened my eyes to the reality of becoming a journalist, and what they have to do every day in order to deliver news to us. Although I have so much more to learn, this lecture was a great introduction to what could potentially lie ahead of me in my life!
Very interesting stuff.
Monday, 4 June 2012
Venus Palermo
So the other day I was browsing through some articles online, and I came across one that both shocked and intrigued me. Venus Palermo, a young girl who is only 15, is dressing and acting like a doll from a Japanese anime comic. I can't quite decide if I find her creepy or cute...
Anyway, apparently on YouTube she has inspired many other young girls to do the same, and to act, speak and dress just like a doll. This usually wouldn't be my cup of tea newswise, and I don't really consider it to be big news, but nevertheless the fact that she is influencing other young girls to make themselves into plastic dolls is quite incredible.
In my opinion, it is quite an unhealthy habit for girls to want to become 'dolls', as aspiring for perfection and beauty often leads to a downward spiral of depression and anxiety. I'm not sure of an 'innocent habit' (as many of her fans have described her of having) is so good for a little girl's wellbeing in the long run.
Anyway, just thought it was interesting.
Full story: http://ph.omg.yahoo.com/blogs/singapore-showbiz/meet-venus-15-old-living-doll-083519178.html
Anyway, apparently on YouTube she has inspired many other young girls to do the same, and to act, speak and dress just like a doll. This usually wouldn't be my cup of tea newswise, and I don't really consider it to be big news, but nevertheless the fact that she is influencing other young girls to make themselves into plastic dolls is quite incredible.
In my opinion, it is quite an unhealthy habit for girls to want to become 'dolls', as aspiring for perfection and beauty often leads to a downward spiral of depression and anxiety. I'm not sure of an 'innocent habit' (as many of her fans have described her of having) is so good for a little girl's wellbeing in the long run.
Anyway, just thought it was interesting.
Full story: http://ph.omg.yahoo.com/blogs/singapore-showbiz/meet-venus-15-old-living-doll-083519178.html
Sunday, 3 June 2012
Lecture 8 (23/04/2012) "Ethics"
This weeks lecture was done by John Harrison, and was on the topic of 'ethics.' I had used the word 'ethics' in the past many times, and I had a good understanding of what the word meant, however after Mr. Harrison's lecture I was happy to have found out how ethics plays a part in and affects journalism.
The examples Mr. Harrison showed us were very helpful in looking at what is ethical, and what is not ethical. It was easy to follow and I was happy that I could understand what he was informing us about the role of ethics in the media.
(Some of the pictures and clips shown were truly absurd and I have no idea how people thought that was an acceptable form of advertising! Nevertheless, still very entertaining)
And now to find out, how do we look for unethical practises? What can we use to define which category they fall under?
Three ethical theories:
1. Deontology:
- Rules, duties, principles
- What is right or wrong
- Rules are derived from many places - 10 commandments, Confucius etc
2. Consequentialism:
- "Doesn't matter what you do, so long as you get the right outcome"
- So, in journalism: doesn't matter how you get the story, so long as you have the story
- "What is right, is what people think is right"
--> John Harrison says that consequentialism is 'morally bankrupt.' The reason being for this is that it does not consider other people's situations, circumstances, feelings or rights.
3. Virtual ethics:
- Intrinsic ethics, drive the way we live and influence our lives in business
- Our identities in general life and our identities in journalism overlap
- An intrinsic person has good character: courage, justice, temperence, prudence
These concepts in journalism:
Courage: mean between rashness and cowardice
Justice: mean between too much law and not enough low
Code of ethics:
Journalism: MEAA (developed by Journalist union)
Advertising Federation of Australia: AFA (JH says best code of ethics he has read, and he has a lot of experience and has read many codes of ethics)
So after this lecture concluded, Mr. Harrison said that an ethical framework based on good character is the best kind to have. Althought I have nowhere near as much experience as him, I do agree with him.
During the consequentialism slide, I thought about the 'News of the World scandal,' where journalists were tapping people's phones in order to get their stories. People all over the world were shocked and disgusted by this behaviour. However, when I learnt about consequentialism, all I could think about was this: could it be that in terms of ethics, what those journalists did was considered 'ethical'? In my eyes, it was definitely NOT a good code of practise, but in the bigger picture, were the actions taken by these journalists considered acceptable?
So much to think about. As always with JOUR1111.
Also:
The examples Mr. Harrison showed us were very helpful in looking at what is ethical, and what is not ethical. It was easy to follow and I was happy that I could understand what he was informing us about the role of ethics in the media.
(Some of the pictures and clips shown were truly absurd and I have no idea how people thought that was an acceptable form of advertising! Nevertheless, still very entertaining)
And now to find out, how do we look for unethical practises? What can we use to define which category they fall under?
Three ethical theories:
1. Deontology:
- Rules, duties, principles
- What is right or wrong
- Rules are derived from many places - 10 commandments, Confucius etc
2. Consequentialism:
- "Doesn't matter what you do, so long as you get the right outcome"
- So, in journalism: doesn't matter how you get the story, so long as you have the story
- "What is right, is what people think is right"
--> John Harrison says that consequentialism is 'morally bankrupt.' The reason being for this is that it does not consider other people's situations, circumstances, feelings or rights.
3. Virtual ethics:
- Intrinsic ethics, drive the way we live and influence our lives in business
- Our identities in general life and our identities in journalism overlap
- An intrinsic person has good character: courage, justice, temperence, prudence
These concepts in journalism:
Courage: mean between rashness and cowardice
Justice: mean between too much law and not enough low
Code of ethics:
Journalism: MEAA (developed by Journalist union)
Advertising Federation of Australia: AFA (JH says best code of ethics he has read, and he has a lot of experience and has read many codes of ethics)
So after this lecture concluded, Mr. Harrison said that an ethical framework based on good character is the best kind to have. Althought I have nowhere near as much experience as him, I do agree with him.
During the consequentialism slide, I thought about the 'News of the World scandal,' where journalists were tapping people's phones in order to get their stories. People all over the world were shocked and disgusted by this behaviour. However, when I learnt about consequentialism, all I could think about was this: could it be that in terms of ethics, what those journalists did was considered 'ethical'? In my eyes, it was definitely NOT a good code of practise, but in the bigger picture, were the actions taken by these journalists considered acceptable?
So much to think about. As always with JOUR1111.
Also:
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Assessment Item: Annotated Bibliography
Salahi, L., Meaney, S. (2012, May 16) 'Fat Tax' to Lower Obesity. ABC News. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/fat-tax-lower-obesity/story?id=16353067
Lara Salahi and Samantha Meaney, the authors of this article, discuss the benefits, and also the limitations, of a possible introduction of a 'fat tax' in America. A fat tax is a tax added to 'unhealthy' foods and drinks, in an attempt to stop the growing rate of obesity in America. In this article, Salahi and Meaney contrast this 'fat tax' with the high tax added to cigarettes in 2009, evaluating that there has been significant drops in the number of smokers since this introduction of tax. The authors provide us with statistics that open our eyes as the responder to this growing issue and the significance it has not only on obese people but also on regular citizens; for example, a tax of at least 20% placed on sugary drinks could drop obesity rates by 3.5% and prevent 2,700 heart-related deaths. Using examples such as nuts, avocado and fish, the article then presents arguments that oppose the 'fat tax', explaining that not all high fat foods are the cause of obesity in America and certain foods that are high in monounsaturated fats are often very beneficial to our health. Furthermore, the author cites a large amount alternative responses to the growing issue of obesity; for example, an associate professor of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of medicine Keith Ayoob taking the view that a focus should be emphasised on physical activity rather than diet. This use of examples from broad sources and perspectives persuades the responder to form their own opinion about the issue and provides greater insight into the complications, restraints and advantages of the potential introduction of a 'fat tax.'
Author David Maris brings a significant amount of research and statistics to this article to support his question of whether or not a fat tax should be introduced in America. Maris begins the article with a statistic, that 1 in 3 Americans believe that obese people should pay more in taxes than people within a healthy weight range, evaluating that perhaps it is not the food that should be taxed but the people themselves. Maris furthers this issue by explaining that taxing food is much more difficult due to the vast range of food products available that could be considered 'unhealthy,' as opposed to cigarettes which are just one product and one ingredient. Throughout this article, Maris incorporates a large amount of statistics that help form the background and foundation to the question of whether a fat tax should be introduced or not. The statistics incorporate individuals' age, income and location, which add credibility to the author and eliminate any signs of bias. Maris also addresses the issues associated with a largely taxpayer funded health care system, e.g. the Affordable Care Act, is that often the costs of the plan exceed predictions, evaluating that taxpayers will definitely look into and judge people who are making bad health decisions and need this care. Maris concludes his article by saying that a war on obesity cannot be won however America could be in a health care cost predicament if something doesn't change, due to the economic medical cost of obesity adding to over US$150 billion.
Betts, M., (2012, May 18) Fat tax to fight obesity crisis. Herald Sun. Retrieved from http://www.heraldsun.com.au/money/fat-tax-to-fight-obesity-crisis/story-e6frfh5f-1226360023728
The author of this article, Marianne Betts begins this article with many results from different surveys that all favour the view that a fat tax should be introduced in Australia. Citing references from the Obesity Policy Coalition and the British Experts, Betts evaluates that there is a large amount of people who support an introduction of a tax that essentially would make high-fat foods more expensive and healthier foods to be made cheaper. Betts then contrasts these arguments with concepts that may hinder the success of a fat tax, such as the people within low income communities, who are most affected by this fat tax due to the cost of healthy foods over the cost of unhealthy foods. Following on from this, Betts also incorporates the concept that the price of unhealthy food would have to be significantly raised in order to have an effect on obesity. Using examples such as the fact that many Australian parents are worried about childhood obesity and 40% are worried that their children are eating too much junk food, Betts emphasises the need for a fat tax in Australia in order to obesity levels to drop, and finally concludes the article providing information about the progress made in Australia to counteract this growing level of obesity.
Wilson, L., (2006). Mapping the journalism-blogging relationship: page 8, Objective qualities of work - advantages for journalism. DOI: 10.1177/1464884906068363. Retrieved from http://jou.sagepub.com/content/7/4/477.full.pdf+html
The author, Lowrey Wilson, begins this section of the academic article by stating how bureaucratization has assisted the prominence of journalism as a practise. Wilson follows this argument, linking this concept of bureaucratization into the relationship between bloggers and journalists, evaluating that bloggers can play a significant role in maintaining the prominence of journalism, as most bloggers are not paid for their work yet spread the word about vital pieces of information or news through their posts. The position of journalism is made stronger through bloggers, as they are dependant on mainstream news as a main source of their information. Furthermore, Wilson begins to talk about an 'organisational division of labour.' He states that large organisations are able to gather information from a wider range of sources, as compared to the blogger who doesn't have as much access to these fields of expertise and knowledge. Whilst these may be valid points, Wilson does not mention in this section of his article the growing number of 'citizen journalists' who are making information increasingly accessible to the general public, particularly through the utilisation of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. However, Wilson finishes this section of his article by evaluating that even though blogging is a quick and easy way for members of a wider community to access, their opinions and presentations of information are not as credible as those that have come from a larger organisation.
The author, Lowrey Wilson, begins this section of the academic article by stating how bureaucratization has assisted the prominence of journalism as a practise. Wilson follows this argument, linking this concept of bureaucratization into the relationship between bloggers and journalists, evaluating that bloggers can play a significant role in maintaining the prominence of journalism, as most bloggers are not paid for their work yet spread the word about vital pieces of information or news through their posts. The position of journalism is made stronger through bloggers, as they are dependant on mainstream news as a main source of their information. Furthermore, Wilson begins to talk about an 'organisational division of labour.' He states that large organisations are able to gather information from a wider range of sources, as compared to the blogger who doesn't have as much access to these fields of expertise and knowledge. Whilst these may be valid points, Wilson does not mention in this section of his article the growing number of 'citizen journalists' who are making information increasingly accessible to the general public, particularly through the utilisation of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. However, Wilson finishes this section of his article by evaluating that even though blogging is a quick and easy way for members of a wider community to access, their opinions and presentations of information are not as credible as those that have come from a larger organisation.
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Instagram.
After purchasing an iPhone, a device that is absolutely amazing and useful for everything, I have downloaded many apps, from games, to converters and of course Facebook. My friends often tease me about my 'rookie error' apps that I have. Apparently I've got some that were popular many moons ago.
I'm probably a bit behind on this one too, but I have recently fell in love with Instagram. For those who are like me and a little behind the times, it's a photo sharing website, however you can edit pictures in the most exquisite ways. I am pretty much obsessed and I now find myself taking pictures of random objects in my college room and putting them on Instagram.
When I was out exercising this morning and taking a picture of the Brisbane river, I had a sudden thought. Instagram gives an old photo of anything a touch of real photography, as if it was taken by a professional camera. Photographers and professional cameramen must HATE Instagram for this reason. Any person can create something beautiful on this app. Photographers spend HOURS of time trying to get a perfect shot of something or someone.
I am not saying that Instagram's quality of pictures is better than ones taken by an SLR camera, for instance, but people who don't know a lot about photography would not appreciate the amount of time a professional photographer needs to create something spectacular.
Just a thought. I had to write it down and share it on this blog as it does tie in with the media use diary I did back in March. A few things to think about there.
I'm probably a bit behind on this one too, but I have recently fell in love with Instagram. For those who are like me and a little behind the times, it's a photo sharing website, however you can edit pictures in the most exquisite ways. I am pretty much obsessed and I now find myself taking pictures of random objects in my college room and putting them on Instagram.
When I was out exercising this morning and taking a picture of the Brisbane river, I had a sudden thought. Instagram gives an old photo of anything a touch of real photography, as if it was taken by a professional camera. Photographers and professional cameramen must HATE Instagram for this reason. Any person can create something beautiful on this app. Photographers spend HOURS of time trying to get a perfect shot of something or someone.
I am not saying that Instagram's quality of pictures is better than ones taken by an SLR camera, for instance, but people who don't know a lot about photography would not appreciate the amount of time a professional photographer needs to create something spectacular.
Just a thought. I had to write it down and share it on this blog as it does tie in with the media use diary I did back in March. A few things to think about there.
Thursday, 26 April 2012
Hi, I'm Heather, and this is my story.
26th January, 2010. 12:05pm.
Yes, it's Australia Day, possibly the most patriotic and nationalistic day of the year for Australians all around the country. A day to drink impossible amounts of beer and goon, to wear tacky Australian merchandise and to be proud to be part of this beautiful country in which we live in.
Right now, I'm fifteen years old, at Mona Vale beach, New South Wales, waiting to meet up with my friends. The sun is beating down on the beach, kissing its warmth onto my skin. The waves crash onto the shore, enveloping my body into the icy depths. I can hear the clink of Victoria Bitter bottles and the slap of high-fives, symbolic of all Australians uniting for this special day.
My friends join me in the water, all sporting navy blue bikinis with a Southern Cross motif. By this time, the alcohol had truly gone to our heads, and we were very merry, splashing each other and genuinely having a good time. Although I have only lived in Australia for five years, I was still having the time of my life with my friends on one of Sydney's most beautiful beaches. I felt truly blessed that day.
But something wasn't quite right; I felt like my day was a little incomplete. I looked around at my friends, and realised Zara was missing. I asked Cath, "Where's Zara?"
Cath had a very unimpressed look on her face, and hastily pointed towards the group of rowdy teenagers all singing Waltzing Matilda in unison. My eyes scanned the group of people, and after a minute I spotted her, sitting with one other girl. She didn't look as happy as the rest of the group. In fact, she looked very melancholy and out of place. She didn't have a drink in her hand, she didn't have a smile on her face.... She looked like she wasn't enjoying the day at all.
I sat down next to her.
"Hey beautiful."
She smiles shyly and says hello back.
I start talking to her, asking her how her week has been. We have a normal conversation like we always would, chatting away like two old women. She shows me a bracelet she got for her sixteenth birthday, a beautiful collection of diamonds and sapphires shining proudly on her small wrist.
I double take at her wrist and wonder to myself, "has Zara always been this small?" I look at her legs. Although toned and tanned, they are tiny, like two little matchsticks on her bony frame. The pieces of the puzzle all came together now: the reason why she was being so quiet, the reason why she is wearing a cardigan on such a hot day, the reason why she isn't drunk like the rest of us...
"She's being so annoying," whispered Alex to Cath. "She's such a little attention seeker. All she wants is for people to look at her, be concerned about her. It's bullshit."
"I know," replied Cath. "It's pathetic really. Why would she go to all this effort just for her fifteen minutes of fame? People will have forgotten about her in two weeks, I bet."
"Ha I know who you're talking about, and I completely agree," interjected Talia. "I don't even know who she is anymore, she's completely changed."
They turned to face me, as if to prompt me for my opinion about what had happened to Zara. I had nothing to say. I could feel a big lump forming in my throat. I knew if I had tried to say anything I would have choked on my words. I looked at them in sheer disbelief, my head spinning with their cruel and gutless comments they had made about our beautiful friend Zara.
Unlike Cath, Alex and Talia, I understood what was happening to Zara. Her story affected me in more ways than one. It was closer to home than what the rest of my friends thought.
Zara and I had many things in common, but I never realised this was one. Like many young adolescents in Australia and around the world, we both suffer from a body dysmorphic disorder, an illness that controls and corrupts most elements of a person's daily life. I had never told any of my friends that I had this disorder, and furthermore, I had never been brave to admit to the fact that it had me trapped under its powerful spell.
As I gaze out and admire the picturesque blue sky, I think back eighteen months. At this point in time, I was living in Lindfield, a pleasant and safe suburb in Sydney’s lower North Shore. I had a boyfriend, and when exam time came around, I received wonderful marks. I had a good group of friends both in and outside of school. My family and I got along fantastically. Let’s just say, life was great.
But I wasn’t happy, in fact not at all. There was something inside me that was eating away at my self-esteem and confidence. It was almost like there was someone inside my head telling me what to do and how to act. The way she dictated to me how to live my life was often cruel and harsh. I felt selfish for being feeling this way because I had such a great life. I had lost all control of who I really was.
However, this was all happening behind closed doors. To my friends and family, I appeared a happy, healthy fourteen-year old who had a real zest for life. It was only when I was alone that these negative and dark thoughts would circle around my head. I would look in the mirror, and only see flaws and insecurities, completely unaware that I had many positive attributes and talents to share with the world. I was utterly enthralled by my illness.
To see my gorgeous friend Zara suffer from the same illness I had brings back a rush of dark memories. I know exactly how she is feeling, I could describe every minute detail to her and she’d agree with everything I said. For some stupid reason I thought I was alone in battling with something like this but evidently not.
---
I am now eighteen, and it has been two years and three months since that day at Mona Vale Beach, exactly. A lot has changed since then. Zara moved to Canberra and I moved to Brisbane, both of us pursuing our passion for our future careers at university. We keep in contact often, informing each other about our progress into adulthood and our experiences at college.
Right now, I am happy. I am right where I want to be.
Zara completely agrees with me, she absolutely adores her life away from home.
But there is something that unites Zara and I, a unique link that
defines our strength of character and determination. Some may view the fact we
moved away from home at such a young age the reason for this, but Zara and I
know the truth. Together, we overcome an illness that had a strong grasp on our
lives for such a long time. Zara completely agrees with me, she absolutely adores her life away from home.
I would not say that I am recovered, as body dysmorphic disorders stay
with you even after your body regains strength and becomes healthy again.
However, the illness is fading, like the horizon melting into the sea on a warm
summer’s day. Just to be able to say that, is one of my greatest achievements.
It is really something special to know that I was able to pull myself out of a
ditch that seemed like it was getting deeper and deeper each day.
This is my story, however my illness is no longer my focus, let alone my
life. It is a chapter in my eighteen years that has been turned over, and never
to be read again.
Thursday, 19 April 2012
Lecture 7 (16/04/2012) "Public Media"
First of all, that video of the journalist stumbling over her words was absolutely hilarious...
Anyway, this week's lecture was about Public Media.
"The difference between commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting is the difference between consumers and citizens"
In comparision to commercial media, public media's purpose is to engage or serve the public, utilising a variety of different mechanisms including traditional newspapers or broadcasters, to more modern, innovative mechanisms such as the Internet or podcasting.
Examples of public media in Australia include: SBS, ABC, ABC National Radio and Triple J.
Examples of public media overseas include: BBC, 4, TVNZ, NHK, NPR
Public media's role in democratic society is to support public and democratic processes, and should have public value:
- Incorporating a 'public service' ethos
- Value for license fee money
- Weighing public value against market impact
- Public consultation
In 1985, the Broadcasting Research Unit set out many guidelines for public media and also defined public media's role in society. Many of these guidelines are quite specific which is what I was surprised about. I think I always had an image in my mind that most forms of mass communication was completely 'uncensored.' I didn't realise that there was a clear mould to fit.
The ABC, founded in 1932 as a 'national building project' and an organisation that reaches deep into the interest of Australian minds, has created many other forms of mass media including ABC news, movies, television shows... Each week 12.6 million Aussies watch the ABC news.
And SBS, founded in 1980 as a multicultural channel has done the same thing, creating World News, insight and RockWiz.
Dr. Redman put the functions of public media into four categories: nation building, national heritage, national identity and national conversations. I believe all of these categories are linked in some way... They all seem to overlap each other.
The news is also a big part of public media, as it is the only source of radio news analysis and current affairs explained in detail. It is also the only source of lengthy interviews with policitians and nation leaders.
Robert Richter describes public media as "such a special vehicle for voices to be heard, for visions and viewpoints ... ignored by commercial media."
(I really like that quote.)
And of course, like any form of mass media, the challenges of public media...
- Like commercial media, public media needs an audience. Surprisingly, it is not a matter of competition. Apparently there are bigger issues below the surface that should be addressed. Rupert Murdoch, or as Dr. Redman likes to call him, Uncle Rupert says that government regulation of both commercial and public media:
- penalise the poor = constrain choice, BBC license fee, government allocated funding
- promote insufficient infrastructure = duplication and waste
- build inaccessible institutions = BBC, ABC, ARD, RHTK
- threaten the growth of independent news and investment in new forms of journalism
- stunt the growth of the creative industries dampens innovations
Whilst this may be quite an extreme analysis, Rupert makes a few good points... So public media has a few things to work on, including production of quality news, to promote their relevance, to engage with the democratic process and to become independent.
TO BECOME INDEPENDENT:
- Differing ground rules of commercial and public media. For example, the ABC and the SBS are not owned by the government, they are held 'in common' by the people. Therefore, if the ABC or the SBS are making negative statements about the government, it is seen to be 'biting the hand that feeds it,' due to the government given allocated funds to them
- Commercial pressures for one = political pressures for the other
- Perceived lack of political independence = more control and more targeted funding
- The government's exercise of indirect control, through legislation and funding, allowing public media to get politicised
- Allegations of bias/agenda (Peter Costello takes this view)
- Opinion: ABC journalists were always told not to provide their opinion, but rather a balanced presentation of both sides
- Funding: once again, biting the hand that feeds it
Future of public media project "An expanded vision for 'public media 2.0' that places engaged publics at its core: educating, informing, and mobilizing its users... an essential feature of truly democratic public life... media both for and by the public"
I found this a very interesting lecture, particularly after just learning about commercial media the week before. It was good to have a comparison, but also to think about the differences and similarities, challenges and obstacles faced by both commercial and public media.
Anyway, this week's lecture was about Public Media.
"The difference between commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting is the difference between consumers and citizens"
In comparision to commercial media, public media's purpose is to engage or serve the public, utilising a variety of different mechanisms including traditional newspapers or broadcasters, to more modern, innovative mechanisms such as the Internet or podcasting.
Examples of public media in Australia include: SBS, ABC, ABC National Radio and Triple J.
Examples of public media overseas include: BBC, 4, TVNZ, NHK, NPR
Public media's role in democratic society is to support public and democratic processes, and should have public value:
- Incorporating a 'public service' ethos
- Value for license fee money
- Weighing public value against market impact
- Public consultation
In 1985, the Broadcasting Research Unit set out many guidelines for public media and also defined public media's role in society. Many of these guidelines are quite specific which is what I was surprised about. I think I always had an image in my mind that most forms of mass communication was completely 'uncensored.' I didn't realise that there was a clear mould to fit.
The ABC, founded in 1932 as a 'national building project' and an organisation that reaches deep into the interest of Australian minds, has created many other forms of mass media including ABC news, movies, television shows... Each week 12.6 million Aussies watch the ABC news.
And SBS, founded in 1980 as a multicultural channel has done the same thing, creating World News, insight and RockWiz.
Dr. Redman put the functions of public media into four categories: nation building, national heritage, national identity and national conversations. I believe all of these categories are linked in some way... They all seem to overlap each other.
The news is also a big part of public media, as it is the only source of radio news analysis and current affairs explained in detail. It is also the only source of lengthy interviews with policitians and nation leaders.
Robert Richter describes public media as "such a special vehicle for voices to be heard, for visions and viewpoints ... ignored by commercial media."
(I really like that quote.)
And of course, like any form of mass media, the challenges of public media...
- Like commercial media, public media needs an audience. Surprisingly, it is not a matter of competition. Apparently there are bigger issues below the surface that should be addressed. Rupert Murdoch, or as Dr. Redman likes to call him, Uncle Rupert says that government regulation of both commercial and public media:
- penalise the poor = constrain choice, BBC license fee, government allocated funding
- promote insufficient infrastructure = duplication and waste
- build inaccessible institutions = BBC, ABC, ARD, RHTK
- threaten the growth of independent news and investment in new forms of journalism
- stunt the growth of the creative industries dampens innovations
Whilst this may be quite an extreme analysis, Rupert makes a few good points... So public media has a few things to work on, including production of quality news, to promote their relevance, to engage with the democratic process and to become independent.
TO BECOME INDEPENDENT:
- Differing ground rules of commercial and public media. For example, the ABC and the SBS are not owned by the government, they are held 'in common' by the people. Therefore, if the ABC or the SBS are making negative statements about the government, it is seen to be 'biting the hand that feeds it,' due to the government given allocated funds to them
- Commercial pressures for one = political pressures for the other
- Perceived lack of political independence = more control and more targeted funding
- The government's exercise of indirect control, through legislation and funding, allowing public media to get politicised
- Allegations of bias/agenda (Peter Costello takes this view)
- Opinion: ABC journalists were always told not to provide their opinion, but rather a balanced presentation of both sides
- Funding: once again, biting the hand that feeds it
Future of public media project "An expanded vision for 'public media 2.0' that places engaged publics at its core: educating, informing, and mobilizing its users... an essential feature of truly democratic public life... media both for and by the public"
I found this a very interesting lecture, particularly after just learning about commercial media the week before. It was good to have a comparison, but also to think about the differences and similarities, challenges and obstacles faced by both commercial and public media.
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
Lecture 6 (02/04/2012) "Commercial Media"
What is commercial media?
It is....
- Profit driven media production
- Not funded by the government, or by a license
- Survives or fails based on business success
- Main business is generating audience
- Creates audiences to make a profit through selling or advertising
Major players in commercial media include:
- Fairfax Media
- News Limited
- Nine
- APN
- Ten
And other players....
- Austar
- Optus
- Telstra
- Macquarie
Each of these major players produce other types and companies of mass media. For example, Fairfax Media have produced The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Financial Review... and even the likes of RSVP.com!
Form and function of commercial media:
FORM: --> Commercial: - Subscription - Sponsored - SubsidisedFUNCTION: --> Commercial, Propaganda, Social
Commercial Media's Role in Society:
The big question is: can commercial media deliver on both commercial (profit) and social (public trust) function? or is it just all about money?
And of course, the media has social responsibilities in a democratic society...
They are:
- To report a truthful and comprehensive account of a day's events with an appropriate context that gives it meaning
- A forum for the exchange of criticism, observation and comment
- Presentation of the representation of groups of society
- Presentation and clarification of the morals and values of these groups in society
- Access to the day's intelligence
Of course, there are factors that keep commercial media in check:
These are:
- Formal state requirements
- Legal prescription
- State oversight
- Statutory
- Voluntary
The public sphere: (Jurgen Habermas)
A space between commerce and government where people can debate freely and form public opinion
COMMERCIAL SOCIAL
- Advertising sales ETHICAL WALL - Editorial
New controls on social media:
1. Government agency regulating content
2. State press subsidies
3. Licensed journalism (countries such as East Timor)
Commercial media is often described as corrupt, and that it lacks quality...
Quote: "In this regard, one thing stands out above all others - the view that the very nature of the commercial equates to a corruption of the social. In other words, as media becomes more commercial, they do so at the expensive of their social function. This is seen as a zero-sum game. Profits come before quality."
- Professor Michael Bromley, SJC 2009
It is....
- Profit driven media production
- Not funded by the government, or by a license
- Survives or fails based on business success
- Main business is generating audience
- Creates audiences to make a profit through selling or advertising
Major players in commercial media include:
- Fairfax Media
- News Limited
- Nine
- APN
- Ten
And other players....
- Austar
- Optus
- Telstra
- Macquarie
Each of these major players produce other types and companies of mass media. For example, Fairfax Media have produced The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Financial Review... and even the likes of RSVP.com!
Form and function of commercial media:
FORM: --> Commercial: - Subscription - Sponsored - SubsidisedFUNCTION: --> Commercial, Propaganda, Social
Commercial Media's Role in Society:
The big question is: can commercial media deliver on both commercial (profit) and social (public trust) function? or is it just all about money?
And of course, the media has social responsibilities in a democratic society...
They are:
- To report a truthful and comprehensive account of a day's events with an appropriate context that gives it meaning
- A forum for the exchange of criticism, observation and comment
- Presentation of the representation of groups of society
- Presentation and clarification of the morals and values of these groups in society
- Access to the day's intelligence
Of course, there are factors that keep commercial media in check:
These are:
- Formal state requirements
- Legal prescription
- State oversight
- Statutory
- Voluntary
The public sphere: (Jurgen Habermas)
A space between commerce and government where people can debate freely and form public opinion
COMMERCIAL SOCIAL
- Advertising sales ETHICAL WALL - Editorial
New controls on social media:
1. Government agency regulating content
2. State press subsidies
3. Licensed journalism (countries such as East Timor)
Commercial media is often described as corrupt, and that it lacks quality...
Quote: "In this regard, one thing stands out above all others - the view that the very nature of the commercial equates to a corruption of the social. In other words, as media becomes more commercial, they do so at the expensive of their social function. This is seen as a zero-sum game. Profits come before quality."
- Professor Michael Bromley, SJC 2009
Challenges for commercial media:
Example: Advertising revenue for broadcast media is down and continues to fall
= Loss of revenue = less investment = less money for quality production
= Less original content (repeats of US sitcoms, more reality TV)
= Less original content (repeats of US sitcoms, more reality TV)
The future of commercial media:
- Bigger, better, greater quality content... Audience will have to pay for quality
- Greater competition, compelling content
- Move existing customers to digital
- Paywalls on internet sites
After attending this lecture, I had a million thoughts racing through my mind... Mostly concerning the future of our mass media. Could it be that our only source to obtain news could be the Internet? Is the Internet really the future of communications?
Monday, 16 April 2012
Lecture 5: (19 March 2012) Sound Lecture
This week's lecture was a sound lecture available online for us to listen to. It was a bit of a change and I really liked it.
My tutor Carmel was talking to two radio presenters, Richard Fidler and Steve Austin, asking them questions about their path into radio, what radio is like and how to be a great presenter and interviewer.
Here is what they said broken down:
Richard Fidler, host of "Conversations" on ABC local radio, 11am weekdays. Richard broadcasts for an hour every day, investigating the lives of others and interviewing different people about their lives. He describes these hours as "outrageous and spectacular adventures."
Richard describes his pathway to radio, as a complete accident.
He said there were a few things to learn about radio before he got started:
- Radio is a different medium to radio, it would be impossible to place a television show on radio and vice versa, it wouldn't work. Radio and television are not interchangeable
- Radio is more intimate than television, radio keeps listener in the converstaion
- Television is high impact, it comes at you. However, radio is often performed as part of a multi task, for example, people are listening to the radio whilst doing other things.
He talks about his show, Conversations, mentioning that conversations are different from an interview. A conversation is longer, and goes deeper into what the 'interviewee' is saying. Conversations are biographical in nature, and because they are longer, the host is geniunely interested in what the person has to say.
Richard says that there is a lot of preparation before the guest comes in for the hour long conversation. He has a general idea of what topics the speaker will talk about and vice versa.
One of the things I really loved about what Richard was saying, was that many of his guests have recollected something that they haven't before. I think that would be such an amazing moment to be a part of, watching someone almost forget where they are and have this incredible realisation or epiphany and talking about that to you. I would just love that.
Richard said that public radio is thriving, completely unscathed by the ever-changing and ever-growing domination of technology. Radio is blending into new platforms, such as podcasts, which makes radio more accessible and readily available to listeners. This is something I also loved. Radio, one of the oldest forms of mass media still a strong method of communication. Yay!
Maybe video didn't kill the radio star?
And finally, Richard's advice to us as aspiring journalists:
Read, be open-minded, be aware of what is happening around you...
But also a concept I hadn't fully considered:
Expose yourself to different thoughts. Expose yourself to people you don't agree with and ask them why they have a certain opinion. I LOVED THAT.
Next speaker was Steve Austin. Steve hosts his own show on ABC Local Radio Queensland, weeknights from 7pm. Steve says that the ime after the sun goes down is time for yourself.
Steve gave a little bit of background information about himself and his journey into radio. He says he was 21, riding a bike through Yerongpilly contemplating what was going to do with his life when he decided to pursue radio. What I really liked about Steve's story was that it wasn't easy to get where he is today. It was a 5 year battle before he finally achieved his goal. I find stories like that so inspiring.
Steve said he learnt a couple of things before starting radio, similar to what Richard learned. Steve brought up something else: pronunciation does matter when trying to communicate to others. You actually have to alter the way you speak on radio so that people can understand you!!!
Steve also mentions that he had to change the topic of his conversation from what he wanted to talk about to what the audience wanted to talk about. He said he had to learn to tailor the conversation so that audience would listen again.
He said that sometimes people can become emotional whilst talking to him, and the best way to deal with that is to keep your trust, empathise with them vocally, change your tone of voice to comfort them.
And finally, if you're fake, people can tell on radio.
Carmel asked him how to prompt people to pick up the phone and talk to him. Steve replied saying that you have to ask them the question, ask them personally for their opinion, make them see that their opinion is wanted... No opinion is wrong and listening implies respect.
Like Richard, Steve says that radio is continuing to build its audience and grow, and the reason for this is the time factor.
Steve's message to us: Don't give up.
It was really nice to get other successful people's opinions, thoughts and ideas and I really loved the sound lecture. I have even started listening to both Richard and Steve when I can! I would love to do what they are doing one day.
My tutor Carmel was talking to two radio presenters, Richard Fidler and Steve Austin, asking them questions about their path into radio, what radio is like and how to be a great presenter and interviewer.
Here is what they said broken down:
Richard Fidler, host of "Conversations" on ABC local radio, 11am weekdays. Richard broadcasts for an hour every day, investigating the lives of others and interviewing different people about their lives. He describes these hours as "outrageous and spectacular adventures."
Richard describes his pathway to radio, as a complete accident.
He said there were a few things to learn about radio before he got started:
- Radio is a different medium to radio, it would be impossible to place a television show on radio and vice versa, it wouldn't work. Radio and television are not interchangeable
- Radio is more intimate than television, radio keeps listener in the converstaion
- Television is high impact, it comes at you. However, radio is often performed as part of a multi task, for example, people are listening to the radio whilst doing other things.
He talks about his show, Conversations, mentioning that conversations are different from an interview. A conversation is longer, and goes deeper into what the 'interviewee' is saying. Conversations are biographical in nature, and because they are longer, the host is geniunely interested in what the person has to say.
Richard says that there is a lot of preparation before the guest comes in for the hour long conversation. He has a general idea of what topics the speaker will talk about and vice versa.
One of the things I really loved about what Richard was saying, was that many of his guests have recollected something that they haven't before. I think that would be such an amazing moment to be a part of, watching someone almost forget where they are and have this incredible realisation or epiphany and talking about that to you. I would just love that.
Richard said that public radio is thriving, completely unscathed by the ever-changing and ever-growing domination of technology. Radio is blending into new platforms, such as podcasts, which makes radio more accessible and readily available to listeners. This is something I also loved. Radio, one of the oldest forms of mass media still a strong method of communication. Yay!
Maybe video didn't kill the radio star?
And finally, Richard's advice to us as aspiring journalists:
Read, be open-minded, be aware of what is happening around you...
But also a concept I hadn't fully considered:
Expose yourself to different thoughts. Expose yourself to people you don't agree with and ask them why they have a certain opinion. I LOVED THAT.
Next speaker was Steve Austin. Steve hosts his own show on ABC Local Radio Queensland, weeknights from 7pm. Steve says that the ime after the sun goes down is time for yourself.
Steve gave a little bit of background information about himself and his journey into radio. He says he was 21, riding a bike through Yerongpilly contemplating what was going to do with his life when he decided to pursue radio. What I really liked about Steve's story was that it wasn't easy to get where he is today. It was a 5 year battle before he finally achieved his goal. I find stories like that so inspiring.
Steve said he learnt a couple of things before starting radio, similar to what Richard learned. Steve brought up something else: pronunciation does matter when trying to communicate to others. You actually have to alter the way you speak on radio so that people can understand you!!!
Steve also mentions that he had to change the topic of his conversation from what he wanted to talk about to what the audience wanted to talk about. He said he had to learn to tailor the conversation so that audience would listen again.
He said that sometimes people can become emotional whilst talking to him, and the best way to deal with that is to keep your trust, empathise with them vocally, change your tone of voice to comfort them.
And finally, if you're fake, people can tell on radio.
Carmel asked him how to prompt people to pick up the phone and talk to him. Steve replied saying that you have to ask them the question, ask them personally for their opinion, make them see that their opinion is wanted... No opinion is wrong and listening implies respect.
Like Richard, Steve says that radio is continuing to build its audience and grow, and the reason for this is the time factor.
Steve's message to us: Don't give up.
It was really nice to get other successful people's opinions, thoughts and ideas and I really loved the sound lecture. I have even started listening to both Richard and Steve when I can! I would love to do what they are doing one day.
Thursday, 29 March 2012
Gay marriage in Australia
I love this article! It's about time gay marriage was made legal in Australia. I especially agree with him where he says that it will reduce homophobia in society.
Full story: Marriage is about love, heterosexual or otherwise
Full story: Marriage is about love, heterosexual or otherwise
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Negative effects of social networking...
What can be meant as a satirical joke can be interpreted in a very different way, especially online via social networking. Posting this tweet had serious implications for this individual...
Have a read:
Full story here:
Student jailed for vile tweet about Fabrice
Have a read:
Full story here:
Student jailed for vile tweet about Fabrice
Media Usage Diary
Since the invention of the Internet in the 1990’s, Generation Y has been the first generation to be born into a world where technology dominates, a world where technological advancements have taken over and where technology aids us to complete even the simplest of tasks. I’m not saying this is a bad thing (don’t get me wrong, I love my iPhone) but these notions have only really become apparent to me after completing my very first JOUR1111 assignment: a media usage diary.
The information broken down:
Like 44.2% of my cohort, I have an iPhone, and I use it constantly, as it provides access to hundreds of useful applications and resources, even when you’re on the go. Unlike a computer, an iPhone, or Smartphone gives the consumer the ability to access information wherever they are. By completing the media usage diary, I realised I use my iPhone more than I thought…
Everything can be found on an iPhone, from Facebook, the Internet and various social networking sites, to simpler things such as games or even health tips, which you can download special iPhone applications for. Such a vast amount of information can be obtained via an iPhone, and I found that I use my iPhone subconsciously, and of course, every day. Whether it be only a few minutes, or a long period of time, my iPhone is definitely something that comes in handy for me for any task.
So after reading through all of my observations and results, I leave it at this. Smartphones are the future. Almost every single category my media usage was split up into, could be obtained via an iPhone or Smartphone, which had never really occurred to me until this exercise. It's amazing how much skips your mind until you have to study it! I thoroughly enjoyed doing this exercise, and I definitely have learnt a lot more about communication, technology and just how often we rely on media in every day life.
So, over the past 10 days, I have kept a record of all of my media usage, including which type of media I was using and for how long. The following table is a summary of all of my findings, and furthermore, my observations about my usages and how they compare to the rest of my cohort. I broke down my media use into eleven categories: books, online news, iPhone applications, music, Internet browsing, YouTube, SMS, TV, E-Mail, magazines and Facebook.
The information broken down:
Like 44.2% of my cohort, I have an iPhone, and I use it constantly, as it provides access to hundreds of useful applications and resources, even when you’re on the go. Unlike a computer, an iPhone, or Smartphone gives the consumer the ability to access information wherever they are. By completing the media usage diary, I realised I use my iPhone more than I thought…
Everything can be found on an iPhone, from Facebook, the Internet and various social networking sites, to simpler things such as games or even health tips, which you can download special iPhone applications for. Such a vast amount of information can be obtained via an iPhone, and I found that I use my iPhone subconsciously, and of course, every day. Whether it be only a few minutes, or a long period of time, my iPhone is definitely something that comes in handy for me for any task.
I found that my iPhone and Internet usage were interchangeable, and often I would be using both of these types of media at the same time. Because the Internet is so accessible via an iPhone, I actually found I would use it as often or more often than using my computer. The Internet has so many purposes: blogging, social networking, reading online 'newspapers,' researching or just general browsing.
One of my main observations that I hadn't really picked up on before was the fact that most of my communication is done either on Facebook, or via SMS. Like 94.7% of JOUR1111, I have one Facebook account, and althought I don't sit on Facebook for hours and hours pressing refresh on my news feed, I still use it as one of my main forms of communication every day. With all of my family and friends back in Sydney, I think it's a great way to keep them up to date with what I'm doing, through status updates and photo sharing.
What I also noticed from Facebook is that you can obtain a significant amount of online news through the site, not just with people posting updates about what's happening in the world, but also nowadays big newspapers are putting their articles as links on Facebook. Newspapers such as the Guardian are available to read via Facebook, and you are also able to see what your friends have been reading on your news feed. Like many people, especially aspiring journalists, I enjoy keeping up to date with what’s happening in the world. I read online news every day, and found that 43.1% of my cohort read online news too. I found this number quite surprising, as in a journalism/communications course I would have expected that at least more than half use the Internet to read online news.
One of my main observations that I hadn't really picked up on before was the fact that most of my communication is done either on Facebook, or via SMS. Like 94.7% of JOUR1111, I have one Facebook account, and althought I don't sit on Facebook for hours and hours pressing refresh on my news feed, I still use it as one of my main forms of communication every day. With all of my family and friends back in Sydney, I think it's a great way to keep them up to date with what I'm doing, through status updates and photo sharing.
What I also noticed from Facebook is that you can obtain a significant amount of online news through the site, not just with people posting updates about what's happening in the world, but also nowadays big newspapers are putting their articles as links on Facebook. Newspapers such as the Guardian are available to read via Facebook, and you are also able to see what your friends have been reading on your news feed. Like many people, especially aspiring journalists, I enjoy keeping up to date with what’s happening in the world. I read online news every day, and found that 43.1% of my cohort read online news too. I found this number quite surprising, as in a journalism/communications course I would have expected that at least more than half use the Internet to read online news.
With all the resources available with Smartphones, Tablets and iPads, who needs to read a book, right? You can get thousands of books online as e-books, and can download them all onto one device and read from there. Well, I must admit, I am still a sucker for a good old fashioned book. I read every night before bed, and I honestly don’t think there is anything more satisfying than turning the pages of an actual book. I think it will take a lot of convincing for me to be converted to the e-book!
My observations for how often I listen to music were really fascinating. I absolutely love music, I think it comes in handy for so many things, but I didn’t realise how often I listen to music. Right now, as I type this, I am listening to music. I listen to music whilst walking to uni, whilst running and whilst on the bus. Once again, my music is found on my iPhone and iPod… Maybe Apple really is taking over the world… So after reading through all of my observations and results, I leave it at this. Smartphones are the future. Almost every single category my media usage was split up into, could be obtained via an iPhone or Smartphone, which had never really occurred to me until this exercise. It's amazing how much skips your mind until you have to study it! I thoroughly enjoyed doing this exercise, and I definitely have learnt a lot more about communication, technology and just how often we rely on media in every day life.
Sunday, 25 March 2012
Lecture 4 (16/03/2012) "Picture Stories"
This weeks lecture was focused on pictures, and picture stories. I thought it was a good lecture, as it contrasted with last week's lecture about the importance of text.
Picture stories have played a major role in history. Take the Australian indigenous cave paintings - these have been a fundamental way to interpret stories from thousands of years ago, without even one word. They also reflect Aboriginal customs, culture and tradition.
Another example are the holy stained glass windows that appeared in churches many years ago. Back then, only a small amount of people could read and write, so the images that appeared in churches were one of the only ways they could communicate biblical stories to people.
Early newspapers contained line pictures and limited text. The first photograph appeared in a newspaper in 1879 "Steinway Hall" in the Daily Graphic New York. This marked the beginning of photography appearing in journalism. Throughout the years, there has been significant progress in photo journalism, assisted by new developments in technology, such as the introduction of digital cameras.
Other not so nice developments in photo journalism are that of photo "editing." Every day we see hundreds of airbrushed celebrities on the cover of magazines, some even with feature articles about celebrities telling us that "beauty is from within..."
But how can this be when pictures of already beautiful girls and boys are being distorted in such a way that they don't even look like themselves anymore?
"A picture has no meaning at all if it can't tell a story."
I found this lecture great, as we got to study different types of pictures, their importance in journalism and how pictures communicate to us a certain message. I left the lecture theatre thinking about what Skye had mentioned previously about the importance of text and now what Dr. Redman had said about picture media, and concluded that there are many ways to create great journalism. Each type of journalism is special and communicates a different message to us. Combined, both pictures and text make a great team, but seperated they can also speak to us in different ways, and I find that something remarkable.
Picture stories have played a major role in history. Take the Australian indigenous cave paintings - these have been a fundamental way to interpret stories from thousands of years ago, without even one word. They also reflect Aboriginal customs, culture and tradition.
Another example are the holy stained glass windows that appeared in churches many years ago. Back then, only a small amount of people could read and write, so the images that appeared in churches were one of the only ways they could communicate biblical stories to people.
Early newspapers contained line pictures and limited text. The first photograph appeared in a newspaper in 1879 "Steinway Hall" in the Daily Graphic New York. This marked the beginning of photography appearing in journalism. Throughout the years, there has been significant progress in photo journalism, assisted by new developments in technology, such as the introduction of digital cameras.
Other not so nice developments in photo journalism are that of photo "editing." Every day we see hundreds of airbrushed celebrities on the cover of magazines, some even with feature articles about celebrities telling us that "beauty is from within..."
But how can this be when pictures of already beautiful girls and boys are being distorted in such a way that they don't even look like themselves anymore?
"Fauxtography?"
What makes a fantastic photo?
- Framing
- Focus
- Angle and Point of View
- Exposure
- Timing / Shutter speed
- Capturing the moment
What makes a fantastic moving picture?
- Framing
- Focus
- Angle and Point of View
- Exposure
- Timing and editing
- Capturing the scene
- Inclusion of sound
The Rule of thirds / the Golden Mean:
I found this lecture great, as we got to study different types of pictures, their importance in journalism and how pictures communicate to us a certain message. I left the lecture theatre thinking about what Skye had mentioned previously about the importance of text and now what Dr. Redman had said about picture media, and concluded that there are many ways to create great journalism. Each type of journalism is special and communicates a different message to us. Combined, both pictures and text make a great team, but seperated they can also speak to us in different ways, and I find that something remarkable.
Lecture 3 (12/03/2012) "Text"
This week, our lecture was run by Skye Doherty, a very experienced journalist who has worked all over the world. I found her lecture very interesting and you could tell she had a great deal of knowledge. I would have loved to talk to her personally about her experiences and what she did to become so successful.
Skye said that text is:
- Fast
- Flexible
- Complete control
- Dominates online
- Searchable
She also said that evaluating texts' success is done in an inverted pyramid, in other words an upside down triangle; the top of the triangle being the most important text, and the bottom being the least.
For example, in a newspaper article, the headline is almost always in a bigger font and in a bold font, comparing to the actual text of the article in a smaller font. This is an example of text's inverted pyramid in use, the more 'important' text being bolder and more noticeable than the smaller text.
Examples of 'text': story content, headlines, standfirst, break-out boxes, pull quotes, captions, links...
But also: E-mails, blogs, tweets, Facebook updates, comments, forums...
"Bloggers' use of and engagement with various social media tools is expanding and the lines between blogs, micro blogs and social networks are disappearing."
Poynter eyetrack: The reader's attention is drawn to the most dominant headlines - especially top left or most often (but not always) top right. Skye also said that contrary to popular belief, photographs aren't always the thing that catches our eye the most when entering a webpage or reading a newspaper. I found that fascinating. It seems that text is most definitely dominating our webpages and newspapers. Good for journalists I guess!
Skye also talked about 'tagging.' Tagging makes articles, blogs and journals more accessible, as when a reader types one of the tags appearing in a text, the text will appear more readily in search engines such as Google. In fact, underneath this blog as I am typing, I have the option of tagging this blog with a few keywords to make it more accessible. Not a bad idea at all.
Skye said that text is:
- Fast
- Flexible
- Complete control
- Dominates online
- Searchable
She also said that evaluating texts' success is done in an inverted pyramid, in other words an upside down triangle; the top of the triangle being the most important text, and the bottom being the least.
For example, in a newspaper article, the headline is almost always in a bigger font and in a bold font, comparing to the actual text of the article in a smaller font. This is an example of text's inverted pyramid in use, the more 'important' text being bolder and more noticeable than the smaller text.
Examples of 'text': story content, headlines, standfirst, break-out boxes, pull quotes, captions, links...
But also: E-mails, blogs, tweets, Facebook updates, comments, forums...
"Bloggers' use of and engagement with various social media tools is expanding and the lines between blogs, micro blogs and social networks are disappearing."
Skye also talked about hypertext. Hypertext is defined as text with references (or hyperlinks) to other text that is readily available to the reader. Hypertext is fundamental to the foundations of the Internet, and is a great way to focus readers attention on to 'related stories' to the one that they are reading. I couldn't help but think about Web 3.0 (Bruce Redman's "New News" lecture) and how hypertext is often tailored to the interests of the reader. For example, I was just browsing on Facebook the other day in my spare time, and noticed a group of ads to the right of the webpage with images of cats and shoes, two things I had talked about in a post a few days earlier. There was even an advertisement there including a word I use often as a joke in posts! It's quite amazing how the web is becoming more and more catered to the producer than we think.
Poynter eyetrack: The reader's attention is drawn to the most dominant headlines - especially top left or most often (but not always) top right. Skye also said that contrary to popular belief, photographs aren't always the thing that catches our eye the most when entering a webpage or reading a newspaper. I found that fascinating. It seems that text is most definitely dominating our webpages and newspapers. Good for journalists I guess!
Skye also talked about 'tagging.' Tagging makes articles, blogs and journals more accessible, as when a reader types one of the tags appearing in a text, the text will appear more readily in search engines such as Google. In fact, underneath this blog as I am typing, I have the option of tagging this blog with a few keywords to make it more accessible. Not a bad idea at all.
Saturday, 24 March 2012
Obesity Epidemic - a growing cause for concern
This is a piece from one of my favourite TV shows, Supersize vs Superskinny, a British show that explores different peoples' bad relationship with food, dieting, exercise and body image. A survey conducted in 2007 and 2008 in Australia found that one in 4 Australian adults were overweight or obese, and that there were just as many people that were overweight that were a normal weight (in other words, an estimated 38% of Australian adults are overweight.) Source: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/web+pages/statistics
In contrast to this, a staggering 90% of 12-17 year old girls and 68% of 12 – 17 year old boys have been on a diet of some type due to issues with body image. (Source: http://thebutterflyfoundation.org.au/CMSPageDetails.aspx?CMS_Page_Id=77&Parent_CMS_Page_Id=4)
I find it amazing that us people, not just in America and Britain, have such a distorted view of what is healthy, and what is not healthy, from both extreme ends of the scale. Advertisements appear everywhere, 'educating' people about how to lose weight, what to eat, what not to eat, what will make you 'fat' etc... Could this sort of advertising be affecting our relationship with food? Moreover, could it be distorting it in such a way that these figures of obesity and eating disorders could increase even more with time?
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