Questions for the article “Transmedia Storytelling 101”

1. Why is transmedia storytelling important in digital convergence communication?
Transmedia storytelling is important in digital convergence communication because it allows for cross platform storytelling.  Transmedia allows the story to continue from one medium to another and becomes an extension of the original story.

2. Why can the media business be beneficial more from transmedia storytelling in distributing their productions? By having multiple forms of content businesses have a bigger market to sell to.  The process of transmedia gives media outlets more content to distribute, thus giving them more content to sell to consumers.

3. How can transmedia storytelling be beneficial for different bodies of audience in consuming productions? Transmedia allows a story to be told through multiple platforms.  For instance, a movie can be released and simultaneously a video game may come out that acts as an extension to the story.  This extension benefits the audience by granting them more content.

4. How can transmedia storytelling be worked out in terms of collective intelligence in the process of production? Transmedia requires media from multiple outlets (comics, books, movies, TV, video games, etc) a story can start in a comic book and then a movie can be made, followed by a video game.  This process requires the gathering of collective intelligence to create all of the content.

5. How does transmedia storytelling encourage interactivity with the audience?  When different content produces put out stories that are extensions of the original story this gives the audience more content to interact with.  If someone is a fan of a movie that also has a game they may be more inclined to purchase the game and that makes them become more interactive with the content.

Links to my Podcast

Here are the links for my Podcast:

 

http://www.buzzsprout.com/22729.rss

http://www.buzzsprout.com/22729

 

Test Podcast Links

http://www.buzzsprout.com/22729.rss

http://www.buzzsprout.com/22729 

 

 

All the Aggregation That's Fit to Aggregate/Photojournalism in the Age of New Media

All the Aggregation That’s Fit to Aggregate

 

What does aggregation mean?  Aggregation is bringing smaller parts into one bigger entity.  As far as it relates to this course, aggregation can be seen more as media convergence. 

 

Why does the author describe Arianna Huffington as “the queen of aggregation?”  Go to the Huffington Post and provide an example.  Because Arianna Huffington’s website the Huffington Post is an aggregate site that has gained mass popularity.  On the Huffington Post site they retrieve news and gossip from around the web and compile it on to their site.

 

Is aggregation a threat to professional journalism – why or why not? No.  Some of the aggregate sites use stories from professional journalists and major news sources.  If anything it gives more viewers the opportunity to read the articles by professional journalists.

 

Photojournalism in the Age of New Media

 

A professional journalist receives a photo captured by a citizen journalist….

 

·         What are the positives? It is a first hand, real time experience.  These images give a more realistic, raw vision of whatever situation is transpiring.

·         Why does the professional journalist need to be careful?  They need to make sure they verify any pictures and accredit them properly.

·         Why might the content of the photo be called into question?  Photos have to be verified and make sure they are of the actual event from the time that it is happening. 

·         How does citizen photojournalist impact the job of the professional photojournalist?  They reduce the need for so many professional photojournalists.  A company may have had 10 or so photographers at one point, but now may only need 2 or 3.  On the other hand, citizen photojournalists won’t replace the professionals, they’ll still be needed.  Also, having citizens around the world able to take pictures, it relieves some of the need for photographers to travel.

Questions for the article “Youtube”

1.     How does the interaction online become the key for Youtube video production community? Please use the media convergence concept to explain it.  By having a place for users to upload videos and allowing users to comment and interact.  YouTube has become a leader in media convergence this way.  People can upload content, comment on content, borrow the content and post it elsewhere and subscribe to other users content.

2.    The article mentioned that the teens are mainly passively consumers of Youtube being on the periphery. But seven out of 10 most subscribed partners are teens and young adults. How do you explain this use of Youtube in youth?
      Teens may be the most passive consumers of YouTube, but they are invested in the future of YouTube.  By becoming subscribers, teens are seeking out the specific content they want and showing loyalty to certain YouTube channels.
    

3.    How does Youtube use different techniques to create an online community that is different from other websites?  
     By allowing users to subscribe to other users content, YouTube has been able to create its own media network that utilizes the concepts of participatory culture.   This also creates a participatory culture within its own community.

 

4.    What is the next step for Youtube development? Please use the concept of participatory culture and media development theory we discussed to explain your answer.  The next step would be the incorporation of 3-D technology or some other technology that would enhance the senses and make the use of YouTube more organic. 

Social Media Questions - Week 7

Social Media Use is Soaring—Tine to Reconsider Your 2013 Strategy

 

·         What did you learn about the growing trends in the use of social media? That people are using their phones more and more to access social media sites.  Which makes people focus more on their social media instead of other things, such as websites, etc.

·         What takeaways do you see from the data? That people are accessing social media more and more through wireless (phones, tablets, etc.) technology.  People are also inflating social media use through the use of second-screens.

 

Technology & Internet:  10 Social Media Tips Every Business Needs to Know

 

·         How does business use social media?  As a way to connect with consumers.

·         Where you surprised by what “social media is NOT?” Yes and no.  I was surprised that the growing population of Facebook users was women aged 45-60.  Everything else the article mentioned was pretty common sense.

·         Describe some of the things that “social media IS.”  Social media is a fast-growing, free “place to be seen.”  It is also a major marketing tool.

·         What are the takeaways for business from this article? That social media is a major tool for people and businesses to use; you are either involved in social media or you are out of the picture.

Putin Aide Delivers Questionable Rhetoric

(PressTV)

     On Tuesday Kremlin Economic Aide Sergei Glazyev stated that Russia "would find a way not just to reduce our dependency on the United States to zero but to emerge from those sanctions with great benefits for ourselves."  Glazyev also stated that the American economic system would "crash."  These comments were made in response to possible sanctions being placed on Russia by the U.S. in response to Russian forces moving in on Ukraine.  
     Glazyev went on to say that Russia would discontinue the use of the dollar for international transactions and create their own system with other economic partners.  Russia would also default on current U.S. loans, which "would cause the end of the domination of the United States in the global financial system," according to Glazyev.
     The U.S. wasn't the only target of Glazyev's rhetoric; Europe would also face "catastrophe" if sanctions were put in place. 

                                                         Photo of Sergei Glazyev               (REUTERS/Alexander Natruskin)
                                                                                      
     Apparently this is common practice for Sergei Glazyev, who is known for his wildly outlandish views and comments. Business Insider writer Joe Weisenthal put it like this, with Glazyev's comments he "is literally threatening to put his own companies into default. That's the opposite of a threat."  At least for now, it seems we can rest easy and not worry about Glazyev's questionable rhetoric.

"Glazyev probably thinks it sounds good domestically to make these threats and to imagine that they're of any significance. For everyone else they're just an amusement," said Weisenthal.




References:
http://www.afp.com/en/node/1288416
http://news.yahoo.com/russia-warns-could-reduce-zero-economic-dependency-us-083926261.html?vp=1
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/04/353185/kremlin-warns-us-over-sanctions/
http://www.businessinsider.com/putin-aide-threats-2014-3#ixzz2v2qFYhdP

*****This blog is part of a school project and has no other intents or purposes*****

Questions for the documentary “Virtual Revolution” part 1, 2, and 3.

1.     The web is celebrated as the revolutionary technology that is great leveling of humanity creating equal opportunity, equal access, and equal potential. However, there are only a quarter of people on the earth who can use it. How do you explain the controversial argument here?  The web has the potential to be reached by everyone.  Eventually we all may be connected to the web and it will fulfill its potential.

 

2.     How is Wikipedia the best example to implement the leveling ideas of the Web rooted in the cultural revolution of 1960s, namely the Libertarianism in the counter culture? How does it explain some of the digital convergences? Wikipedia enables knowledge to be produced from the ground up instead of from the top down.  Knowledge retrieved from Wikipedia removes the elitism of knowledge.

 

3.     How does the Web make it possible for different kinds of digital convergence?  The web is a free and open area making it available for anyone to add content.  This allows for the addition of different media from many sources.

 

4.     How can the Internet become a challenge for traditional authority? Use the political landscape changes in some countries to illustrate your answer.  The Arab Spring would be an example of the internet challenging traditional authority.  Another example would be Kenyan blogger Ory Okolloh creating the site Ushahidi after a contested election.  By having this site available to the people of Kenya they were able to keep a minute by minute tracking of the violent fallout due to suspected ballot rigging.  Ushahidi was able to out-do the media in terms of coverage of the crisis and gave people a voice.

 

5.     Do you believe that getting information free can set us free eventually? Why or Why not? Do you see any concerns of the complete freedom or self-expression without limit on the Internet? Why or why not?  Access to information is certainly a wonderful thing and it will open many opportunities for people.  This makes us free to access any information we choose.  The only problem I can see with self-expression without limit is that sometimes people go overboard and push the envelope for all of the wrong reasons.  It is valuable to be able to have complete freedom, but some people will abuse that and the affect could be detrimental.

 

6.     In traditional media communication, it has the “vertical” authority. In the Web communication, it becomes “horizontal?” How do you explain the change? How does this create the possibility for digital media convergence?  In traditional media information comes from the top and is disseminated down to the masses.  In web communication the masses are able to create the content, which is than accessible by anyone.  With the expansion of the web people realized that they could become content creators and tell their side of the story, instead of listening to what traditional media was telling them.  The user created content opens the door for all kinds of media to be added to the web, this along with the availability of traditional media has created endless possibility for digital convergence.

 

7.     Why is that the Web is free critical for the success of the Web itself? How does that clash with the corporate business ideology? How does that pose challenges for copyright issues at the same time? What will happen if the Web is not free?  The web needs to be free to continue the horizontal communication and further digital convergence.  Free access to web allows for anyone to become a part of the web and give or receive any desired content or information.  This obviously clashes with corporate business ideology because there not making money off of web access.  Corporations would want to charge fees for all web access, which would further commercialize the web and detract from its current free state.

Questions for the article “Historical Development”

1.      Why is broadband service the key for the success of online communication? What are the social effects of broadband service? How does the broadband service make digital convergence possible? The expansion of broadband will allow for greater access for everyone.  With broadband people are able to gain access to greater amounts of content.  This access allows people to become more informed and connected.  Broadband also allows users to create and distribute content much more easily.  Convergence happens through broadband because of the higher quality audio and video.

2.      Why does the use of World Wide Web open the door of the Internet communication to a much wider audience? In what way does the Web with graphical web browsers move the online communication to “acoustic world” discussed in the previous class?   Since the web is so vast it almost becomes a place with no boundaries (similar to the “acoustic world”).  Not only that, the web also allows for greater interaction that is becoming more and more natural.

3.      How might telecommunication change if the government supported the development of broadband Internet for everyone?  With greater numbers of people connected more content and ideas can be created and shared.  Communication could reach new potential.

4.      News organizations were changed by the telegraph, and a whole new business of news, that of the wire services, was created because of the telegraph. Discuss other industries that could benefit from rapid dissemination of information and how and why they would benefit from it.  Other than news organizations, other industries that might benefit would be government agencies, emergency information sites, among others.  If government and emergency information sites were able to put out information at a faster pace people would be able to access it and become informed of important information instantly.

5.      Choose one of the common methods of online communication and think of how it could be improved in terms of facilitating communication between people, ensuring quality communication, and enabling the greatest number of users to distribute information.  I think communication tools like Skype could benefit from greater amounts of bandwidth.  The idea of video calling is great, but the quality is often subpar and could use a boost.  If the video quality were to become crystal clear and the calls could remain uninterrupted more people might use Skype more frequently.  It could eventually become our primary means of telecommunication.

Questions for the article “Digital McLuhan”

 1. What are the differences between the pre-literate acoustic world and the alphabetical visual world? How does the media of television become a part of the acoustic world?  The pre-literate acoustic world lacked boundaries and therefore information came from anywhere and without specific direction.  The alphabetical visual world on the other hand has boundaries and direction.  Television relates to the acoustic world through its musical, mythic and immersive tendencies.

 

 2. Why does the alphabet have the segregating tendencies? How exactly does the printing press reverse the segregating tendencies?  Prior to the printing press only small groups had access to the alphabet.  It was reserved for more elite groups and thus created a larger divide between literate and illiterate individuals.  Once the printing press was invented more people were able to gain access to literature (the alphabet) and over time close the gap towards literacy.

 

 3. How does the alphabetic communication in online communication make cyberspace acoustic? How is the online acoustic world different from the television, radio, or print acoustic world?  The endless openness and interactivity of cyberspace have formed it into an acoustic world.  It is the fact that cyberspace requires our undivided attention to participate that separates it from other media.  We use TV, radio and print often as secondary communicative processes, but that is not the case with how we use cyberspace. 

 

 4. Not only do we invent media and media technologies but also we select their uses in different contexts. What are the two selection criteria? According to the selection criteria, please discuss what will happen to our online communication in 20 years?        1) We want media to extend our communication beyond the biological boundaries of naked seeing and hearing.  2) We want media to recapture elements of that biological communication which early artificial extensions may have lost.  It seems that people want media that is not only an extension of our communication, but also a more organic and natural means of communicating.  We want something that is technologically advanced, but also fits into the flow of natural human interaction.  With these circumstances, we may be headed towards further advances in virtual reality or interactive holograms.  These technologies would allow humans the interaction they crave and push the boundaries of current communication.

 

Questions for “Introduction: ‘Worship at the Altar of Convergence’” to the book Convergence Culture by Henry Jenkins

1.      Why does convergence happen in the communication and media fields? What are the two conditions that lead to convergence?  Convergence happens because new technologies and media are being developed over time.  When there is a new development in technology the different types of media will evolve with them.  This leads to the idea of convergence.  The two conditions that lead to convergence are the consumer’s active participation and the desire for collective intelligence.

 

2.      What are the three different kinds of digital convergence discussed in the article?  The shift of media’s content, the “black box,” and media production and consumption.

 

3.      What cultural and social impacts does digital convergence have in addition to technological changes?  Digital convergence allows us to communicate through various media across the world.  Digital convergence is helping to integrate cultures through new technological advances.  Platforms such as social media and online gaming have allowed people around the world to interact easily.

 

4.      Do the new media displace old media in the history of media development? Why or why not? Not necessarily.  The old media adapt to the new media and they coexist.  For instance, when TV came along radio did not disappear, it changed its format and became a platform for rock music.

 

5.      The convergence happens from both the top-down corporate level and bottom-up grassroots level. How do both levels change the traditional concept of media consumption? The top down corporate level types are having to adapt to the grassroots level companies.  More and more we see smaller startup companies like Facebook displaces former media giants.  When this happens these older corporations have to figure out a way to adapt and compete.  A company like Facebook or YouTube puts media at the fingertips of consumers and provides free entertainment, this changes the entire landscape. 

 

6.      What does digital convergence in media indicate for communication and journalism professionals in the future?  People will need to be able to adapt to convergence and be able to work across multiple platforms.  Gone are the days when there is one or more people for each part of a job, an individual now needs to be able to perform every function of a particular job.

Hello.