Thoughts on New Media Industries

Thursday, April 24, 2008

what is a blog anyway

The night is late; a few too many wines have been knocked back while watching the Friday night movie. Once again my housemates are engaged in a senseless debate over which Aussie soap the main actress is from. Arguments are presented, voiced are raised until finally some shouts…

“JUST GOOGLE IT!”

Four and a half seconds later the laptop is out and within a few short minutes one housemate victoriously announces her point was correct. Game over.

So common is this phenomenon that the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary has recently entered the term.

google: to use the Google search engine to obtain information about (as a person) on the World Wide Web.

This is an example of how the increased importance of online and information networking has precipitated from the computer elite into mainstream society. Unfortunately not all online networking platforms have received such definition. The constructing of blogs and the blogging environment is a prime example of this. A quick “google” of Blog/definition will reveal the wealth of inconsistencies in relation to defining both the purpose and structural elements of a Blog. Herring et al. (2004, p.1) points out these inconstancies, stating that their characteristics have yet to be systematically described, despite their pervasive popularity. The only real consistent structural description offered relates to the pages list of dated entries, displayed in reverse chronological order (Herring et al., 2004, p.1).

Whilst the majority of blogs are opinion pieces or personal narratives and journals(Crucial Marketing, 2008) there is a growing popularity in academic and industry specific blogging, as well as an abundance of political blogs. Whilst the structure free environment of this medium allows creative freedom in personal blogs, the lack of configuration requirements leaves much room for error and question when constructing an academic or professional blog. If one is not yet immersed in the world of blogging, how are they to know the level of scholarly or professional language necessary to still be engaging to the consumer whom visits or seeks the blogging sites.

Unfortunately this may be a symptom of the user-led content creation or produsage environment which characterises the blogging. These bloggers or produsers are not expert, but ordinary citizens (Flew, 2005, p.65). They have no obligation to conform to traditional models ofjournalism, writing styles or even academic integrity. Whilst the rules to report or essay writing are clear and easily identifiable such is not the case with blogging. In order for a new user to create a blog which is professionally or academically credible, yet still engaging to the blogger audience, the creator cannot simply follow simple set of guidelines. Instead a new user must personally engage in the blogging environment, continuously analysing and evaluating trends and blog successes to model their own blogs upon. And even then its still an inaccurate science, as the environment is as volatile as its users (Herring et al., 2004, p.11). However a positive side effect of the structure less nature of blogs is the creative opportunities it encourages, allowing bloggers to continuously develop innovative means of utilising their web space for creative, intellectual and social leverage (Flew, 2005, p.62).

Another Blog to Note
http://samaraschulz.blogspot.com/

Bibliography:

Crucial Marketing. (2008). Marketing Terms. Retrieved April 20, 2008, from http://www.marketingterms.com/dictionary/blog/

Flew, T. (2005). New Media: an introduction (2nd ed.). South Melbourne: Normanby Road.

Herring, C., Scheidt, L., Bonus, S. and Wright, E. (2004) Bridging the Gap: A Genre Analysis of Weblogs. School of Library and Information Science
Indiana University: Bloomington.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Virtual Cultures... to be or not to be

The technological advances in the new media industries can only be described as incredible. Things once imagined in sci-fi fantasies are now a reality. However whilst the physical technology is extraordinary, what its actually being applied to is far more awe inspiring.

But before we explore the modern cyber world, it is important to back at how far we have come.

Once upon a time…

• You had to write letters, not emails
• You had to get “double prints” if you wanted to share your photos with your friends
• The radio was the only way to listen to music without paying for it
• Students had to take actual notes, and carry around stacks of books.
• Great search had to be taken to find a friend with the same obsession for Star Wars, war hammer or “weird emo music”
• Keeping in touch with friends meant hours on the phone, which, most often, lead to you both drifting apart.

Fortunately these days are long gone. Telecommunication technology is not only enabling our intellectual expression, but is facilitating a new culture of social interaction. Whilst traditional communities and social networks were limited by geographical location, or the slow delivery or The Australian Post, today content, interest and opinion can be shared instantaneously, anywhere, anytime, by anyone (Flew 2005, 62). Unfortunately, as is the case with most change, a fear of these virtual cultures is nested (particularly with balding middle aged men and their wives who often use the phrase “in my day…”), with communities concerned that such technologies are creating anti social and “unruly” youths. Parents often express anxieties centre on the fear that children become socially isolated as a result of online games and activities, and that they come to see the computer as compensation for lack of human contact and friendship (Silnow, 1984).

It could be suggested that such beliefs are simply due to a lack of understanding. Virtual culture, driven by online communities and content sharing is facilitation a level of human interaction which would have been previously impossible. Individuals can seek out users of shared interest from across the global. They can experience cultures, ideas and ideologies that would never have been possible for them in their physical world. Furthermore social networks such as Facebook and MySpace not only invite new friends, but allow users to build upon and uphold existing, physical world friendships, keeping alive contacts which would have died if letters were relied upon.

And it’s only going to get bigger. From email to msn to MySpace and into the future the virtual world is ever expanding, fearing it will not wish it away. so embrace, participate and experience beyond your physical world!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

And so it begins....

So my first post is a week late. Not to divert responsibility.... but this was through no fault of my own. My dear tutor Sandra instructed our class to postpone our first blog until the conclusion of our first assignment.

*Note this blog was created in response to an assignment task for KCB201: Virtual Cultures, a creative industries subject at the Queensland University of Technology.

Basically this site will be an exploration of the unit contetn through the perspective of my own interests, specifically advertising and media communications. Fingers crossd this will be the industry I end up in post graduation.

Bye for now I'm off to submit Assignment One xo