This course would definatley have been better if done during the normal university semester. Because of our "accelerated learning" we seemed to not have enough time to accuratley practice what we learned during the day. We all seemed flat out worring about our blogs and the essay.
But overall it was great. It was awsome to do something completley out of left field, only to be told that it was the furture in your degree.... so I better start getting to know the internet a tad better.
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Essay
Digital media put the tools of production into the hands of the everyday computer user making it incredibly easy to produce content. These creative skills used to be something that people worked to develop. Now it appears that amateurs can produce content of a fair standard within a relatively short period of time. Where does this leave 'professionals' and highly-skilled artists? Choose one area of creativity and discuss some of the challenges facing practitioner’s vs. amateurs in producing digital content.
A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding. Marshall McLuhan
Despite the mass media dominating journalistic style for the best part of the last century, its weakness, highlighted in a recent general recognition that current formats are obsolete, has been targeted in the last decade with advancements in personal web logging technology re-assembling the process in which material is obtainable. The Monopoly on audience and readers held by the moguls of the mass media had begun to decay steadily with a rapidly increasing number of internet connections being established to view news online or, as this essay will discuss, publish news online in the form of a personal web-log. Such an ability to be published instantly has seen a revolution in the way news is being produced and selected world wide and has also put into question the current role of the journalist in the future.
Whether it is participatory journalism, journalism from the edges or online freelancing, web logging refers to individuals retaining an active role in the process of gathering, exposing, categorizing, examining and publishing all forms of news and information. A gentleman’s ban once imposed to maintain the exclusively of the news media has now been lifted, allowing the many colors of the people to shine through.
The first question to ask is whether the rise of the web log will see the emergence of unethical amateur journalism. With the establishment of a style guide for all universities in Australia offering journalism as a course and the founding of such institutions as the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance catering for those currently working in the media industry, boundaries which enable journalists to practice credibly are in place. In recent years, however, such credibility has been bought into question, most notably in the mainstream media, with companies altering such styles to implement a bias or protect self interest by editorializing the most popular news mediums. Web loggers do not have such boundaries "but what you have in print publishing today is a consolidation that's inimical to the diversity that exists in everyday life. With the rise of the Internet, people don't need to be bounded by those traditional filters anymore." (Paul Andrews (2002) http://www.ojr.org). The ability for a web logger to publish any information is possible. Unlike paid journalists, documenting news approved through an editorial process, web loggers have the ability to publish information and commentate on issues previously un-approved for coverage by mass media corporations. The risk however lies in the ethical basis of such journals which, regardless of ethical guideline, are able to be posted.
In-part, the explanation for the explosion in blogging at specialist blogging websites like Myspace.com and Blogger.com can be found in the tools for self-publishing. Internet sites have become far easier and more automated giving people with basic knowledge of the computer realistic publishing capabilities. "When the first browsers were invented, you still had to know how to script, now you've got templates and applications and free server space so that all the nuts and bolts are taken care of for you and all you have to do is concentrate on the writing." It isn’t a question about whether web logs will see the demise of the journalist; it is a question about how web logs will change journalism: and it will change journalism forever. No longer will we see editors proofing articles to drop sensitive material, solely to please advertisers and supporters and no longer will media companies be able to thwart their opinions and power over the world through their traditional news mediums"I think the Web is actually becoming more credible while established media are losing ground," (Andrew Sullivan (2002) http://www.ojr.org). Journalists will be able to use news judgment in accordance to their ethical boundaries and publish material that they were previously unable to publish.
It is therefore inevitable that Web logs will be transplanted into the future of journalism. Instant publishing and accessibility in the form of the internet, a tool (despite the digital divide) all are being encouraged to use for everyday activities such as shopping and recreation, are beginning to overtake the morning paper as not only a news source, but a primary news source. However without boundaries and censorship is blogging really journalism? Or is it just a more-up-to-date way for people to participate in our representative democracy? Instead of writing to the editor who only has a limited amount of space, typically on one page of his newspaper, bloggers can voice their opinion via the internet. Such participatory Journalism hasn’t changed with the blog (Rebecca Blood (2006) http://www.rebeccablood.net/essays/weblogs_journalism.html). People were always able to write free-lance articles and practice the art of journal keeping, however the revolution in terms of the internet now allows the piece to be published regardless of bias. Journalists previously restricted through the mainstream media are possibly the ultimate bloggers, capable of accurately and professionally recording news and opinions whilst maintaining an ethical connection through their training basis.
In this guise, web logs should not be thought of as a separate entity but as a valuable part of the evolution of the mainstream media landscape (Jason Gallo (2006) http://blog.lib.umn.edu/blogosphere/weblog_journalism.html). It is unrealistic to expect a complete, precise portrayal of a story or a subject at any one web log, as resources are not equal to such a feat. Therefore one should not expect web logs to replace mainstream media in its entirety, instead, in this growing online community, web loggers continue to be critical and extend on the stories published in mainstream media. These communities are also the basis for participatory journalism, grassroots reporting, annotative reporting, commentary and fact-checking, which the mainstream media feed upon, developing them as a pool of tips, sources and story ideas (http://www.jdlasica.com/articles/nieman.html).
At a glance, the journalist, rather than losing out when web logs become even more prominent in the next few years, will profit immensely from the online publishing revolution. Rather than seeing the journalist fade away into the hard copy archives along with their many famous past works, journalists will become an integral part of online life. Gone are the days of media companies carving a path through news and opinion, leaving gaps along the way: journalists can now choose stories they believe are most important publish them as objectively as they wish and maintain a reader base to support such action without falling under the confines of a multi-national media conglomerate. The ability for the internet to become the most powerful tool of the people yet has just become a reality with the journalist now in a real position to pressure governments and voice opinion.
A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding. Marshall McLuhan
Despite the mass media dominating journalistic style for the best part of the last century, its weakness, highlighted in a recent general recognition that current formats are obsolete, has been targeted in the last decade with advancements in personal web logging technology re-assembling the process in which material is obtainable. The Monopoly on audience and readers held by the moguls of the mass media had begun to decay steadily with a rapidly increasing number of internet connections being established to view news online or, as this essay will discuss, publish news online in the form of a personal web-log. Such an ability to be published instantly has seen a revolution in the way news is being produced and selected world wide and has also put into question the current role of the journalist in the future.
Whether it is participatory journalism, journalism from the edges or online freelancing, web logging refers to individuals retaining an active role in the process of gathering, exposing, categorizing, examining and publishing all forms of news and information. A gentleman’s ban once imposed to maintain the exclusively of the news media has now been lifted, allowing the many colors of the people to shine through.
The first question to ask is whether the rise of the web log will see the emergence of unethical amateur journalism. With the establishment of a style guide for all universities in Australia offering journalism as a course and the founding of such institutions as the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance catering for those currently working in the media industry, boundaries which enable journalists to practice credibly are in place. In recent years, however, such credibility has been bought into question, most notably in the mainstream media, with companies altering such styles to implement a bias or protect self interest by editorializing the most popular news mediums. Web loggers do not have such boundaries "but what you have in print publishing today is a consolidation that's inimical to the diversity that exists in everyday life. With the rise of the Internet, people don't need to be bounded by those traditional filters anymore." (Paul Andrews (2002) http://www.ojr.org). The ability for a web logger to publish any information is possible. Unlike paid journalists, documenting news approved through an editorial process, web loggers have the ability to publish information and commentate on issues previously un-approved for coverage by mass media corporations. The risk however lies in the ethical basis of such journals which, regardless of ethical guideline, are able to be posted.
In-part, the explanation for the explosion in blogging at specialist blogging websites like Myspace.com and Blogger.com can be found in the tools for self-publishing. Internet sites have become far easier and more automated giving people with basic knowledge of the computer realistic publishing capabilities. "When the first browsers were invented, you still had to know how to script, now you've got templates and applications and free server space so that all the nuts and bolts are taken care of for you and all you have to do is concentrate on the writing." It isn’t a question about whether web logs will see the demise of the journalist; it is a question about how web logs will change journalism: and it will change journalism forever. No longer will we see editors proofing articles to drop sensitive material, solely to please advertisers and supporters and no longer will media companies be able to thwart their opinions and power over the world through their traditional news mediums"I think the Web is actually becoming more credible while established media are losing ground," (Andrew Sullivan (2002) http://www.ojr.org). Journalists will be able to use news judgment in accordance to their ethical boundaries and publish material that they were previously unable to publish.
It is therefore inevitable that Web logs will be transplanted into the future of journalism. Instant publishing and accessibility in the form of the internet, a tool (despite the digital divide) all are being encouraged to use for everyday activities such as shopping and recreation, are beginning to overtake the morning paper as not only a news source, but a primary news source. However without boundaries and censorship is blogging really journalism? Or is it just a more-up-to-date way for people to participate in our representative democracy? Instead of writing to the editor who only has a limited amount of space, typically on one page of his newspaper, bloggers can voice their opinion via the internet. Such participatory Journalism hasn’t changed with the blog (Rebecca Blood (2006) http://www.rebeccablood.net/essays/weblogs_journalism.html). People were always able to write free-lance articles and practice the art of journal keeping, however the revolution in terms of the internet now allows the piece to be published regardless of bias. Journalists previously restricted through the mainstream media are possibly the ultimate bloggers, capable of accurately and professionally recording news and opinions whilst maintaining an ethical connection through their training basis.
In this guise, web logs should not be thought of as a separate entity but as a valuable part of the evolution of the mainstream media landscape (Jason Gallo (2006) http://blog.lib.umn.edu/blogosphere/weblog_journalism.html). It is unrealistic to expect a complete, precise portrayal of a story or a subject at any one web log, as resources are not equal to such a feat. Therefore one should not expect web logs to replace mainstream media in its entirety, instead, in this growing online community, web loggers continue to be critical and extend on the stories published in mainstream media. These communities are also the basis for participatory journalism, grassroots reporting, annotative reporting, commentary and fact-checking, which the mainstream media feed upon, developing them as a pool of tips, sources and story ideas (http://www.jdlasica.com/articles/nieman.html).
At a glance, the journalist, rather than losing out when web logs become even more prominent in the next few years, will profit immensely from the online publishing revolution. Rather than seeing the journalist fade away into the hard copy archives along with their many famous past works, journalists will become an integral part of online life. Gone are the days of media companies carving a path through news and opinion, leaving gaps along the way: journalists can now choose stories they believe are most important publish them as objectively as they wish and maintain a reader base to support such action without falling under the confines of a multi-national media conglomerate. The ability for the internet to become the most powerful tool of the people yet has just become a reality with the journalist now in a real position to pressure governments and voice opinion.
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