Convergence

Virginia Bailey (n.d.) describes one component of convergence culture as she notes that consumers drive a flow of information across multiple platforms (p. 2). Convergence culture requires an ongoing interaction between producer and consumer. Eileen Meehan (2007) notes, "active fan/consumers of media brands create virtual communities that collaboratively produce knowledge regarding a branded artifact, generate grassroots versions of it, and follow multiple versions of the brand across multiple media" (p 603). These two point out that convergence culture is a delicate interplay of content between consumers and producers in which content is made available in many different ways by producers and consumers push that content in different ways with similar motivations to belong to a community. 

Bailey (n.d.) notes that more consumer involvement leads to less centralized control (p. 2). In this sense, convergence culture makes a push toward net neutrality. Furthermore, convergence culture provides an outlet for creative engagement (the process of creating something for the purpose of being involved in a multi-platform community). I think of fan fiction (novels, spin-off cartoons, videos, etc. that are written by fans for fans containing characters, themes, settings, etc. related to an original work). Star Wars, the original film, ignited five (and now a sixth) sequels and a non-stop production of toys, books, videos, etc. much of which are created by fans. Star Wars convergence has spanned platforms and decades.

In order to be involved in convergence culture, one must consume and create. Consumer creations contribute to the cycle of convergent media by, "adding greater diversity of perspective, recirculating it, feeding it back into the mainstream media” (Bailey, n.d., p. 2). Information flowing across multiple platforms is good for culture in a limited capacity. Too much convergence can blur lines between mediums, content, and producers and consumers. I enjoy the novel experience of reading a book or going to a restaurant to watch the game rather than sitting around and streaming it on one of my devices. I also am not a big fan of fan fiction; therefore, I would rather see original films rather than played-out sequels. In this sense, the degree of involvement in convergence culture depends on personal preference.

References

Bailey, V. (n.d.) Book review: Convergence culture: Where old and new media collide. [Review of the books Convergence culture: Where old and new media collide, by Jenkins, S.] LOEX Quarterly. [online print]. Retrieved from AsULearn.

Meehan, E. R. (2007). Book reviews. [Review of the books Convergence culture: Where old and new 

media collide, by Jenkins, S. and How to think about information, by Schiller, D.]. Journal of Communication 602-604.

Reducing "Free" Downloads

Class discussion led us to consider the tension that exist between created works (or intellectual property) posted on the internet and the protection of those works via laws, legal policies, and regulations. We discussed the muddled definition of property and ownership as it pertains to digital content. It is difficult to consider  fair use when dealing with content that does not exist in a physical form. It is easier to patent and thus protect a machine part because it can be seen, touched, etc.; therefore, a patent violation can be observed and measured, whereas measuring fair use of digital content is much more difficult. 

We used the musician Girl Talk as an example of what is, or is not, fair use of digital content on the internet. All content on the internet is protected according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Furthermore, Section 107 defines fair use with four criteria: purpose and character of the use (ex.: edu., commercial, for-profit, etc.), the nature of the work (ex.: secretive, sensitive, etc.), the amount/portion of information used (ex.: chapter in a textbook vs. whole book), and the effect of the use of copyrighted work (ex.: does the downloading of music affect the artist(s)' own gains?). Girl Talk creates a strong argument that his work falls within the limits of fair use. Since it is very difficult to monitor, control, and regulate created works/intellectual property many people resort to "free" or "borrowed" downloads of online content. In order to reduce/eliminate this type of activity, the media/government could do the following three things: 

1) Add more clear criteria of fair use to Section 107. Girl Talk obviously uses borrowed/non-original content in his works. More specific criteria (such as specific time limits on a piece of music that may be borrowed) may help with maintaining the creation and publication of more original works. This does walk a fine line though, as many works are created off the backs of existing works. What really is "original"? Does true originality exist?

2) Increased policies that aid in increased net neutrality. By emphasizing user control, big money companies will have fewer outlets to make money, thus fewer outlets for consumers to dodge purchases with illegal downloads. 

3) As it pertains to music, many musicians/bands/groups make much of their money from tours (as sales of their music is subject to multiple fees and sharing of the proverbial pie). Many popular musicians have multiple music videos on their webpage and on YouTube and access to downloads on their website, third-party websites, and on iTunes, Amazon Play, etc. Therefore, advertisements often promote a song or an album rather than a tour. By promoting tours, musicians' primary means of sharing their creations could be live concerts rather than online songs and albums where music consumption is more about convenience than the experience. Reframing what it means to consume and enjoy music could begin to decrease the desire to buy based on convenience and the methods some take to avoid having to spend money.

Response to "Privacy and Enhanced Personalization"

"Privacy-Enhanced Personalization" highlighted our society's desire for both privacy and the personalization of our webpages. The author notes that online identities require of an assessment of costs and benefits (Alfred, 2007, p 26), meaning that personalization comes at a cost to privacy. In order to personalize online sites, especially social media accounts, we must decide what information is private. Additionally, we must decide how to personalize our websites so that it represents our desired online presence (p 27). Alfred points to methods used in order to balance privacy and personalization. He notes that many users depend on the trust of a website; such as: design and organization, credibility of the creator/author, privacy statements, and privacy seals, when disclosing private information (pp 28-29). The internet, and governing powers, attempt to help maintain online privacy through laws and regulations. Interestingly enough, some of these regulations, though protecting the identity of users, go against the "laissez faire" nature of the internet. Such intersections are seen when the government attempts to increase national security via acts such as 2011's SOPA, for example. The questions I would like to pose are: what tensions exist between an offline personalization and online personalization? Where do those two intersect with offline and online personalization and how do we maintain honest personalization (meaning no "catfishing") without disclosing too much private information? Also, how can one maintain privacy yet create a personalized website/page that reflects one's desired online presence? To facilitate an answer, I mentioned in class how I struggle to personalize my Facebook yet maintain a level of privacy and promote my desired online presence as I am discouraged that top Google hits for my name are for others' pages.

References

Kobsa, Alfred. (2007). "Privacy and Enhanced Personalization." Communications of the ACM. 50(8) 24-33.

New Media Technology

Article reference

Shilpa, J. J. (2014). NEW MEDIA TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION - A GENRE OF 

OUTREACH LEARNING. Global Media Journal: Indian Edition, 5(1), 1-10.

Abstract

New Media is a definitely proving to be a significant technological revolution dawning an era of e-generation. It is creating a significant ripple as dynamic content provider and interactive media indeed revolutionizing the world of communication. Obliterating the geographical barriers, new media is connecting us to every corner of the world sprouting the virtual world. The present paper attempts to study the new media's ingress into the education sector redesigning the knowledge economy. The online media is allowing students a new avenue to explore their interest and inquisitiveness. As an agent of immense change it is the opted tool for greater specialization in curriculum through experiential learning. New Media, a forum for interaction, self-expression, and an avenue for skill enhancement is enabling students to develop professionally. Having redefined the learning process infringing the traditional norm of education, it is crafting individuals for the industrial demands and the competitive world. With exclusive characteristics and undeniable risks, new media is emerging as the preferred medium for outreach learning in younger generation. 

I chose this article as an aspiring teacher; therefore, I am interested in the ways we can integrate new and effective technology into educations systems in order to advance educational techniques and practices. I am a huge proponent of experiential, creative learning and this study suggests that the use of new media technologies is an aid to facilitating these learning styles. It is too bad that I grew up in a time when computers, tablets, etc... were not a practical, affordable component of my education.

Online Networking

Concerning the three networking laws; Sarnoff's Law, Metcalfe's Law, and Reed's Law, I agree that they all hold application when applied in a specific context. The Internet and networks which run off of the Internet, such as social media, gain value depending on the number of users. We saw an example of Sarnoff's Law in the PBS documentary "Generation Like," where interactions such as likes, page views, and subscribers added value to the specific network and in turn provided companies an outlet to invest in individuals as a means of advertisement. Once reciprocated interaction takes place, the linear model is broken and Sarnoff's Law no longer applies. This interaction means that we, as an individual are able to connect with an infinite amount of content and an unlimited number of other users. Although I agree with Metcalfe's Law the least among the three, I believe in his concept that more connections create more value. In that sense, the more content and interpersonal connections (even over a computer) we are exposed to, the more invested we are in that content. The law that I most agree with is Reed's Law which encompasses the expansiveness of the Internet and the true value of its content. Reed's Law is built upon the idea that the more networks a user is involved with, the more power that network holds. "Generation Like" shows an example of this with the multi-network advertising campaign of The Hunger Games. The more Tweets one Retweeted, the more points one received on the official Hunger Games website. These multiple platform and networks take powerful hold of users in the absence of mindful, critical Internet use.

Five years from now, I believe that we will get our information through the same mediums in which we use now only in more unique and creative ways. Much of our information sources that exist today, such as television, Internet, and radio, will exist in five years. These mediums will eventually crossover onto electronic mediums, for instance e-printed newspapers, however "old-time" mediums will always exist, for instance record players. Mass media will continue to grow and find new ways to reach audiences on the Internet and face-to-face interpersonal communication will continue to taper off in favor of video conferences, text messages, and social networks. Until a mass communication medium is developed that is more expansive, more easily accessed, and cheaper than the Internet, the Internet will continue to grow as an important information exchange location.

Summary and analysis of Why We Blog

Why We Blog is an insightful, albeit less recent (published in 2004), article that affirms what I have come to understand about blogs while helping me navigate some of the finer, less noticed aspects of blogs and blogging culture. The authors of the article interviewed 23 bloggers from California and New York, who were all middle-class adults either in school or employed. The interviews allow us, the readers, to understand the process of blogging and some trends that were popular in 2004 and that are, through my observations and experiences, still popular today. Some blogs are updated multiple times per day while others are updated much less often. It would be interesting to examine the crossover between blogging use and social network use. Much like social networks today, blogs, then and now, serve as a place to discuss any topics such as radial interests or phenomenological observations. Bloggers are motivated to blog in ways such as: documenting his/her life; much like one would keep a physical journal, commenting on popular topics, releasing passionate emotions about a topic, writing introspectively, and/or as a meeting place for other bloggers, or non-bloggers, to congregate and discuss topics. The latter aspect seems to have been replaced by social networks, although blogs with specific topics and purposes create and foster an environment that is more likely to attract the intended audience. In today's internet culture, I, much like many others, use social networks to promote our blogs so that our connections (Friends, Followers, etc...) on social networks may find and share our blog and, therefore, be willing to engage with it.

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