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?
Broadband service is the key for the success of online communication because it enhances and actually allows for it to be considered the full-powered mass medium, Internet. The social effects of broadband, or high-speed, are due to the audio and video element that are added. Broadband service makes digital convergence feasible because of the combination of audio, graphics, and other features included on the Internet. For example, with broadband Internet connection, one can view a video created in distant places, and learn about global issues. In this way broadband provides that "connection," or ability for people to identify commonality of opinions on issues, joys, and fears. Broadband also allows for the ability to send out and receive large amounts of information to wide ranges of people.
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?
The World Wide Web opens the doors for Internet communication because it allows for anyone to access it and share opinions, moments, and to discuss social issues. The Web with graphical web browsers moves online communication to the "acoustic world" because of the freedom people have while using it. People are allowed to post whatever they wish to the public and hold discussions with anyone in the world, despite distance. This opens the doors of communication even wider because of the abilities of people to have a say and love the ability to interact with lands afar.
3. How might telecommunication change if the government supported the development of broadband Internet for everyone?
Telecommunication would change the way government supported the development of broadband Internet for everyone because cable and telecommunications provide a wide range of data for their users. This would just increase the data flow amongst consumers.
4. News organizations were changed by the telegraph, and the whole new business of news, that of the wire services, were 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.
I think any company reliant on needing to send information out to a mass audience or needing to receive audience's opinions would benefit from rapid dissemination of information. I think marketing and advertising firms would benefit from the rapid dissemination of information. Perhaps they could track their social media and other mediums for what people are thinking of their products, or sales approaches. Finding out how people are reacting to their products will allow them to adjust and better their customer service.
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.
Perhaps enhancing the functions of Twitter as a social networking tool and make it more geared towards businesses. Allowing for group chats to be formed, and allow the sharing of software (microsoft documents, other papers, etc) amongst company officials and allow commenting. My idea is to converge the communication of Twitter software with the scheduling software of Doodle, and to add more of a conversational, interactive element to it.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
"Digital McLuhan," Reaction Questions
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 pre-dates the alphabet. The world of the pre-literate acoustic is one of no boundaries, in which information emerges in various places. In the article, the pre-literate world inhabits myth, music, and total immersion. Television carrying these similar characteristics is a resident of the acoustic world. Additionally, the alphabetical visual world is different from the pre-literate world because it wasn't accessible to everyone. Only select people had the luxury of being able to read and interpret texts. This difference glorified the acoustic world because it involved interpretation based on what the person was hearing or seeing, not based on what was written.
2. Why does the alphabet have the segregating tendencies? How exactly does the printing press reverse the segregating tendencies?
The alphabet has segregating tendencies because when it was originally created it was only designed for those who were able to read it. The privileged few capable of reading were then able to spread its meaning to others. The printing press reverses these segregating tendencies because it allows for the mass production of news which can be circulated to more people than before.
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 alphabetic communication in online communication makes cyberspace acoustic because we created the alphabet as a way to communicate amongst each other. The online acoustic world is different from the television, radio, or print acoustic world because it is closed and we are able to make changes based upon our preferences. For example, using Pandora online radio, the user is capable of manipulating what they listen to based upon their preferences, as opposed to traditional radio.The main difference between online and television is that you can interact with people via chatting and posting. Television does not allow for interactivity between the viewer and television producer.
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.
The two selection criteria are:
1. "We want media to extend our communications 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." - Color television replaced black and white television, because we want to see the natural, realistic world. Additionally, the telephone replacing the telegraph, because the telegraph lacked the human voice element.
In 20 years our online communication will be much more advanced. As humans we will always have the need for more and will never settle for less. Keeping that trend continuing, media will be constantly changing to more advanced technology to quench our thirst for the latest technological release.
The pre-literate acoustic world pre-dates the alphabet. The world of the pre-literate acoustic is one of no boundaries, in which information emerges in various places. In the article, the pre-literate world inhabits myth, music, and total immersion. Television carrying these similar characteristics is a resident of the acoustic world. Additionally, the alphabetical visual world is different from the pre-literate world because it wasn't accessible to everyone. Only select people had the luxury of being able to read and interpret texts. This difference glorified the acoustic world because it involved interpretation based on what the person was hearing or seeing, not based on what was written.
2. Why does the alphabet have the segregating tendencies? How exactly does the printing press reverse the segregating tendencies?
The alphabet has segregating tendencies because when it was originally created it was only designed for those who were able to read it. The privileged few capable of reading were then able to spread its meaning to others. The printing press reverses these segregating tendencies because it allows for the mass production of news which can be circulated to more people than before.
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 alphabetic communication in online communication makes cyberspace acoustic because we created the alphabet as a way to communicate amongst each other. The online acoustic world is different from the television, radio, or print acoustic world because it is closed and we are able to make changes based upon our preferences. For example, using Pandora online radio, the user is capable of manipulating what they listen to based upon their preferences, as opposed to traditional radio.The main difference between online and television is that you can interact with people via chatting and posting. Television does not allow for interactivity between the viewer and television producer.
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.
The two selection criteria are:
1. "We want media to extend our communications 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." - Color television replaced black and white television, because we want to see the natural, realistic world. Additionally, the telephone replacing the telegraph, because the telegraph lacked the human voice element.
In 20 years our online communication will be much more advanced. As humans we will always have the need for more and will never settle for less. Keeping that trend continuing, media will be constantly changing to more advanced technology to quench our thirst for the latest technological release.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
"Introduction: 'Worship at the Altar of Convergence" by Henry Jenkins, Reaction Questions
1. Why does convergence happen in the communication and media fields? What are the two conditions that lead to convergence?
Convergence happens in the communication and media fields to facilitate the consumer's needs in products. Where there is a consumer need, producers will find a way to fulfill that need. With the development of new technology, big media moguls must quickly act to dominate the industry with their developments. Generally, their job seems rather simple, they need to find a way to develop an invention that is unlike any other in its market or create something better, something more efficient. The two conditions that lead to convergence are the consumer and what they think and what they say to others through social interaction.
2. What are the three different kinds of digital convergence discussed in the article?
1. Participatory Culture
2. Collective Intelligence
3. Media Convergence
3. What cultural and social impacts does digital convergence have in addition to technology changes?
Digital convergence has many cultural and social impacts as a result of technology change. Most importantly, digital convergence provides people with a network of ways to communicate and share ideas over new media. The presence of new media allows for people to communicate in a myriad of ways that could not have been achievable otherwise. Technology changes as a result of digital convergence could be correlated to an increase in social interactions.
4. Do the new media displace old media in the history of media development? Why or why not?
New media does not displace old media. Old media never actually fades away, it is capable of being adapted. This adaptability feature is the reason for new media. New media takes the place of the old media and advances it, sometimes simplifying it to make it more accessible and easy-to-access. Instead of new media displacing old media, delivery technology is displaced. Delivery technologies such as 8-tracks and CDs are fading away because they are outdated and no longer essential to use, as per new technological advances.
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 traditional concept of media consumption is found when the top-down corporate level uses research from the bottom-up grassroots level. The corporate level processes the grassroots level to receive information as to what they would like to see. The top-down corporate level and bottom-up grassroots level changes the arrangement for media consumption to establish a better media form.
6. What does digital convergence in media indicate for communication and journalism professionals in the future?
Digital Convergence in media indicates a challenge for communication and journalism professionals in the future. The whole shape of a journalism professional's career is subject to great alteration as a result of digital convergence. A newspaper is passé in this day and age. People are less prone to buy a newspaper with the accessibility of it right on their computer or smart phone. Print media is slowly becoming obsolete as a result of digital convergence. Communication and Journalism professionals must be able to adapt and work with the new technology. Our workforce must always be able to converge with the technology and stay on top of it.
Convergence happens in the communication and media fields to facilitate the consumer's needs in products. Where there is a consumer need, producers will find a way to fulfill that need. With the development of new technology, big media moguls must quickly act to dominate the industry with their developments. Generally, their job seems rather simple, they need to find a way to develop an invention that is unlike any other in its market or create something better, something more efficient. The two conditions that lead to convergence are the consumer and what they think and what they say to others through social interaction.
2. What are the three different kinds of digital convergence discussed in the article?
1. Participatory Culture
2. Collective Intelligence
3. Media Convergence
3. What cultural and social impacts does digital convergence have in addition to technology changes?
Digital convergence has many cultural and social impacts as a result of technology change. Most importantly, digital convergence provides people with a network of ways to communicate and share ideas over new media. The presence of new media allows for people to communicate in a myriad of ways that could not have been achievable otherwise. Technology changes as a result of digital convergence could be correlated to an increase in social interactions.
4. Do the new media displace old media in the history of media development? Why or why not?
New media does not displace old media. Old media never actually fades away, it is capable of being adapted. This adaptability feature is the reason for new media. New media takes the place of the old media and advances it, sometimes simplifying it to make it more accessible and easy-to-access. Instead of new media displacing old media, delivery technology is displaced. Delivery technologies such as 8-tracks and CDs are fading away because they are outdated and no longer essential to use, as per new technological advances.
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 traditional concept of media consumption is found when the top-down corporate level uses research from the bottom-up grassroots level. The corporate level processes the grassroots level to receive information as to what they would like to see. The top-down corporate level and bottom-up grassroots level changes the arrangement for media consumption to establish a better media form.
6. What does digital convergence in media indicate for communication and journalism professionals in the future?
Digital Convergence in media indicates a challenge for communication and journalism professionals in the future. The whole shape of a journalism professional's career is subject to great alteration as a result of digital convergence. A newspaper is passé in this day and age. People are less prone to buy a newspaper with the accessibility of it right on their computer or smart phone. Print media is slowly becoming obsolete as a result of digital convergence. Communication and Journalism professionals must be able to adapt and work with the new technology. Our workforce must always be able to converge with the technology and stay on top of it.
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