Homework- 26/4/12


The article by John Naughton writes about "the most powerful tool of our age." Internet, and everything the reader needs to know about it. Naughton explains the difference between the net and the web using a railway analogy. The internet is like  "tracks and signalling, the infrastructure on which everything runs." On this railway there are different types of traffic, which are like web pages on the internet; other types include exchanging music files and e-mail. 


He then goes onto talk about the bet's capacity for disruption; informing the reader of the history of simplicity of the internet. Lead designers, Vint Cerf and Robert Kahn, created a system that links to other networks, yet design a network that is "future proof." They cam to the conclusion that there should be no central ownership and that the "network should not be optimised for any particular application." In other words, the one could navigate the internet and do as they wish without anyones permission. The web, was created single handedly by one man, Time Berners-Lee, creating a software that shares music files called Napster. However, as Naughton says, "By the time the file-sharing genie was out of the bottle", other programers were providing other, much more sinister, surprises. These included, viruses, spam, worms and "other security, exploits." 


The fourth step, "Think ecology, not economics," Noughtan discusses the similarities between ecology (the study of natural systems) and the web; as they both specialise in abundance. "he large organisms like dinosaurs (think Time Warner, Encyclopaedia Britannica) had trudged slowly across the landscape exchanging information in large, discrete units,but life was now morphing into an ecosystem in which billions of smaller species consume, transform, aggregate or break down and exchange information goods in much smaller units – and in which new gigantic life-forms (think Google, Facebook) are emerging." 

 How does the internet change audiences?

There are so many way in which teh internet has changed the audience. For example,


Naughton also mentions how people have become dependent on the internet and its features, such as webmail, yahoo and Google. He finishes to say: " Everywhere one looks, the transition to cloud computing has profound implications, because it makes us more and more dependent on the net. And yet we're sleepwalking into this brave new world."


THE WEB IS CHANGING! From web 2.0 to 3.0. This is based on Berners - Lee's idea of 'semantic web,' "in which web pages will contain enough metadata about their content to enable software to make informed judgements about their relevance and function."


His fifth point mentions privacy and the wrecking the internet is capable of, using writers Huxley and Orwell. Huxley believed that the things we love will destroy us, whereas Orwell was convinced that the things that would destroy us were the things we feared. Creating endless opportunities for information, such as "entertainment, pleasure, delight, communication and apparently effortless consumption," would result in a "quasi-adictive power." On the other hand, using Orwell's theory, the internet is the perfect device for surveillance, everything is logged; from your e-mail, downloads to search history. "As a tool for a totalitarian government interested in the behaviour, social activities and thought-process of its subjects, the internet is just about perfect."


Lastly, Naughton talks about IP and how copy and pasting has not caught on with technology.When we search on the web, we are essentially, looking at a copy of the page. Furthermore, we now have access to special software to copy and paste. He then comes to the conclusion that "The only way to stop copying is to shut down the net."




What is so special about the internet?

The internet is a network of networks. It hosts the world wide web. The internet has many great uses and has developed over the years, introducing social networking, communication and web email. The special thing about the internet is that it has not boundries, people are able to search what they want, when they want, how they want. It connects people from around the world.

 What is wrong with the internet?

There are so many things wrong with the internet, for example, there is a high risk of virus threats. This can disrupt your personal computer and can even clean your computer- not in a good way. Pornography is definitely harmful for your children. There are numerous pornographic sites available over the Internet and watching any of those can have very bad influence on the mental health of your children. Theft of personal details While using the Internet, there is high probability that your personal details like name, address and credit card number may be accessed by con artists and used for fraudulent purposes.

There are many ways in which the internet has changed the audience. For example, it can change their perspective on things, as the internet informs us about different things; and different cultures in pirticular it can decrease cultural ignorance. However, a negative point of the internet is that it can make a person less social.

The internet can change audiences depending on why they have logged onto the internet. For example, if a person were to log on to satisfy their cognitive needs (uses and gratification, 1974) they may become more knowldgeable about a certain topic. Moreover, for tension release they would have less stress, changing their behaviour.  

Homework- 18/4/12

1) 28 million is the estimated figure of circulation. A fifth of the world’s population can now go online. That figure has risen from 25 million in 1995 to 1.4 billion today.  - (http://www.slideshare.net/mediamacguffin/mest3-internet-lessons-13)

Nature of information:

http://www.jhigh.co.uk/Intermediate2/Using%20Information/12_charact_of_info.html

Communication:

http://www.intersectweb.org/2011/07/14/how-the-internet-has-changed-communication/

http://www.evokad.com/2011/05/how-has-technology-affected-communication/

·         I believe that the internet has made communication much easier, for example, MSN and Facebook chat. This allows people from every corner of the world to communicate.

Privacy:

http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-3445_162-7323148.html

http://news.discovery.com/tech/is-the-internet-destroying-privacy.html

·         Privacy has in fact fallen. The internet permits stalking via the World Wide Web. For example, cyber stalking, especially on facebook. There have been many cases where people have been stalked through social media.

Community:

http://gawker.com/5900835/why-community-is-the-most-popular-show-on-the-internet

·         The internet has created an anti-social, internet community. For example, trolling.  A key example is the case with Charlotte porter (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-17900962).

Business:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5235332.stm

http://briangosur.hubpages.com/hub/The-Internet-Has-Completely-Changed-The-Way-We-Do-Business

·          Businesses can now market online, thus increasing revenue.

 Culture:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/aug/15/internet-brain-neuroscience-debate

http://www.minthegap.com/2006/11/12/how-has-the-internet-impacted-our-culture/

·          The internet has decreased cultural ignorance, as people more have access to other cultures. In terms of internet culture, the internet has created a culture of anti-social teenagers.

Copyright:

http://mashable.com/2011/03/24/copyright-law-enforcement/

http://www.parliament.uk/documents/post/pn185.pdf

·         More and more things are being labelled as copyright, as there is so much access to so many things; such as, music, books and movies- for free; the protection of IP has become tighter. Although there are such strict regulations, there will always be people who share files, these people are mostly in south east Asia because it is harder to track them

Online safety:

http://cupertino.patch.com/articles/internet-safety-pledge-promotes-online-security

·         There is work being done to improve online safety, however these things are useless. For example, watching a film rated 15 or 18. A child would just have to click a button and they can watch it!

COD

Media Forms: What codes and conventions does the trailer use to establish the text’s genre?

The trailer uses dream like imagery, which provides escapism (uses and gratification, 1974). This allows the trailer to establish its genre, as video games are often used as a diversion from reality. Furthermore, the use of a globe and different settings suggests the genre is a global establishment. Also, it could suggest an element of interaction (uses and gratification, 1974) because it can imply that the video game can be played worldwide. Moreover, the non-diegetic sound of the male speaker also establishes the genre; this is because video games are one of many stereotypes of males, therefore, its genre is established with the male speaker.

How is war represented in the trailer?

Like many things, there are two or more ways in reading a text; and in this case the reception theory (Stuart hall) can be utilized. A preferred reading of the trailer would be that war is something with a positive and rewarded effect; it can put an end to the moral panic (Stanley Cohen). However, the oppositional reading could be that it is almost glamorized and the bloodshed and killings are celebrated in this trailer. 

Furthermore, war itself can be represented as a game; which can perhaps connote the ideology of the institution. The trailer presents war as a game, as it suggests there is a winner and there is a loser; leaving out the third party victims out. Capitalism can be the ideology linked to how war is represented in the trailer, as this type of society believes in money and gaining for itself.

In what ways is the trailer typical of the video game industry?

The selected shots of the trailer are typical of the video game industry. This is because they are only showing the more ‘exciting’ shots in order to attract the audience. Also, as the institution Xbox is American, it represents the soldiers are positive and those ho are not negative or that we should be cautious of them.

Who does this text appeal to and what pleasures does it offer?

Due to its male speaker and images of male soldiers, it can be said that its key demographic are males of a d-B1 audience. Perhaps, those to aspire to go into war however they are too afraid of actually warfare; therefore it provides escapism (uses and gratification, 1974). Furthermore, for those who are anti-Islamic or of an Islamophobic nature would find pleasure in playing this game would gain affective needs (Katz, Gurevitch and Haas 1973). This is because they will get pleasure in violence against the countries the game is set in. 

In addition, it the text appeals o those are obtain what Maslow described as ego needs and social belonging needs. This is because when playing the game you are playing with others, therefore interacting and belonging to a social group of players, but also the game ranks people depending on their success in the game, which allows them to have some sort of status.

Easter questions

• Media Forms: What techniques does the extract use to establish the text’s genre and/or engage the audience?
• Media Representations: How is gender/ethnicity/age/disability/sexuality/a place represented in the extract?
• Media Institutions: In what ways is the extract typical of the film/advertising/television industry and/or what values does it promote?
• Media Audiences: Who does this text/brand appeal to?

Media Representations: How is gender/ethnicity/age/disability/sexuality/a place represented in the extract?

In this advertisement there are two females and one male in a shop having trouble picking a chocolate bar. The man is then pushed to the ground spilling the kinder beuno chocolate bar in his lap. During this the females pick up the chocolate bar from his lap, there are two on each side. This connotes a penis and/or testicles, also when picking up the chocolate bar the woman make a moan. The advert itself presents woman as picky, there is also a subliminal message that they are picky with men too; this is because in the advert they say things like “bit boring” and “so heavy”. In addition, when the man falls to the ground and the woman are surrounding him, this connotes a matriarchal society perhaps. However, due to the chocolate bar being a phallic symbol it may suggest a matriarchal society as the phallus still dominates women in all aspects, including what they eat. In addition, the use of sexuality is heavily used within this advertisement as the female voice over says “indulgent taste, without the full feeling afterwards”, this connotes sex and pregnancy (full feeling afterwards).

Media Institutions: In what ways is the extract typical of the film/advertising/television industry and/or what values does it promote?

The advert is typical of advertising as it as it creates a lot of rhetorical questions, and one answer ‘Baku’. Due to it begin such a young country, not many people will have heard of it, therefore this will create narrative enigma (Barthes). A value it promotes is the idea of multiculturism, this is because of the different ethnicities and the cities named such as Paris and Barcelona. In addition, as Azerbaijan is predominantly a Muslim culture, it challenges the ideology of islamophobia, as it celebrates the country rather than promoting hatred and fear of them.  

Furthermore, Richard Dyer states that people will respond to a media text if it offers them compensation for the inadequacies in their own lives. Through the media audiences can vicariously live their lives and fulfil their wants and needs, leading them to strive to a utopian life.” This is what this advertisement provides, as sense of escapism (uses and gratifications, 1974); this is further reinforced with the camera shots used. The establishing shot is of the sky, which can connote that sky is the limit when visiting Baku.

Media Audiences: Who does this text/brand appeal to?

This advertisement denotes a man white non-diegetic sound of football commentary. Therefore, it is evident that the key demographic audience would be males, also as he is wearing a quite it could connote the socio-economic band of A-C1. In addition, at the end the speaker narrates and asks “will he score again” while the camera is on a woman, therefore it connotes that by scoring he will get the woman. This can also connote a Patriarchal society, as it implies males are dominant and a woman is just a prize or a point in their life.

Furthermore, during the text the male jumps over a child’s toy with the narration “oh, he’s beaten one”, this perhaps suggests he has beaten having children and has remained single and ‘free.’ Moreover, the use of football commentary creates feeling of winning, therefore could appeal to males aspiring to succeed and ‘score.’

• Media Forms: What techniques does the extract use to establish the text’s genre and/or engage the audience?
• Media Representations: How is gender/ethnicity/age/disability/sexuality/a place represented in the extract?
• Media Institutions: In what ways is the extract typical of the film/advertising/television industry and/or what values does it promote?
• Media Audiences: Who does this text/brand appeal to?

Media Representations: How is gender/ethnicity/age/disability/sexuality/a place represented in the extract?

Women are represented as sexual objects/vehicles, as she is being compared to a car. Therefore, it suggests men are the dominant force, as men will be driving the car and the woman is the car; which can also suggests a patriarchal society. However, an oppositional reading would then bring up the idea of post-femisim, this means women do not just want to be 'equal' to men; but surpass their achievements. Thus is can be said that the woman in this advert is actually controlling 'the gaze. This is further reinforced with the colour of a dress,  as black connotes dominance and power. 

In addition, using an italian woman suggests Italian women as a sexual; also as she is speaking Italian it represents her as exotic (Alvarado, 1987). In addition, as her hair is tied up it suggests she is virtuous or powerful, as she does not need to let her hair down in order 'to be looked at ness' (Laura mulvey). However, due to the colours of her clothing of red and black and he whispering in his hair, it could represent her as sinister or devilish. This is because red and black connote evil, anger and danger; therefore it represents her as   wicked or malicious.  

Self-evaluation

Target grade: B

Targets:

- Practice timing, via pratice papers
- adding theory, and making sure it is relevant to content
- reference to text

Pledge: I vow to practice timings, as this hinders my potential of doing well.

The Guardian Advert Analysis

• Codes & Conventions: What techniques does the ad use to persuade the audience to consume the Guardian?

The advertisement uses intertextual reference to a classic fairy tale of ‘The three Little Pigs’, this persuades the reader to consume the Guardian for a number of reasons. Firstly, it creates nostalgia as the audience will identify (uses and gratification, 1974) with the well known fairy tale and will in a way create a friendship with the institution; in that they are together reminiscing about the story. Furthermore, the use of satire is also used to persuade the audience. The idea that there are three pigs who are perverting the course of justice and killing a wolf who had blown their homes down, may create moral panic (Stanley Cohen, 1987). The effect of humour and satire, allows the institution to be represented as a light-hearted newspaper, who know no limits. Therefore this suggests they are willing to do whatever it takes in order to give the public news.

Additionally, the use of showing ‘common’ people implies that the newspaper is an institution which includes their readers. This is an example of Social integrative needs and Personal integrative needs (Katz, Gurevitch and Haas 1973), the readers want to be a part of something, to feel needed. Thus, they will purchase consume the Guardian to get the feeling.  Moreover, the demonstration of using different media platforms to give their opinion and read the news tells the audience that the Guardian are a well established institution who are able to adapt with what is most consumed, for example, the micro-blogging website Twitter.  Thsis therefore persaudes the audience to purchase this newspaper, as they can accesss it anywhere and anytime.

Finally, the advert shows one story that tackles many issues, such as the economy and murder. This represents the Guardian as a versatiles newspaper, that is desgined to cater too all needs.

      

       Representation: How is the news represented in the ad?

The news is represented as something that should be given on all media platforms; it is a form of lean back media. Furthermore, it is represented as something that the public overstresses, this again is an example of a parody of the public’s moral panic (Cohen, 1987).     

The news is represented of high stature; they prompt the audience to answer ‘rhetorical questions’. This suggest that the news affect the audience, we must be in formed of everything (McQuail’s 1983).

In addition, in this advertisement once one crime is revealed another one is. The pigs  murdered the big bad wolf, we then find out they also did it due to mortgage struggles. This represents the news as an institution which find out more, as it aids the public. This can relate to John stuart Mill, who believed inSocial reformism  The institution believes that with a great number of people all around the world (the different languages in the advert) and people in this country; there can be development in education, morals, and as a society in general. 

Media Institution: What issues of new technology does this ad raise and what does it tell us about the values of The Guardian?

The issues of new technology are that it is a rapid device to getting news around, this presents the Guardian as an institution, which give their news fast and 'on the go'. Furthermore, the Guardian is represented as newspaper that aims to cater to all socio-economics groups. For example, in one scene there was graffiti, which connotes a youth audience. Also,in once scene there was a shot of the big bad wolf on youtube, used as evidence against the little pigs. The effect of this represents technology as something useful and advantageous.  Also the quote 'around the UK bumper edition', connotes the newspaper being everywhere you can travel, due to its easy accessibility; online, the newspaper, twitter and your phone. 

Audience: On the basis of this ad, who does the Guardian brand appeal to? 

The advertisement denotes a use of a variety of languages, such as French and English. This suggests, that the Guardian is aimed at different ethnicities, therefore some audiences may have a sense of identification (uses and gratification, 1974); they will want to buy this newspaper as represents itself as a cosmopolitan institution. Furthermore, There are different british accents, which can connote that it appeals to all demographics. Its socio-economic group would be C-A, as it is a broadsheet paper which tackles 'real' issues, such as the economy and finance; and not celebrity news.   

However, although it can be said that it is a cosmopolitan newspaper, the use of a traditional fairy tale says otherwise. it could suggest the newspaper has traditional ideologies concentrating on informing people and educating, first, then entertaining.