Week 12: Participatory Culture Then, Now and Tomorrow
Welcome to your final seminar for iGeneration! This week we've got two large case studies and three short(ish) articles to look at. The first case study focuses on the citizen media responses to Hurricane Katrina's Aftermath mainly from US commentators and mainly from a left-wing perspective. There are lots of links in the five-part Aftermath post, but have a look at as many as you can. The second case study is (shock, horror) looking at the way the film Serenity was marketed and promoted both from the production side and by fans. Read "That Serenity Post..." first, and then take a look at the other media listed (one produced by fans, one by Universal). Finally, you've got three readings which will help us sum up the course (a few questions about these are below).
Case Study I: Citizen Media Responses to Hurricane Katrina's Aftermath
[X] Katrina: The Aftermath, The Politics & Citizen Media [Part I] [Part II] [Part III] [Part IV] [Part V]
[X] Kayne West Political Mashup: "George Bush Doesn't Care About Black People" by The Legendary K.O.
[X] George Bush Don't Like Black People: The Music Video
Case Study II: Citizen Media/Fandom & Finding Serenity
[X] That Serenity Post...
[X] The Signal Podcast (listen to any episode, or part of one at least)
[X] Fifth & Final Serenity/Firefly Viral Movie Clip: Session 416, First Excerpt (watch at least one of the clips)
The Final Readings
[X] Sonja Haller, "iPod era of personal media choices may be turning us into an iSolation nation", The Arizona Republic, Sept. 12, 2005.
[X] Danah Boyd, "remix is active consumption not production", apophenia, October 08, 2005.
[X] Chris Anderson, "The Long Tail", Wired, 12.10, October 2004.
Some Questions to Think About for the Seminar:
[1] Is participatory culture, mashing up and citizen journalism really all that new? What does Danah Boyd think?
[2] Does participatory culture online offer a wider world of individual choice and expression or is it being subsumed as a marketing model? What does the selling of Serenity tell us? How different is the producer-released material (or "guerilla marketing" stuff) versus fan-created cultural items (the "grassroots media)? Should we fear "astro-turfing" (the attempts by big media to manufacture a fan 'buzz' where one does not already exist)?
[3] Does the Long Tail reflect a more dynamic system of media, consumption and production or it is just capitalism finally figuring out the internet?
[4] Finally, how large a role do you think citizen journalism and citizen media will play in the next ten years? (Why?)
Final Blog Post:
When you make your final reflective post this week, can you please also comment on the course as a whole: did it work as a coherent unit for you? What worked best? What didn't work? Any suggestions about things that should be changed?
Case Study I: Citizen Media Responses to Hurricane Katrina's Aftermath
[X] Katrina: The Aftermath, The Politics & Citizen Media [Part I] [Part II] [Part III] [Part IV] [Part V]
[X] Kayne West Political Mashup: "George Bush Doesn't Care About Black People" by The Legendary K.O.
[X] George Bush Don't Like Black People: The Music Video
Case Study II: Citizen Media/Fandom & Finding Serenity
[X] That Serenity Post...
[X] The Signal Podcast (listen to any episode, or part of one at least)
[X] Fifth & Final Serenity/Firefly Viral Movie Clip: Session 416, First Excerpt (watch at least one of the clips)
The Final Readings
[X] Sonja Haller, "iPod era of personal media choices may be turning us into an iSolation nation", The Arizona Republic, Sept. 12, 2005.
[X] Danah Boyd, "remix is active consumption not production", apophenia, October 08, 2005.
[X] Chris Anderson, "The Long Tail", Wired, 12.10, October 2004.
Some Questions to Think About for the Seminar:
[1] Is participatory culture, mashing up and citizen journalism really all that new? What does Danah Boyd think?
[2] Does participatory culture online offer a wider world of individual choice and expression or is it being subsumed as a marketing model? What does the selling of Serenity tell us? How different is the producer-released material (or "guerilla marketing" stuff) versus fan-created cultural items (the "grassroots media)? Should we fear "astro-turfing" (the attempts by big media to manufacture a fan 'buzz' where one does not already exist)?
[3] Does the Long Tail reflect a more dynamic system of media, consumption and production or it is just capitalism finally figuring out the internet?
[4] Finally, how large a role do you think citizen journalism and citizen media will play in the next ten years? (Why?)
Final Blog Post:
When you make your final reflective post this week, can you please also comment on the course as a whole: did it work as a coherent unit for you? What worked best? What didn't work? Any suggestions about things that should be changed?
posted by Unknown at 4:18 pm
13 Comments:
I take it our comments for this seminar go here...but do you want our final reflections to be in seperate posts on the blog, or here in the comments?
All comments, reflections, suggestions for change are welcome here! :)
Hmm, ok thinking over todays seminar.
Basically:
The Long Tail is an interesting effect, that is definately far more economically viable on the net. However, as Tama said, it will no doubt have an effect on copyright law and could give reason for its further extensions. However, I don't really like to be so pessimistic as that, and one would hope with the amount of lawyers in America (where I expect most of this would be argued out) to also argue from the angle that copyright can be modified and changed in the same way as we see varies on the Creative Commons copyright licenses. This could then hopefully account for copyrights which either need to expire, or those that need to be kept in order for the original producer to benefit from the long tail effect on their product.
Grassroots journalism- From what we have seen of the Katrina coverage, it can both have negative or positive results. Yes, it can spark action due to its use of alternative sources and information channels other than the big media conglomerates. People can critique the US governments poor handling of the situation, and as we discovered, we can have access to footage that would previously be cut off (such as the George Bush dont like Black people comment which was aired on the east coast since it was live, but not on the west). Then again, there is also the potential for quite negative and not constructive politically commentary which can be given far greater circulation due to the nature of grassroots.
In general, I stick by my original summary in the seminar, that participatory culture has the potential to take old media to the next level. Technology is changing literally every minute, there are more possibilities and at times culture and media are falling behind and not taking advantage.
Its the classic "Move with the Times" saying. And I think this move will be prompted by grassroots activits and other forms of participatory culture we have studied in this course (such as mashups/blogs/gurillamarketing/wiki's /podcasters etc). I think its these actions, and the people who will reform traditional views. Its to hard for these changes to start at the top...because those at the top are the 'best at their field' etc, and have no doubt spent a long time doing whatever their profession is. They may in fact be to close to the situation, and too immersed in traditional rules...to see the benefits of new changes.
Its everyday people, who are reacting directly to new technology and how it may affect their lives. And these are the people who will use it for greater inclusion in the production of culture and its consumption. People have increasingly become more active in their consumption of culture...so much so, that it is inevitable they will make the transition into production, which is what is occuring today as we speak.
ANyway....this is what will make the major cultural producers sit up and take notice, and pick up on the need for change and updating old systems. These old systems wont simply be chucked to the side and forgotten, that would be silly. They have afterall worked and succeeded for a number of years so they must have something going for them. No, they will just be adjusted, improved, reformed, and take advantage of new technology thats on offer.
Change is HERE!
Ok, so in conclusion of my conclusion of the course.
I really enjoyed this unit as part of the Communications side of my honours program.
Why you ask?
Because it was well organised, and I had a clear idea of what I was learning and what I was expected to do.
Every seminar was engaging, and the readings were all interesting. Wats more, they were clearly connected to each seminar topic, and even when we were learning about something I had no knowledge about previously, I found I developed a understanding of the topic.
I loved using this blog, and it offered the opportunity to talk and continue ideas after the end of our two hour session. Which, I feel is often not enough to really get into a subject.
I also felt that the blog allowed everyone to have a say, and also FORCED everyone to talk and engage with an issue in some form or another if they were too reserved in the seminar.
My only negative comments, and even then they arent actually negative are these:
I think we should of been introduced to podcasting earlier. The podcasting seminar should have been kept before the midsem break (regardless of when the person presenting wanted to have it) because it naturally gave us some background info on what our major assessment is all about.
I know the podcast and audacity was mentioned...but you know what students are like...we often dont think til we need to.
So maybe in the week before the mid sem break, we could of had our 'podcast concept' meeting and also an hour session in the mac lab looking at audacity.
Other than these minor points, which are simply teething issues for a first time seminar I give a 90% thumbs up.
I do hope that other students have the opportunity to do this unit, as I found it thought provoking and intellectually stimulating. Plus, thoroughly enjoyable.
(naturally if my podcast turns out crap...I might not like it so much :P) *jokes*
When I say 'Wat' I actually meant to type 'What'
Suuure you did Hilary. We no wat ur like *immature sniggering at own sad jokes*
But seriously.
I agree that the Long Tail offers an interesting perspective upon copyright law. When the monetary value of any one product may be peaking much later than expected, or not peaking at all, but continuing to hold a constant rate of profit over time, the idea of shortening copyright life is unlikely to attract any takers among those holding the corporate strings.
At the same time, I believe allowing greater usage of copyrighted products, (by fans, artists, etc.) may in fact increase the staying power of the particular materials within the Long Tail. For example, you might have a TV show, such as Firefly, which, for whatever reason, doesn't do so well when first released. Acknowledging the presence of a Long Tail demand and allowing fans to appropriate the material in various ways will give positive reinforcement to the fans and increase their likelihood of maintaining an enduring fan base over time. Perhaps it isn't a matter of length of copyright, but the extent to which copyright can be loosened in response to an increasingly participatory audience culture. It is, after all, the audience who ultimately control the success of any product.
In reference to Hilary's point that change will have to come from grassroots movements rather than the "top" of the power pyramid, I agree. I would now like to refer to the film Strictly Ballroom. Please stay with me, it was the last text we studied in my Australian Cinema class and it's themes are still ringing in my mind. For anyone who hasn't seen it (and you should), it is about the struggles of a young ballroom dancer to dance his own steps, rather than the strict regulation steps of the ballroom officials. I found it portrayed the difficulties of change very well, the desperation of those "in charge" to prevent change in order to preserve their own position of power. A world where information is free and available for everyone to access and use however they wish not only removes much of the income of big companies, but questions the hierarchical ideologies upon which they are based. There is bound to be more conflict before things get better, and I think they will.
In relation to citizen journalism, I still think there is going to be a backlash against "amateur" sources and reporters. It seems inevitable that someone is going to report inaccurate information in a serious case, as foreshadowed by the Hurricane Katrina case study. Everything will balance out in the end, but not before more trouble.
Sorry to inflict doom and gloom, but I say it's better to expect the worst and be pleasantly surprised than expect the best and get a nasty shock... So can you tell I'm doing my podcast?
OK, summing up the unit. I also liked the seminars, they covered a lot of information and I thought the discussions went very well. I liked the way the blog supplemented seminar topic discussions and fostered our very own "online community." Always good to have some practical experience of what you're talking about. Even though we had no idea what the unit was even called when we signed up, I haven't been disappointed at all.
And yes, if my podcast also turns out crap I will rethink my remarks. Heh. Right now it's sounding like Days of Our Lives on crack so the chances are pretty high ;)
By the way, if Andrew cruises by, I'd like to know what you have decided to do... hopefully a Lara Croft intro audio, eh? Can't wait to hear them all, it's going to be so hilariou.. I mean.. really educational :)
Oh.. and yes. Audacity seminar sooner in semester. Only real criticism.
Gwen, I like the way you phrased that comment on the Long Tail/Copyright.
I havent seen strickly ballroom. But yes, people at the top never want change, unless its the kind of change that directly involves them getting more power...(Reminds me of Gladiator).
See, you knew WAT I mean't ;)
BTW, if your podcast sounds like Days of Our Lives on Crack, you will be guarenteed one listerner for sure...haha...just for the comic value ;)
I've officially come to the conclusion that my voice sounds horrendous on audio!
Me too. I sound really bored and sarcastic, even when I'm trying to be 'excited'. Kind of like Eyore. I think if I did a 'borecast' for people to play in bed at night I could cure all the insomniacs.
You are probably right Andrew:)
By the way if anyone is interested... I just saw on Lateline that those guys who made the full adaptation of the Indiana Jones movie are in Australia doing showings of the movie, details at www.popcorntaxi.com.au But guess what... not coming to Perth. Yeah it's a big desert. Real Indiana Jones could make it though!
I've only just noticed other people have pics next to their names. Now I have picture-envy.
do you have a picture?
You could put pictures up? its only something you do on your profile page thingy.
just use a site like this: http://www.imageshack.us/
to host an image of about 100x100 dimensions from your own computer, and then copy the link to that image into your profile page where it says something about having a user image.
Thats a bad explanation I know, but I'm sure you can understand if you put your mind to it...unlike me in this explanation :P
Post a Comment
<< Home