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[communicationspot]

Response to "Traditional Media in a Modern World"

Reflecting on my learning through the use of a blog has been a time machine, an insightful view on my progress in this course and directly demonstrates the significance of how meaning is created by an audience and how that meaning plays a greater role in our value systems. I can see direct reflections through models of mass communication as discussed in Unit 3, the way that meaning is represented by language as covered in Unit 6, and the influence of digital media on that meaning based on lessons from Unit 7.

Does media have a direct effect on my beliefs or do I gather my media through influencers and opinion leaders who shape my attitude? Do I find media through gratification and seek content that confirm my view of the world or is my view of the world cultivated by the media I watch? In Chapter 7 of “Mediascapes”, Philip Savage (2014) discusses four models of mass communication, including Direct Effects, Two-Step Flow, Uses and Gratifications, and Cultivation Analysis. In analysing my own media patterns, I have more connection with all of these concepts of an audience. Particularly in viewing the way I engage with the internet, I can understand the idea of internalizing direct messaging from the source, being swayed by opinion leaders or modern-day influencers, finding gratification through internet algorithms, and how the media I consume may have cultivated portions of my ideology and value systems.

As an avid reader, how did I build meaning in the novels and texts I read? In their text “The Work of Representation”, Stuart Hall (1997) discuses theories of representation. I often imagined representation in more of a culture context. However, it is important to think on “how we can tell the ‘true’ meaning of a word of image” (p. 24). Under a reflective approach perhaps language projects the true meaning as it is in the world. But there is also the intentional approach, where meaning is imposed by an author on the world through language. Under the constructionist approach we build meaning using systems to represent concepts and ideas. Under this approach, I can see how my readings as a child allowed me room to build my own meaning and have a greater appreciation for the role of language as a placeholder for meaning.

As someone with an interest in political science, this time has also been reflective for me to consider the impact of the media, and internet, on democracy. This course was timely to reflect on the elections in the United States, to ponder on the influence of the internet in our society, versus the illustration of our values through the internet. I previously held this image of the internet steering our current discourse and understanding in society. Reading “The Information: How the Internet gets inside us” by Adam Gopnik (2011) introduced the idea that it is not simply the internet which is changing our world, but perhaps the world is changing, and our technologies are changing to reflect our values. This insight transformed the depth of my understanding of the dynamic relationship between society and new media.

I entered this course with a basic academic understanding of the importance of critical thought in media consumption. I now am beginning to reflect on how we gain meaning from the world as an individual in an audience, and the significance in the influence that meaning has on the values which we form as a society I still hold critical thought as a keystone in media analysis, but this course has provided significant tools for me to apply in thinking on the media and its influence in the world.

References

Gopnik, A. (2011, February 14). The information: How the Internet gets inside us . The New Yorker. Retrieved from http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/02/14/the-information

Hall, S. (1997). The Work of Representation . In Representation: Cultural representations and signifying practices (pp. 15–29). London, UK: Sage.

Shade, L. R. (2014). Mediascapes: New patterns in Canadian communication (4th ed.). Toronto, ON: University of Toronto.

[communicationspot]

Local Stories: Canadian Content in New Media

Most of my media use currently is through new media sources. New media both diminishes and amplifies a sense of Canadian identity, and thus it is essential for cultures to promote local content through innovative sources.

With personal algorithm driven content in new media, audiences are more likely to be exposed to content aligned with their interests as opposed to experiencing media related to their local region. Without deliberate care in source selection, the magnitude of these products can completely overshadow local cultures and issues. Canadians are frequently bombarded with cultural and political content from the United States of America, as evident currently during election campaigns. This has resulted in a significant bleed of American political culture into Canada, further eroding our national identity.

However, new media also provides an opportunity for Canadian content to be broadcast on accessible platforms with Canadian culture and stories. For example, the television show I streamed, "Schitt's Creek", was a show produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Company. This show gained Canadian, and even world-wide popularity, capturing life in a smaller town. Shows on CBC such as "Kim's Convenience" capture many themes specific to Canada, such as multiculturalism and regional living, threading an entertaining and informative narrative of Canadian identity and culture on the global media network that is the internet.

It is important to maintain these touches of Canadian culture in Canadian lives. The world is more interconnected than ever, but it is important to remain aware and educated of your local region to understand the lives of the physical neighbours near you. There are many unique aspects of Canadian life that can be shared, provided it is given the space to be created. This underlines the importance of critically thinking on the source content and making deliberate efforts to support the work of local media.

[communicationspot]

Traditional Media in a Modern World

My experience with traditional media was mostly in my childhood, primarily in the form of satellite television and printed books. During this time there was more social anticipation for the release and consumption of products. The hype garnered from long production times and more limited releases led to more social influence in the television and traditional media which I consumed. I can still recall the anticipation of purchasing the new Harry Potter books during summer break as they released, or the social interactions around attending movie releases at theatres. This local social interactivity is not replicated to the same degree with more modern media forms and streaming. This is partially due to reduced production times and more dissipated attention due to the plethora of new media available. In many ways, this void feels like a lost piece of local communities and engagement with the offline world.

However, new media has also introduced elements of improved accessibility and much more expansive content. This expanded library can be linked to the diminished production costs of new media, allowing more diverse content to have the ability to become viral and exposed to an online community. As a queer person coming of age during the expansion of online interconnectivity, this exposure has led to a greater sense of belonging in a global community even when local communities lack these resources. The interactive engagement which new media offers can make all the difference for folks who do not have a local community to support them. However media literacy is much more crucial in navigating these environments as consumers of new media are much more prone to engaging with misinformation given its interactive environment.

[communicationspot]

Choosing Critically: How Advertising and Corporate Ownership Shape Our Media Consumption

Media has played a significant role as a provider of information for the benefit of decision-making when it comes to investing, consuming, and even voting in modern democracies. Considering the historical trust put into media sources as a check-and-balance of democracies, there should be strong consideration put into the degree of commercial influence in media and upon journalism autonomy.

People in 1970’s were exposed to about 500 advertisements in on day. In modern society, people view an average of 5000 ads in a day (University of Southern California, 2023). When we consider the pervasiveness of these advertisements in a digital life, it is important to consider the impact of direct marketing. Even more alarming is considering more insidious influences, as owners and stakeholders in modern media and news have commercial interests which become more prominent as independent sources are pushed out of business.

My media use frequently includes podcasts and audiobooks streamed through Spotify. My readings and education with this course serve as significant reminders that it is important to apply critical thinking and research the sources and interests behind this media. Sure, there is the direct marketing and advertisement which can directly impact my consumer habits, but perhaps it is even more important to consider the bias behind the information I may be consuming as media sources converge into a monopolized industry. Many of my podcast selections are made through similar podcasts I have enjoyed, or through research on Reddit, which can have its own motivation in the messages to which a consumer is exposed.

This exercise has proven a particularly useful prompt to reconsider the sources of the media which I consume. I certainly plan on applying this knowledge in my choice of media moving forward.

[communicationspot]

Interactive Media for a Modern Audience

Audience members have never had as much opportunity to shape their media. The nature of the internet fosters an approach to media which encourages interaction between the audience and the media they consume. Though this has led to products which are more engaging for a modern audience and the consideration of broader perspectives, it is important to think critically about the source of all media.

When I consider my own media consumption, a standout product which I have consumed more heavily in the last several years includes watching and listening to actual play role-playing games, which includes players interacting with the host or “Dungeon Master” of the show in a unique manner that encourages interactivity in forming a narrative between the players. This feeling of interaction can be powerful for the audience, to the point where one can feel as though they are part of the interaction or conversations that they listen to in their media.

Many popular shows within the past several years illustrate the interactivity in media which forms a powerful engagement of the audience. Shows such as the Office or Parks and Recreation have utilized a “mockumentary” style which inserts the audience into the product and encourages the audience to feel inserted into the media.

In our digital age, it has never been easier to self-produce content which has the potential for exposure to a broad range of people. This has encouraged media producers to evolve and strongly consider a broader range of perspectives in society and frame their products around their media audience. However, as an audience member, it is important to consider responsible consumption of media products, and carefully analyze the intent and purpose of the relatable media which you consume.

[communicationspot]

The Impact of Convergence in Daily Media Habits

I have noticed an increasing dependence on media convergence in my personal media consumption in recent years. The convenience of having all media available at my fingertips is incredible, and as humans we are so susceptible to finding the path of least resistance and taking the easy route. However, between the threat of losing locally produced media content and the echo chamber effect of receiving news from the same source, it is never more important to consider the importance of applying critical thought in personal media use.

The world has undergone lightening-fast transformations in the growth of technology during the ever progressing digital age. Traditional broadcasting faces challenges to survive in the modern world. It is critical that traditional sources adapt to maintain diverse media content in an online age. For a Canadian example, I recall watching many hours of broadcasting from the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) when I was a child. At that point in my life, my media consumption was almost exclusively Canadian; watching episodes of shows on CBC such as “The Littlest Hobo” and “This Hour Has 22 Minutes” provided almost exclusive regulated Canadian content and allowed me to view the world through more of a local lens. Nowadays, my media content is from a vast amount of sources, as shown on my log. While this does have the benefit of providing a broader world perspective, the vast majority of these are not local, or even Canadian, sources.

Another concern with media convergence is the issue of an echo chamber effect, where the content the audience is exposed to is catered to their previous consumed information. This plays a significant influence on the spread of information, particularly through social media. Even with deliberate choices for diverse sources, this can cause bias in information gathering and education online. Therefore, it is always important to apply critical thought and consider the sources of the media which we consume.