The media holds great sway in the way in which people organise events, gatherings, and even new cities in the case of Songdo in South Korea;
Media is fundamental in the organisation of social networks, especially politically-driven movements, such as Films For Action, which rely on media as a platform to lift their message into the community. The Coalition of the Willing video really demonstrates the impact of media on social organisation and the importance of collaboration. I think one of the most important points that the video highlights is how movements through the ages (especially the 60s) have felt like a singular event, a micro-event, it is in fact, a large scale force. For change to occur, the scale on which such movements take place must work as a 'swarm' that pushes a movement through society and culture. It reminds me of this scene from the 2004 movie I Heart Huckabees;
Similarly, the Spaces of Aesthetics reading also highlights the importance of "techniques for collaboration" as well as the importance of experimentation in the area of micro-politics. Modern social networks are dynamic and the need for experimentation is of great need as these areas are new sections that do not always fot past theoretical frameworks. For my research paper, both experimentation and collaboration will play important roles in the investigation of modern social media habits and behaviours, as I seek to understand the ways in which social media users exploit the personal information of other users, how this has grown as a movement, and the way in which modern social media has altered ideas of collaboration.
Whilst these ideas start on a small-scale, micro-politics level, it requires a larger catalyst to propel it onto the global scale and give the movement leverage, potential, and eventually action. The Coalition of the Willing video really shows that everything is a network, and that the world functions like the legs on a caterpillar; small micro-level organisation working to contribute to the main body, the bigger picture.
References
Coalition of the Willing <http://www.coalitionblog.org/>
Knife Party and Rayner, Tim and Robson, Simon (2010) Coalition of the Willing <http://coalitionofthewilling.org.uk/>
Jellis, Thomas (2009) ‘Disorientation and micropolitics: a response’, spacesof[aesthetic]experimentation, <http://www.spacesofexperimentation.net/montreal/disorientation-and-micropolitics-a-response/>
Monday, April 23, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Week Eight - Big Politics
In recent years, media has become less of an outlet for free speech and an investigative force, but rather, another cog in the wheel of big business third parties. The recent media take over bids by mining magnat Gina Rinehart demonstrate the power the media holds in the political landscape. Modern politics runs with the media cycle, with all political figures having their own media teams (see images) who monitor the politico-media atmosphere intensely. I feel this relationship between the media and politics has it's advantages (encouraging transparency, enhancing the spread of information) but I also feel that there are serious implications that have dramatically impacted on the way in which politics is being run, and will continue running (Lessig 2010). There is great concern that modern politics is turning into a contest of personalities, not a contest of national interests and social growth. Politicians are now constantly on show, all their actions, both public and private are under public scrutiny.
Politics has become its own media industry, reinforcing its values through the use of new media and public campaigns. Most notably, this campaign:
Which subsequently became this after the election loss:
But how has all this changed the political landscape? Both in Australia, and abroad, the relationship between media and politics has had a dramatic effect. The role of the media internationally has been credited as the driving force behind change in unstable nations such as Egypt, Syria and Russia. Through these global examples, Karl Quinn, in his article in the Sydney Morning Herald, highlights how the shift in focus from politics to media has meant that it is now the media that dictates our social, political and cultural agenda. He cites the recent Kony 2012 phenomenon as an example of the "transformative power" (Quinn 2012) of the media, and how the media behind this campaign has triggered a political response. The power shift has bore a new form of politics; big media-fueled, third-party-backed politics. Our world is no longer shaped by the decisions of our politicians, but by the decisions these politicians make on the basis of the media surrounding them.
It has always fascinated me when people post their political views on social media. I find announcing one's political views to be tantamount to announcing one's salary. I'll use elements of the 'Big Politics' topic in my research project as social media users who announce their political inclinations often do so to appeal to a certain audience and to shape their online persona around this audience. The awareness of the online persona and the ways in which social media users self-censor in an attempt to form their online persona shows the link between the media, the media-user and the world around them.
Just as a side note, it is interesting to see that on the Kony 2012 site, there is a section called "The Culturemakers". It looks like this;
The images are captioned by the phrase "When they speak, the world listens". It seems bizarre that people who are famous for singing lines such as "she woke me up daily, don't need no Starbucks", "I want whatchu want" and "rah rah ah ah ah roma roma ma" have more political sway and a greater ability to organise global movements than any of the world leaders (even Obama doesn't appear on the Culturemakers list).
References
(Images 1 - 3) Chapman, A. (2007) Campaign: a photographic odyssey through Australian political campaigns from 1971 to present, Tandem Publishing, Victoria.
Lessig, Lawrence (2010) ‘Against Transparency: The perils of openness in government.’<http://www.tnr.com/article/books-and-arts/against-transparency?page=0,0>
(Image 4) http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/day-1-as-pm-hopefuls-list-priorities-20100820-138yi.html
(Image 5) http://samuelgordonstewart.com/2012/02/the-view-from-the-lawns-of-parliament-house
http://www.kony2012.com/
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| Image 1 John Howard with media minder before a live TV interview in Melbourne 1987. Source: Chapman (2007), Campaign. |
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| Image 2 Paul Keating with media minder on 'The Today Show' 1996. Source: Chapman (2007), Campaign. |
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| Image 3 Kim Beazley receiving advice from MP Stephen Smith and staffer Tracey Aubin before the 'Sunrise' show 1998. Source: Chapman (2007), Campaign. |
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| Image 4 Julia Gillard with media minder. Source: The Sydney Morning Herald |
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| Image 5 Tony Abbott with media minders. Source: http://samuelgordonstewart.com/ |
Politics has become its own media industry, reinforcing its values through the use of new media and public campaigns. Most notably, this campaign:
 |
| Source: http://galusaustralis.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/kevin07.jpg |
Which subsequently became this after the election loss:
 |
| Source: http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2010/06/21/1225882/345211-kevin-o-039-lemon.jpg |
But how has all this changed the political landscape? Both in Australia, and abroad, the relationship between media and politics has had a dramatic effect. The role of the media internationally has been credited as the driving force behind change in unstable nations such as Egypt, Syria and Russia. Through these global examples, Karl Quinn, in his article in the Sydney Morning Herald, highlights how the shift in focus from politics to media has meant that it is now the media that dictates our social, political and cultural agenda. He cites the recent Kony 2012 phenomenon as an example of the "transformative power" (Quinn 2012) of the media, and how the media behind this campaign has triggered a political response. The power shift has bore a new form of politics; big media-fueled, third-party-backed politics. Our world is no longer shaped by the decisions of our politicians, but by the decisions these politicians make on the basis of the media surrounding them.
It has always fascinated me when people post their political views on social media. I find announcing one's political views to be tantamount to announcing one's salary. I'll use elements of the 'Big Politics' topic in my research project as social media users who announce their political inclinations often do so to appeal to a certain audience and to shape their online persona around this audience. The awareness of the online persona and the ways in which social media users self-censor in an attempt to form their online persona shows the link between the media, the media-user and the world around them.
Just as a side note, it is interesting to see that on the Kony 2012 site, there is a section called "The Culturemakers". It looks like this;
The images are captioned by the phrase "When they speak, the world listens". It seems bizarre that people who are famous for singing lines such as "she woke me up daily, don't need no Starbucks", "I want whatchu want" and "rah rah ah ah ah roma roma ma" have more political sway and a greater ability to organise global movements than any of the world leaders (even Obama doesn't appear on the Culturemakers list).
References
(Images 1 - 3) Chapman, A. (2007) Campaign: a photographic odyssey through Australian political campaigns from 1971 to present, Tandem Publishing, Victoria.
Lessig, Lawrence (2010) ‘Against Transparency: The perils of openness in government.’<http://www.tnr.com/article/books-and-arts/against-transparency?page=0,0>
Quinn, K. (2012) "The good, bad and ugly of social media", March 10, <http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/the-good-bad-and-ugly-of-social-media-20120309-1upv3.html>
(Image 4) http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/day-1-as-pm-hopefuls-list-priorities-20100820-138yi.html
(Image 5) http://samuelgordonstewart.com/2012/02/the-view-from-the-lawns-of-parliament-house
http://www.kony2012.com/
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Week Seven - Framing versus “Transversality”
Can media be placed into neat little individual boxes? Or does media cut across boundaries, through fields and break through frames? Transversality can be seen as "“a line that cuts across other lines, perhaps across entire fields – bringing the fields together in a new way, recreating fields as something else” (Murphie 2006). The idea of transversality is highly visible in the arena of new media, with even what most people would consider simple, everyday sites, experimenting with transversality; using mixed media forms and embedding content within content. The Sydney Morning Herald online has embraced the idea of transversality, placing video, images and text all within one article, as demonstrated by the recent story on the conviction of Walter Marsh.
The readings this week have demonstrated the importance of framing in theoretical work, and how these frames can (or can't) be applied to real situations. Whilst the theoretical framework will be important for underpinning my research project with an established set of foundations, I am also wary of making sure I do not make my research dependent upon this framework. As my research will focus on social media, I think it is important to encourage the transversality of the medium in my research, as social media by nature, crosses boundaries and provides almost unprecedented access to a variety of areas.
References:
Murphie, A 2006, 'Editorial'. The Fibreculure Journal. Issue 9, <http://nine.fibreculturejournal.org/>
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| The Sydney Morning Herald, 2012. Retrieved from http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/marsh-jailed-for-life-for-murdering-michelle-beets-20120309-1uo9y.html, accessed 9 March 2012. |
It can be seen from the image that the one article on SMH online contains, a video, text and images related to the story, as well as video, text and advertising unrelated to the story and links to social media sites, related coverage and other stories. This is a keen example of media transversality in working.
In modern society it would be very difficult to to put a frame around media and communications. Almost all forms of technology can be seen transversally, a computer allows you to watch programs, connect with friends, access data, check the news/weather/horoscopes and order dinner, whilst a mobile phone is now not only a phone, but a camera, a gaming device and a virtual map all in one. The interconnectedness of the global media landscape prevents any form of framing or sectionalisation of a singular media form. Traditional, once framed, media sources (such as newspapers and radio broadcasts) have now adapted to the transversal nature of contemporary society, with these media outlets now complimenting their media products with online resources, social networking links and audience participation sections.
The readings this week have demonstrated the importance of framing in theoretical work, and how these frames can (or can't) be applied to real situations. Whilst the theoretical framework will be important for underpinning my research project with an established set of foundations, I am also wary of making sure I do not make my research dependent upon this framework. As my research will focus on social media, I think it is important to encourage the transversality of the medium in my research, as social media by nature, crosses boundaries and provides almost unprecedented access to a variety of areas.
References:
Murphie, A 2006, 'Editorial'. The Fibreculure Journal. Issue 9, <http://nine.fibreculturejournal.org/>
Bibby, P. (2012) "Marsh jailed for life for murdering Michelle Beets", The Sydney Morning Herald, March 9 <http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/marsh-jailed-for-life-for-murdering-michelle-beets-20120309-1uo9y.html>
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