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 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>