1) What different forms of Media did you consume over the summer break? Give specific examples.
When I went to New York I watched local TV News programmes on the hotel TV and almost all of the stories were on Donald Trump. I also watched a lot of Netflix because the American Netflix is so much better than the UK Netflix. I also saw loads of adverts and trailers all over Times Square; there were huge ones for Suicide Squad, Finding Dory, and all the Broadway Shows that were on. I watched BBC News every day in the morning and in the evening at my Grandad's house because it's part of his daily routine. The TV is a massive part of my Grandad's life so I watched it a lot more often than I usually do. I also had a few group Skype calls with my friends from the Summer Stage School I went to.
2) Define Print Media, Broadcast Media and e-Media. When do teenagers come into contact with print media, broadcast media and e-media on a daily basis? Which do they use most and why do you think this is?
Print Media is the type of Media found in things like magazines, books and newspapers.
Broadcast Media is the type of Media of which TV and Radio are examples.
e-Media uses electronic technology in its production of media and examples include the internet, smartphones, iPods, MP3 Players etc.
I think teenagers most use e-media because they've been born into a generation where e-media is so much more accessible and so much more advanced than it was during their parents' generation, when the other two forms of media would have been used more.
3) What audience gratification do teenagers receive from using Apps such as Snapchat and Instagram? Why do you think they are so popular with their target audience? What gratifications do they offer?
The number of likes/comments on photos or views on Snapchat stories affect their self confidence and they end up defining/labelling themselves based on the amount of recognition their posts get.
4) Regarding the music industry, how has Media production and consumption changed over the last decade? (Think about the movement away from hard copies to streaming.) In your opinion, is this a positive shift? Justify your answer.
Since YouTube was founded in 2005 and other things like Spotify have been created since, people have been able to stream music without having to pay for it like they would have had to before, and similarly, they have been able to post videos of their own music e.g. covers of songs or originals, and have become famous and made it in the music industry as a result of that. I think that this shift in music production and consumption is a positive one because it allows people to show off their talents in their own way and for the enjoyment of the public, however, since there are now thousands of people trying to get noticed in this way, the competition to make it in the music industry is so much higher than it used to be.
5) Julia Kristeva argues that no text is an isolated entity: ‘Any text is the absorption and transformation of another.’
Think of our new Media language:
- Intertextuality- when one media text references another text.
- Synergy- when one media text promotes another text.
- Convergence- Different types of Media platforms or technologies coming together.
Use the below examples and explain HOW each one is an example of the term.
INTERTEXTUALITY: In Disney’s Aladdin, the Genie character gets a crab caught on his finger. The crab is recognisable as Sebastian, a character from earlier Disney film, The Little Mermaid. Also consider the Scream franchise and the Scary Movie franchise.
The Little Mermaid reference in Aladdin is an example of Intertextuality because it references one Disney film briefly in another one. In the Scream franchise, specifically the first one, there are a few scenes/lines that vaguely reference other horror films, the most common references come from A Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween. This is similar to the Scary Movie franchise but these references are more less subtle and almost completely copy the original film, the only difference being added exaggerated humour to make it a parody.
SYNERGY: Also Disney. When Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released last year, the marketing team released Star Wars merchandise in Wal-Mart stores and did a deal with YouTube and Google where the two companies modified their Apps and websites with pictures and colours associated with the film.
This is an example of Synergy because by Wal-Mart selling merchandise for the franchise, it promotes the newly released film and reminds/encourages people to go and watch it, a response similarly obtained by Google and YouTube changing their associated apps/websites.
CONVERGENCE: When Beyonce was starring in the films: The Pink Panther, Dreamgirls and Austin Powers, each time she released a music video with music from the film.
These are examples of Convergence because Beyonce stars as an actress in these three films and then introduces the medium of Music to the film, and her song from her music video from Austin Powers features in the end credits to the film so this brings the two mediums of music and film together.
WWW- You have clearly understood the differences between the media terms and incorporated that into your examples. You have used media terminology confidently and accurately. Well done! You also bring in Spotify and think about how the music industry has changed from the advent of the digital age.
ReplyDeleteEBI- Could you push this last bit even further and think about how the lines between the producer and the consumer are becoming blurred because of the digital age? For example, the music industry has moved away from physical media and towards downloading / piracy so producers have had to think of different and more creative ways of marketing their product and converging with other media platforms eg live gigs / merchandising. For audience gratification, could you have brought in some media theory for instance Blumler and Katz?