Reflections on a world of blogging

Before creating this blog, I admit I'd had very little interaction with the genre. It seemed to me that blogging was something people who were good with technology did. And that excluded me... Also I thought that most blogs were 'diary blogs' as categorised by Margaret Simons - a place where people unleashed their thoughts, ideas and personal agendas on the unsuspecting public.

Through the process of creating this blog I've discovered how very wrong I was. Blogs are everywhere and seem to cover every possible subject. Not only that, they serve a range of social purposes and are a large force driving the changing media landscape.

There are blogs that give people a voice when they are otherwise oppressed, blogs that keep an eye on how the media operates, blogs that can show you how to do something, blogs that make you laugh, blogs that inform you and blogs that challenge you.

The form provides a unique opportunity to interact with other members of the online community, to participate, debate and learn. Blogs will continue to be contentious, as some areas of media view them as inadequately replacing professional journalism. But there are respected journalists running blogs now, it's becoming an expected part of the industry.

And what a blog provides, that hard copy traditional print doesn't, is the chance for the audience to be involved with a level of immediacy. It's this function that is most important. If I reflect on all the changes within the media industry that I've discussed in this blog (webisodes, cross-platform programming, user generated content, blogs etc) they share a common focus. They allow the audience to interact with the story in some way, to affect it, to comment on it, contribute to it or to share it.

This shared purpose will be integral to the new media landscape. Audiences are becoming used to being involved and in the future will expect it in most of their media interactions. So a blog, by its very nature, will be here to stay because of its accessibility.

Image source: http://blog.blackboard.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/07/13/blog_pr_square_2.jpg

The original user-generated content

What is the world’s fifth most recognisable brand? Up there with McDonalds and perhaps Nike sits Al Jazeera, the Middle Eastern news network, reports The Australian on 7 August 2008. This seemed a surprising statistic to me, but when Osama bin Laden used Al Jazeera to broadcast his videos, this news station became big news itself.

Not only did this catapult Al Jazeera into the world spotlight, but it ‘may also have unwittingly ushered in the era of user generated content’ by broadcasting video from an outside source.

Head of new media at Al Jazeera, Mohamed Nanabhay, came to Australia earlier this year to attend a media conference in Melbourne. He explained that the network ‘was developing ways to bring its services to people with limited access to technology’ and would also focus on capturing the youth market, as this demographic will continue to contribute user-generated content.

Al Jazeera is currently struggling to find an American broadcaster, a fact that Nanabhay finds ironic as US networks will often screen Al Jazeera footage without a second thought.

But it is in the internet that Al Jazeera sees the most opportunity to expand its audience base. Already the network broadcasts on YouTube, another strategy in targeting the youth market.

Nanabhay also commented on the role of traditional journalism in this era of user generated content. He believes that professional, skilled journalists still play an important part within Al Jazeera, particularly in investigative reporting where the risks are high and sometimes life-threatening.

Al Jazeera is experiencing many of the same media issues in the developing world as we are in the Western world - professional vs. amateur, mobile television, cross-platform broadcasting, user generated content. However, the network demonstrates a commitment to equality by striving to reach audiences who have limited technological access.

Through this it is obvious that Al Jazeera, perhaps more than the networks here in Australia, has recognised the importance of arming all people with information regardless of their economic background. Al Jazeera is not just moving forward with the technology, it’s also reaching back to make sure no one gets left behind in the process. And there is a valuable lesson in that for the Western media.

Article: Al Jazeera gets the message from users

Image source: http://english.aljazeera.net/

Can the web win wars?

I feel that in this blog I’ve concentrated on a Western view of media, blogs and the internet, however an interview on Media Report from 4 September 2008 has provided me with an alternate viewpoint.

Antony Funnell, host of the Media Report interviewed Antony Loewenstein, author of The blogging revolution which investigates the role of blogs in Iran, Cuba, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and China. Loewenstein argues that our Western perception of blogs in these countries doesn’t reflect the reality of the situation.

If I was to ask a group of people how they would describe, say, a blogger from China, most would probably imagine someone anti-regime using the power of the web to expose their situation and oppression to a world of readers. When Loewenstein went investigating he found that this image made up only a very small number of bloggers online. The fact of the matter is many citizens of these countries are actually quite happy with their lives and therefore quite supportive of their government. They are more anti-corruption focused than anti-government.

When the internet was established in these countries (with the exception of Cuba) governments did not actually view it as a threat, as a tool which could be used against them. The net was regarded as vital for economic development and the concept of blogging as a weapon was not identified until later.

In Cuba, however, the internet is virtually non-existent with the government wary of how it may be used against them if freely available. Loewenstein actually encountered students in Havana who were studying IT but had never accessed the net. It was forbidden. They could access a government regulated intranet, but that was all.

Another interesting point developed by Loewenstein relates to the ways governments in these six countries filter sites and police freedom of speech. Companies including Google, Yahoo and Microsoft assist the government with censorship. ‘So whereas in the West we view those companies as kind of these benevolent forces that help us find information, the fact is China has become like a laboratory for Western internet companies and security companies.’

Also challenged in Loewenstein’s book is the Western concept of the internet creating a level playing field for all in these countries. In many places online access is only available to the upper middle class, thereby not offering a true reflection of the community.

Clearly, the uses and applications of the internet vary greatly between countries, but it is remarkable to note how skewed and narrow the Western perception of the net in these countries is. And while it may seem strange to us that the majority of China is content with their situation, it demonstrates cultural diversity and demands acceptance. It would be great if the internet reflected these differences, and I think that we’re gradually seeing this occur.

So while I’ve sat and reflected on the evolution of media as a result of technology, other countries are still trying to get the majority of the population online. Until this happens, the internet will never be a true reflection of the global community and will never reach its potential to stimulate discourse and debate between different cultural backgrounds. An accessible online global community will allow us to gain greater understanding and acceptance of our world, the ultimate positive result of the development of the internet.

Transcript: The blogging revolution

Image source: http://www.innovation.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0012/4530/WorldInternet.jpg, http://www.independentweekly.com.au/multimedia/images/full/349399.jpg

New roles for journalists developing

An interesting and relevant article appeared in The Australian on 18 September 2008 written by Philip Phelan. In it, the strategy director of MediaCom discussed the evolving role of the journalist in the changing media landscape.

Phelan argues that there will be a shift within marketing agencies towards employing journalists to produce in-house content according to the brand’s vision and values. These roles will not be about selling the product as such, but will represent companies’ attempts to ‘maintain a conversation with its consumers.’

A journalist’s skill in working with short deadlines and within a newsroom environment will transfer to this role, and we will see ‘brands become patrons and commissioners of content.’

Phelan’s advice to journalists, who are concerned that their roles may become increasingly redundant, is to embrace the trend. By taking advantage of the changing role rather than becoming a victim to it, journalists will find new areas where their skills are valued and content is better funded.

The article reflects my belief that the dynamic media landscape will create new opportunities, as long as people are willing to accept the changes. However, I understand that perhaps many people chose journalism because they dreamt of doing traditional investigative reporting. For these, the transfer may not come so smoothly.

Again, I note that the evolution of the media is happening regardless of whether individuals agree with the new direction. Surely, it’s better to embrace this than fight against it. Who knows – maybe our new media won’t be as bad as some commentators predict? Maybe journalism across a diversity of platforms will increase its relevance to the community and allow more people to access it. A positive thing, and something most journalists wouldn’t argue with.

Article: Tip for journos : follow the trend

Throwing fruit in the ‘new town square’

As I’ve mentioned in an earlier post, blogs seem to be everywhere. They contribute to the discourse of online discussion and allow interaction between members of the community. But their existence has also blurred the line between professional and amateur journalists, which can sometimes be a point of conjecture.

Also of concern, is the lack of a specific code of conduct for online contributors. This concept was explored on Radio National’s Media Report when three bloggers, George Megalogenis, Andrew Bartlett and Laurel Papworth, discussed the concept of ‘Civility online.’

The internet creates a forum where people from around the world can explore new ideas, leave comments and debate issues. However, the negative side of this is that we can also see verbal abuse being hurled and arguments veering totally off the topic. Media Report points out that 46% of respondents in a British poll ‘thought there was a need for some voluntary code of conduct for bloggers and online commentators.’

Megalogenis explains that he was particularly concerned that his blog was being dominated by the same people every time and that other readers who wished to respond might be intimidated by the negative comments and choose not to post. As a result, Megalogenis outlined on his blog that in the future, these unhelpful and abusive comments would simply not see the light of day. After leaving this post Megalogenis saw an increase in not only the number of respondents but, more importantly, also in the quality of responses.

For Megalogenis, quality of discussion is very important. He believes that the internet ‘can only really work for me if a) it’s interesting to me, I think b) to the readers.’ Without this focus on quality many comments on blogs revert into a shouting match with the issue under discussion drowned out completely.

Certain blogs may attract more passionate responses than others, but much of this online interaction would never be tolerated in a different forum. Are we going to see a rise in this type of behaviour as interaction on the net increases?

Papworth argues that the very nature of the Internet means that interactions like these are inevitable. When you have people contributing to a discussion from hugely varying backgrounds, each will bring their own ‘value system’ to the table. She also points out that blogs linked to ‘heritage media’ (newspapers, ABC) fail to ‘build community around their blogs.’ The contributors lack a profile on the site, making it hard for the blogger to form an idea about what sort of person they were and whether their comment is likely to be relevant.

Papworth believes if there was a reward system based around people’s comments, with awards being given for the year’s best comment, bloggers would have an incentive to regulate themselves.

This idea appealed to me, not only because it seems to suggest a solution to the issue of civility online, but also because it provides some formal recognition of the contribution that online interactions create. Will people regulate themselves? Or will this be a job for the host of each individual blog, to make the call based on their own vision for their site?

Hopefully, a bit of both. If we’re going to take the idea of a blog as part of new media seriously, then we have to play by the rules. Have a passionate debate, sure, but let’s leave the abuse, agenda pushing and slogan shouting at the door. These things only detract from the value a blog provides to the online community. Then we might see more people feeling comfortable enough to have their say, and a better discussion ensuing as a result.






















The top 25 blogs in the world according to Time

Transcript: Civility online
Image source: http://img.timeinc.net/time/
2008/2008_best_blogs/ bestblogs_landing.jpg

Latest online accessory: spinoculars

Imagine a computer program that you can run when viewing any website, which scans the content and highlights the elements of PR spin within it… Well US based Todd Hermann has developed such a program known as Spinspotter. He spoke with Anthony Funnell on The Media Report 2 October 2008.

The concept is simple, by running Spinspotter you effectively put a pair of ‘spinoculars’ on when looking at a site. The program highlights spin in red, using an algorithm based on the Code of Ethics in the Society of Professional Journalists. It will also be able to detail how much of a news story matches a press release. In some cases, Hermann explains, up to 90% of a story’s content is lifted straight from a press release. I love my news regurgitated.

The technology behind this program is a bit beyond me, but it also offers users the chance to correct spin on a web page, to rewrite a sentence that all the other Spinspotters can then view. So it will function similarly to Wikipedia, as far as the ability to edit content. To safeguard the quality of the program, a ‘trust engine’ has been built to catch anyone who is deliberately undermining the process.

It sounds like a unique idea, but concerns about the subjectivity of spin seem valid. As is pointed out in the interview, things like the context or tone of the spin may be hard to identify. If successful though, Spinspotter will make journalists everywhere sit up and take notice. It will force a higher level of journalistic integrity as it targets passive voice, missing context, ‘overly-pejorative adjectives’ and ‘superlatives that lack supporting data.’

To me this is another example of technology shaping the face of media, much like the force of erosion. The concept is sound and if correctly executed will have a positive effect on the industry. Anything which empowers audiences and allows them to take control over what is being fed to them through mainstream media is a good thing.

And, as Hermann explains, that’s exactly what drove him to create Spinspotter in the first place – ‘66% of Americans feel the media is one-sided.’ If the numbers of disgruntled media consumers are similar over here then Spinspotter’s success seems assured.

Transcript: Spinspotter

Image source: http://spinspotter.com/

Title fight: blog vs. newspaper

An interesting article by Mark Day was published in The Australian on 11 September 2008 exploring the role of blogs compared to traditional, ad-supported journalism. It argued that the cost, both time-wise and financially, of producing high quality journalistic material is prohibitive to many forms of reporting.

Day notes that although some blogs can be a valuable addition to social discourse, most function much like letters to the editor did in previous decades. He points out that an editorial in The Australian previously ‘observed that blogging had all the intellectual value of graffiti on a toilet door.’ Hmmm… makes me wonder about all the hours I’ve spent on my little blog.

However, I never intended this page to be a substitute for a newspaper and that is exactly Day’s point. Although blogging can add a new element to the media landscape, it is unable to replace the high quality investigative reporting that a newspaper can offer. By demanding this level of journalism and combining news across print and online platforms, the public will receive better news, more easily. Unfortunately, ‘so far there is no effective measures that combine print and web readerships’ and ‘it costs a lot more today to reach eyeballs in print than it does online.’

Day admits that eventually newspapers may cease to exist in a hardcopy form, but that until then there is still a market, however small, for the traditional delivery of news.

The issues here appear to be about quality, cost and effective saturation of the market. Like Day, I have no magic answers, but believe the industry will continue to learn as it develops. At the end of the day, the way we produce and consume the news is evolving and in ten years time the media landscape will look quite different than it does today. The idea of combining the advantages of both mediums to work together appeals most to me. What we need now is an effective and quantifiable means of doing so.

Article: Blogs no match for ad-supported investigative reports

Image source: http://www.thepequod.org.uk/images/misc/door_question.jpg

Mobiles give access to new generation of filmmakers

A short film with no dialogue filmed entirely on a mobile phone was the unlikely winner of both the People’s Choice and Best Film Awards at Tropfest in New York. On 9 October 2008 Antony Funnell from Media Report interviewed director Jason van Genderen about the challenges of creating the film and what this new form may mean for film-makers to come.

The piece is entitled ‘Mankind is no island’ and consists of words from street signs filmed around New York and Sydney, then set to music. But what’s truly exciting about this project is the fact that it demonstrates that it’s possible to produce a high quality film on an everyday mobile phone.

This has advantages financially to film creators, but also broadens the accessibility of film making to the general public. Now, theoretically, anyone can produce a film perhaps using an idea that’s been kicking around in their head for years. Instead of requiring the budget for film and the contacts within the industry, people can use the video capability which is standard on most mobile phones today.

Van Genderen stresses that the use of a mobile phone was not meant to be a clever ploy to gain attention, but rather demonstrates the universal power of storytelling. At the end of the day if you have something important to say, how you say it is not the point - so long as it gets said.

So will we see an influx of mobile phone films, or maybe even a feature film shot entirely on a phone? I, for one, hope so. Already video sharing sites like YouTube allow for the sharing of films worldwide. This is brilliant because it means we have a whole section of the community actively contributing to the social culture, whereas a decade ago many of these concepts and ideas may have gone unheard.

Again we can see an example of how technology is driving the face of media, changing traditional applications, expanding participation of the community and reaching a wider audience.

I thought the film was beautiful. Check it out on YouTube: Mankind is no island.

Transcript: Mankind is no island

Image source: http://www.tropfest.com/?ct=1

Let’s talk about blogs, baby!

It seems that blogs are everywhere today. I’m writing one right now and you’re clearly reading one. A quick search on Google for ‘blogs’ yielded 860,000,000 results. With this new form of media becoming more and more prominent, perhaps our ideas about blogs need to change. What exactly is a blog? What purpose does it serve?

Freelance journalist and author, Margaret Simmons was interviewed on Radio National’s, The Media Report on 25 September 2008. She expressed her concern that the term ‘blog’ is ‘manifestly inadequate because it offers little differentiation’ between blogs. Accordingly, she argues, new terminology needs to be developed for blogs to allow the audience a better understanding of the content and purpose of the blog. In the interview, she outlines nine ‘types’ of blogs which may help to begin the classification process.

Firstly Simons discusses pamphleteering blogs - ‘where an individual or a group of individuals put out a brief essay arguing a point, or expressing a strong point of view’. An example of this type of blog can be found at Larvatus Prodeo.These blogs work in the same way as pamphleteering did in the old days, where material was distributed widely to persuade the audience on a particular topic. As the community continues to accept blogs as a part of new media, these sites become increasingly important and more rhetorically effective.

The next category of blogs examined is the digest blog – ‘they tend to point or to summarise or to collect material from elsewhere… usually they’re just collecting material on single topics so that you can actually click on the links and go elsewhere.’ Simons suggests Fair Go Fairfax as an example of a digest blog. These can be useful resources for the audience as they direct them to further information on specific topics. However, rarely do these blogs offer detailed comment on the issue at hand which, if included, might increase the usefulness to these blogs to the reader.

Advocacy blogs are another type examined by Simons. They ‘tend to be pushing a particular point of view on a particular issue… usually by a vested interest group.’ Examples vary from Telstra’s Now We Are Talking to Mission Australia. These blogs are useful as they inform the audience of a certain point of view. However it is important to understand that generally an advocacy blog only details a particular side of the story. To completely understand the issue at hand the reader will have to move beyond the blog to other resources.

The fourth type of blog Simons calls the Popular Mechanics blog, or the How To blog which are ‘done by enthusiasts very often… an extraordinarily rich source of information on how to do stuff.’ I located a blog post on how to change a tyre. The topics of these blogs are hugely varied and are resources that much of the community would find useful. With the Internet increasingly becoming the ‘go-to’ place for answers, the How To blog is perfectly suited to the online format.

Next up is the Exhibition blog which is ‘usually maintained by craftspeople, artists, writers and they bring their work to a wider audience’ using blogs, for example the Readers and Writers blog. Many people have discussed the possible demise of traditional media, the death of the book or the extinction of trained journalist and their alarm usually stems from phenomenon like the Exhibition blog. With more and more people being heard or having their work viewed online, the distinction between professional and amateur blurs. However, I don’t believe this necessarily is a negative thing. Surely the addition of fresh voices and ideas can have a positive impact. What’s important is that we embrace the changing media and publishing landscape and the new opportunities it provides. As a writer, you still need a solid story to tell and the ability to capture an audience regardless of the technology used to do so.

The Gatewatcher blog is the sixth one mentioned by Simons, a ‘small group of blogs which keep an eye on the media’ and are often put together by expert in that field. An example of this type of blog can be found at Possum Comitatus or Gatewatching. These blogs serve a valuable purpose by observing the activity of the media and safeguarding the quality of material being produced. It’s always important to have a safety net in place, whatever the field, and the Gatewatcher blogs serve this purpose.

Another form of blog is the Diary blog. As Simons explains, diaries have formed a part of people’s lives for centuries and the Diary blog sees an extension of this, utilising new technology. These blogs are expected to decline over the next few years though due to the rise in popularity of social networking sites which essentially serve the same function. Charlie's Diary is a perfect example. What I find interesting about this type of blog is although it’s called the Diary blog it actually marks a shift in the concept of a diary. In the days before the blog, diaries were kept as a private place for thoughts and reflections. Now we see the idea that a ‘diary’ is something that exists in the public sphere for all to see, consume and comment on. It seems to demonstrate society’s shift towards the importance of peer validation and to the increase in levels of exhibitionism. However, even I must admit to a Facebook page which is useful for keeping in touch with family and friends. We really are seeing a whole new way of cultural interaction developing as a result of technology.

The penultimate category of blog explored on the Media Report program is the Advertisement blog which ‘are not really blogs at all, they are put out there by commercial companies flogging a product’. The Nokia blog, for instance. The concept of these is straight forward. My only qualm with an advertising blog is my belief that the purpose of it should be made clear from the outset. I have an ethical issue with the idea of ‘advertising by stealth’ as I commented in a previous post. To me, this is not clever product placement, it is exploitation. Most concerning is the idea of blogs, which read perhaps as a Diary blog, or a How To blog, accepting payment for subtle product spruiking within their writing. It should be clearly outlined to the audience if someone has paid to have their product promoted on a site.

Finally Simons explores the concept of the News blog, which is ‘where blogs do break news’ rather than simply repeat it. It is a growing field and may play an important role in the future of media and journalism. Apparently these blogs are common in the US, but slowly developing over here. Crikey is a good example of an Australian news blog. As these sites gain recognition and respect they will shape the face of media. The accessibility of news online is one of its big advantages. If we add to that the idea that news blogs are starting to break stories first, I believe we’ll see a large shift in the way people consume news.

After discovering these newly formed categories of blogs, it had me thinking ‘What area does my blog fall under?’ I don’t think it fits into a distinct category – maybe part Gatewatching, part Pamphleteering, part Exhibition. Do we need to identify more kinds of blogs?

I found this to be a valid and interesting report because the increase in blog numbers means that we need to get a better vocabulary around how we classify them. Some of these categories, like the Diary blog may become less popular and some, particularly the News blog in Australia may evolve to become an integral part of the media landscape. Journalists of the future could find themselves working as bloggers rather than within the traditional journalistic environments such as print.

With tighter and more informative terminology being developed, the audience can better understand what type of blog they are reading and the purpose it will serve for them. Although currently we lump all these texts together under the genre of ‘blog’ pointing out the distinctions between them can serve a valuable purpose.

Margaret Simons first detailed her nine blog categories in an article for Creative Economy Online called ‘A taxonomy of blogs’.

Transcript: A taxonomy of blogs

Image sources: http://marketing.blogs.ie.edu/archives/bloggers-ad.gif,

http://women4hope.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/eff_bloggers2.png

New revenue opportunity for mobile TV

The frontier of mobile television is set to change, following a deal between Vodafone and Australian Idol producer Fremantle Media. Previously mobile television was accessed on a subscription basis where programs were generally linked with one mobile provider meaning content was only available to customers of that provider.

However in an article in the Australian on Sep 11 2008, Simon Canning reported on the deal between Vodafone and Fremantle Media. This new relationship will see mobile content being provided free to the audience with the cost being absorbed by advertisers on the mobile site. In another first, this content will be accessible to people on all mobile phone carriers, however Vodafone customers would not have to pay data charges.

Vodafone believe that the Idol target audience matches their own customer demographic with the collaboration between the two brands benefiting both.

It has previously been debated ‘which business model will ultimately prevail – subscription based or ad-supported?’ (Goetzel 2007). Mobile TV is a growing media form and may have up to 210 million viewers by 2011, earning $11.7 billion worldwide (Saleh 2008). Clearly, people are willing to pay for mobile entertainment.

Although the subscription process currently used with mobile TV is clearly working, perhaps free access to mobile sites for consumers will help this industry grow faster. With programs such as Australian Idol, advertisers have the opportunity to reach a very specific demographic. Free access will only increase the number of people on the Idol site, looking at contestant profiles, viewing on-demand performances and noticing the Nova FM ad in the corner.

Whether this new revenue opportunity is successful will remain to be seen. Vodafone and Fremantle’s experiment will be watched closely by many and may provide mobile phone carriers with an alternate form of charging for content.

Article: Aussie idol in mobile trial

Image sources: http://www.yamahamusic.com.au/sponsorship/images/logoAustralianIdol.gif,

http://www.pocketnow.com/html/portal/news/0000005491/NewsImage/vodafone%5B1%5D.gif

References:
Goetzl, D 2007, ‘A lot of little videos: carriers and networks test mobile tv’, Broadcasting & Cable, Nov 12, 2007.
Saleh, B 2008, ‘Standards, content falling into place’, Television Week, vol.27, no.9, p.6.

Nine braves the cross-platform leap of faith

In a previous post, I mentioned the telemovie ‘Scorched’ which was shown on Channel 9 in September. The program was one of the first in Australia to combine a TV broadcast with webisodes and linked websites, creating cross-platform content. It was considered to be groundbreaking and experimental television.

The concept of ‘Scorched’ was also discussed on The Media Report, 28 Aug 2008 when host Antony Funnell interviewed ‘Scorched’ creator Marcus Gillezeau. One of the main topics was how the creators managed to convince commercial network Nine to get involved in this hybrid television and online program.

As new media opportunities develop, it seems like common sense that a large network would combine all the platforms it controls (TV, web, print, radio) to push a particular program. However, as Gillezeau explains, the traditional mindset has been ‘if you make something for the internet, then you’re taking eyeballs away from the television’. So ‘Scorched’, in Australia, was a brave move by Nine.

But it makes sense, commercially at least. ‘Scorched’ consisted of the telemovie on Nine, a number of websites and a series of webisodes, which ‘tie in to the telemovie but also function as a story of their own’. Essentially, a cross-platform approach like this allows the program to build an audience by accessing people who may not normally have watched it. By having an online tie in, suddenly the target audience is extended and also has the opportunity to be involved.

Gillezeau points out that using the internet allows you to specifically identify your audience, a feature which is quite valuable to advertisers. Being able to demonstrate exactly who the program will be reaching means advertisers will pay more to be involved in such specific marketing, causing the price for content to rise as well.

A cross-platform approach, such as ‘Scorched’, will surely become more and more common as new technology changes traditional media forms. Advertisers and producers are looking for new and innovative ways to reach an audience that was previously considered inaccessible because they sat behind a computer. Linking programs, online and otherwise, will draw media together until it forms one large, dynamic entity with numerous options for producers, advertisers and most importantly, audiences.

Check out the ‘Scorched’ webisodes at http://www.scorched.tv/

Transcript: Scorched

History shown the door at The Advertiser

Has anyone noticed that the masthead on The Advertiser has changed? I certainly did. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m studying document design and seem to be permanently assessing a document’s ‘worthiness’, but no one else in my household noticed it or thought it was particularly interesting once I brought it to their attention…

Then, an article appeared in the Australian on Sept 11, discussing The Advertiser’s ‘fresh new look.’ Apparently the old masthead had been part of The Advertiser for 150 years, since the newspaper was founded. The editor of the paper, Mel Mansell, learnt that the masthead did not conform to any known type face or recognised family of type whilst trying to research its origins. It’s is highly likely that it was hand drawn.

So the very old masthead was disposed of to make way for a new one set in Minion Pro font. The paper is aiming for a ‘cleaner and more modern look’ with a typeface that ‘was less intricate and more attractive, but retained strength and authority.’ Hmmm… I just think it looks boring.

To me, that old masthead is part of what makes up South Australia. It’s as much a part of our heritage as the iconic frog cake or Farmer’s Union Iced Coffee (but with less calories). I could be accused of being particularly resistant to change, but I think the new masthead looks just like every other paper, there is nothing distinctive about it. And the mysterious story behind the old typeface should remain a fundamental part of the paper’s history.

Mansell admits that changing the masthead is a big risk. Also altered is the body text of the paper. It’s now set in Poynter OS Text Two which was ‘created specifically for newspapers in the US’. This change has increased the point size from 8.1 to 8.8, causing the characters to appear taller on the page ‘increasing the white space for the same number of characters published.’ Now this is a design alteration I can get behind.

Additional white space increases the readability of the text (Reep 2006, p.157) and is certainly a valuable commodity in a newspaper, where all that body text can overwhelm readers. My point though, is why couldn’t they combine the new body font with the old masthead? It would certainly produce a strong contrast, which is a huge part of creating an engaging document and creating visual interest (Williams 2004, p.63).

As well as adding to the paper’s visual design, keeping the old masthead would have retained a great sense of tradition and history at The Advertiser. It seems a shame that those hand crafted letters, drawn up by someone well over a century ago, have been cast aside in the name of modernity.

Article: Advertiser's fresh new look
Image source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/72/The_advertiser_masthead.png/280px-The_advertiser_masthead.png
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/

References:
Reep, D 2006, Technical writing: principles, strategies and readings, 6th edn, Pearson Longman, New York.
Williams, R 2004, The non-designer’s design book, 2nd edn, Peachpit Press, Berkley, CA.

Can you 'Hack' it?

Are young Aussies interested in current affairs and politics rather than reality TV? This is the question posed in an article published by the Australian on 18 September 2008. ABC2 have launched a current affairs program aimed at under 25’s called ‘The Hack Half-Hour’, an extension of Hack, the Triple J radio current affairs program. It is hosted by Steve Cannane and explores issues particularly relevant to its target age group e.g. online identity fraud, social networking and privacy, porn, home ownership.

Cannane claims mainstream media fail to cover many of the issues affecting youth and conventional TV programming fails to acknowledge that young people are interested in exploring and debating the world around them.

As an avid Triple J listener myself, I found myself tuning in one Monday night to see what this new program was all about and what it had to offer someone like me. The topic up for discussion was the merits of home ownership vs. squatting. Basically, with the opportunity to own your own home seemingly out of reach for many young people, had the concept of the Australian dream shifted?

The set consisted of various lounges and armchairs with a variety of young people perched on them, representing different backgrounds, financial status and personal goals. The next thirty minutes of TV viewing were interesting and informative. It was fantastic to see young people being given a forum to express their opinions intelligently and, as a result, also get to hear other people’s points of view. For me, ‘The Hack Half Hour’ became compulsory viewing from that point on.

As technology drives the evolution of media into new forms and concepts, it’s important to safeguard the quality of content being produced. Certainly younger Australians are embracing online news, social networking sites, mobisodes etc. The ABC and Triple J have led the way in producing cross-platform content which is not only relevant to the target audience, but accessible in formats that young people are familiar with.

I believe young people are interested in the world around them. We may function in a way that appears strange to other generations but that doesn’t necessarily mean that all we want to watch on TV is ‘So you think you can dance’. Triple J correctly identified a gap in the market and ‘The Hack Half Hour’ is an excellent issues based current affairs program for young Aussies.

‘The Hack Half Hour’ airs Monday 8.30pm on ABC2 and live online. Downloads available at http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hackhalfhour/programs/. Tune in!

Source: New take on current affairs taps into Generation Y

Image source:http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/

Presentation review

Reading review presentation by marble-marble: Wheildon, C 1990, Communicating or just making pretty shapes, 3rd edn, Newspaper Bureau of Australia Ltd, North Sydney, pp. 11-15.

View complete presentation at: http://marble-marble.blogspot.com

This presentation explained the concept of reading gravity, how a reader’s eyes move across the page. Reading gravity is an important concept because it affects how a document should be designed to increase reader comprehension and efficiency. This presentation also displayed how people read differently online then they do on paper and that the format you choose will affect the design of your document.

An interesting point was made when the presenter explained that of the function and form of a document, the greatest is function. A document must ‘work’ for the reader before we start worrying about how it looks.

Also it is important to design for a ‘worst case scenario’ whereby the document is readable regardless of the format in which it is displayed.

An informative and comprehensive presentation detailing some of the theory behind what we all automatically do as readers, making it powerful information.

Advertising by stealth

'Some shows really are wall-to-wall advertising' published in The Australian argues that the growing popularity of branded content on television means that now an entire show is just one big ad. It uses the recent Talk to the Animals on Channel 9 as an example in which pet food company Purina specifically to promote their product.




Content which is funded by advertisers is not a new concept, the article states, with such shows being a regular feature in the 1950’s. However, in the 1960’s the networks set up controlled advertising slots.

The rise in branded content is said to be tied to the fact that due to technological developments we can now skip the ads through channel changing with remote control or fast forward through recorded programming. This forced advertisers to look for new ways to reach their audiences effectively.

When reading the article I wondered if this new format of television did not raise some ethical issues. At least with conventional advertising the audience is aware that a product is being pushed at them. However, in advertising through subtle product placement and sponsorship of competitions it seems slightly misleading. As one of the producers of branded content said in the article, ‘The public won’t be able to tell that it’s branded entertainment if we’ve done our job properly.’ Advertising by stealth, I suppose.

It appears I am not alone in my concern with advertising academic Professor John Sinclair agreeing that ‘the trend was a concern, as the boundaries between entertainment and commercials were being blurred.’ Surely the public have a right to know if there is a hidden agenda behind the ‘entertaining’ program that they are taking at face value.



Article: Some shows really are wall-to-wall advertising
Image source: http://ufshelterclub.pbwiki.com/f/Purina.jpg

Fusing main-stream TV with online content

The growth and development in online broadcasting has allowed television producers to find ‘new creative opportunities’ the article states. The fusion of online only webisodes with a free to air broadcast is creating a whole new genre of programming.

Upcoming Australian telemovie Scorched, to be shown on Channel Nine later this year, will be accompanied by ’20 two-minute drama webisodes’ called Cassie Has Dreams. There is also a YouTube site where fans can view Cassie’s video diary.

It is interesting to note that as technology develops it impacts quite dramatically on the media and publishing worlds. This article indicates that the webisode is becoming useful, if not necessary, to mainstream media allowing maximum hype to be generated and creating a more interactive experience for the audience.

It appears that the audiences of Australian television are changing and require more than conventional programming. This ties into the concept of genre = context + purpose + audience. The evolution of the audience is creating a new genre of Australian television viewing. Due to this we will no doubt see this merging of content become increasingly popular until it becomes the expected presentation format.

Check out the online content at http://www.scorched.tv/

Article: Webisodes leap old-new divide
Image source: http://channelnine.ninemsn.com.au/tvshow.aspx?sectionid=8922&sectionname=scorched

Reading Review Topics

The article 'Implied narratives in medical practice...' by Todd Oakley explores the idea of simulation semantics and a 'learning-for-doing' approach to medical print advertisements.

Oakley examines the way readers respond to 2 advertisements in a medical journal. He claims that these ads cause the reader to simulate their role as a GP by applying a healing narrative (illness -> diagnosis -> treatment -> cure) to the text which is why the advertisements are successfully persuasive.

The article deals with the creation of 'mental spaces' which are ideas and mindsets formed when a reader looks at a text. These various mental spaces include a 'grounding space', 'reference space and 'presentation space'. The conceptual blend of these spaces cause the reader to react in a certain way to the advertisements and acccount for the persuasiveness of these ads.

The article is very in-depth and uses academic terminology. It can be accessed via the library catalogue or via the online course guide.

Removal of credits has lasting implications

In an attempt to stop viewers changing channels, Network Ten has begun to remove credits from the end of programs. A spokesperson from Ten claimed that the aim of this move was to ‘maximise accelerated audience flow, that is, getting viewers from one show to the next quickly.’

Channel Ten are planning to place full credit details on their website, for those wanting to view them.

Members from the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance have indicated that they are prepared to contest this decision and ask that full credits are shown.

This initiative is closely linked to new ways of displaying credits by squashing them into a corner of the screen and playing promotional material for the station alongside it.

Writers Strike: Until recently, screen writers in the US had been striking over unfair conditions. This included the fact that when their work is viewed on the Internet, no credits are shown and therefore no royalties are paid to the writer. Will this new plan by Ten actually cause a similar situation in Australia?

Viewer behaviour: Channel flicking seems to be instinctive in some television viewers and questions remain as to whether Ten’s initiative will have any true impact. In today’s dynamic, high-tech environment people seek information faster, look for newer information and want to be entertained now, now, now! Channel flicking is a natural extension of this and perhaps may not make a difference to viewer behaviour. Already television viewers are frustrated by the commercial networks ability to run synchronised advertising, which many ‘flickers’ find irritating.

Online vs. Real time Television: These irritated viewers, who possess technological knowledge, may move to online television programming. Benefits include lack of disruptive advertising and the ability to access various entertainment sources from around the globe quickly. It is important to acknowledge the writers and crew involved in online production though, or we may end up with a similar strike on our hands.

Check out a classmate's blog at http://pretzeljetaime.blogspot.com/

Article: Ten cuts credits to lure viwers

Image source: http://nuggetfishing.com.au/images/Channel10.gif

Big Brother leaves its mark on television

With the cancellation of Big Brother by Channel 10 this year, The Australian published an article exploring the demise of the show and discussing the legacy left by the TV show.

The show is considered to have been the first interactive TV show in Australia and has influenced the entire television format, ‘tv was no longer a passive viewing experience,’ commented one Ten programmer.

The show was also praised for being one of the first with a solo female host, Gretel Kileen. The new television landscape created by Big Brother provided expanded advertising opportunities through continual product placement.

It is apparent from this article that Big Brother is widely considered to have changed the genre of television. Genre is informed by context, purpose and audience. Big Brother undoubtedly changed the context in which information was being presented, by allowing audience interaction and participation.

As Channel Nine programmer Michael Healy commented, ‘It’s loosened up television – made it less formal.’ Audiences now expect a level of interaction with their television programs and advertising approaches have evolved as well.

Article: 'Turkey slap beginning of end for Big Brother'

Image source: http://report.mediaspy.org/files/2008/03/big-brother-logo-2008.jpg

Aims and Purpose

This blog will explore various items from the media and analyse them in conjunction with design theory and the changing concept of the media. Over the course of this blog I will demonstrate the practical applications of design theory.