M8.2

Part A:

Throughout this course I've engaged the most through Twitter. I don't think I went a blog post without mentioning its use in some manner to the assignment at hand. Twitter is a clear leader in social media, and what I find unique about Twitter and a primary reason why it continues to lead as a social media platform is the freedom it allows its users. It really is a blank slate with a few tools for you woven in, what what you will. Facebook was always something I used to stay in touch with and communicate with friends. Considering Facebook and this course, my usage wasn't really affected but I definitely have a new perspective on its use personally and globally among society. Many of the other social media platforms and outlets left something to be desired. GetGlue was an attempt to add a lateral two-way element of interaction between fans of television programs and films, while the one-way binary between audience and the program/film persisted. Pinterest was more interesting as it contains its own culture of sharing ideas for many outdoor, home, kitchen, etc. projects. Slideshare is quite interesting in the fact that it makes accessible sharing PowerPoint style slideshows specifically, highly geared towards sharing educational materials. Storify, I think was by far the most interesting and out of the box. Allowing users to interperate media, cite, source and express their views and perspectives. Finally, YouTube, similar to Slideshare has become the primary method of sharing a specific type of media, in this case video.

Many of these platforms do have positive and negative effects. On one hand you have the power to unite and share information between the entire globe faster than ever. But paradoxically so many of us are using these platforms not only as our primary means of learning about the world but as increasingly primary means interaction as well. Diminishing natural interactions, face-to-face interaction. To take a Marxist perspective, it also diminishes the solidarity of the human race, disconnecting us from each other at an intimate level. Although it has the clear power to unite and inform indiscriminately. This is my meta concern of growing dependency on new media.

Part B:

Video Transcript:

Hello my fellow COMM 2F00 peers, I'm Andrew, also known to some of you as @othelol  on Twitter and this is my module 8 video on three elements I feel I've really conceptualized well during the course.

1. Literacy in social media, has almost become its own language. And, to be literate in one that is constantly changing and its uses being socially defined is a real skill learned through constant participation. The rise of memes is an example of this, and one that continues to be redefined over and over by users and creators of memes.

2. New media's reach in terms of fund raising and raising awareness is my second point about new media i'd like to make, and focus on new media's ability as a platform to do great things. case in point would be Sharecraft wherein online video game personality and activist Athene raised millions of dollars for charity. projects like Sharecraft are made possible through new media platforms.

3. Net neutrality. so many of these services we've been using, such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. are commodities in a sense, driving ads and popular hegemony through the ads, ultimately leading up to the dismantling of net neutrality to further monetize the internet. What I have to say about this is that there must always be a new media.

So, those are my 3 things I feel I've really learned about in this course.
I hope you've enjoyed watching, mahalo

M8.1

The use of "inclined" makes approaching this question quite thought-provoking. On one hand, in light of the tools available, becoming a produser is almost a natural step of anyone with the knowledge and skills to use such tools. On the other hand one may still remain passive and  choose not to participate in the discourse and absorb it instead.

Personally I do generate a kind of baseline level of online content while using things like Facebook and Twitter to mainly communicate with friends and like/retweet/favorite a few things. I want to infer here that I believe this baseline is taken up by many. It's what one sometimes does in addition to this baseline that is real production in the online social realm. Best put, I think by saying it is something shared online that is accessible both in language and technology, and meant for the wider audience, people you don't know. Speaking in regard to myself, if this baseline was 1 and we're scoring out of 10, I'd be roughly a 4. Every so often contributing something into the ether of the internet.

Concerning a more politically critical perspective, I would suggest the governmental acts and bills like SOPA and PIPA that are acting to dismantle the neutrality of the internet as it stands today. Threats such as SOPA and PIPA have been looming for some time and continue to largely in part to the money that is to be made when providers are able to control who sees what on the internet. At the moment, anyone can make a website about pretty much anything and put it online. In today's savage capitalism that focuses heavily on reducing operating costs while increasing profits one way to do this is to eliminate competition. Because of net neutrality, wealthy multinational corporations have less options, which are more expensive, to maintain market dominance. Should net neutrality be struck down much of what we see online will certainly be heavily influenced by these corporate powers in deals with service providers, and any low bidders will likely cease to exist online.

While some use it solely for Facebook, its much larger than you probably think, here is just a piece of it.

M7.2

Twitch.tv as the URL suffix suggests is essentially a website that involves viewing video to some capacity. However, Twitch's success is in video game streaming and what it adds to this experience is what has made it so popular in the video game community.

With thousands of channels operating at any given time, viewers can open a channel of their favourite game and view and participate via the channel chat room to any degree they wish, as all content is live. Twitch's power to bring people together around the love of games is apparent in the element of interaction. The highly successful project Twitch Plays Pokemon is a testament to this.

Many friendships, relationships and careers have been started with the help of Twitch and its community. It is the beginning of a new trend of the way we game and interact online.

https://storify.com/andrewpause/twitch-tv

M7.1

As most of us in COMM 2F00 know by now, the selection of tools offered to us to participate in the internet are in the hundreds if not yet thousands. And, it doesn't take an education in social media to know that. In the past, citizen journalism was of course very limited and exclusive to those who had the time and money to participate. However, today there are many why engage in citizen journalism more as a fact of life online.

The most major opportunity here I believe is noted by Bruns and Highfield in saying now, no piece of journalism is ever finished in a sense. Sure there are "final" versions that make it to the news papers or the news corporation's website, but in this day of social integration via the internet the story will always evolve further and relatively easily through today's social media technologies. Hermida largely agrees with Bruns and Highfield on the new constructive nature of journalism and offers the explanation that professional journalists today act more so as curators of information rather than the ultimate authorities they used to be. Although, yes they do have some bias and authority that can come through their interpretations. This, I think, has diminished over the years since the internet boom and is even accounted for by the vast majority of citizen journalists.

I definitely believe all of these new tools encourage the majority of people online to participate. After all, it is what drives traffic. High engagement of online content is largely what many of new journalists are after. The more sharing options an article or other piece of news has increase its potential to be shared among circles of Facebook friends, to start being retweeted, and to become completely viral. Compatibility with the current major hubs of this type of social sharing like Facebook and Twitter is a must in this new world if your goal is widespread, participatory coverage.

When it comes to me personally, I also have to say yes. What is genius about how information flows on a vast array of topics online is very similar to real life experiences like the classic example of a barbershop, "Oh, I heard from so and so that...". The game breaking difference here that has been driving a lot of this interaction and exposure is that the internet and its social media tools are organized like a individual and virtual pan-opticon for each of us in which not only can everyone see what you're up to, everyone can see what everyone else is talking about and learn their thoughts, feelings and opinions as well. Because I'm usually getting this media fed to me through someone I know personally, I am much more inclined to engage and share my thoughts on whatever the matter may be.

M6.2

Each experience of listening to music online though many of these streaming option was very similar. Each offered some method to share the experience with other via Facebook, Twitter, etc. And, they all either forced you to explore the genre, like Pandora, or they at least gave you an option to automatically browse the genre by adding similar artists to your stream's playlist. I checked out each one but, the semi-randomness of Pandora providing the chance to discover a new band was most appealing. Many other had this option but Pandora was essentially built for this purpose so it was the obvious choice for me. I use services like Pandora often, however, it is more of a personal usage. I'm never one to use the additional social tools to advertise my tastes. And, lets not for get that fact that it is free.

The linked article makes a good point on the sales figures, it is clear that streaming services are steadily over taking online purchases, the rationale being the appeal to radio like discovery similar to my point about this ease of access to new music above. Many of the large social media hubs are another place one can discover music, although it seems to be much less natural than the radio style offered by streams. However, these are the end game for musician and producers who offer up their media on many streaming venues. Another great point in the linked article is the use of social data. Interaction on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook can help producers and artists track their online success as part of website such as Spotify, Grooveshark, etc.

Slideshare presentation featuring: The New Bomb Turks

M6.1

When I purchase music, as opposed to sharing it, my rationalizations are usually come from a strong connection to the music and/or the artist. Not just your everyday CD for the car or mix for the gym. Its something more and its also something rare. With the evolution of music sharing I am much more reluctant in my music purchases and much more likely to share some before any cash purchases.

My practises probably conflict with many of the IP protections of a lot of mainstream music, however, as the readings indicate many artists and groups are moving to different business models to best capitalize on the shifting attitudes about music purchases and attitudes about music sharing. So as time moves forward practises like music sharing are being more and more accommodated to. Popular online venues for music sales such as Bandcamp.com allow visitors to fully preview songs artists have made available and even give artists the ability to use a 'pay what you can' model for any of their songs.

I do agree that copyright legislation in the music industry and the practices of consumers are shifting considerably and seem to be here to stay, largely due to availability of the internet and other relevant technologies. Many outlets for music sharing like Grooveshark.com, Last.fm, etc are filling this gap between technology and demand. So considering the music industry itself, it must find a way to monetize in this new realm, and I think this can be done a few days. Firstly, suing everyone is no longer an option. At its outset, the online music sharing revolution started small and with programs like Napster. Small factions that the music industry could collectively target and eliminate. Now, we know that Napster's downfall was similar to a hydra's head and several more similar outlets for music sharing were already in the works and becoming available to the public. From this point there are two similar options that allow the music industry to maintain power at the top of the food chain in music production and sales. Either buy up all of the aforementioned companies such as Grooveshark, Last.fm, etc and slowly begin to monetize their distribution once again with a focus on ease of access. If its just as easy and with no cost to get music else where, you can be sure people will seek it out. The other option is to strike a deal with these existing companies for the rights to distribution for a premium or royalty fee. Lately, this second option is what seems to be winning out as it is likely less overhead to just charge for the licences and allow these online stream services to exists than facilitate them yourself while essentially owning a monopoly on the right to the music being consumed.

One final point is the effect this online stream/download system has on the artist. So far, it has been acting as a second middle man to the artist, further detaching them from the fruits of their own labour. I'll let this article further make my case. http://www.aux.tv/2014/02/x-royalty-cheques-thatll-make-lose-faith-music-industry/

M5.2

http://getglue.com/andrewpause

I was able to check in on GetGlue 6 times during this assignment. This under-represents my media consumption as I enjoy a lot of media via YouTube and Twitch.tv (which are not represented on GetGlue), much more in fact when compared to my consumption of traditional media such as television.

My overall impression of GetGlue was strange. It seems to me that GetGlue isn't really providing any service or real value at all, rather trying to create from kind of cultural capital in television, sports and film interactions between consumers. I didn't get much out of using GetGlue besides knowing that dividing my attention between media and the second screen of GetGlue takes away from my experience with the media I'm consuming in the first place.

It probably has some value to advertisers and producers for promotions. Besides this, all GetGlue seems to do is allow you to connect with other viewers online around the context of something like a fan club. Now, if you're asking me how I feel that might be valuable I'd say it does have some. Connecting people is always worth something. Besides that social value there is of course value to advertisers.

As users join they are encouraged to connect with others they may already know via Facebook, Twitter, etc. to build an immediate network. Then users are asked to select an amount of television programs, sports and movies to build an interest base, which then GetGlue uses to funnel more similar media to the user. From this point, the user is free to engage in interactions with other GetGlue users who share similar tastes in media. Many of these steps and other interactions are also fueled by a rewards system, stickers displayed on your account of your task of clicking on ten television shows you like, for example.

Personally, no, I didn't feel anymore engaged during my experience using GetGlue along side my television viewing. bit.ly/1mXYxWw  This link was also posted to my COMM 2P00 Twitter as part of discussion this module and I think it rings true, especially for myself. It is clear the vast majority does not care to engage in their consumption of media that GetGlue caters to. I believe this is largely do to the passive nature of consuming television, sports and movies.

The usual passive audience is definitely re-framed as more active and encouraged to engage through GetGlue. This is largely based on checking in to whatever media one may be consuming at that particular point in time. Part of what drives this motivation are the stickers offered  to GetGlue users for participation and interaction with other users. As far as I can't see this operates like a standard merit system. You get a few of the easy stickers, the low hanging fruit and as to you progress with more check ins and other interactions more prestigious stickers are awarded. I view this as a treadmill model that seems to be more and more consistent in participatory media. The treadmill model in action almost always goes like this; User A see's locked sticker "Super Awesome Sticker #1" either on another users account or elsewhere and proceed to unlock it, which will be relatively easy at first, then of course they spot "Super Awesome Sticker #2" which is a little bit harder of course but nothing they can't handle. Depending on the quality of the treadmill design this can go on for quite sometime, if not indefinitely, before one realized they've spent hours upon hours of their time hunting down virtual stickers.

http://mashable.com/2012/10/01/once-upon-a-time-getglue-record/

Here is a clear example of the increasing success of GetGlue's business model. Regardless of the fact that some will choose to no engage in their media consumption but rather just consume and leave it at that. Others are either seeking or engaging for the sake of engaging over their favorite media. I suspect GetGlue will continue to grow and more records for interaction within the company will be set. I'm curious though, if say one could access Twitters analytics, what would be the difference in interaction between a more popular and established social media platform such as Twitter when compared with a more focused one like GetGlue.

http://mashable.com/2013/11/06/i-tv-acquires-getglue/

For even more proof of success here is GetGlue moving up to the big leagues. Someone must either believe this is the future of television, sports and movies or (and what I really think) someone needs this to be the future of television, sports and movies. In order to extract more ad time and therefore cents per viewer, social media platforms centered around popular media are being acquired by the industry.