Lecture 1 : Introduction // New Media Debate

What is Media Studies?

• Unlike anthropology or history, media studies doesn’t have a set of theories that are considered universal.

• Media Studies is defined by it’s object of study.

Media is really about communication.

• How do we give and receive information?

• Who is telling us what?

• Why are they telling a story one way or another?

• Today, we’ll start with a medium most familiar to all of us: social media.

Today we will briefly discuss…

• Media we use every day – social media• 400 million Facebook Users, 75 million Twitter

users (compared to countries). • And ask…(today and next section) is digital

technology changing everything?– Politically?– Socially?

Facebook and Twitter are Bigger Than Many Countries

But they aren’t the top social networks in every country.

Optimists

• Yes, digital media is changing everything• Makes it easier for people to communicate,

organize protests, and other movements• Don’t have to rely on the mainstream media

anymore. (Wikileaks!)• Iran protests – Twitter, YouTube• UK Student Protests – Twitter (organising)• Change from a media that talks AT you (TV) to a

media you use to communicate (Facebook, Email, Mobiles)

Wikileaks• “We open governments”• Allows people to give – and get – raw

information without relying on the traditional news media.

Twitter in….Iran• Al Jazeera (10 Jan 2011): “In

the summer of 2009, the word on everyone's lips was "Iran." As the youthful Green Movement rose up against what they perceived to be a tampered election, the world banded together in solidarity. The hashtag #iranelection trended on Twitter for weeks, while media outlets spoke of a "Twitter revolution."

•

Twitter in London

• Student protests last month (December 2010) against fees.

• Activists used Twitter and Google Maps to avoid police, and send messages to each other about where to organize.

Pessimists

• No, digital media doesn’t change everything• People’s tastes are still for entertainment• Not everyone has access to digital media anyway,

particularly poorer people• Television still reaches a much bigger global

audience• Even with Wikileaks, most people learn about it

from mainstream media.• Even in Iran, and London, Twitter/new media not

the cause of revolution

Even Wikileaks relies on mainstream media to get the word out…

Internet encourages“Slacktivism”• Its easy to say you “like” a cause or change

your icon green.• “describes ‘feel-good online activism that

has zero political or social impact” (Evgeny Morosov, Foreign Policy).

Iran 2009– Mostly outsiders tweeting

• ‘Twitter functioned mainly as a huge echo chamber of solidarity messages from global voices, that simply slowed the general speed of traffic,’ (Harkin 2010)

• Most actual protests organized by text or word of mouth (the old fashioned way).

Are these the google searches of revolution?

• Top 10 Google Searches 2010 (Fastest Rising)

• 1. Chatroulette• 2. Ipad• 3. Justin Bieber• 4. Nicky Minaj• 5. Friv• 6. Myxer• 7. Katy Perry• 8. Twitter• 9. Gamezer• 10. Facebook• Source: Google Zeitgeist

Who has access?

•

Today, there are more people with internet access…obviously

But penetration varies by region

Richer Countries’ Citizens Have More Access – And Users Have Grown Faster

But even “rich” countries have uneven access.

• 1/3rd of Americans don’t use fast internet

And is the internet REALLY most powerful?

TV is Still Powerful

• Someone born in 1990 will have watched 7 years of television by the time they die.

• Americans watched more TV than ever in 2010.– 34 hours of broadcast and basic

cable every seven days– +1 % from last year.

– Sources Kaiser Family Foundation, Pew.

People Still Spend More Time Watching TV and Film than on the

Internet

Television Audiences Can be in the Billions (Compare to Facebook and

Twitter numbers earlier)• 1. Michael Jackson’s

Funeral – 2.5-3 billion?• 2. Princess Diana’s

Funeral – 2 billion• 3. 2010 FIFA Final – 1.75

Billion• 4. Funeral of Pope – 1

Billon people• 5. Rescue of Chilean

Miners – 1 billion people.