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St. Augustine University of Tanzania

Mass Media and DevelopmentCJ 123

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Denis Mpagaze

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Tradition vs New Media

• What distinguishes new media from old? Source Ken Browne, 2009,p.

187

– Digitality• Using computer to download and upload data• Data are computed into digits so as they can be accessible via

screens……(How can data ie. Text, sound, pictures) be computed into number?)…ask scientists?.........Majinge?

– Interactivity• Consumers are active and not passive• High level of media literacy…what is media literacy?• More democracy

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Tradition vs New Media…Cont…• What distinguishes new media from old?

• Ken Browne, 2009,p. 187

– Hypertextuality• Allow the consumer to link to the other websites• Example…go to the webpage and show practically• Users are exposed to other alternatives

– Dispersal • Media are now everything• Media have become the part of our life…google• Decentralization of mass media…e.g. Blogs, face books• Multiple uses of internet

– News, Music, Tv, Shopping, etc…we get everything from media

• Anybody can produce media content…e.g. blogs, face book, YouTube…….Posing a threat to traditional media such as newspapers?

– Virtuality• Developing the unreal interactive experience….Eg. Through social media…Facebook, Bebo, You

Tube and My Space. • New world is established

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Significance of the new media

• Two perspectives on the significance of new media in contemporary society…..• Ken Browne, 2009,pp.188-193

–Optimistic views of the new media• Widening consumer choice

– Mushrooming of sources of information eg. Online newspapers, websites….

• More media user participation (Democracy realized)– Interactive digital TV– Blogging and citizen journalism…Michuzi?– Video and photo-sharing websites…You Tube– Social networking sites…MySpace, Bebo, Twiter face book

• The world becomes a global village– People all over the world can interact– National barriers are reduced– Greater understanding of different cultures– We live in the era of stateless– The new Berlin Wall?...11/9

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Optimistic views of the new media

• Social life and social interaction is enhanced

– Gender, age, ethnicity and social class disparities are no longer entertained

– Enhancement of social networks– Re-establishment of the lost friends, relatives etc– Opening more opportunities for youth to

communicate…….remember how your father monopolized the family Mkulima Radio?....Should you thank the new media?

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Pessimistic view

• Pessimistic Views of the new media– Media imperialism (cultural imperialism)

• Deifying and consuming of the western culture• Dressing styles, education, eating…living in general• The way we talk• Air Plaits etc

– A threat to Democracy• Who control the internet?....Transnational corporations like Microsoft,

Google, Vodafone and News Corporation…Don’t you see if these few people would decide what kind of information be disseminated worldwide?

– The lack of regulation• The issues of information overload? i.e. People have too much bad and

good information and makes it difficult to sort all the good from bad

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Pessimistic view– Internet Crime…………how NMB customers lose their money through online

mobile phone……Do you know the case that involved one of he policeman in one of the region in Tanzania who used to transfer the money from NMB customers to his account?

– Paedophilia…………Fataki in Tanzania?– Pornography……….In Tabora it is known pilau– Violence and racism all are brought in our living houses…

• There is no real increase in consumer choice– Poor quality media content– Repetition of information– Information overload…..e.g millions of junk mails that we get from our own

inbox…………I have more than 18,000 unread junk mails in my In Box……I failed even to delete them• This is a reflection of a tradtion adage that, Miluzi mingi humpoteza Mbwa…..Mapishi

mengi huharibu mchuzi…..The internet brings to us a lot of information of which we fail what to use….as a result…….

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Pessimistic view

• The undermining of human relationships and communities– Increase in social isolation– People spend more time with these new ICT technologies

than with their families, neighbors and friends• The digital divide

• Not everyone has access to the new media, and this may be– In terms of finance to own the technology equipment…How many of

you here own computer?– In terms of Know How…..Do you all know how to use internet? Do you

have e-mail addresses?– In terms of priorities….Buying a car and not a computer

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Conclusion

• Read the article by Carr, 2008– Is Google Making us Stupid?-and argue whether

the author is an optimistic or pessimistic scholar• Read the article by Flintoff, 2007– Thinking is so over-and make a critique

• Read the article by Mushinge, 2008– Impact of Social Media on Journalism-and relate it

to your contemporary society

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