Creating and maintaining this blog throughout the second half of my semester have really given me an eye opener. The immeasurable amount of research which I have poured into this blog has enlighten me in ways which no other assignments have. I have learn to effectively search for information which I desire and also how to quote properly.
Moreover, this blog has given me the opportunity to improve my English as well as my general knowledge on the current media issues out there. Blogging is a wonderful way to express oneself to the world as there are no gatekeepers involve in publishing your content.
However, we as responsible consumers of the media should be responsible on things we publish taking care not to touch on sensitive issues or offend. Moreover, it is equally important that we understand and be wary on the information we consume and process them carefully. There are many inaccurate information found on the net but information fed to us by advertisers and government should be process carefully as well lease we fall prey to our own naiveness.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Judging Moral Panic
The multiple mass media genre (Neale 2001)available to us today has cause information to travel in a blink of an eye. Notices and warnings may travel through the internet, radio as well as television. However, as good as this is, the media may instead of educating and warning, it may also cause unnecessary panic.
Moral panic was first define by Stanley Cohan in his work “Folk devils and moral panic” (1987) (Burns, 2000). In his book, he has defined moral panic as a an episode which causes society to worry about moral principles which the society upholds may be in jeopardy (Cohen 1987).
Today, we see all kinds of moral panic running loose such as media causing violence and personal information being gathered and traded. Although this kind of information may promote benefits and awareness among us, it may lead to unnecessary violence.
One of the earliest moral panic ever recorded was the resulted clash between the mods and rockers during the 1960’s. And today, we might be seeing the same thing happening in Malaysia
A famous Malaysian blogger named Raja Petra was sent to jail for posting an article titled “Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to hell”. Although the main stream media in Malaysia tried to stay as neutral as possible, there are other genres which have no gatekeepers whatsoever.
I am of course talking about the internet. Moreover, many on the internet has voiced out their disapproval of jailing bloggers voicing out their discontent with the government. And even though it finally died down after a few days, the trust in the government is piling up.
That is because there are numerous case in which the government failed to proof them self worthy of the people and ignoring the each waves of moral panic as if the public will forget about them. A very good example would be the Altantuya case in which we have failed to hear anything from it till today.
Therefore, being educated citizens such as we are, it is important to be yet again aware of information we consume and process them accordingly. Never judge an information directly, one must first view it from different angles before coming to a conclusion about an event.
Cohen, S. 1987, Folk Devils and Moral Panics: The Creation of Mods and Rockers London: MacGibbon and Kee
Burns, H 2000, 'What are ‘moral panics’?, http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/hrb9701.html, viewed October 3rd 2007
Neale, S & Turner, G 2001, 'Introduction: what is genre'. In G. Creeber, G, Miller, T & Tulloch, J (eds.), Television genre book (pp. 1-7, chapter 1)
Moral panic was first define by Stanley Cohan in his work “Folk devils and moral panic” (1987) (Burns, 2000). In his book, he has defined moral panic as a an episode which causes society to worry about moral principles which the society upholds may be in jeopardy (Cohen 1987).
Today, we see all kinds of moral panic running loose such as media causing violence and personal information being gathered and traded. Although this kind of information may promote benefits and awareness among us, it may lead to unnecessary violence.
One of the earliest moral panic ever recorded was the resulted clash between the mods and rockers during the 1960’s. And today, we might be seeing the same thing happening in Malaysia
A famous Malaysian blogger named Raja Petra was sent to jail for posting an article titled “Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to hell”. Although the main stream media in Malaysia tried to stay as neutral as possible, there are other genres which have no gatekeepers whatsoever.
I am of course talking about the internet. Moreover, many on the internet has voiced out their disapproval of jailing bloggers voicing out their discontent with the government. And even though it finally died down after a few days, the trust in the government is piling up.
That is because there are numerous case in which the government failed to proof them self worthy of the people and ignoring the each waves of moral panic as if the public will forget about them. A very good example would be the Altantuya case in which we have failed to hear anything from it till today.
Therefore, being educated citizens such as we are, it is important to be yet again aware of information we consume and process them accordingly. Never judge an information directly, one must first view it from different angles before coming to a conclusion about an event.
Cohen, S. 1987, Folk Devils and Moral Panics: The Creation of Mods and Rockers London: MacGibbon and Kee
Burns, H 2000, 'What are ‘moral panics’?, http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/hrb9701.html, viewed October 3rd 2007
Neale, S & Turner, G 2001, 'Introduction: what is genre'. In G. Creeber, G, Miller, T & Tulloch, J (eds.), Television genre book (pp. 1-7, chapter 1)
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Media violence
For years we have been told again and again by the media that exposing ourself and especially the younger ones to violence on the media will cause them to behave and act violently. However, There are ways to diffuse the effect as its impossible to cut it off entirely. Unless you are willing to live under a rock.
In 1992, Huston stated that by the time a child turns 18, he or she would have witness on television 200,000 acts of violence including 40,000 murders (Huston, et al, 1992).
Moreover, results from the American Psychological Association has shwon that men who were expose to TV violence when they were young were more likely to pushed, grabbed or shoved their sposuse wherease women are more likely to throw things and respond to anger by shoving, punching or even chocking the person (Partenheimer 2003)
Another worrying fact is that the more children get themself exposed to TV or vidwo games are likely to act more aggressively to their peers adn tend to assume the worst in their interaction with peers (Buchanan, et al, 2002).
These and other reports throughout the years since the emergence of media has been coming up time after time. This only proof that we should be aware of this and try our best to minus of its negative effect.
Games have always been attractive to kids. It being a multimodal media further enhance this point. Moreover, professional advertisers have been creating and marketing this out to all segment of the market.
Games such as Grand theft auto which has been reputated to be violence have been ban for minors. However, with advertisers creating appealing forms with function (QUOTATION) , it even attracts the kids even though it is ban.
However kids being kids, they will find out a way to get a hold of the games, thus it falls upon the responsibility of the parents to monitor their child's gaming content.
Example of a Violent game
Moreover, Games is only one of the many media genres (Creeber 2001) which portrays violence. Movies from television and theaters tends to underrate their movies in order to get more viewers.
In conclusion, it is up to ourself to be aware on what information we consume and be doubly aware on what information the kids consume.
Reference
Bear J.H 2007, ‘Form and Function in Design and Publishing’, www.desktoppub.about.com/od/graphicdesign/a/formfunction.htm, viewed 25 May 2008.
Buchanan, A.M., Gentile, D.A., Nelson, D.A.,Walsh, D.A., Hensel, J. (2002). What goes in must come out: Children's media violene consumption at home and aggressive behaviors at school. www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_vlent.shtml, Viewed 15th June 2008.
Huston, A.C. et al (1992). Big world, small screen: The role of television in American society. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
Neale, S & Turner, G 2001, 'Introduction: what is genre'. In G. Creeber, G, Miller, T & Tulloch, J (eds.), Television genre book (pp. 1-7, chapter 1)
Partenheimer D 2003, 'Childhood exposure to media violence predicts young adult aggressive behavior according to a 15 year study, www.apa.org/releases/media_violence.html, viewed 10th June 2008
In 1992, Huston stated that by the time a child turns 18, he or she would have witness on television 200,000 acts of violence including 40,000 murders (Huston, et al, 1992).
Moreover, results from the American Psychological Association has shwon that men who were expose to TV violence when they were young were more likely to pushed, grabbed or shoved their sposuse wherease women are more likely to throw things and respond to anger by shoving, punching or even chocking the person (Partenheimer 2003)
Another worrying fact is that the more children get themself exposed to TV or vidwo games are likely to act more aggressively to their peers adn tend to assume the worst in their interaction with peers (Buchanan, et al, 2002).
These and other reports throughout the years since the emergence of media has been coming up time after time. This only proof that we should be aware of this and try our best to minus of its negative effect.
Games have always been attractive to kids. It being a multimodal media further enhance this point. Moreover, professional advertisers have been creating and marketing this out to all segment of the market.
Games such as Grand theft auto which has been reputated to be violence have been ban for minors. However, with advertisers creating appealing forms with function (QUOTATION) , it even attracts the kids even though it is ban.
However kids being kids, they will find out a way to get a hold of the games, thus it falls upon the responsibility of the parents to monitor their child's gaming content.
Example of a Violent gameMoreover, Games is only one of the many media genres (Creeber 2001) which portrays violence. Movies from television and theaters tends to underrate their movies in order to get more viewers.
In conclusion, it is up to ourself to be aware on what information we consume and be doubly aware on what information the kids consume.
Reference
Bear J.H 2007, ‘Form and Function in Design and Publishing’, www.desktoppub.about.com/od/graphicdesign/a/formfunction.htm, viewed 25 May 2008.
Buchanan, A.M., Gentile, D.A., Nelson, D.A.,Walsh, D.A., Hensel, J. (2002). What goes in must come out: Children's media violene consumption at home and aggressive behaviors at school. www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_vlent.shtml, Viewed 15th June 2008.
Huston, A.C. et al (1992). Big world, small screen: The role of television in American society. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
Neale, S & Turner, G 2001, 'Introduction: what is genre'. In G. Creeber, G, Miller, T & Tulloch, J (eds.), Television genre book (pp. 1-7, chapter 1)
Partenheimer D 2003, 'Childhood exposure to media violence predicts young adult aggressive behavior according to a 15 year study, www.apa.org/releases/media_violence.html, viewed 10th June 2008
Brand Branded
There was once in the 1980's where branding was unlike today. Today, teen's interest in brand can no longer be mere differentiation or to distinguish one's identity from that of the group and the converse, that of conforming or fitting in a group (Quart 2003).
"You don't need to buy a copy of Teen Vogue or turn on an episode of The Hills to see young people wearing expensive designer labels anymore -- just take a tour of a local high school."
-Rachel Naud 2008
Although Malaysia to a certain extend have not yet been affected by the brand virus as we are still wearing school uniform in our high school, it is nonetheless worrying that brands have actually invaded the inner security of a teens life.
Quart further states that companies feign ignorance to the fact that those under twenty-five are now the fastest group filing for bankruptcy (Quartz 2003). This only proves that companies have turn their attention to the young market.
Advertisers know exactly how to appeal to teenagers and if enough of the teenagers gets influence, wants might change into needs. Advertisers uses multimodal format in order to grab hold of teens attention (Walsh 2006).
Moreover, visual images are almost present in all commercial portraying a person acting cool or activity while holding on to a product, this helps increase clarity and enchance understanding as well as draw the teen further into the advertisement (Putnis & Peterlin 1999).
Furthermore Professional advertisers knows how to make full use of a document to attract a teenager even the type of word they used could effect the readers. After all, the wrong word type could cause the lost of more then half the readers (Wheildon 1990).
Therefore, it is important that we be aware of marketing and advertising gimmick that are there to brainwash us into accepting purchasing a product. Moreover, these are professionals whose sole job is to woo us into buying things making it for important for us to be even more aware on the information we consume everyday.
Naud R. 2008, 'Brand hungry teens benefit from value lessons' http://www.canada.com/topics/lifestyle/parenting/story.html?id=9aee3282-2642-4b15-a482-d7a23bc0d529 viewed June 08 2008.
Putnis P. & Petelin R. 1999, Professional Communication: Principles and Applications, 2nd ed, Prentice hall, Sydney, pp. 195-206.
Quart A. 2003,'Branded', Branded: The Buying and Selling of Teenagers, Perseus, Cambridge MA., pp.3-21
Walsh, M 2006, Australian Journal of Language and Leteracy, The ‘texture shift’: Examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts, Australia, vol.29, no.1, pp.24-37
Wheildon C 1990, 'Communicating or just making pretty shapes: a study of validity -- or otherwise 00 of soe elements of typographic design, 3rd ed, Newspaper Advertising Bureaus of Australia, North Sydney.
"You don't need to buy a copy of Teen Vogue or turn on an episode of The Hills to see young people wearing expensive designer labels anymore -- just take a tour of a local high school."
-Rachel Naud 2008
Although Malaysia to a certain extend have not yet been affected by the brand virus as we are still wearing school uniform in our high school, it is nonetheless worrying that brands have actually invaded the inner security of a teens life.
Quart further states that companies feign ignorance to the fact that those under twenty-five are now the fastest group filing for bankruptcy (Quartz 2003). This only proves that companies have turn their attention to the young market.
A simple image with outrages price and has the coolness factor (from http://media.arstechnica.com/journals/apple.media/thumb/200/200/Nike-800.jpg)
Advertisers know exactly how to appeal to teenagers and if enough of the teenagers gets influence, wants might change into needs. Advertisers uses multimodal format in order to grab hold of teens attention (Walsh 2006).
Moreover, visual images are almost present in all commercial portraying a person acting cool or activity while holding on to a product, this helps increase clarity and enchance understanding as well as draw the teen further into the advertisement (Putnis & Peterlin 1999).
Furthermore Professional advertisers knows how to make full use of a document to attract a teenager even the type of word they used could effect the readers. After all, the wrong word type could cause the lost of more then half the readers (Wheildon 1990).
Therefore, it is important that we be aware of marketing and advertising gimmick that are there to brainwash us into accepting purchasing a product. Moreover, these are professionals whose sole job is to woo us into buying things making it for important for us to be even more aware on the information we consume everyday.
Naud R. 2008, 'Brand hungry teens benefit from value lessons' http://www.canada.com/topics/lifestyle/parenting/story.html?id=9aee3282-2642-4b15-a482-d7a23bc0d529 viewed June 08 2008.
Putnis P. & Petelin R. 1999, Professional Communication: Principles and Applications, 2nd ed, Prentice hall, Sydney, pp. 195-206.
Quart A. 2003,'Branded', Branded: The Buying and Selling of Teenagers, Perseus, Cambridge MA., pp.3-21
Walsh, M 2006, Australian Journal of Language and Leteracy, The ‘texture shift’: Examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts, Australia, vol.29, no.1, pp.24-37
Wheildon C 1990, 'Communicating or just making pretty shapes: a study of validity -- or otherwise 00 of soe elements of typographic design, 3rd ed, Newspaper Advertising Bureaus of Australia, North Sydney.
Privacy on the Internet
An article on bbc.co.uk which talks about human rights stated that humans have the right to their own privacy. However with the emergence of the information highway (internet) the ability for the government and private sector to collect and record information has grown to a worrying degree.
The internet being a multimodal(Walsh 2006)medium, has enable people to enter their personal information and send it across vast amount of space in a blink of an eye. However, the problem is that they do not realize that it is possible for hackers tap into their information.
Moreover, most website these days only require your e-mail address to identify you however, this too could become a privacy risk as additional information could be acquired from there. (Clarke 1998).
The internet has many function and most of them have forms which are appealing (Bear 2007). One of them is that it has a great potential where people such as long lost friends may locate each other online. This has a great power as it combines existing sources such as phone books which have been digitalizes and new sources such as archives from social website such as friendster.com.Services such as these could be great for some people. However there are times in which they could be a pesk or even life threatening (Clarke 1998).
A socializing website where they require you to fill in your personal detail and makes it viewable to the public
Moreover, people are posing personal videos online which further expose them to the anybody with evil intentions.
As much as we adults are vulnerable to exposing ourself on the internet, kids are in even deeper trouble then we are. The Internet has thousands of attractive forms with the main target audience being kids.
Interactive website for kids who ask them to register through online forms.
Marketers have manage to build numerous websites that has interactive multimodal function which will attract and hold kids attention for hours for example barbiedoll.net which features a wide array of activities. These activities not only entertain the kids, but also build their relationship with the product. Advertisers then collect information from the kids through online registration forms. This could be risky for the kids.
Thus it is important to be constantly aware on what is going on while surfing the net or when a website request some information from you. It is however, doubly important that we be aware of what our own kids are doing while they surf the net. It is our responsibility as elders to educate them lease they fall into marketing gimmick of worst still, stalkers.
Reference
Bear J.H 2007, ‘Form and Function in Design and Publishing’, www.desktoppub.about.com/od/graphicdesign/a/formfunction.htm, viewed 25 May 2008.
Clarke R 1998, 'Information Privacy On the Internet Cyberspace Invades Personal Space', www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/DV/IPrivacy.html, viewed June 9th 2008.
'Human Rights Act: What the articles say', BBC News, www.news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/946400.stm, Viewed 10th June 2008.
'Information Privacy and Children' Media Awareness Network, www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/privacy/compromised_privacy.cfm, Viewed June 9th 2008.
Walsh, M 2006, Australian Journal of Language and Leteracy, The ‘texture shift’: Examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts, Australia, vol.29, no.1, pp.24-37
The internet being a multimodal(Walsh 2006)medium, has enable people to enter their personal information and send it across vast amount of space in a blink of an eye. However, the problem is that they do not realize that it is possible for hackers tap into their information.
Moreover, most website these days only require your e-mail address to identify you however, this too could become a privacy risk as additional information could be acquired from there. (Clarke 1998).
The internet has many function and most of them have forms which are appealing (Bear 2007). One of them is that it has a great potential where people such as long lost friends may locate each other online. This has a great power as it combines existing sources such as phone books which have been digitalizes and new sources such as archives from social website such as friendster.com.Services such as these could be great for some people. However there are times in which they could be a pesk or even life threatening (Clarke 1998).
A socializing website where they require you to fill in your personal detail and makes it viewable to the public
Moreover, people are posing personal videos online which further expose them to the anybody with evil intentions.
Example of personal videos
As much as we adults are vulnerable to exposing ourself on the internet, kids are in even deeper trouble then we are. The Internet has thousands of attractive forms with the main target audience being kids.
Interactive website for kids who ask them to register through online forms.
Marketers have manage to build numerous websites that has interactive multimodal function which will attract and hold kids attention for hours for example barbiedoll.net which features a wide array of activities. These activities not only entertain the kids, but also build their relationship with the product. Advertisers then collect information from the kids through online registration forms. This could be risky for the kids.
Thus it is important to be constantly aware on what is going on while surfing the net or when a website request some information from you. It is however, doubly important that we be aware of what our own kids are doing while they surf the net. It is our responsibility as elders to educate them lease they fall into marketing gimmick of worst still, stalkers.
Reference
Bear J.H 2007, ‘Form and Function in Design and Publishing’, www.desktoppub.about.com/od/graphicdesign/a/formfunction.htm, viewed 25 May 2008.
Clarke R 1998, 'Information Privacy On the Internet Cyberspace Invades Personal Space', www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/DV/IPrivacy.html, viewed June 9th 2008.
'Human Rights Act: What the articles say', BBC News, www.news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/946400.stm,
'Information Privacy and Children' Media Awareness Network, www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/privacy/compromised_privacy.cfm, Viewed June 9th 2008.
Walsh, M 2006, Australian Journal of Language and Leteracy, The ‘texture shift’: Examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts, Australia, vol.29, no.1, pp.24-37
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)