First Day

Today was our first lectures, it began with an overpriced Starbucks and long presentation from Kieth. I thought i had missed being at university....

Digital Media Cultures - What is digital Culture?
This lecture started with Marshall Mcleun, who i knew about due to doing research about him last year and the medium is the message.

Communication systems have always been central to the way in which a society is organised and controlled
In relation to communication networks we are interested in: who says what? (control of content) to whom? (the audience) how? (through what channel) when and where? (context) to what effect? (consequences)
Is it developments in media and communication that change culture? Or is it changes in culture that alter our ways of communicating

‘Democracies are sustained by and through the ability to of well funded
and resourced media organizations to analyze, and hold important institutions, such as our parliaments, courts, government agencies and their officials,
and politicians at all levels to account’

Mark Poster (1995) – argued that the main differences between old and new media was one of passivity as opposed to activity

• -For Poster, old broadcast media was associated with the concept of the modern nation state – a ruling elite (often privileged through their wealth and education) acted as a small elite group of producers, who were able to shape public opinion by controlling the public sphere of broadcasting
• -Messages were sent in a one way system of communication – the few to the many
  
• -However the digital or the “internet model” allows an interactive mode of communication, whereby distinctions between consumer and producer are collapsed – for Poster this “active” rather than “passive” subject will produce a more critical subject
  -‘The shift to decentralised networks of communications makes the producers consumers, senders receivers, upsetting the logic of the
  first media age.’ Poster, M (1995:59) in The Second Media Age 
  
  
  
  Dilemas and Contradictions
  How do we define the public sphere?
  
  
  • -Is the media a part of this or is it part of the private domain?
    -How do we conceptualise choice within the media?
  • -What are the implications of information being seen as a commodity?
    -Should the media inform and educate or be there to entertain?