Development of new/digital media means the audience is more powerful in terms of consumption and production. Discuss the argument for and against for this view.

New and digital media can be defined as a multimedia experience where individuals can access any content portably, such as through smartphone, tablets, IPad etc. Pluralist’s argue that the mass media offers a range of products, giving consumers across the world a diversity of choice and the opportunity to create and distribute their own media products. For example, Web 2.0 is significant in allowing the audience to become producers of their own media texts. However, Marxists take a different approach on the development of new and digital media, as they argue that the media maintains the ideological hegemony and the power of the bourgeoisie in society. For instance, the government still has a large amount of control over the internet. This essay focuses on whether audience are more power in terms of producing their own texts due to the developments of new/digital media or has this ‘information revolution’ done little to empower the audience.

According a Pluralist view, one of the ways in which the audience are more power is through the manipulating the media. The development of new and digital media has made the audience actively engage with media texts as they now have access to plural views of society. For instance, the audience can now conform (accept dominate values if they wish), accommodate (question society’s values) or reject (have an alternative lifestyle). Significantly, this establishes that the audience are more power in terms of consumption and production because the rise of new and digital media has given them the opportunity to manipulate and reject the dominate ideologies produced by the mass media. Notably, the development of new and digital media has made the “internet an empowering tool” (Al Gore) which establishes that the audience have more freedom to ‘pick n mix’ whatever point of view suits them and they have more choice and knowledge available to them. Similarly, Krotoski (2012) stated that the “web is more than an empower tool as it shows no authority”. This shows that resist authority conveys that there is no hierarchy on the web which would give increase democratization in society as individuals have more freedom in expressing their views. Thus, it can be argued that the audience have come more power through the development of new and digital media. This is because, they can manipulate and challenge the dominate perspectives in society and not passively accept the ruling class ideologies.

However, Marxism criticises Pluralists view as they argue that this ‘information revolution’ has not made the audience power. This is because, the mass media still maintains the dominate ideologies of the ruling class. According to Marxist Millband, the media plays a vital role in spreading the dominate values of the ruling class as they have control access over the knowledge the audience receive. Thus, this encourages the audience to accept that there is an unequal society which makes them powerless. One could argue that the development of new/digital media does not entirely mean that the audience are power in terms of consumption and production as the mass media ensures the dominance of certain classes. An example of this would be The Frankfurt School Study (1930’s). A group of philosophers were concerned with the impact of the rise of the media industries on society. They argued that capitalism controls everything and culture is processed through the mass media, thus the audiences are powerless as they are indoctrinated by society. This could be linked to the hypodermic needle model as it further portrays the audience passiveness in accepting mainstream values and the hegemonic view of the bourgeoisie which refers to Gramsci concept. Evidently, the audience are not powerful in consumption and production despite the developments in new/digital media, as they still conform to the dominate ideologies transmitted through the mass media.

On the other hand, Pluralists argue that the media content is not driven by dominate ideology or the interest of owners, but caused by audience figures. This implies that the media will serve what is right to satisfy audiences taste. The rise of citizen journalism and user generated content (UGC) has made the audience more powerful in terms of consumption and production through the developments of new/digital media. This is because, individuals can now make the news themselves because of developments in technologies such as smartphones. Thus, this establishes the concept of UGC as consumers are now creating their own content. An example of this would be the Rodney King incident (1992) as an individual took the footage from his phone. As a result, this led to a rise in UGC as people across the world was able to access the video through the social networking site, YouTube. In contemporary society, majority of people are citizen journalists as they film videos on their phones and upload it on social networking sites for people to produce a discussion and socially interaction. In relation to Katz and Blumler Uses and Gratification theory, the audience would use the media for diversion, personal relationship, surveillance or personal identity, thus highlighting that they are active agencies. Significantly, according to Pluralists, this establishes that individuals are empowered by the development of new/digital media, as they are actively producing their own content instead of being restricted by social agencies.

In relation to this point, Chad Herly (Co-Founder of YouTube) stated that “YouTube has increased UGC” as there is “more than 1billion hits per year”. This is vital in highlighting that audiences are more power as they are producing their own content on to social networking sites and therefore they are actively engaging with the developments of new/digital media. Additionally, the Arab Spring further shows how a development of new/digital media has made the audience more power because of UGC. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter gave individuals the freedom and power to politically express their views. As a result, this triggered the protest in Egypt and Libya. According to Phillip Howard the “new media has made a difference to countries in the Arab Spring as it has changed the way people think about their options”. Thus, this has created more democracy in countries as citizens are rejecting the dominate values and are promoting their own alternative ideologies. Moreover, through UCG and citizen journalism the “web is inventing society” (Krotoski 2012), giving people more power to create and share their content through new/digital media. Evidently, this shows that owners do not have direct control over the content of the media, as consumers are producing their own. Thus, this establishes that the audience are in power.

One could justify, that the development in new/digital media has done little to make the audience more powerful as the fail to challenge the power structure in society. This is because, there are still many conglomerate in the society which has an influence on the media. For instance, the ‘Mail Online’ owned by Rupert Murdock is the most popular and successful website in the UK which recently had an increase of 150million users in October. The print edition takes a conservative right wing perspective on fundamental issues around gender, sexuality, race and favours some of the British National Party policies as well. Significantly, some of the audience passively accept the Daily Mail print and online edition values which establishes that they are not powerful. Moreover, Daily Mail chief columnist Jane More wrote a homophobic article about the death of Stephen Gatey (2009) which caused an outrage on social media. According to The Guardian, the article attracted more than 500 comments on the Mail website as the public was livid about this issue. However, the ‘Daily Mail’ did not change the editorial process based on More offensive article, thus allowing gatekeepers to keep control over the newspaper. Thus, it can be argued that the “web mirrors the hierarchy of the real world” (Krotoski 2012). According to a Marxist perspective, most journalist are white, middle class and are socialised into a set of professional values which share assumptions in maintaining the dominate values. The audience are exposed to a limited range of opinions which are associated with the dominate ideologies and are unconsciously persuaded to perceive the dominate ideologies as the view of the world. As a result, the hegemony of the ruling class ideas are maintained which establishes that the development of new/digital media has not made the audience powerful in terms of consumption and production.

In contrast, developments of new/digital media has made audience more powerful as they are now actively producing their own content on the internet and therefore have more freedom. Online blogs, forums, global information and social networking sites has increased self-expression for the audience which establishes that they are active consumers and therefore are powerful.  Through the developments of new/digital media “the web has the power to show people’s different views” (Kroteski 2012). It could be suggested that the audience are no longer passive as they can now actively challenging to dominate ideologies through social media. Significantly, “shared activity or crowdsourcing on the internet has enabled people to come together and to solve problems” (Wesch 2008). An example of this would be the 2011 Twitter campaign which caused thousands of citizens onto the streets of London to help clean the mess after the London riots. Thus, it can be argued that the development of new/digital media has empowered the audience. This is because, they can now actively produce content through social media which allows them to get their messages across to the public.

Conversely, society has become media-saturated as the media has become an important source of information and entertainment, which has made the audience passively accept mainstream ideologies. The USA reality show ‘Keeping up with the Kardashian’ focuses on the ordinary life of a wealthy family, allowing the audience to feel entertained and divert from their everyday routines. One could argue that this show presents Marxism dominate ideologies of the ruling class such as, capitalism and the traditional family type. The Kardashian family are represented as the desirable group in society which is made evident through their have a luminous house, cars, clothing’s, and jobs. It could be suggested that this representation brainwashes the audience into accepting that there is a social class divide in society of the bourgeoisie and proletariats. Thus, this highlights that the audience are passive consumers of the media. Similarly, Big Brother also establishes that audience are powerless as individuals are monitored by surveillance cameras. As a result, their behaviour is control by technology and therefore they are not free agents. Furthermore, in China the government heavily censors and filters web content which establishes that the individuals have little freedom. Thus, this makes the audience powerless in terms of production and consumption.

Overall, it can be argued equally whether developments in new/digital media has made the audience powerful in terms of consumption and production. Some may agree with this statement as the audience have more freedom to actively engage with the media. This is clearly established through Pluralist perspective as “the audience are seen as capable of manipulating the media in an infinite variety of ways according to their prior needs and disposition” (McQuail). In contrast, others would argue that the developments of new/digital media has done little to give the audience power as they are still passive consumers of the media. Marxism makes an important contribution to the issue as they recognise that the media plays a vital role in brainwashing the audience to accept the dominate ideologies of the ruling class. Evidently, this shows that the debate over this issue is still unresolved.