NDM: New York Times to launch new budget and top-end digital packages

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/26/new-york-times-budget-top-end-digital-packages-nyt

This article focuses on the issue of The New York Times lauching a budget digital package for $2 a week to attract new subscribers. The aim of this digital pack is to cause a growth rate on subscribers, which the company had 700,000 a year ago. However, there has been a decrease among subscribers and therefore the company had to think of a new strategy to increase subscribers and revenue. 

In addition,  Thompson speaking at the FT Digital  Media Conference 2014 states: ""Just under a year ago we outlined our strategy to expand our digital product portfolio to continue to grow digital revenues. Our goal with this next phase of our paid products strategy is to satisfy the demand for Times journalism by giving new subscribers the ability to choose the amount of access they desire at a price point that suits them." This establishes that the company's new approach on launching a digital package for a cheap price compared to their other packages is to increase revenue and subscribers. Notably, The New York Times will now offer unlimited access to a new iPhone app which would update new streams for quick reading, and will be different from the standard news app.

Overall, it can be argued that the launch of a digital package will help attract new subscribers to The New York Times as they can engage with the new package. This shows that the development of new media has  helped some companies gain more revenue through subscription, paywalls and launching new digital packages. The fact that people can now access news through tablets, smartphones and on the website shows that news is more accessible and instant, which would not be possible through traditional forms of media.

NDM: Facebook reveals plans for solar-powered drones to boost internet access

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/28/facebook-plans-solar-powered-drones-internet-access

This article focuses on the issue of Mark Zuckerberg working on solar-powered drones to deliever and improve internet access across the world. Zuckerberg revealed details of his Connectivity Lab, a team of people, including experts from Nasa, which are working on new aerospace and communication technologies with the aim of expanding internet access worldwide. Significantly, Zukerberg stated: "In our effort to connect the whole world with Internet.org, we've been working on ways to beam internet to people from the sky. Today, we're sharing some details of the work Facebook's Connectivity Lab is doing to build drones, satellites and lasers to deliver the internet to everyone". It could be suggested that this new approach could be useful to many countries which do not have access to Facebook and therefore this would increase the connectivity globally.

Furthermore, Yael Maguire of Facebook exposed the different ways in which the company are looking to increase internet connection globally. He claims: "We're looking at a new type of plane architecture that flies at roughly 20,000 metres, because that's a point where winds are at their lowest, it's above commercial airliners, it's even above the weather, and actually it can stay in the air for months at a time. These planes are solar-powered and they sit there and circle around, and have the ability to broadcast internet down". Significantly, the project is an extension of the internet.org group which Facebook helped found in 2013 along with important technology firms such as Samsung and Nokia. The goal is to provide internet to less developed countries which cannot access Facebook.

Overall, Facebook's plans for solar-powered droans to increase internet access is a useful approach especially for less developed countries. This is because it gives citizens who do not have access to Facebook an opportunity to experience the social networking site. Arguably, if this plan works Facebook could be even successful amongst other social networking sites. This establishes that the development of technology has impacted individuals because now less developed countries will be able to access Facebook if this approach works and therefore increasing interactivity. 

Case Study: Question 4, 5 & 6

4. Is the size of the audience any different now than before the impact of new and digital media (or has the pattern of usage changed)?

It can be argued that the impact of new/digital media has changed the size of the audience and the pattern of usage, as more people are accessing Facebook daily to receive latest information or to interact with others. According to UK Facebook statistics 2014, the largest age demographic associated with Facebook is 25-34 year olds, "with just 26% of all users falling into  this age bracket". This establishes that the size of the audience has changed over the years, as now adults are interacting with Facebook as well as the young demographic. Thus this contrasts to previous years as through traditional forms of media people would of not had the freedom to interact with others globally and generate content. Although Facebook is popular, the size of the audience rapidly decreased last year. According to The Guardian, "Facebook's UK users dropped by 600,000 in December" stated by SocialBakers. Significantly, SocialBakers ranked Facebook as one of the sixth most active user base, with more that million users in December. It could be suggested that the development of new media has made a vital change in the size of the audience, as more people are accessing the social networking site daily. Facebook has made it easier for people to communicate, upload videos, generate content etc which would not have happened through traditional media. Furthermore, there is a mix of age demographic associated with Facebook such as: "25-34 year olds (26%)", "18-24 year olds (23%)" and "35-44 year olds (18%). The 2013 statistics establishes that there has been a decrease in size among the young generation, which is surprising as people would assume that teenagers would be interacting with Facebook more. This could show that there is a decrease among the young generation because they are more likely to interact with new social networking sites and therefore they would be accessing Facebook less. The bar chart below shows the estimated U.S. Facebook users since 2011 among the different age demographic.

Articles:
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/jan/14/facebook-loses-uk-users-december
http://www.rosemcgrory.co.uk/2013/01/08/uk-social-media-statistics-for-2013/
http://mashable.com/2014/01/16/teens-leaving-facebook/
http://www.ibtimes.com/facebook-gets-older-demographic-report-shows-3-million-teens-left-social-network-3-years-1543092


5. Who are the primary target audience now and has this changed?  Who was it before and how do you know?  

One could argue that the primary audience for Facebook was individuals between the age demographic of 16-24 year olds, as teenagers are more likely to interact with social networking sites before  the old generation. Significantly, this age range has clearly aged over the years as the primary audience are now individuals between the age demographic of 25-34 year olds. For example, according to the 2013 Facebook UK statistics, the largest group who are using Facebook daily are 25-34 year olds (26%) followed by 18-24 year olds (23%).This could establish that younger people are losing Facebook less because of the emergence of other social networking sites such as Twitter or Instagram.

Quotes:

• “My belief is Facebook is no longer seen as on trend and it is fashionable for teens to say they no longer use it. However our data and recorded behavior show that it is still a key part of their social media experience…. the reality is there is a decline, but it is still no.1 [among teens in 30 out of 32 countries] and account ownership still remains at near full penetration.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/haydnshaughnessy/2013/12/30/dead-and-buried-heres-whats-really-happening-with-facebook-demographics/

6. How have the audience responded to the changes?  Is there more customer choice?  Is there evidence of a more pluralistic model?  What evidence do you have to support this?

One could argue that audiences have responded to the changes of new/digtal media postively, as through social networking sites they have the freedom to interact globally and generate content.  Facebook has given consumers a wide range of choices through accessing different apps, uploading pictures/videos and changing their own personal information. Researchers at Princeton University compared Facebook to a "infections disease" and stated that "we are slowly  becoming immune  to it's attraction". The fact that people across the world are accessing Facebook establishes that this social networking site has had a impact on individuals' lives. Notably, through Facebook users can accommodate, reject, or accept the content being shown which highlights pluralist values. This establishes that users are capable of manipulating the media, instead of passively accepting the content being shown. To add, pluralists would argue that the audiences are active users as they are no longer conforming to the dominant ideologies. An example of this would be the Arab Spring, as citizens associated with this political conflict used social networking sites such as Facebook to overthrow the government's ideologies in order to achieve democracy. It could be suggested that the Arab Spring shows that the audience are responding to the changes of technology positively,  as it has given them the freedom to express their views instead of being restricted by social institutions. 

This video clip focuses on the negative and positive aspects of Facebook from different perspectives. According to the video, not many people agree with people using Facebook daily as it causes a decline in users social skills because they are spending more time interacting online, rather than socialising outdoors. However, Facebook is still popular as public figures such as "President Barack Obama used the power of Facebook during his 2008 campagine".

Articles:

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/feb/04/facebook-10-years-social-networking-site-changed-life

Case Study: Question 3.

3. What impact has there been on how the media institution now has to produce the texts and the way in which the texts/ products are distributed and exhibited?  This should involve a detailed textual analysis of at least 3 texts to demonstrate the point.

It could be argued that there has been a impact on the ways in which media institutions products are distributed and exhibited now. The emergence of social networking sites such as Facebook has made it easier for people to connect with other globally, generate content, and find the lasted information. This clearly differs from traditional forms of media, as it would not of been easier for audiences to distribute their own content and for companies to advertise their products online. Notably, in some countries Facebook has helped to bring democracy through uploading videos of the corruption occurring and forming activist groups. As a result, this shows that texts are being distributed and exhibited differently because of the impact of new/digital media, as some citizens are using it as a political tool. Significantly, Web 2.0 has clearly giving consumers the individuals freedom to express their views and to respond in the media in different ways. This shows that consumers no longer have to reply on traditional media, as they can access information online and through social media. 

http://www.live5news.com/story/14671114/facebook-evolves

Theories:

Pluralist: The emergence of new media has offered a range of products, giving consumers across the world a diversity of choice and the opportunity to create and distribute their own media products. This shows a change in which texts are now distributed and exhibited, as consumers no longer have to reply on traditional forms of media. As a result, this establishes that the audiences are active consumers of the text and have access to pluralist views such as, accommodating, rejecting or accepting the dominant values. This shows that the audiences are in more power in terms of distributing their own texts and have more freedom to 'pick n mix' which ever point of view suits them.

Texts: 

Facebook: The emergence of Facebook has giving audiences more freedom to express their opinions and generate content. According to Phillip Howard, "new media has made a difference to countries in the Arab Spring as it has changed the way people think about their opinions". 

Articles:

1. 'News World news Saudi Arabia Saudi digital generation takes on Twitter, Youtube . . . and authorities'.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/17/saudi-arabia-digital-twitter-social-media-islam

This article focuses on how social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube, has empowered citizens in Saudia Arabia as they are now actively engaging with the content. In the article it is stated that "Saudia Arabia has the world's highest Twitter and Youtube use per capital" which establishes the power of social media on individuals lives, as more people are constantly using the social network sites. Additionally, social media has giving individuals' the opportunity to challenge the authority and express their opinions about a certain issue. For instance, in Saudia Arabia millions tweets about "swap jokes, whinging about salaries, government waste and inefficiently - and corruption". Arguably, this shows the impact new and digital media has on humanity as they have the freedom to explore and actively engage with any debate or issue online

2. Twitter, Facebook and email is 'taking over family life'

http://www.live5news.com/story/14671114/facebook-evolves

Youtube: Chad Herley (Co-founder of Youtube) states: "Youtube has increase UGC" as there is "more than billion hits per year. This is significant in showing that there has been a impact on media institutions in terms of distribution and exhibition, as consumers are actively engaging with the content which differs from the past. The fact that famous singers such as Justin Bieber was first recognised through Youtube, establishes the power of social networking sites as it they have the freedom to distribute their content virally. Although Youtube has a great variety of views and values as they have control to broadcast any videos, it is likely that this could result to problems. For example, the video of the London Woolwich attack shown on Youtube caused conflict between ethnic groups. This establishes that new/digital media has impacted media institutions, as consumers are now offered a wide range of choices.

Twitter: This social networking site gained worldwide popularity in 2012 with 500 million users and 340 tweets being posted daily. Significantly, Twitter is one of the ten most visited website and therefore it has been referred to "the SMS of the internet". 

NDM - Turkey blocks use of Twitter after prime minister attacks social media site

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/21/turkey-blocks-twitter-prime-minister

This article focuses on the issue of Turkey's prime minister Tayyip Erdogan blocking Twitter & Facebook as it is damaging his reputation. According to the article, Twitter users in Turkey have posted voice recordings and documents which show evidence of the corruption among Erdogan group. The prime minster's action blocking Twitter is for "protection measures". Significantly, Turkish telecoms watchdog stated that the ban was caused by citizens complaining about the social media platform violating privacy. Watchdog claimed that they asked Twitter to remove some content but they failed to do so, and therefore Twitter was blocked by courts in order to prevent victimsation of citizens in the future.

Furthermore, Erdogan made threats about blocking social media sites after the audio recordings on his alleged conversations suggested corruption was leaked online. He also favoured on banning social sites such as Facebook and Youtube in society, in order to protect the country. For example, the steps to prevent spying on the goverment would be to shutting sites down as, ""these people or institutions are [using social media] for all kinds of immorality, all kinds of espionage and spying.". Conversely, Turkish Twitter users  quickly worked around this issue by tweeting the hashtag, '#TwitterisblockedTurkey', which rapidly began to trend globally. As a result, many people began to compared Turkey to Iran and North Korea, where social media is strictly controlled and there was also calls for a protest on the streets.

Overall, it is clear that the development of new/digital media has had a impact on countries as some perceive social media as a threat to the heirachy. I disagree with the fact that Turkey has blocked Twitter as it is for citizens to express their views freely. It could be suggested that the emergence of social networking sites has changed the structure of certain countries such as Turkey, as the prime minister strongly see's it as a tool of destroying the country. This contrast to previous years as through traditional forms of media individuals would not of had a great amount of freedom to generate their own content and to voice their opinions.

NDM: Newspaper paywalls spring up, but not much is concrete

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/16/newspaper-paywalls-spring-up-not-much-concrete?CMP=twt_gu

This article focuses on the issue on whether people should pay for the news and whether paywalls are effective. The article raises important questions such as, "Should people pay for the news?" followed by, "Does free news website access mean booming audience figures or bust?". According to Mike Darcey, (head regent of Wrapping) paywalls "are the only sensible way" in order to generate revenue. Significantly, newspapers print sales have fallen rapidly over the years, especially in Britain.This is because, readers can now access digital copies online and therefore some are subscribing to certain newspapers.

Notably, the development of new media has led to a decline in newspapers as people are accessing the news through their smartphones or online. As a result, news industry have to adapt to these changes and therefore paywalls are the key element for companies to gain profit through subscription. The article highlights that "people who want precious, specific information will find ways to pay for it somehow". Likewise, John Parton's decided that his Journal Register must increase the price of subscription.

Overall, I believe that news company should not include paywalls as news should be free for everyone to access. This is because news is vital for everyone to know information about the issues occurring in society and therefore they shouldn't have to pay to access certain newspapers. To add, some news companies are considering and have raised their subscription  price, which could cause some people not to subscribe to news due to the price.

Case Study: Question 1 & 2

1. Has new and digital media had an impact upon ownership and control of the media institution(s) involved in your case study area?  Explain in detail any impact and what exactly has changed.

It can be argued that the development of new media has had a impact upon ownership and control, as through social media people have the freedom to express their views instead of being restricted. As there has been a rapid changes in technology Facebook now offers news feed for users, and therefore most people receive information through social media instead of watching terrestrial channels. Significantly, citizen journalism has contributed to a decrease in ownership and control as people have the freedom of choice by publically posting their messages. It could be suggested that the development of technology means that traditional media institutions have to adopt to the changes in order to maintain their control. However, Facebook control throughout new media has caused concerns among the public.

Article:
Is nothing private? Facebook tracks which sites 800m users visit... even AFTER they sign off
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2063709/Facebook-watches-800million-users-AFTER-sign-off.html

This article focuses on the issue of Facebook tracking the sites which their users visit after they sign off. According to Ed Markey, "Facebook could be tracking users without their knowledge or permission, which could be an unfair or deceptive business practise". Significantly, the company explained that they use two types of cookies to receive data. The tracking means that "every time an internet user clicks on to a third-party page which has a Facebook plug-in attached", a record is sent back the company. This establishes that new/digital media has had a impact upon ownership and control, as Facebook can track the sites their users are visiting. However, Facebook claimed that the data is use only for security purposes and to improve the quality of the plug-ins, not to gather personal information about the user. To add, Artuo Bejar (engineering director) states that Facebook could learn where specific users go after they have signed off, denies the claim that the company records personal information.

• Facebook is a media institution which was originally created by Mark Zuckbergh who is now a billionaire because of this social networking site.
• The development of new and digital media has give the audience the opportunity to interact with the website which has made Facebook extremely successful. As a result, Facebook has become a powerful company and is one of the top media institution in the social network monopoly. 
• Facebook can be perceived as a global village as the social networking site units people across the world to share information with each other. 

2. 2. What impact has there been on the way in which the audience now consume the media products/ texts involved in your case study?  How does it differ from what went before?  Consider (SHEP)

Social networking sites (Facebook) & Democracy.
- consumed (take in)

Facebook & Democracy

• Social/Historical Factors: The emergence of social networking sites has empowered the audiences as they can interact with a large mass, which differs from traditional forms of media. Historically, individuals would use traditional media such as telephones to communicate with others. However, the development of new/digital media has changed the way in which audiences now consume media products, as through Facebook they are actively generating the content. This highlights a social factor as Facebook has positively changed individuals lifestyle, as they have the freedom to voice their opinions and sharing them globally. Undoubtedly, this contrast the past as without the development of new technology audiences would not of had a great amount of freedom, in terms of generating their own content. In relation to Facebook and the issue of democracy, it is clear that some countries have become democratic because of the help of social sites. The fact that through Facebook people can communicate with others across the world, helped some citizens to create activist groups to fight against the corruption occurring in their society. 

• Economic Factors: As millions of people access Facebook daily, companies see this as a great opportunity. Thus Facebook revenue comes from  advertising which is clearly shown on users homepage, with new adverts appearing on the side of the bar. Facebook is perceived as the 5th most successful company and by January 2014 the company was valued over $134 billion. Significantly, on December 2013, Facebook had a total of 945 million users which accessed the site through their mobile. Whereas, on January 2014 they had 1.24 million users which were active on the website every money. It could be suggested that the development of smartphones has made the audiences consume the media products differently, as some are accessing Facebook through their phones rather than visiting the website. In relation to the Arab Spring, Facebook did help  countries associated with the conflict to fulfil their goal of having  a equal society. However, some citizens did use their smartphones to pass on messages about the conflict occurring to others, which establishes that the impact of new media has made it easier for audiences to access Facebook.

• Political Facebook: Facebook could be perceived as a catalyst because it has triggered some citizens to actively make a change in society. An example of this would the Arab Spring which caused a revolution in different countries such as, Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, to overthrow the government in order for a democratic society. In Egypt, a video was posted on Facebook of a Khaled Said who was dragged from a internet cafe by the police and beaten to death on the streets. This devastating video became viral on Facebook which caused many activists to create online campaigns against police torture, and to influenced them to begin a protest against the president Hosni Mubarack. As a result, this ultimately led to the downfall of president which made Egypt become a democratic country. However, some argue that Facebook did not entirely cause the revolution in Egypt but it still helped to bring about democracy. Significantly, according to 'How has Facebook changed the world' documentary Facebook has 5 million users. It can be argued that the development of new/digital media has had a impact on the ways individuals use the media products now, as they have more freedom to generate content and to express their views globally.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook#User_profile.2Fpersonal_timeline

Articles:

Egyptian government fears a Facebook revolution

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/oct/21/egypt-facebook-revolution

This article focuses on the issue of Egypt considering to ban Facebook. According to the article, Egyptian TV talk show, Masra ElNahrda suggests to ban Facebook or to have a law to regulate the website's activities in Egypt. Significantly, the show's host (Mona ElSharkawy) and her two guests strongly criticised Facebook and warned viewers against using the site as it is evil. They also state that it can used by "intelligence apparatuses all over the world to gather secret information about target countries". This shows that Facebook is considered as a "political apparatus" which is used by foreign powers to obtain secrets about certain countries. Moreover, ElSharkaway states that "Facebook can be used destructively" as it destroyed Tahrir Square in Cairo during one of their protests. There have been other pre-election measures of media- crackdown such as, stopping the broadcasting of four independent satellite channels and limiting the amount of texts citizens can send. The recent media-crackdown is regulating Facebook which is caused by the regime worry of losing the public. However, citizens are against this idea and therefore they started a Facebook group called 'together to stop the ban of Facebook in Egypt', which has attracted more than 100,000 members in a few days.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/01/22/we-are-all-khaled-said-will-the-revolution-come-to-egypt.html

Important quotes:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/feb/06/monday-note-facebook-nerds?INTCMP=SRCH

• Mark Zuckerberg: "Facebook was not originally created to be a company. It was built to accomplish a social mission – to make the world more open and connected". 
• Mark Zuckerberg: "There is a huge need and a huge opportunity to get everyone in the world connected, to give everyone a voice and to help transform society for the future".

Virtual Revolution documentary:

• Al Gore: " A empowering tool".
• John Perry Barlow: "The internet was the challenge to traditional authority".
• Aleks Kroteski: "The web is more than a reflection of society; it is inventing society".
• Aleks Kroteski: "The web mirrors the hierarchy of the real world".
• Aleks Kroteski: "The web is like a tool box or protest".
• David Runciman: "The web is a fantastic resource for transmitting information and gathering people together around the issue".

How has Facebook changed the world? (Documentary)

• "The internet revolution has tipped the balance of power".
• A "omnipotent source was growing".

Case Study

1. Area investigating:
I will be exploring the impact of new/digital media on social networking sites and democracy.

2. The reason why I have chosen this area is because the development of technology has given people globally the freedom to express their views on a specific issues, without being restricted. Thus this establishes that the development of new/digital has made individuals citizen journalists, as some citizens have challenged the government's ideologies though using Facebook or Twitter to spread their message across to others. Significantly, this contrasts to previous years as without the emergence of new media individuals would not have been given the opportunity to challenge the heirachy. However, this is not the case in every society, as some countries do not have access to the social networking sites and others dictators have strict policies on the internet. It could be suggested that this shows that the emergence of social networking has not entirely led to democracy, as some societies are currently under strict policing.

Articles:

• http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/03/10/debate-flares-over-impact-of-social-media-on-arab-spring-and-other-revolutions/
• http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=57426
• http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/facebook-and-twitter-key-to-arab-spring-uprisings-report
• http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/09/so-was-facebook-responsible-for-the-arab-spring-after-all/244314/
• http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/china/internet_censorship/
• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/10329989/China-to-lift-Twitter-Facebook-bans-in-free-trade-zone.html
• http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/video/2012/jul/24/arab-spring-internet-activate
• http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/25/twitter-facebook-uprisings-arab-libya
• http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2013/04/economist-explains-how-china-censors-internet

3. Primary Sources:

• Arab Spring : Democracy in countries associated with the Arab Spring which would not have happened without the emergence of the internet. The Facebook revolution first occurred in Tunisia where citizens used social networking sites to generate awareness of the corruption in society and challenge the power of the hierarchy. Under the regime of Ben Ali Tunisia was not a democratic society as citizens were not given an equal opportunity to express their views and therefore they had to conform to the governments ideologies. However, through Facebook citizens were able to challenge the dominant ideologies through posting up messages and forming an activist group. As a result, people captured footage of the protest and publically posted them online. This generated an unstoppable awareness which encouraged more people to challenge the power of the regime and therefore causing copycat demonstrations in other countries. It is clear that Facebook has helped citizens to live in democratic society by gathering millions of people online to challenge policies of their dictator. 

• China's censorship on social networking sites: China has the highest population of internet users compared to any nation, however the government banned citizens to use social media. This is because, the government believes that online social interaction threatens the state and therefore he banned banned all western sites. The Chinese government has two main ways of controlling what citizens can see on the internet: The Great Firewall which is system of limiting access to foregine websites and the Golden Sheild which is a system for surveillance set up in 1988. China can block instant messages, users who search for banned keywords are blocked from Google  for 90-seconds. This establishes that that impact of social networking sites has not led to democracy in some countries, as China's strict online censorship makes it difficult to fulfill citizens goal to live in a equal society

• Facebook: The emergence of social networking sites has empowered the audience in giving them the opportunity to freely express their opinions and generate their own media text. It is clear that Facebook has benefited citizens around the world in helping them change their country to a democratic society. The fact that users can post pictures, videos and messages online for everyone to see highlights that they are active produces as well as consumers. 

Theories:

Pluralism: According to Pluralists, the emergence of new media shows that individuals are no longer passive users of media texts, but are active producers as well. This is because, citizens associated with the Arab Spring used the social media to challenge the hegemonic ideologies of their government and therefore this led to a revolution. The fact that there is no hierarchy on the internet increases democratisation in society, as individuals have the freedom to express their views on specific issues. As a result, this has empowered the audience as they are actively generating content about the corruption occurring in society. Forms of media such as blogs, forums, global information and social networking sites has increased self-expression. As Pluralists argue that people are now living in a classless society, as society has become fragmented through the emergence of technology and therefore there is no predominant ideology. 

Marxism: The fact that some countries still have a strict censorship over the internet highlights that the ruling class still have power over the consumers and therefore maintaining the social divide. This reinforces the idea that the bourgeois maintains their power over the proletariat by social networking sites, as it may threaten the government's position. As a result, this shows that the impact of new/digital media on social networking sites and democracy is unlikely to occur in certain countries due to the strict internet policing.

Katz and Blulmer Uses and Gratification theory: As Tunisia was the first country to be associated with the Arab Spring, citizens uploaded videos of the conflict occurring in society which was significant for other countries to watch the corruption. It could be suggested that the audience were likely to use social networking sites for surveillance when regarding this issues, as though Facebook people received latest information and videos. As a result, this led to copy-cat demostrations in other countries which would not have occurred without the emergence of social networking sites, as citizens would not have seen the conflict happening in Tunisia. 

NDM: Daily Mail and Guardian digital 'minnows', says News UK chief

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/05/daily-mail-guardian-digital-minnows-news-uk-mike-darcey4

This article focuses on the issue of whether advertising or paywalls are better in generating revenues. According to News UK chief executive Mike Darcey, he refers the Daily Mail and the Guardian as "digital minnows". This is because, they focus on advertising to generate revenue which could lead to problems in the future. As a result, Darcey favours paywalls as free online "undermines the incentive for people to pay for print editions".

Furthermore, Darcey also argues that for news companies to reply on online advertising for revenue is a "dangerous strategy". This is because, they are putting themselves in competition with global conglomerates such as Google and Facebook which may put them at a disadvantage. Significantly, he states: "If this is your only revenue source, then you need to think about the fact that you are head-to-head with the global internet titans". This could suggest that advertising may not be as useful compared to paywalls. Likewise, Andrew Miller the chief executive of Guardian Media Group states that, "ignoring the value of the internet giants is fundamental failure to understand how readers use the web". He also argues that he would of favoured for paywalls if they could have done it but to him membership is about "adding value over and above the consumption of news that people are willing to pay for". 

To conclude, I disagree with the Darcey's view that the Guardian and Daily Mail are digital minnow, because if companies included paywalls this could decrease their readership. Although there would be problems if the companies reply on online advertising as their revenue streaming, this may not effect their readership if they do not include paywalls.

NDM: Jasmine Gardner: News travels fast in cyberspace but can we trust it?

http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/jasmine-gardner-news-travels-fast-in-cyberspace-but-can-we-trust-it-9159845.html

This article focuses on the issue of whether people can rely on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook on social issues. According to this article, in the US a third of adults under the age 30 receive the news through social media and half of them are Twitter uses. This clearly establishes the development of new media has impacted individuals' lives, as they no longer need to receive the news by watching terrestrial channels but through social networking sites. As stated in a survey for last year, "Twitter is now an everyday news source for 55% of opinion formers" which shows that people are receive the news from unreliable sources. 

Similarly, internet activist Eli Pariser states: "Instead of a balanced information diet you can end up surrounded by information junk food” — where everything we see online is only what we enjoy believing. On Facebook, unsurprisingly, most people’s news consumption comes through friends and family". This could suggest that users of social networking sites are passive consumers, as some only accept the information which has been posted online without thinking whether it is true or not. Likewise, Charles H Green (founder of TrusedtAdvisor consultancy) takes a similar view, as he argues that taking information from different individuals makes it harder for people to trust that source of information. For instance, he states: "I might trust my colleague enough to share her gossip about David Moyes but if she got the information second hand from someone in her “circle of trust”, then I can only half believe it". It is clear that people cannot trust Facebook or Twitter as a reliable source of information, especially when a school boy called Sam Gardiner fooled Twitter  into believing that he was Samuel Rhodes. Significantly, according to a football journalist: "“With technology, when people chose to be dishonest they can do it at scale". To add, Twitter has become the primarily "place for wannabe influencers" and vitally among the public only "15% get their information from it. 

To conclude, I agree to a great extent that Twitter and Facebook cannot be trusted as a reliable source of news for the public. This is because, online there are many perspectives on a specific issue and therefore it  would not provide individuals with valid information on a topic. As a result, it could be suggested that people should rely on the news more instead of receiving the information though social media.

Femininsm: Judith Butler Gender Performance Examples

Broadcast

Alternative Gender Performance: Females

The female protagonist in this film is alternatively represented which challenges the traditional female stereotypes. She is portrayed as a tomboy and wants to fulfill her ambition to become a successful football player. This conveys that the character is challenging the gender performance by taking on a masculine role, as sports was seen to be as part of the male domain.

Traditional

This cleaning advert is reinforcing the gender performance of women to be feminine and the domestic goddesses in the household. This reinforces the ideology that it is the role of the women to be taking on the domestic chores as they are suitable for it. 

Alternative Gender Performance: Males

This aftershave advert focuses on the successful athlete David Beckham who has been represented as a metro-sexual man. Throughout the advert the audience would be able to acknowledge that he is not represented in a stereotypical image as takes care of his appearance. As a result, this challenges the gender performance of men to be masculine as David Beckham is portrayed as the 'new man'.

Traditional:

This football advert clearly shows a traditional image of men being associated with sports as they are represented in a masculine way. Throughout the advert, there is no presence of a women which establishes that the advert is presenting to the audience with a dominant reading that football is associated with the male domain.

Print

Alternative Gender Performance: Female

This women's fitness magazine cover establishes that gender is only a performance which can be changeable. The central image of the female is alternatively represented which coveys that females can engage with sports as well as men. The fact that she is holding weights and exposing her abs may suggest that she is embracing her masculinity which may positively impact the female spectators.

Traditional: 

The Disney princess magazine cover reinforces the traditional stereotypes of females to look feminine and behave passive. The vibrant colours associated with the magazine such as pink, blue and yellow emphasises to young girl that they have to look a certain way to be accepted in society.

Alternative Gender Performance: Males

David Beckham appears on the front cover of ELLE magazine and is alternatively represented in looking sexually appealing. It could be argued that this portrayal of the successful athlete represents him as a 'new man' which subverts the traditional stereotypes of men not embracing their femininity. The fact that David Beckham has been shown on ELLE magazine which focuses on the latest fashion trends, highlights that he is taking on a different gender performance which challenges societal norms.

Traditional:

This Australian magazine reinforces the gender performance of masculinity reinforces the stereotype of males being aggressive and stronger. This indoctrinates the readers in showing them that sports such as boxing is part of the male domain and therefore males are socialised in to certain sports compared to girls.

E-Media
Alternative Gender Performance: Females

Tomb Raider 
http://www.playr.org/search/tomb_raider

This video game 'Tomb Raider' alternatively represents female in showing that they are not passive to male but are in fact powerful. The female character goes through a series of adventures which may positively impact the female audience in encouraging them to embrace their masculine side. As a result, this challenges the gender performance of femininity as females do not have to follow society's values on how women should behave.

Traditional
Barbie Dress Up
http://www.barbie.com/en-us/games
This Barbie dress up game reinforces the stereotypes of females to look and behave ladylike in order to satisfy men. This brainwashes young girls in believing that they their appearance is important in society for them to feel accepted which divides both males and females.

Alternative Gender Performance: Males

The franchise High School Music 4 is a example of gender performances of masculinity being challenges, as the male protagonist embraces his talent for singing. The audience would acknowledge from the first film that the character Troy chooses basketball over singing, which clearly establishes that he is going against the stereotype of males following a career pathway in sports.

Traditional
Sidering Knockout
http://www.arcadeshrine.com/boxing-games
The sidering knockout game maintains the traditional stereotype of males to be associated with rough sports such as boxing. The fact that the game does not include no female characters clearly reinforces the gender performance of masculinity as boys are socalised to be tough from a early stage and some are encourage to behave this way throughout their lives.

Feminism: Angela McRobbie examples

1. Barbie recreated in 'normal body proportions' - because apparently the original ruins lives
 http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/lifestyle/big-issue/barbie-recreated-normal-proportions

According to this article, a new study from Oregon State University argues that playing with Barbie dolls will negatively influence the career ambitions of girls. The study asked girls between the age of four and seven to play with different dolls before asking them whether they thought they could take up various careers. Based on the findings, girls who played with Barbie dolls were much more likely to say that they could do fewer jobs than boys. However, the girls who played with Mr Potato head admitted that they were capable of doing the same jobs as boys.

2. Lady Gaga opens up on overcoming her eating disorder and depression
 http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/celebs/celebrity-gossip/lady-gaga-overcoming-eating-disorder-depression?click=main_sr

This article focuses on the interview with pop artist Lady Gaga who talks about her battles with eating disorder and depression. She states that she is getting better with food and is not letting anyone take advantage of her and therefore she is cherishing her talents and health. This may empower the female audience as it gives them an ideal who they can identify with if they are dealing with the same problems.

3. Equality will be here… in 2030

http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/lifestyle/big-issue/chime-for-change-equality-survey?click=main_sr

This article focuses on the issue of equality between men and women occuring in 2030. According to a survey, women believe true equality in every field will become a reality fr another 16 years. The survey also exposed the top 10 women who are most likely to inspire other women and girls accomplish their ambitions. For instance, Margret Thatcher, Ophrah Winfrey, JK Rowling, the Queen and Hillary Clinton. 

4. Avon Launches Empowerment Bracelet
http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/beauty/beauty-features/2011/03/avon-launches-empowerment-bracelet-to-end-violence-against-women-

This article focuses on Avon launching a new charm bracelet to help raise funds for charities fighting domestic violence. The sale of Avon's empowerment jewellary in the UK raised £400,00 to help life saving projects and services supporting women and children. Significantly, the blue and silver symbolises "a future of infinite possibility for women and a future free from violence".

5. Avril Lavigne won't be pressured into sexing up her image for record sales
http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/celebs/celebrity-gossip/avril-lavigne-sex-x-rated-miley-cyrus?click=main_sr

In this article singer Avril Lavigne reveals that she is not changing her 'edgy' into sexing  up her image to boost record sales. She argues that she wants to dress the way she chooses and so should other people as well. Thus this may empower the female spectators in highlighting that they should be comfortable in their own body and not change their appearance to suit in the needs of others.

NDM: 'Three-fifths of Twitter's UK users follow a newspaper or journalist'

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/04/twitter-uk-users-newspapers-journalist-guardian-times

This article focuses on the issue of impact the social networking site Twitter has on national newspapers. According to research, 15 million of Twitter users are following at least "one newspaper, brand or journalist" and they are more likely to tweet than those who don't. Notably, NewsOnTheTweet have been investigating this issue to show how the social media has benefited national newspapers. Based on their findings, 59% of Twitter users are following at least one national newspaper journalist and 35% are following Daily telegraph and the Times. On the other hand, 17% are following brands such as the Sun's motoring Twitter account and Sunmotorsport. It could suggested that Daily Telegraph and the Times have more Twitter followers compared to the other newspapers, as they are more common and popular. 

Significantly, the most popular national newspaper brands with Twitter users are: Guardian's Technology account (2.14m followers), main Guardian account (1.97m) and the Times's fashion account (1.62m). This establishes that the Guardian is popular among Twitter users, which could be due to the fact that they target middle class individuals who would want to know the latest updates. To add,  some national newspaper sub-brands have a higher amount of Twitter followers than main newspapers. For example, Mirror Football has 275,000 followers which contrasts to The Daily Mirror with 110,000 followers. The Newswork chief executive, Rufus Olins, stated: "We want to be the first to know and also be guided by expert insight and interpretation. The combination of news brands and Twitter helps keep us informed and opinionated. The insights from this study show that Twitter and news brands are most definitely stronger together. He also believed that "immediacy and accessibility of Twitter brings valuable readers to newspaper brands – including publications that users would not necessarily read in print or online".

To conclude, it can be argued that the development of social media such as Twitter, has helped newspapers to gain more users and therefore they are more likely to subscribe. Twitter gives people the opportunity to actively engage with the content through posting tweets about the newspaper company or to follow the journalists. As a result, this interactively is significant as individuals can catch up with the latest news about the journalists or the company, which would not be done through print or online. 

NDM - BBC3 closure: Cohen would have preferred to do it in five years' time

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/06/bbc3-closure-danny-cohen-wait-less-risky

This article focuses on the issue of the channel BBC no longer being broadcast but becoming available online through Iplayer on-demand content in a four or five years. The former BBC controller Danny Cohen wants
 to make use of the years now and then to "slowly shift the balance between linear and on-demand BBC3 content. This is because, it would be safer for the company as it would protect the programmes budget and this change may cause more people to watch BBC online. Significantly, Cohen stated that moving BBC online the corporation will follow some of the aspects of Netflix playbook. Thus they would use the opportunity to break the traditional rules of  television, such as changing the programmes or series lengths. As a result, by moving BBC3 online would benefit the corporation as they can change series timings to benefit the needs of their audience,which may cause more people to watch the channel on demand.

Furthermore, Cohen argues that BBC3 on demand will be a opportunity for the corporation to keep with pace with the digital shirt in viewing among youth audience. This is also known as a "pathfinder" in the corporation's strategy, as if this approach is successful amongst viewers they are more likely to gain an increase in revenues. Notably, BBC3 on demand will still show popular shows such as Bad Education, Little Britain, Good News and to continue showing documentaries which link to current affairs.

To conclude, it can be argued that this new approach for BBC3 to be on-demand will still benefit  the audience as they can watch their favourite programmes online anytime. The development of technology such as tablets and Ipads has made it easier for people to access BBC iplayer online and to watch their programmes on repeat.

Learner Response for mock exam

Grade B 23/32
WWW: good attempt to include narrative/audience/political theory.
EBI: Q3/NDM could have contextualised the impact of the internet - quotes from theorists and your own evaluative conclusion.

Question 3:
 Do you think that official and unofficial websites contribute to a film’s box office success? You should refer to other media products to support your answer.

Some may argue that official websites contribute to a film's box office success, as it gives the audience an insight of the film. For instance, the official website for the Hollywood block buster Eclipse includes a variety of features such as, the trailer, downloadable photos, an online store and a community link to social networking sites. This would be significant in promoting the film to their target audience, as the different features allows the individuals to actively interact and to feel more involved with the film. Significantly, the Eclipse website sells a range of merchandises for its fans which also contributes to the film’s box office success, as fans of this franchise are more likely to purchase an item and watch the film.

In comparison to the official website for the film Let the Right One, Eclipse includes a link to social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. This would be fundamentally important in promoting the film further to the audience globally, as individuals can be actively involved with the film through following the cast on Twitter or posting messages virally to their friends, which encourages more people to watch it. According to Pluralists, this establishes that the audience are no longer passive consumers of texts, but are now distributors as well through the development of technology. The emergence new smartphones, tablets and social networking sites, has given individuals the opportunities to distribute their own media products. As a result, this highlights that official websites does contribute a film’s box office success, as it can build a fan base which makes the audience feel more connecting to the stars and creates a peer to peer marketing.

Additionally, official websites also contributes to a film’s box office success by showing trailers. Through the use of synergy, Eclipse and Let the Right One contain official trailers which would certainly be beneficial in giving the audience a better insight of the narrative. In relation to Katz and Blulmer uses and gratification theory, both of the trailers may give some of the audience a sense of escapism as they can divert from their everyday routine and feel entertained with the narrative. On the other hand, from watch the trailers others may identify with the certain characters and form a personal relationship. As a result, this establishes that trailers included on official and unofficial websites would promote the film further, as the audience are more likely to watch it if they have been intrigued by the narrative.

In relation to this point, using Stuart Hall’s encoding and decoding model the audience can actively interpret the messages being promoted in the film trailers. As a result, if the trailer fits the audience’s needs they are more likely to watch the film which would increase its revenue in the box office. Moreover, the British low budget film Ill Manors is another example in showing that official websites contributes to a movie’s success in the box office. Ill Manors was a low budget film and their promotion strategies did not work well through traditional media and therefore using social media helped to promote to the film further. The official website included the trailer, links to social networking sites for individuals to stay connected with the stars and also to download Plan B’s songs or album. All these factors contributed to the film’s success, as the audience and fans of Plan B would be fully entertained with the content.

Similarly, the official website for the Hollywood blockbuster The Dark Knight Rises provided their target audience with a great amount of features. The fact that the website included a teaser trailer contributed to the film’s success, as fans of the trilogy would be more eager to watch the film. However, it can be argued that official websites no longer help a film’s box office success because people can watch the film trailer through YouTube. Thus they no longer need to visit the film’s official website and they can receive exclusive information though unofficial website.

Furthermore, unofficial websites are less influential on a film’s box office success compared to official websites as could provide links to illegal downloading. As a result, this could risk ruining the films brand image in the industry and the company may lose profit. Notably, as unofficial websites are not controlled by the distributor there could be a high chance of inaccurate information about the film or biased views about it. Thus this may put off some people from watching the film if they do not like the reviews and therefore this would damage the film’s success.

Overall, it can be concluded that official websites contribute to a film's success to a greater extent compared to unofficial websites. This is because, official websites includes more interactive features for their audience and update instant information about the film. The fact that the film distributor controls the website is beneficial, as they can avoid any inaccurate information which is not regulated on unofficial websites. As a result, all these factors contribute to an increase of a film's success in the box office. 

NDM Summary 2

1. 16/11/13: Adult video-on-demand website closed for failing to protect children
2. 24/11/13: Universities should use Twitter to engage with students
3. 24/11/13: David Cameron defends opposition to Page 3 ban
4. 29/11/13: BT to add music service to TV offerings
5. 29/11/13: BBC turns One Direction's way as they woo a more mature audience
6. 4/12/13: UsVsTh3m more than doubles its traffic in a month to 7m
7. 4/12/13: Children's tablets vulnerable to hacking, experts warn
8. 12/12/13: Sexting: Victoria makes it an offence to send explicit images without consent
9. 13/13/13: Sun political editor in Page 3 Twitter row over Labour MP's choice of skirt
10. 5/01/14: News World news Saudi Arabia Saudi digital generation takes on Twitter, YouTube … and authorities
11. 5/01/14: Tindle group profit dips to £1.4m
12. 5/0114: Woolwich attack first UK murder to be transmitted 'live' on internet
13. 5/01/14: Times publisher reports pre-tax losses of £24m
14. 9/01/14: BBC iPlayer sees record numbers over Christmas as tablets beat computers
15. 10/01/14: Guardian to raise cover price
16. 17/01/14: The Independent's future in jeopardy as sales fall to alarming level
17.19/01/14: Beats Music reveals US launch plans, but can it drown out spotify?
18. 26/01/14: Mirror, Independent and Standard enjoy festive website traffic boost
19. 26/01/14: Facebook will lose 80% of users by 2017, say Princeton researchers
20. 29/01/14: Tony Gallagher exits as Daily Telegraph editor
21. 2/02/14: Facebook's first 10 years: is it now in danger of swallowing the web?
22. 9/02/14: Mail Online fuels DMGT ad revenue rise
23. 9/02/14: New iPhone music app lets any fan rap like Tinie Tempah
24. 16/02/14: ITV to launch female-focused channel
25. 2/03/14: Mail Online traffic soars by nearly 20%
26. 2/03/14: Premiership rugby: Sun and Times subscribers get online and mobile clips
27. 2/03/14: TV viewing figures show Brits prefer traditional sets over smartphones

Total: 27