Breaking News! Twitter Scandal! Twitter Scandal! Twitter Scandal! Obviously I am extremely interested in the entertainment industry, and I have recently sprung a fascination for Twitter. Well there was a story today that angered me and made me laugh because of the sheer stupidity. Remember my post about reputation management? Well if you don't, I discussed how everything that you post stays on the Internet forever. Don't believe me? You should because with today's technology even if you posted something 10 minutes ago and deleted it, there's a chance that millions of people have already seen it or even screen captured it. When you post something that could affect you personally, it may damage your reputation. However, the girl in this story not only damaged her reputation, but her future career plans and an episode of a television show. Without further ado, it is time to reveal the story that has made a lot of people quite furious.
It all started when an extra on Fox's hit show "Glee", Nicole Crowther, was doing a Q&A via Twitter. She apparently revealed numerous spoilers during her Q&A. However, one of the biggest spoilers happened when someone asked her about the upcoming prom episode, and she unfortunately revealed who the prom king and queen were going to be. That was one of the biggest mistakes she could have ever made. Before she knew it, the media had gotten a hold of the information. One of the co-creators of "Glee", Brad Falchuk, was furious and took to Twitter. He said in his tweet, "hope you’re qualified to do something besides work in entertainment…Who are you to spoil something talented people have spent months to create?” It may seem cool that you have all of this information about the show that the average person doesn't know, but one of the main rules when working on set is that you don't reveal information about what you saw or heard until after it has aired.
Crowther later went on to delete the incriminating posts and apologize to Falchuk for her mistakes. Honestly, I don't think she realizes how stupid that was. I'm not a "Glee" fan, but I would be upset if somebody ruined a whole episode for me. Also, there are tons of people who worked on the episode that are upset because what may have been a magical surprise is ruined. Remember, it's okay to share your thoughts on Facebook, Twitter, & blogs, but be careful because what you post may come back to bite you in the ___. I would post a particular word, but I don't want it to haunt me later. :-)
My night is made. I just stayed up until 3 in the morning to watch one of my favorite artists, Kanye West, perform live on the Coachella stage. Coachella is an annual music festival in Palm Springs, California that attracts all types of music enthusiasts. There is something for everyone to enjoy at this festival because of the diverse artists. Because of the expenses that come with this festival, obviously everyone can't afford to attend it. Luckily, Wrigley's 5 Gum came to the rescue by partnering with YouTube to present live sets from Coachella for FREE! Let's just say that the future is here.
So I began to watch the sets and realized that technology has taken us so far. Who knew that someone would be able to watch a live concert from Palm Springs, California in a college apartment in Waleska, Georgia. Not me. However, what I want to highlight is how new new media helped this to be an interactive experience. Of course the fact that YouTube has the technology to do this is amazing, but the way that they used other new new media platforms to connect people was even cooler. While watching Kanye West perform live, there were live Twitter feeds underneath the streaming video. This provided instant feedback from people all around the world.
So what's next? Only time will tell. I hope that people see how new new media is changing the world. For those who missed the live performances, YouTube will be archiving some of the sets for viewing. The quality of the video was superb, and the performances were excellent. Please visit the links below for more information.
For those who didn't see the 30-minute MTV special, "Diary of Facebook," it provided an inside look into the inner workings of the Facebook offices. "The Social Network," which was not a completely accurate story, showed the world how Facebook was created and the legal drama that came along with it. This particular MTV special about Facebook was refreshing because it showed not only how Facebook comes up with some of their ideas, but also how they have impacted many of their users. I don't want to give away too much of the special. Therefore, I am providing the link so that you can form your own opinion about it.
New media are not dead, but new new media have definitely taken a precedence in terms of ways that people communicate with each other. I've said it before, and I will say it again. Today's society want things fast, but more importantly, they want things almost instantly. Think about the way our society works. We go to the ATM to get cash almost INSTANTLY. We use Netflix to watch movies almost INSTANTLY. We go to fast food establishments to get food almost INSTANTLY. Why? Because we are such a fast-paced society that doesn't have any time to waste. However, one thing that we should all take the time to do is brand ourselves online. In the past I have talked about the debate going on in regards to the purpose of new new media applications. Well, I have a new argument that shows exactly how new new media can help in ways that new media might not be able to.
HTC Inspire 4G
With technology and new new media steadily getting more and more advanced, you can't deny that people are more connected now more than ever. If someone writes on my Facebook wall, mentions me in a Twitter post, or comments on my blog, it all comes almost instantly to my phone as a notification. This allows people from all over the world to connect with each other on the go. It also allows you to reconnect with people that you don't necessarily want to call or text, but rather want more informal communication. So, I would like to share a story about how Facebook helped me to feel more confident about life after graduation.
For those who don't know, I successfully completed an internship this summer in Los Angeles with a high-profile production company. After leaving on extremely good terms, I expressed to them that I would be returning the next summer to live their permanently. They threw me a going away party and told me to make sure that I called them as soon as I got back. Once I returned to school, I began to get busy with the many tasks of the semester. However, I still tried to keep in contact with my co-workers in Los Angeles. At first I would call every once in a while, but I felt like I was keeping them away from their busy schedules. Then I tried e-mail, and although that can be sent and received almost instantly, e-mail can get buried easily under numerous other e-mails. Finally, I kept in contact via Facebook. Whether it was writing on their wall, commenting on their status, or liking one of their photos, I did whatever I could to make sure that I was not forgotten. Even though I did all of this, there was still no sign that they still felt the same way about me as they did when I left. Well, the other day I posted a video on my wall and my former boss in Los Angeles commented!
So I basically used social media to reconnect with my boss and get confirmation that they want me to work for them on the ESPYS again! I'm telling you, social media are your friends. It's a way to keep up with people you care about, share thoughts and ideas about what's important to you, and reconnect with those that are far away. Personal Branding is good way for others to keep up with you and see what you are accomplishing. Employers enjoy a good resume, but they also enjoy potential employees who show that they are doing positive things in life. So what do you think? I think that personal branding can definitely work in your favor. Try it out!
Rage has filled my heart over the past couple of days because of the way that the Westboro Baptist Church spreads their agenda. Have you heard of Westboro Baptist Church? Basically, Westboro is a church based out of Kansas that has hate filled in their heart. Most of the members of the church are related, and they all follow their leader, Fred Phelps. Long story short, they protests at military funerals, gay events, political functions, etc. However, their message is so extreme and judgemental that I don't understand how they think that condemning people to hell is positive in God's eyes.
Recently, Spc. Gary L. Nelson III, a 20-year old Woodstock native, was laid to rest. Although this was a sad time for family and friends, worse news came even later. The Westboro Baptist Church had made it known that they would be protesting the funeral. Because I have been in Georgia all of my life, I know how seriously Georgia citizens take their faith and religious morals. Disturbing a funeral in any way is already disrespectful, but for Westboro to interrupt a funeral with hate signs and messages is pure evil.
I had not heard anything about this prior to Wednesday of last week. One day while on Facebook I began to notice some of my friends Facebook statuses talking about a local soldier whose funeral was going to be invaded by the Westboro Baptist Church. There was a Facebook group created called "Operation Block Westboro," and many people spread the word via Twitter. We've talked about the social media revolution in Egypt, but it was cool to see how social media affected a local cause. People soon began to show their support via social media. Thankfully, on the day of the funeral there were hundreds of supporters, and city officials ready to stop Westboro from spreading their hate.
So what was the result of the Operation Block Westboro vs. Westboro Baptist Church? Let's just say that Westboro did not show up at the funeral. Could it be because of the large number of supporters that were made aware of the situation via social media? It could be, but we don't know what actually stopped Westboro from showing up. Nevertheless, although all of this news was spreading rapidly through new new media (blogs, twitter, facebook, etc.), I still did not see an official news report until yesterday on WSB-TV. It did not mention the fact that Westboro was supposed to show, but rather just showed the supporters. However, an article published in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution clearly expressed how social media may have been the reason why Westboro was a no-show.
Yes! Chapter 3 in Jenkins was such a pleasure to read because it's something that I have been thinking about for a while now. In our communication classes, we often talk about how easy it is to access things from the past thanks to the internet. For example, in the earlier days, the moment you saw an event or something at an event, heard something on the radio, or even watched something on television, that was it. However, with new new media, everything is readily available. Once something has been seen or heard then it is forever going to be available for the public to use. One of the interesting things that Jenkins talks about is how corporations have tried for so long to be in control of the circulation of goods. Jenkins says, "In both uses, residual refers to the economic value generated through the after-life of material objects and media performances. Objects and texts are never fully emptied of value—whether exchange, use, symbolic, or sentimental. These multiple meanings of residual suggest that these materials' ongoing sentimental and symbolic interest may still generate profit long after their initial exchange and use-value has vanished from our memories" (Jenkins, 42). Basically, today's technology has made it even easier to bring value to things from the past.
There are many examples of Residual Culture that Jenkins presented in this chapter. However, the section on wrestling is what stood out to me. He discussed how wrestling fans were responsible for the humongous wrestling industry that we know of today. With the help of newer technology, wrestling fans from different regions were able to see how different wrestling was across the country. Fans began to compare tapes from different regions, meet other fans, have discussions, and make complaints. This meant that promoters were put in a tough situation if one region had better quality shows than another. This lead to the merging of two of the largest regions, and created the wrestling we know of today. Instead of wrestling just fading into the background as just a fad, fans helped to turn it into a supersport.
In this class, we have discussed how new new media has taken control from the corporations and put it back in the hands of the consumers. In other words, the relationship between the consumer and seller has changed dramatically over the years. Before it seems as if products were just offered to the consumer without any of their input. Now, the consumer is the driving force in terms of what motivates the creation of new products, revision of old products, and the return of forgotten products. Jenkins, in continuation of the last quote, says, "Media producers have historically acted as if they needed to protect their franchise from the rough handling of their fans, seeing them as potentially depreciating the value of their intellectual property by changing its meaning in popular perception. Yet, our exploration of the residual here suggests the opposite—that fans appreciate media properties, both in the sense that they like them and also that they thus make them a site of emotional investments" (Jenkins, 42). Media producers don't have control over the consumers anymore, and there is not really anything they can do about it. There's still laws and restrictions that attempt to stop the fans from having power, but there is no stopping the consumer these days. For example, Jenkins talks about how fans have created a modern platform where they can play old video games from older platforms on modern devices. Marketers are finally realizing that there is value in the retro, now they just need to listen to the consumers and fans.
What's really going on? I honestly can't explain it, but some people from previous generations refuse to accept the benefits of Web 2.0. For example, over the summer while in the car with one of my parents friends, she began to blatantly criticize the use of Web 2.0. All she did was talk about the negative reports that she had heard about Facebook & Twitter. However, you can't judge a book or movie just by what the critics say.
While we were really slow at work the other day, I took the time to add to an unfinished blog post on my personal blog. While I was writing, one of my co-workers brought up social media, but he was even more critical than my parents friend. This guy is maybe in his late 30s, but he was completely against Web 2.0. So I saw this as the perfect opportunity to defend it based on what we have been discussing in our Capstone class. FAIL! He would not listen to any point that I tried to make. I tried to explain to him about personal branding and how businesses are moving online, but he completely disagreed. Below I will list some of his main issues with Web 2.0, and then I will share my response for each one.
#1- Blogging
He was completely against blogging because he didn't see the need to share all of your information with the public. Why should I allow a stranger from a random place in the world in my life? That was basically his philosophy. I began to explain to him that my blog originated because of my interest in keeping people updated about my internship experience in Los Angeles, and that it turned into a motivational/inspirational blog that encourages people to reach for their dreams. He said that if he wanted to write a diary or journal he would just buy one.
#2 - Facebook/Twitter
His main reason for not using Facebook/Twitter was because it sounded like he just didn't care about what other people were doing. However, he also didn't see why he needed to share his information with people he rarely talks to anymore. He says everybody has about 4-6 close friends, and those friends are the only ones that he needs to tell about his life. I personally see it as another way to network. Also, it can help you reconnect with people from your past and people you just met. For example, Facebook is one of the only ways that I keep in touch with the people I worked with this summer. Of course I could still e-mail them, but e-mail is not what it used to be. I tried so hard to convince him that there were many benefits to social media, but he just wouldn't listen.
#3 Personal Branding
This topic hit a nerve because he basically said that personal branding was stupid. Since this is the trend I am following, "How we use Web 2.0 to brand ourselves online," I was ready to let him know exactly how I felt. Even though I explained to him that in this generation employers are now moving online and learning about people before they even hire them, he wouldn't change his mind. He told me that personal branding is perfect for the industry that I am planning on entering, but not for the average person. Then one of my other co-workers jumped in to defend his claim. I am still a little upset about this defeat.
Anyway, I didn't win the debate, but I will not let it be over. I need some good thoughts to take back to work so that I can convince him that Web 2.0 is not going anywhere and he needs to hop aboard before he gets left behind. Help me guys! I really want to win this debate. I know I can win because there are many points that could really make him think. Check out this article below that talks about someone else who became frustrated with the generational gap.
It's happened. I could hold off no longer. Since a lot of people have been talking about Twitter and how much they love it, I decided to go ahead and join the Twitter train. Unfortunately, I am still confused about the purpose of Twitter. I have been slowly trying to follow people on Twitter, and tweet occasionally, but it still has not proven to be that important in my life yet. I guess it is pretty cool to see people talking about a current topic in real time, but is that all that it is for? Maybe I just need some more followers. Follow me @emilioejr. Thanks!
UPDATE - 4/14/2011
So I am a Twitter fanatic now! It's funny how my interest in Twitter just peaked after a couple of weeks. One of the main reasons is because I think I am finally starting to understand the fascination with Twitter. I have a little over 30 followers, and I am following about 80 people/companies right now. One of the interesting things with Twitter is that it makes you feel like your opinion matters. I made this discovery while talking to one of my best friends from high school who is an avid Twitter. After explaining that my Twitter knowledge was limited, she began to explain why people might be so attracted to it. That is when it clicked. People want to feel as if what they are saying is important. On Facebook, only your Facebook friends can see what you post. However, Twitter is like a large family. You are connected via hash tags, common interest, and your followers. It is truly amazing.
So there has to be more to it right? How can something so simple amaze the world? That's just it, it's simple! When you log into Twitter, you can view real-time results about what people all around the world think about a certain topic. Then you can add your own opinion to the ongoing discussion. Even if nobody says it, everybody secretly wants to have one of their tweets become a "Top Tweet." Your tweet can become a "Top Tweet" if a fairly large number of people RT(ReTweet) or favorite it. This goes back to my post about things going viral and America's fascination with fame. Everybody wants their 15 minutes of fame/attention. Twitter provides this need to those looking for it.
Finally, Twitter is short and sweet. You can quickly see what is on people's mind. You can choose to get people's tweets to your mobile devices so that you can always know what's going on. There are now ways to share videos and pics through external links. You can promote products or businesses. Twitter is going to be the new revolution. In fact, Twitter has already taken over. Don't get left behind. #Seriously
Since graduation is in six weeks, my stress meter should be rising rapidly. However, my stress has remained fairly low because of many reasons. The main reason is because of my preparation for life after graduation. As a communications major, I feel that I have been well prepared for many types of jobs that pay well. Graduates with communications degrees are usually effective in any field because good communication is key to the success of any business. Unfortunately, this sometimes makes looking for a job more difficult because of the array of options that may be available. Therefore, I have some tips that all graduates should be following in the coming weeks.
#1 - Analyze what your top skills are.
We all know that there are certain things that we are just exponentially better at than others. So why not capitalize on our strongest skills and see how that can assist with post-graduation plans. Also, you should plan to ask people who know you well, like classmates, faculty, and co-workers, what they think you would succeed at based on your skills.
#2 - Don't wait until the last minute.
Time flies by. Graduation will be here before you know it. So don't wait until the last minute to search for jobs and get your materials together. Career Services has excellent resources, and they are always willing to help in any way they can. Remember the early bird gets the worm.
#3 - Use your resources.
Make sure that you are keeping in contact with alumni from your major, friends that may already be in the field you are planning to enter, family that can assist you, the coordinator from where you interned, and anyone else that you encounter that could be a valuable resource. Also, remember to do your research online and build your brand through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and Blogs.
#4 - Don't settle for less.
So what if the economy is struggling. You are a bright and gifted individual who deserves the best. If you keep this attitude then you will definitely get where you need to be. I'm not saying that you should turn down a job because it is paying less than $100,000, but I am encouraging you to not settle for the first offer that you get. Do you really want to work at a job that is completely unrelated to what you have been studying for the past four years? More importantly, it's not about the money, but about the happiness that comes from doing what you truly want to do.
#5 - You only live once, and life gets harder the older you get.
Don't let anyone or anything hold you back from achieving your goals. It may be hard at first to get where you want to be, but it will be worth it once you get there. So, if you have big plans, act on them while you're young. Once you get a family, numerous expenses, and various obligations, it will be much harder to follow any path that seems promising.
These are just a few tips that I hope we all can follow. Everything we are learning in the Capstone Seminar class, and everything that we have learned in our past classes have been preparing us for the big day. Who knows? You could have a future director, producer, editor, writer, social media coordinator, marketing manager, public relations specialist, or even a future small business owner sitting right next to you.
It happens so often it seems these days. With news practically available everywhere, information can travel so fast that one minute you could be the most loved person on the planet and the most despised the next. I know they say that good news travels fast, but good gossip travels even faster. Your reputation is always on the line! While continuing to search for different ways in which we use social media to market and brand ourselves, some of my research led me to reputation management. Before the rise of social media, it was much more difficult to quickly reach a large portion of the population if something went wrong. For example, if my celebrity client had a nude picture "leak", was caught with a hooker, or was seen leaving their child in the car, the public will probably learn about the incident in seconds. However, with social media, you don't only have to rely on what the news says about the situation. You can check Twitter or Facebook to see if the person has said anything on their official page, check for videos or webcasts, or even blog posts. This sparked my interest because of the recent incidents with Charlie Sheen and Chris Brown. It is interesting to see how social media (new new media) is slowly become a major part of new media. For example, when giving updates about the situations, new media is now quick to tell the public what was said on Twitter or via webcam. So, in case you ever acquire some fame, whether short or long-term, I have the following tips for you:
#1 - If you are famous, keep your private pics to yourself!
You can't trust anyone these days. So if you are a major celebrity, they will most likely sell that to the public. Oh wait, you probably wanted it to be released to promote your next project.
#2 - Gain a strong fan base on Twitter and/or Facebook. When everyone else is putting you down, your fans can not only make you feel better but also put positive comments out there for the public to retweet and share.
#3 - Remember that anything you put on the internet is going to stay there FOREVER!
You can issue your "Cease and Desist" to the major media outlets and blogs, but the average person doesn't care. They will continue to share it on forums, blogs, comments, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
#4 - Social Media is your friend.
When you are truly connected via social media. It gives you a voice without bias or judgement. If the news media quotes what you say, they can change the order or alter the meaning to make their news story sound better. When you are a social media freak, you can directly address the public and your fans.
#5 - Think before you DO!
If you don't know what that means, then you are a lost cause.
Think about all the ways that we can share information today, and remember that your reputation is online and therefore on the line. Take a look cool website at The Conversation Prism. It's diagrams and charts relate directly to what we have been discussing and blogging about.
Our past two classes were interesting because we had the opportunity to view a great movie entitled, "The Social Network." You definitely need to see this movie if you haven't seen it already for numerous reasons. The main reason being that it explores one of the biggest phenomenons within this past decade. It also, although slightly fictional, helps the average social media user become aware of the complexities and drama that helped to build one of the most successful sites of all time. While watching the movie, Sean Parker, played by Justin Timberlake, said a couple of sentences that really got me thinking. While hosting a party after reaching 1,000,000 users, he describes the site as "the true digitization of your life." Has anyone ever thought about that? Your life is online. You know how they say that everything that you post on the internet stays there forever even when you delete it? This means that even when we leave the earth, our legacy will still be online for others to experience via different social media sites. This blows my mind. He went on to say something like if someone missed a party, they will be able to relive the party online. This is so true because we can read status updates, tweets, blog posts, and look at photos to find out what we missed. Social media have changed our lives and I don't think there is any turning back.
Unfortunately I received some extremely sad news while sitting in class the other day. The text said that one of my classmates from high school was shot and died. I asked them how they found out and they said they found out through Twitter and found out more info through Facebook. I'm not sure when I would have found out this information if this was to happen a couple of years ago. We've talked about how fast information spreads with new media, but I want you guys to think about how we are leaving a permanent online footprint, and creating a story as a result. Some of you may be confused by the last part of that sentence, but I am about to elaborate further.
Most of you probably have not heard about one of the coolest sites I have ever seen. Let's take a trip to MEMOLANE! Memolane is a site that turns your social media life into a digital story. It connects the dots, and helps to bridge a gap that many of us didn't know was missing. I encourage you all to take a look at the site. I received an invite code and began to explore the true genius that is Memolane. Basically, you can import all content from your Facebook, Twitter, RSS Feeds, YouTube Flickr, etc., and Memolane will place all of the info on a timeline. My timeline goes all the way back to 2005! It is truly revolutionary. Below you can see a portion of my timeline that shows what I was doing during a weekend in October. As the picture above says, Memolane makes history your history. With Memolane you can see your life and collaborate with friends to help create stories and memories. This makes social media even more useful. Everybody please check it out, and check out the videos about it below which basically sums it up in a nutshell. The digitization of our life is inevitable. Are you going to accept it?
It's a new age people! I had to say that just in case anyone was not aware that times are changing. Believe it or not, there are still people who refuse to accept the rise of social media because they believe that it cannot benefit anyone. I believe that they should do more research. Today I want you to think about the following question. When you are about to purchase a product, do you look for reviews online first? I check the reviews for any product that I purchase to see what other buyers have to say about it. There is no sense in wasting my money on a product that has bad ratings. So if we can learn about a product from research online, can't someone learn about us by doing the same thing?
For our most recent Communication Colloquium, our speaker talked briefly about our personal brand. One of the things that she said was to type your name onto Google and see what shows up. Fortunately, I showed up in the results. One of the things that I noticed is that apparently when I am searched for on Google, people are looking for my YouTube videos. I had many results come up when I searched for Emile Ennis and Emile Ennis Jr. Some of my results were Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, my personal blog, Reinhardt articles, and more. Therefore, if an someone wanted to know more about me, they could follow some of the links that appear online via search engines. Social media have created ways to learn about people without ever meeting them in person. Therefore, online perception is extremely important in today's society.
So is personal branding necessary? What if someone does not want to have an online identity? What about those who don't want all of their information online? It's okay to not want to be found online for whatever reasons, but the advantages are tremendous for those who choose to use the tools that social media offer. Since I have decided to study this trend, there will be many more blog posts that discuss the branding of oneself, and I will continue to learn more about the advantages and disadvantages. One thing that is clear is that social media are not going anywhere. If someone wants to compete in today's society, they must have a name for themselves online. This does not mean that you cannot be successful if you do not take advantage of social media, but it may be a little more difficult to attain the success that you want. I encourage you to do some research on personal branding via social media. I will be doing lots of research over the next couple of weeks so that I can provide more insight about the true impact that your online imprint has on your success. Until then, I would like for you all to look at my sites that I have personalized:
All of these sites have helped me to create a brand for myself online over the past 3 years. Watch the following video about personal branding via social media from 2008. He uses some inappropriate language at times, but he is honest, informative, and HILARIOUS.
Since February is here and Valentine's Day is slowly approaching, I thought that I would talk about a beautiful relationship that has blossomed over the years. We all have read Jenkins, explored the meaning of Web 2.0, and have been using many social media applications for years. Therefore, we are aware of how they have transformed from meaningless applications to much of the population into something that the majority of the population can't live without. Although our relationship with social media has grown over the years, that is not the relationship that I am referring to. In New New Media, Levinson says "Mobile new new media applications and mobile devices spur each other in an obvious, powerful, mutually catalytic relationship: The better the mobile application, the more incentive to have a cool mobile device, and the better the mobile device, the greater the incentive for new new media to develop cool new mobile applications" (Levinson, 187). Think about it, can any of us remember our lives before Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Wikipedia, iPhones, or even Google? I try to remember what it was like to have to call someone's house phone to see what they were doing. Now we can get this information from a status update on Facebook or a Twitter post instantly.
When social media applications started to truly make a name for themselves, none of us could have possibly imagined how intertwined our lives would become with social media. Just think about it. I really want all of you to answer these questions. Have you recently been watching the news or one of your favorite shows and heard this: "Let's check our twitter page to see what our followers have been tweeting." Do you find yourself checking Facebook or Twitter during classes when you're bored? Have you noticed that although social media is on the rise, our real-life interactions are becoming awkward because we are using social media via our mobile devices to avoid contact? Social media has consumed our lives not only because of it's uses, but because it is available everywhere. We've had this discussion in class before. When you publish a new post on your blog, you can have that automatically publish to Facebook and Twitter, send an email blast, and followers can view it on multiple devices. Everyone is benefiting from the catalytic relationship between social media and mobile devices. Consumers, Advertisers, Web Developers, Phone Manufacturers, and Mobile Carriers are reaping the rewards of this growing relationship. I'll break each category down.
Advertisers: Money. Money. Money. Laptops, Smartphones, iPads, and Tabletsare with the consumer at all times. Advertisers are now finding new ways to reach their target audiences. Instead of magazine ads, commercials, and billboards, they can now personalize and tailor the ads to our interests. Also, they can incorporate ads into the games we play and the apps we use. Television shows and movies can further promote their projects by creating mobile applications that get the consumer even more interested and involved.
Web Developers: As stated in the previous blog post, Web 2.0 is YOU. So, anyone can create a mobile application for a smartphone, tablet, or even laptop (Mac App Store). With technology advancing rapidly, there will never be too many web developers in the marketplace. What makes Web 2.0 interesting is that if you want to see something created, you can create it and share it with the world. In turn, you may also receive monetary compensation.
Phone Manufactures: Talk about a hard job. Phone manufacturers must not only be aware of what the latest technology is, but they must also find ways to come up with the next great thing constantly. By staying ahead of the curve, they stand to make a large profit if they can create the next big thing before anybody else does. Remind you of anyone? Apple created the next big thing in 2007 and the competition is just now starting to catch up to them.
Mobile Carriers: Mobile Carriers make money not only from the consumer purchasing the smartphones, but also the other costs that accompany them. Because of the addiction to social media on the go,consumers are willing to spend at least 300 - 400 dollars a year on data plans. That doesn't even include the price of text messaging. Also, certain carriers are now restricting the amount of data that a customer can use, and the overage costs are ridiculous. Let's not even talk about the money that a carrier can receive if they have exclusive rights to a "hot" device.
Consumers: Finally, the consumers experience it all. We have the latest devices with the hottest apps that the advertisers use to reach us, all via a mobile carrier. There is a price to pay for all this and it can get expensive, but can we live without it? According to Levinson, "Highly unlikely to change is the public's taste for the freedom iPhones, BlackBerrys and other smartphones give them from, on the one hand, conventional places of communication such as the home and the office, and on the other hand, the many other places in our daily lives which prior to cellphones and smartphones, were useless for communication" (Levinson, 189).
Now do you see how everything is connected? Social media has consumed our lives, and I hope that this blog post has given you enough to reflect on. As always, I share articles and links, but the following video was a great summary of social media.
Hope you enjoyed this post.
Now that we are slowly getting back on track in our Capstone Seminar class, I can honestly say that I am beginning to become intrigued by the questions that have been raised because of our readings and current events. While reading Chapter 2 of Jenkins book, my interest peaked because it addressed a topic that we discussed in Media Law & Ethics last year. In this chapter he wrote, " The tenets of Web 2.0 encourage users to join in the building and customizing of services rather than companies presenting consumers with complete and fully formed sites"(Jenkins, 3). He goes on further to talk about YouTube, copyright issues, fan labor, and how spreadable media is represented or perceived as when discussing Web 2.0. although it was a lot to take in, it seemed as if the concept is fairly simple. At beginning of Web 2.0, companies and corporations recognized that the audience had the power to spread information about their products and services for free. However, companies and corporations, while they may enjoy free advertising and marketing, main goal is to make money. So the issue that has occurred is that the consumer or "fan" uses commercial content for personal purposes or to share with others. This does not benefit the company if it ends up making them lose money. I think that Jenkins worded it best when he said,
At its core, the flaws in "Web 2.0" can be reduced to a simple formulation: the concept transforms the "gifts" produced from audiences into "user-generated content" which can be monetized and commodified, while audiences have in actuality used the commodified and monetized content of commercial producers as raw material for their social interactions with each other. This misrecognition is perhaps most profoundly expressed when companies seek not simply to "capture," "capitalize on," or "harvest" the creative contributions of their audiences but also to lock down the content so it can no longer spread beyond their walled boundaries.
So, what is Web 2.0? I read the chapter and discovered where it went wrong, but I still want to know exactly what it is. I found the answer by reading the article What is Web 2.0? by Tim O'Reilly that was written in 2005. I encourage you all to the glance over and see what you think. After that, mainly because I am a visual learner, I looked for pictures that describe Web 2.0. That led me to the picture on the right. Then I found a website, JustMeans.com, where the author had predictions as to what direction Web 2.0 was heading in 2011 (Those articles are linked at the end of this blog post). On the same website, there is a recent article that addresses the rising in Egypt and how Web 2.0 has helped write history. The article entitled, "Egypt's Web 2.0 Uprising Today: Let's Play Our Part", was written today, and I'm fascinated with the power that Web 2.0 gives the average user.
Therefore, Web 2.0 is You. I did not say that it is for you, but Web 2.0 is You. You have the tools and applications at your fingertips to create, share, trade, collaborate, explore, and profit off your ideas, creativity, opinions, and talents. The issue is that corporations have the following different models for numerous years and it's time for change. What I mean is that these corporations have models for how to market to consumers, how to reach a wider audience, how to capitalize from fan support, etc. However, it is now time for companies and corporations to realize that it's a new day with new technology that has changed the way we asked consumers view the world and communicate. So instead of sticking to these old models, filing lawsuits, and trying to retain the power that they once had over consumers, shouldn't these companies and corporations realize that things have to change and adapt? I leave you with that question to ponder over. More thoughts coming soon.
Before reading the articles below, check out this great video from 2007.
For more interesting Web 2.0 articles on JustMeans.com, just search for Web 2.0 on their website and go to view all from News from JM Writers or click the tag and the bottom of one of the links above. The latter is easier. :-)
How many followers do you have? YouTube Subscribers? How many hits do you have to your blog? Is anybody watching your YouTube video? Who is your main audience? Are you making money from this? These are some of the questions that arise in today's society because of new new media and spreadablility. Jenkins raises these issues in Chapter 1 of his book. He analyzes how media spreads today, who spreads it, the impact of viral or spreadable media based on location and culture, and much more. While discussing many overarching questions in class, someone brought up the question of whether or not the desire for instant fame and constant self-glorification via social media was unique to Americans. Although other cultures share videos, update their statuses, and tweet about life, Americans still seem to have a money-driven goal while using new new media. Instead of using it as a casual way to pass time, many use new new media to market their looks, personalities, talents, and skills. The idea of a normal person rapidly attaining fame or glory is not something that is new to us. However, it seems as if this has become a major goal in recent years. With the advent of reality television some years ago, we began to see once unknown people become pseudo-celebrities who enjoy their fifteen minutes of fame. Some even extend their fame and become well-known personalities, e.g., Cast of Jersey Shore. So what does this mean? This means that the old model is gone. Advertisers can no longer stick with the old way of trying to reach their target audiences. In today's society, we are very much dependent on sharing information with each other which enables us to avoid getting the said information from a traditional source. The audience rules. The advertisers need us to share information and make something viral in order to increase their revenue. Its a new day. Okay I am starting to ramble now, but I have listed some articles for you to read that are related to this topic and a funny related video!
In Chapter 11, Levinson discusses the Dark Side of New New Media and how it compares to old and new media. What was interesting is how he examines the fact that the some of same dangers that are associated with new new media evolve from new and old media. Therefore, the dark side that we see today is just an evolution of the negative uses from new and old media. With today's technology and fast-paced world, the impact of using new new media for negative purposes is even greater. There have been many deaths as a result of cyberbullying, online gossiping, and anonymous insults and threats. However, Levinson goes on to talk about the use of twitter to enhance terrorism, the use of Craigslist to enlist accomplices for a robbery, and the recent increase in Cyberstalking. This, however, should not discourage people from using new new media. If you really think about it, the positive outweighs the negative. As long as you use common sense, avoid certain websites and spam messages, and remember that there are evil people out there, then you should be fine. For an example check out this story below of someone who didn't use common sense while on Facebook. Although new new media somewhat entices us to share all of our information, some stuff should be kept personal.
Within the past five years, media has transformed the way we live our lives and interact with others. This concept of "New New Media" is something that has never crossed my mind before. There has been an acknowledgment in my mind that social media has become a major part of everyday life, but it wasn't until this Capstone Seminar class that I realized the true meaning and impact of new new media in today's society. In our last class, we spent the majority of our time deciphering exactly what new new media was. Although the interpretations varied, we eventually came up with a basic meaning that somewhat explained it. My interpretation of new new media is simple. In my eyes, sharing+connecting+interacting+worldwide=new new media. Allow me to explain further. With blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and the many other forms of new new media, we have the capability to not only view thoughts from others globally, but we can provide feedback instantly, create our own opinion for others to comment on, share information over one platform which connects to many others, and recreate ourselves in online communities. So, not only can we interact, share, and connect, but if we choose to, we can also create alternate identities for ourselves online. Although this all sounds great, there are definitely some negatives of new new media that unfortunately have caused a lot of pain in people's lives. Because you can have anonymous identity online, many people hide being these identities in order to use the internet and new new media for, quite frankly, evil purposes. However, I will discuss the negatives in more detail in the next post. See you later.
My name is Emile M. Ennis Jr. I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. I am an aspiring editor, producer, cinematogropher... The truth is I am not sure what I want to concentrate in yet, but I love anything that deals with film or television/commercials. I attend Reinhardt University in North Georgia majoring in Visual Communications: Electronic Media. However, I am counting down the days until I move to LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. I interned with MRB Productions this past summer, and I had a wonderful time. I got to deal with all aspects of production and meet lots of people. Overall, I am a laid-back person who just wants to be successful in whatever I do. I always strive to go above and beyond, but I am just a guy who loves to be surrounded by people who are just as funny and motivated as I am. I enjoy many things, and I am always talking about my future plans and goals. Speaking of future plans and goals, I plan to graduate in MAY 2011! I just have a few more classes, and then I can enter the real world. Enjoy.
