TRANSNATIONALMEDIAAUDIENCES2.0

MEVIT3220/4220MediaandGlobalizationSpring2011

Whystudymediaaudiences?

• Tounderstandtowhatextentmediaexertpoweroverusandwhatkindsofpowerweexerciseasaudiences.

• Howandtowhatextentmediashapetheknowledge,values,andbeliefsofaudiences.

• Howchangesinmediatechnologytransformtheexperiencesofaudiencesandhowaudienceschangeovertime.

Audiences2.0

• Internetbasedtechnologiesblurringrangeofplaceswherewecanencounter,interactwithandcontributetomediacontent.

• Blurringofdistinctionbetween“producer”and“audience”.

• Newinterestineverydayparticipatoryandcreativepossibilitiesofmediaasopposedtostudiesofmediaconsumedbyaudiences.

Newquestions

• Creativityandself‐representation• Publicsphereanddemocraticparticipation

• Empowermentofmarginalizedgroups

CritiquesonWeb2.0empoweringpotential

Structural/organizationallevel1.Colonizationbythemarket2.Censorshipbystates,organizations,andindustries

3.Appropriationbypolitical(andcultural)elites

Individuallevel1.Socialcontrolbycitizens2.Antidemocraticvalues

What/whereisthenewaudience?

Changingaudience

• Technologicalconvergence

• Changingsocial/spatiallocations

• Changingnatureofaudienceexperience

Methodologicalchallenges

• UnderstandingthecontextofInternetuse

• Differenttypesofinteractivity

• Trackingthe“texts”userscreateandconsume

Personalwebsites

• Comparativelysafeplaceforself‐expression

• Yetofferprospectofalargeaudience

• Self‐expressionforgedthroughlinks,pictures,graphics,music,prose,journaling.

• Feedbacksolicitedthroughguestbooks,andothercommentsspaces.

MY STUDY:

YOUTH EXPRESSION ANORWEGIAN SOCIAL NETWORK

SITE

JONATHAN

8thMarch:Women’sdayisthemostunseriousandscrewedupdayinthewholeworld.Whothehellgavethesewomenawomen’sdayanyway?Womengoaroundcomplainingabouthowbadtheyhaveit,andbeingallself‐important…Justgoonandhaveyourwomen’sdaybutremembertherestofthe364daysareours

Falcon18yearoldgirlNo!Itisnotinallsectorsthatwehaveequalitybetweenmenandwomen.Thisispreciselywhywehaveawomen’sday.Besidesit’salwaysniceforustohaveadaywhereeveryonecancongratulateusandbenicetous.

Kari18yearoldgirlAreyoujoking?…simplybecauseyouhaveafatherthatbeatsuphischildrenandspitsonhiswife,thisdoesnotmeanthatishowthingsareinNorway…

Tomas20yearoldboyIagreetotally!!Theycomplainaboutearningless,meanwhileincaseswhenwomenhaveabettersalarythanmen,mendonotcomplain.

Marie–17yearoldgirl:

Thisblogsucksbigtime!Gogetalife.Youmenhavealltheother364daysoftheyearandyoubegintocryoveronedayforwomen!Fuckingloser…

Andre–20yearoldboy:

SolongaswecangetaMen'sDay,Iwillbesatisfied

Anne–19yearoldgirl:

Thisisfunny.Ican’tbelievesomanygirlsaregettingworkedupaboutwhatthisguyhaswrittenhere.Women’sdaydoesn’tmeananythingtome…haha.

ASHLEY

Ashley said 09 mar:This is a Kurdish martyr, all respect toher that I agree on. I am just trying toshow people how far Kurds have gone toget their own country. Of course thisprovokes reactions. It is the wholepoint…I am a Kurd myself and I just wantpeople out there to understand what itmeans to be a martyr and to know moreabout the Kurdish people’s burning desirefor their country

Maren said 08. Mar:**** nastyRonny said 08. Mar:

Wtf (what the fuck)? Æsj

ASHLEY

Sally said 12. mar.:Seriously speaking? Do you believethis is the way to go to get your owncountry…? I know I can’t understandhow it can feel not to have your owncountry, but do you think you ever willbe able to get it this way…?

Ashley said 11. Mar:…Kurdistan has never been a countryon its own, so far as I know. What doyou suggest? Oral communication?Pssst

Oldbrotha said 10.mar:Is this not simply nasty? P respect (;

Interviewer: Why did you post thesepictures? Who were you addressingthem to?

Ashley: YouthInterviewer: Are there many people on

this site who were interested inthings happening in Iraq andPakistan?

Ashley: Not many. But I wanted toshow all those who wanted to get toknow me what I was interested in.

Interviewer: What did you like aboutBenazir Bhutto?

Ashley: I liked her because of herinterest and politics. She was astrong woman who never gave up.She fought for what she believed inand she was killed for that. Nomatter what she fought for she wasalways strong ... Some people usepolitics to fight and others useviolence.