How Two Media Giants Might Influence Kids

I have a barely 11-year-old sister, and if could name two of her favorite media related things in the world it would have to be YouTube and Disney. She loves looking at song covers of major pop hits on the radio, while watching “Wizards of Waverly Place.” But it seems YouTube, a Google subsidiary, and Disney were ahead of the game and realized the results of the powerful conjuncture of two already super powerful companies. Just when you thought they had enough of a media and Internet influence, the two are teaming up to strive for more. A New York Times article published last night called, “Disney and Youtube Make a Video Deal,” cites a combined $10 to $15 million deal for Disney Interactive Media to produce original video content and series.  

[photo source: pcmag.com]

BUT WHAT’S IN IT FOR THEM? 

Disney is going through an expensive length to work with Youtube, because the brand is still lacking on the amount of younger people it brings to its online based, according to the article. James A. Pitaro, co-president of Disney Interactive, said in the article that, “It’s imperative to go where our audience is [and] bring Disney’s legacy of storytelling to a new generation of families and Disney enthusiasts on the platforms they prefer.” Supposedly, Disney Interactive has lost over $300 million in the last four quarters, so in order to generate more money to cover what was lost and to create a profit, teaming up with Youtube, a “cooler” site might help to attract those audiences.

But the deal is not just positive for Disney’s side. Google’s Youtube has acted an outlet for some of the most ridiculous people ever. Though I absolutely believe Youtube has provided a forum for many thoughtful interactions and insightful videos and that it is more positive than negative, some parents cannot seem to ignore some of the unwholesome content and comment sections. Some people are really crazy and provocative, while other users are ruthless in their discussion. With Disney’s child friendly aura, Youtube aims for a better reputation, as well as act like a strong competitor against cable TV.

LEADING THE YOUTH IN THE RIGHT PATH (HOPEFULLY)

With big news like this I cannot help but to bring out the beneficial and negative aspects of such a giant union. Though they are not forming an even larger conglomerate (that would be incredibly insane), a partnership is still a pretty huge thing. From a solely business standpoint, Disney is making the right moves. If they are finding a difficult time generating younger users to go to their website, it makes perfect sense to lead them to a place they are already on. The article said registered users must be at least 13 years old. For Youtube, having many clips and videos, including children’s digital short programs, alters an arguably narrow perspective we have about Youtube to a more serious and thought provoking medium. This way, there will be a broader pool of advertisers for Youtube. I also believe it is important for an influence website like Youtube to have an educational component that is more suitable and appropriate for the many younger users, because they do keep getting younger and younger.

One negative part of the deal is that it may alter the culture for younger children. I am somewhat torn, because I believe the Internet challenges the cultural borders among people. Though people may be across the pond, thousands of miles away, we become more integrated with them because of the Internet and other technological advancements we have today. But I do not think young children and teens should be spending so much of their time in front of computer. That makes me wonder, is that what our future generations are going to be? I think there needs to be a balance with children with the amount of time they spend watching television and surfing the web, while also spending some time outside of the confinements of their room and doing something active. Especially with a huge move like this, this calls for an even greater need for computer and web literacy classes engrained within the younger school systems. Children need to recognize the impact of their web interactions, as well realize what content is good and bad for them.

How the Internet Creates a New Online Business Culture

The technological capabilities of our time define our generation. The Internet and media challenges the way we interact with people, as the largest changes have been through the way we connect with people. New media has been an efficient tool in minimizing the distance we communicate to others across national borders, as well as the speed in which this information is relayed. An Internet, which provides a global influence in more effective ways, allows a boatload of opportunities for new businesses to take advantage of.

AN INTERNET GOLD RUSH 

There is not doubt this blatant power of new media has sparked the growth of online media companies like Facebook and Twitter.  It is disputed which form of new media is better. Regardless of whether I’m Facebook messaging my cousin in the Philippines or retweeting and reacting to Anderson Cooper’s tweets of live eyewitness reports in Haiti, I am interacting them without even seeing them face to face. If the Internet and new media can change our conventional notions of what it means to actually speak with someone, it can also change the conventional standards of a business. Essentially, we are living in an Internet gold rush.

Facebook and Twitter are obvious examples of multibillion-dollar industries that maximized the profits of a web-based world. But we cannot overlook the many other popular online companies that are becoming more and more integrated with our daily lives, thus changing how we connect with others. Though there are seemingly countless new websites and companies, I wanted to shed light on several that have been important for me, as well as significant for young adults.

BOOMING BUSINESSES

I am a senior, so naturally, during our last year of the University we’re trying to live it up, while figuring out what we want to do with ourselves before we put on that cap and gown. Finding a job, for anyone, especially in this economy is a growing concern, but a company like LinkedIn makes networking with our classmates and employers so much easier. On LinkedIn, unlike Facebook, the relationships and connections are strictly professional.

Fifty years ago, people were concerned about a world totally run by computers.  We would buy our music with computers, buy our clothes with computers, watch movies without even leaving our bedroom — thanks to computers.  Some people thought of it as a social utopia, others likened it to the end of the world and society, as we know it.  Today, for better or for worse, it can be said that this is the world we live in.

It doesn’t seem all that post-apocalyptic to me, but I know that for every online transaction or phenomenon, there is a real-life person looking to create a physical, enjoyable living.  The online world of music-sharing and friendship-making is normal in a way young adults when I was an infant couldn’t have imagined, and young professionals are doing business on their own terms.

The international music server Spotify, which provides streaming access to virtually an infinite collection of music online, has a “premier” option, but it seems to be growing, even with the majority of its users being “free” subscribers. The Internet has even opened up a new market as to how people can book where they are staying across the globe through an online business like AirBnB. For travelers who are  budget minded, a bed and breakfast means a completely whole new experience.  Through the website, people can connect with other travelers and these other bed and breakfast providers and learn where the best places to stay are. Consumers today now have access to discounted entertainment and leisure through websites like Living Social and Groupon.

The idea of “business” is in flux because innovation is happening faster than the traditional businessman can profit from it, but that’s all part of the social and technological transformations that lay ahead.

How New Media is Changing Video Games

It is truly difficult to describe the zombie induced stillness that engulfs my friends’ bodies as they play the new FIFA 2012. Their utter disregard for their surroundings and their extreme focus to a completely unrealistic, virtual soccer game is so strange to me. Sure, I can admit FIFA is fun. It is fun to pretend to be Lionel Messi and yell at my fellow Argentineans when they miss an open shot, but to do this for the entirety of a night? There are just some things I will never understand.

Despite the varying levels of interest when it comes to video games, the actual playing of it has followed the same traditions ever since the 1970s with the release of the game-changing Pong. We play these video games sitting in front of a television screen.

[photo source: computerhistory.org]

GOING MOBILE

I have experience throughout our class discussions on media, students are always debating the survival of these big displayed television sets. I think some of us find it really difficult to envision a video game world that is completely portable and solely accessible through handheld devices. It is difficult to envision a time where video gaming will not always mean kicking back on the couch facing a huge monitor. We have surely seen the success of handheld gaming consoles like the GameBoys, the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable, but, we still do not see the head honchos of video games like Call of Duty or Battlefield 3 being played on them so regularly.

These changes might be hard to grasp, but to me it really seems that the Internet, new media and continuous advancements in technology is changing the face of video games. New media has certainly given rise to social gaming online, a very fresh, non-traditional form of video games, which has proven to be a rather lucrative market. The Internet has allowed for people to not just be playing in solitude, but to be constantly interacting with people in real time, whether its friends teaming up against the opposing side, who are other people from a whole different country, battling someone in Tetris on Facebook or buying corn from a user on Farmville.

THE CHANGING FACE OF A “VIDEO GAMER”

According to a study by The NPD Group, “20 percent of the U.S. population ages 6 and older reports having played a game on a social network in the past three months.  This equates to 56.8 million U.S. consumers.” These statistics challenge the stereotypical notions of a “video gamer” and web geek. The Internet and New Media makes video games and social game appealing and entertaining for all people. Because of these facts, the Internet will likely challenge the way the population will play with video games.

Our portable devices are so powerful they have graphics and ease comparable to our household gaming consoles. An article published this month on Mashable.com, “How the Iphone 4S Will Change Mobile Gaming,” highlights some of the most impressive capabilities the iPhone 4s and iPad 2 can power. One 3D technology I found superior in the last several months is called Unity, which shows great detail in an iPad 2 game, Shadowgun.

After reading one of Guy Kawasaki’s blogs, I was redirected to one this website, which shows how a new gaming company, Explorence, is taking video gaming outdoors. Instead of being confined to the walls of a room, users actually become a part of their video games and be active outside.

It may make us uncomfortable at first, but I think this new era is video games is something we are slowly getting used to.

How Our Social Media Prez. Continues to Use Social Media

[photo source: flickr.com/dpstyles]

Barack Obama is now on Tumblr.

I remember being a senior in high school and registering my username for Twitter. Nobody was on Twitter at this time, people were still locked onto Facebook, but one of my friends convinced me Twitter was going to be the next best thing. (Maybe should I ask him for sports bets?) But while my love for Twitter was slowly developing, Barack Obama’s legitimacy as a Democratic candidate for the 2008 Presidential election was growing, as well.  After listening and watching him speak, it seemed Obama could inspire people through his words and generate widespread support among different people of cultures and generations. Soon enough, the Obama campaign hopped onto the Twitter bandwagon. I followed the presidential candidate and felt kind of special, because he followed me back. (His twitter followed back every one at the time.)

A NEW RISE OF A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

Through his campaign, Obama was able to take advantage of the power of the Internet. For the past four years, Obama is widely known as the “Social  Media President” because of the way he tactfully used social media websites like Twitter and Facebook to rally support. Aside from social media, Obama was also able to gain more support of having a strong online presence with his website BarackObama.com. I joined a mailing list back in 2008 from MoveOn.org and now I’m always getting emails from supporters in my local areas trying to garner more support from the president, the president himself with statements regarding current issues or updates about the president’s campaign.

TUMBLING EFFECTS

The 2012 campaign for Obama has just released a new tumblr website (www.barackobama.tumblr.org) to add to list of Obama’s social media presence. Regardless of what my or any of our opinions about our president, the GOP candidates or the current political climate, joining Tumblr is a great move for our president to reach out a whole different aspect of the community.

On the campaign’s very first post, the goal of the creating this site was stated. “We’d like this Tumblr to be a huge collaborative storytelling effort—a place for people across the country to share what’s going on in our respective corners of it and how we’re getting involved in this campaign to keep making it better,” according to the Tumblr post.

In his book,”Media in the Digital Age,” John Pavlik  stated there is a “global nature to the Internet.” Tumblr is certaintly a product of the global nature. Individuals from all corners of the globe are invited to send posts and photographs about absolutely anything related to the campaign or a political situation, or even ask questions. I am sure Obama will expand his reach to a younger, more technically and visually inclined generation. His presence on Tumblr makes his campaign a little bit more personable and human. It shows he is trying to connect with us on a level, some people can better understand, irrespective of formalities.  There is a sense of a shared experience, especially on a sharing component on Tumblr through reblogs and comments.

According to a New York Times blog post, “John Maloney, Tumblr’s president, said earlier this year that the service receives 8.4 billion page views each month and has grown to as many as 86 million visitors from around the world.”

I am confident Obama’s microblogs and photos will gain thousands of followers, reblogs and submissions from across the nations. Social media was a huge factor to Obama’s victory in 2008, I’m interested to see where it takes him next fall.

How Steve Jobs Changed New Media

[photo source: stevefranksinnovation
.com]

I just got my new iPhone 4S on Saturday, and I’ve realized I am taking care of it more so than any other phone I’ve had in my life. Siri is too cool for school and it is most certainly the flagship feature of Apple’s latest line of the iPhone. This innovation, like all of Apple’s innovations, has inspired me in so many ways, as my iPhone, Macbook Pro and iPod lie in my backpack beside me. The visionary himself, Steve Jobs, has motivated me also.

AT APPLE’S CORE

Around campus, I’m always hearing students complain about how people are still talking about Steve Jobs even through more than week passed of the news of his death.  Yes, I’m still Tweeting about him, and read any of these quotes from a Wall Street Journal blog and you will figure out real easily why.

 At the tender age of 21, Jobs and his high school friend Steve Wozniak, both from humble beginnings, co-founded the company, which is now valued at $351 billion. To be quite honest, as a 21-year-old, I can’t imagine being able to venture out on my own the way Jobs and Wozniak did. They were lucky that they were two geniuses who found each other. But, their story is so bold and heroic. Jobs followed his dream and through interviews and speeches, he taught us to not only value quality in our work, but to value the limited time we have in our lives. He is like a character in a book that we hope can live forever.

The iPod redefined how music should be delivered; especially since we can now download music through iTunes. Apple’s cell phone was a game changer in media in terms of accessing so many applications, tools, information and news at the palm of ours hands.  The iPad has become a popular reading device that we can take on the go. It has challenged the print industry of novels and textbooks, but it is offering to publishers a new digital outlet. In addition, it is redefining how we can listen to music and watch video, films and television. Many companies are now trying to make their information compatible with these Apple devices, while creating new applications that can be available on the App Store.

LEARNING TO STAY HUNGRY AND FOOLISH

His ingenuity and thorough adherence to high standard are values I feel like media companies, like the ones he affected, should need to strive for. The Big Six in Media - General Electric, Disney, NewsCorp, Viacom, TimeWarner - seems like they are lacking a Steve Jobs model. Jobs and Wozniak have made it clear that money was not a primary motivation for their work. Jobs said in 1993 interview with the Wall Street Journal, “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.” We know six big companies own a majority of the media, but we are constantly questioning their motives and left wondering if they are only doing what they do solely to maximize profits. It seems Job’s legacy will continue in Apple, as he said the company is managed by idea’s and teamwork, not by hierarchy.

Apple proves two things I believe the Big Six needs to learn and carry out. One, that money does need to be a motive for a big company to solve real world problems. Two, creativity is certainly possible. 

Media has oftentimes been referred to as the fourth branch of government, as it can affect people’s minds from all spectrums of the globe and their interactions with each other. If the Civil Rights activists in the 1960s held in the palm of their hands the current tools of new social media, one could only imagine the number of participants would grow to phenomenal proportions. Social media is a significant topic to study in the history of American technology because it has the power to ignite social movement and proliferate critical information at faster velocities and thus preserving democratic ideals.

THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter, Facebook and Youtube, three prominent social media tools of our generation created an alternative standard to communicate and share news stories rapidly. It has become a defining characteristic of our society. There are more than 500 million active users on Facebook, about 50 percent of active Facebook users log on to Facebook in any given day and users spend over 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook, according to Facebook statistics. Facebook also has a very large global reach as 70 percent of Facebook users live outside of the United States. So if one individual posts an imperative piece of information on Facebook and it spreads through that individual’s Facebook friends and so forth, it has the potential for others from all over the world to view it.

PUTTING POWER TO PROTEST

Social media can effectively rally groups for a particular cause. It is an important root of the globalization presently taking place. Through globalization, the distance between individuals from different countries does not seem at all far away anymore. In dealing with protests, people use the media to communicate a message about a current problem and to raise its awareness.

People who live in some of the most oppressive places in the world and need the most support and attention have now taken advantage of social media. We see that currently in the Middle East, and even locally here at the United States through the Occupy Wall Street Protests and Barry Deloatch protests here on the Rutgers University New Brunswick campus.

SEEING WHERE IT WORKS 

One example far away of social media’s reach is Girifna, a pro-democracy group in Khartoum, Sudan. Girifna uses Facebook and Youtube to push for fair elections. The organization chose the term “girifna,” because it emphasizes a feeling of disgust and being fed up in Sudanese Arabic, according to a blog on the groups’ website. The purpose of the group is to remove the current Sudanese president or known to them as the “dictator,” Omar Hassan al-Bashir and his National Conference Party (NCP) through elections, according to the organization’s Facebook page. On the Facebook page, in English it says “[Girifna] is a revolt against the status quo policies in the form of dictatorship and injustice, and it is an aspiration for what developed countries attained in terms of human rights, liberty and the promise for every citizen to be able to develop his/her own god-given potential.” The organization works to mobilize people in large numbers to vote and become more engaged with Sudanese politics, according to the website.

From the amount of information people who tweet or post on Facebook during national, citizens across cultural boundaries possess a heightened sense of each other and the issues taking place in the globe.  If people are informed they can formulate their own opinions and actively participate in their local governments to push for a change.