Using the program called 'FreeMind' I have been able to create a version of what I percieve as 'Media' in this day in age. It may look like a map of the Solar System with all the lines and arrows, but I will explain in more detail to what this means.
Media can be broken down into different categories that can be easily understood. In my opinion it can be broken down into 3 different areas.
Firstly it can be separated to Digital/Electronic. Today over 90% of media is run electronically, through the internet, radio, television and film.
Digital/Electronic types of media are most influential for both Social Media and Industrial Media's because of its influence not just in the United Kingdom, but around the whole world. Social Media can be established faster with little or no skill at all through the World Wide Web (WWW) from blogging, vlogging, internet forumns and email; whilst Industrial Media takes a bit more time with high skill to produce newspapers, television shows like News/Weather and traditional radio broadcasts.
Entertainment is very important in Digital and Electronic media, it influences the whole world and allows us to communicate and interconnect and combine with each others societies. It brings different cultures together through music, games, video and film through things like Streaming Media, Online Games and Downloadable materials. Types of media such as Networking websites like Facebook and Bebo and Instant messaging sites rely on downloadable materials and music/video as Entertainment on these websites and instant messengers to help people who have the same interests as each other connect and share information between one-another. It can help start discussions, relationships and conflicts between different groups depending on what the material is. Youtube can relate to many websites and sites such as Facebook can rely on it as users are able to copy and paste various links to music and videos they want their friends to watch increasing connectivity and relationships on social aspects.
RSS Feeds are also related to media and its relations because it allows everyone who uses it the chance to find out what the weather is, what current issues are locally or even world-wide. Blogging and Social Profile websites use and heavily rely RSS Feeds to address certain types of information to general audiences.
The rest of the 10% which is Physical media is mainly run through newspapers, magazines, leaflets, booklets etc. These are produced by Industrial Media (or Mass Media) which takes alot of time, effort and the required skills to create interesting products and information to be spread across the country or even the world. This can be related to mainly Written Feedback because most newspapers rely on public opinions and local news spread from person to person. People sell their stories to newspapers to show their sides of the story. Speech is also related to physical media through music and radio. Some bands such as Jamiroquai have spread their opinion on world issues through music such as warning people about the environment and corruption of politics; they even covered on social aspects too. Example: They sing about the way Native Americans have been treated, being thrown into reservations whilst nuclear weapons are being tested on their old land. The song 'Too Young To Die' clearly shows this through instrumentals and lyrics.
Physical Media can be used in many good ways, but some can take advantage of physical medias role of addressing a nation. Propaganda is a topic which is mentioned alot especially in my blog. It can be used to scare people, threaten minorities or encourage people to do something for change. Physical media is the catalyst for problems like this. Posters, Radio and Television can be used to these effects on the public. Because so many people listen to the radio whilst they are on their way to work, see posters while walking around the high street or sitting at home watching television; anything the industrial media puts in place can be believed by so many or by so few. However, this can make a great change to the public opinion on something thats on the agenda. Mainly these days, physical media tries to target areas such as the Music industry (to intrigue people to buy music), Electronics industries (to interest people in buying iPods and Computers) and Politics/Environment. Propaganda and Mass Media in general can be used in Politics/Environment to change the general publics mind on political parties, for example the BNP (British National Party) has recently been attacked by almost every radio, television broadcast station and newspaper in the country coining them as evil and unworthy. (which is probably true in my opinion). But what industrial media has done here is use slogans and other techniques to win over the general public against a political party.
The third category on my mind map which doesn't have a percentage but has a role within media using Digital/Electronic and Physical media as it's sole purpose of spreading the message is the Social Interface. Social Interface is important as anyone who is able to use the internet or produce a newspaper or radio broadcast are able to produce media to the nation. Feedback is important within the society we have today and this is because of freedom of speech, the right of opinion and the right of open information. Anyone and everyone is allowed the freedom to express their own opinions in our Democratic society. Social Interface can be channelled into the obvious three categories which are related as: Written, Electronic and Speech.
Written feedback is based and related on physical types of media.. Newspapers, music, posters, leaflets and billboards can express public or personal opinions to things such as politics, environment and social issues that go on in local and national societies. Written feedback is very important as a social interface in small towns such as Ivybridge (my hometown). We have local newspapers such as the Gazette which expresses personal opinions on underlying issues such as the 'Ivybridge, Lee Mill' Incinerator plans which are taking place. I for one am against the proposal of this abomination of an idea.. - This is a true example of written feedback and social interface. Written feedback can also be used to tackle false information and powerful sources of media such as Propaganda. Propaganda is created through Industrial Media.. it takes a bit of time to get out to the general public; but once it does, many people seem to believe in it especially in countries like North Korea where Authoritarianism still exists.
However, Social Media can produce Propaganda in small doses (mainly on websites or images) which can bring a big effect on the nation. This information on the internet can spread fast, making people believe or disbelieve in the information they are recieving. A random example could be 'An Alien Attack' filmed and obviously altered using Photoshop and After Effects. I've seen in on Youtube before, some comments I have seen are ridiculous.. people actually believe in some of the footage. Whilst others do not.
Electronic Feedback through the Social Interface can relate to the whole spectrum of Digital/Electronics types of Media. Through the Internet, it can be used in almost any type media out there. It is heavily relied upon in Networking. Social Networking is the term for this as it involves many people all socialising over the internet through many different means. To name a few examples on the mind map I've put down things such as Forums, Instant Messaging, Social Profile, News and Email. These different types of Networking can be broken down into Forums such as gaming and technical support sites where anyone can express their problem to an audience that is 'Logged in' or signed up to the forum. Opinions can also be expressed through Instant messaging such as Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo. The Social Profile is very important in this day in age, we have Facebook, Bebo and Twitter which contantly brings opinions and personal news to everybody who is connected with that person who is spreading their opinion. Blogging is another important step to social interface, like right now I'm talking to you through a blog spreading my own ideas and opinions electronically. Vlogging is also a very useful technique in portraying someones opinion through speech and visuals, music and general topics. This can be related to websites such as Youtube.com as it's a free source to upload on so everyone can watch.
Speech is the last Social Interface I will be mentioning today, this can be used in both Electronic media and Physical Media. This type of social media can be expressed on blogging, vlogging sites mainly. So it basically shows a person on camera talking about their beliefs, opinions and ideas of what their world is currently, what they are doing etc. Speech can also be used as an interface in physical aspects, on live television and radio broadcasts for example. It could be someone talking about an upcoming band, a gig or tour announcement; it could be somebody talking about daily life, politics, sciences, religion. All of these can be portrayed as a personal opinion through one voice, or by many. It could even be used through Propaganda motives to encourage people to support this belief and that cause to influence the nation or even the world into believing in them.
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