Clay shirky 'End of audience'

 

Media Magazine reading


1) Looking over the article as a whole, what are some of the positive developments due to the internet highlighted by Bill Thompson?

The positive developments that were highlighted in this article by Bill Thompson was that communication between people has become better and easily accessible. 

2) What are the negatives or dangers linked to the development of the internet?

The negatives of the development of the internet would be that anyone can access it and it would lead to a newer form of abuse online. 

3) What does ‘open technology’ refer to? Do you agree with the idea of ‘open technology’?

Open technology relates to the idea that the online media is diverse and helps amplify communities. I would personally say that open technology has its advantages and disadvantages but overall i would agree with it. 

4) Bill Thompson outlines some of the challenges and questions for the future of the internet. What are they?

The challenges he outlines would the future of the internet as hes sceptical on what would happen to the communication and how it would develop to better ourselves. What would this means for friends?

5) Where do you stand on the use and regulation of the internet? Should there be more control or more openness? Why?

My standpoint would be the ethical issue with the regulation as it should the consumers right to self regulate as they have understanding about the dangers however sometimes they have no control over their privacy and they put out on the internet in terms as these "cookies" settings take your data anyways so at this point its a facade of privacy. 

Clay Shirky: Here Comes Everybody

Clay Shirky’s book Here Comes Everybody charts the way social media and connectivity is changing the world. Read Chapter 3 of his book, ‘Everyone is a media outlet’, and answer the following questions:

1) How does Shirky define a ‘profession’ and why does it apply to the traditional newspaper industry?

 Shirky would define it as "profession exists to solve a hard problem, one that re-quires some sort of specialisation." This would apply to traditional media as the newspaper industry each specialises in a different form of targeting their audience meaning that professionalism would differentiate. 

2) What is the question facing the newspaper industry now the internet has created a “new ecosystem”?

The questions that are being asked in terms of the readership and need for the newspaper industry due to the internet would be how they would cope?

3) Why did Trent Lott’s speech in 2002 become news?

Trent Lott's speech became news in 2002 because he stated a quote that had subtly insulted politicians and it was perceived as unprofessional which captured a worldwide attention. 

4) What is ‘mass amateurisation’?

Mass amateurisation would refer to the self-publication so the consumer becomes the producer. 

5) Shirky suggests that: “The same idea, published in dozens or hundreds of places, can have an amplifying effect that outweighs the verdict from the smaller number of professional outlets.” How can this be linked to the current media landscape and particularly ‘fake news’?

Shirky's quote "he same idea, published in dozens or hundreds of places, can have an amplifying effect that outweighs the verdict from the smaller number of professional outlets," this could be linked to the current media landscape as the consumer is becoming producer and people now have to filter their news which is maker harder to differentiate fake news especially with Covid-19.  

6) What does Shirky suggest about the social effects of technological change? Does this mean we are currently in the midst of the internet “revolution” or “chaos” Shirky mentions?

He suggests that we are in the age of chaos as the technological change would evidently make us less notifiable with the world around us. 

7) Shirky says that “anyone can be a publisher… [and] anyone can be a journalist”. What does this mean and why is it important?

This quote he had stated linked to the self-filtering of news outlets and that anyone can now produce content was be accessed by a wider range of people. This is important because it shows the radical growth of the media and the Internet's capabilities. 

8) What does Shirky suggest regarding the hundred years following the printing press revolution? Is there any evidence of this “intellectual and political chaos” in recent global events following the internet revolution?

Shirky would relate this quote to the political climate as such becoming more heavy content based and many people can now with access to the internet give their opinions.

9) Why is photography a good example of ‘mass amateurisation’?

Photography is a good example for mass amateurisation as with access to social media and other platforms now its easier than ever to create content and become the publisher. 

10) What do you think of Shirky’s ideas on the ‘End of audience’? Is this era of ‘mass amateurisation’ a positive thing? Or are we in a period of “intellectual and political chaos” where things are more broken than fixed? 

Personally, i would say that i agree with Shirky's "End of audience" theories as we becoming more open with our usage in terms of the internet and where we become the content creater that can reach millions of people connecting us to a community.