Professional vs. Amateur/ Traditional vs. Current

Big media moguls are becoming the gatekeepers for information, professions, etc., however it could be useful for this resistance. Without this tug-of war between Professional vs. Amateur and Traditional vs. Current, how could society really handle the fast-pace of technology? It is more about slowing the pace of change and less about who is better than whom and what story is better than another. I am quite relieved that I have semi-reliable sources in traditional print and broadcast media; a professional choosing which content “news worthy” and reporting it. I want to believe that professionals still exist and run consistent with traditional standards, I want to believe they feel responsible to society for the information they bring forth. I want to know that if I want a good solid place to start my research I have that in my traditional sources. However, I am quite comfortable with professional journalists having to prove their worth to the blog-masters online.

Bloggers are the balance in the ‘checks and balances’ of the media realm. Without the opinions of individuals the gatekeepers would go unchecked and eventually the greater good for society would deteriorate at an alarming rate. Responsibility should come to the mind of the amateur blogger, because once an idea is posted- it cannot take it back. I am quite certain that I exist somewhere in the middle of complete adoption of our right to freedom of speech and the virtue to be silent if necessary. A proper code of conduct--professionalism as a human quality not as an occupation should be inherent.

How do we walk the line, gain benefit from both old and new---“old stories are never revisited without a new angle?”(Shirky) Maybe the answer is for the professionals to view the internet bloggers with confidence; the blogger must be at least aware if not well-informed on the old issue before commenting on something he may think is new. (???)

Shannon White

What is this class about?

While traditional media outlets continue to be the main source for news and entertainment content, the internet has become a secondary, decentralized network for the distribution of a wide variety of content. Key to this explosion in creative output is that the internet allows producers to supplement and bypass (though not necessarily replace) traditional media gatekeepers. Bloggers, podcasters, filmmakers, musicians and a host of other creative artists can get their work directly to the hands of their audiences. Low cost technology means that many more people can create work that can rival the quality of traditional media. This contributes to what Wired magazine editor Chris Anderson has described as "the long tail" theory: selling less (in quantity) of more, diverse, products.

This course will examine the long tail phenomenon and other theories behind media 2.0 and look at cases of actual media 2.0 artists. We will talk directly to people who are producing and distributing their work on the Internet and other alternative channels and explore how these new distribution forms challenge assumptions about how mass media should/does work.