A Changing Media Landscape: The Key Contemporary Shifts - Essay Example

A CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE by Student’s name Course code+name Professor’s name University name City, State Date of submission A Changing Media Landscape: The Key Contemporary Shifts The third phase of communicative development started after the Second World War and is still running today. This period is characterized with instantaneous communication revolution and information explosion-digitalization, electricity, telecommunications and information technology. With these changes, people’s life lost its solidity as apart. The worldwide communication society is getting used to a nomad, liquid life. Liquid life leads to an incoherent, disorderly mobile culture. Dramatic changes in social personalities and popping up of new subjects, huge numbers of the public connected to the mobile networks that are accessible and active leading to a situation of ‘being alone together.’ (MacNamara, 2010, 337). This new life accompanied by the acceleration of the massive changing publics, affected our culture, our environment and our personality. In today’s world, people need to get the latest news in real time. Currently, journalists and editors have lost control of the news agenda, since tweeters and bloggers reign the industry in regards to breaking stories. Journalists ought to work much harder to gain people’s trust when the news breaks, but the audience’s demand for speed is a key compromise to the quality of journalism. Disintermediation: This is the best term to describe the change brought by the internet. Popularized by David Winer, the idea mainly applies in economics and refers to the elimination of intermediaries from a supply chain (Petrovic, 2012, 1). The internet removes the costs of broadcasting, publishing, and distribution, collapses the barriers to creating new social groups, and removes obstacles to the formation of distributed networks. This, therefore, means that, in the wake of the new media, people’s ability to communicate, collaborate, share and act surpasses the traditional institutions, gatekeepers, and distributors. The new media has disrupted many areas, especially the information industry. Global internet keeps escalating. For instance, the internet and mobile phones have separated the information from its means of distribution (MacNamara, 2010). The modes people take to be natural-radio station, newspaper, magazine, TV broadcaster, album-length CD, cinema, and more-are challenged by the new means of information flow. Internet traffic keeps increasing all over the world. Technology keeps on advancing at a high rate, leading to innovations in digital media. Currently, the traditional call-and-text only phones are out of the markets in most countries worldwide. Smart phones are taking up the market (MacNamara, 2010, 338). Smart phones have many features whereby some have almost the same functions as a computer. Since one can access the TV, radio, and internet over these phones, they get news updates quickly. Therefore, most companies in the communication industry have to catch up with these latest developments to survive in the market. With the ever-emerging developments in the media industry, the media, industries, and regulatory bodies have embraced various tactics to deal with the key issues; Verification of facts is as critical for the digital media as it is for the print. Regulating the nature and quantity of information running through the media today is exceedingly difficult (Belza, Forth, Purnell, & Zwillenberg, 2012). Many governments and media regulatory bodies in most countries have always had strict rules for the media industry to follow. However, this was easy until a few decades ago when the internet advanced and several social and blog sites came up. Technology advancement led to development of better and cheaper digital equipment such as phones and computers, making them accessible to a larger part of the population. One of the current key issues is the e-engagement. This refers to the way the government can interact with the public through the new media. Further, protection of the minors is a key issue today. The lack of regulation on the content available to them leads to adverse effects on their lives. Many regulatory bodies and governments have tried to solve this problem, but they have not succeeded (MacNamara, 2010, 347). The government can regulate what is broadcasted on the traditional systems, but the internet is borderless; thus hard to regulate. Currently, the government has set rules addressing crimes committed through the internet. Individuals or companies responsible for harmful material, for example, child pornography, sexual grooming and sexual predatory practices are heavily punished. In some countries, the government puts sanctions, which interferes with the freedom of speech. For instance, there are cases where the government filters the online information running across the country. Social media and blogging, is no longer a threat; when used the right way, it enriches the way people consume their news. The way out for the media industries is staring small and thinking big. For example, the Huffington Post, one of the most-sought informative website, began on a small start up; however, it now has adequate funds to invest in comprehensive journalism investigations. Critics of the traditional print media argue that supporting the print products, for instance, newspapers, magazines and journals is, absolutely, not the way forward. However, we cannot rule print media out yet. The print media industry can integrate its print distribution with the social media whereby each form attracts the readers to the other (Kochler, 2012, 20). The web is not a competitive market running against the traditional media; rather, it reshapes both the market and infrastructure. Yet, many information industry operators view it as a competitor rather than advancement of infrastructure and the market. The media industries, therefore, have found other ways to fund fast, quality journalism. The number of newspapers and blogger partnerships are on the rise and are growing rapidly. In the future, the government should encourage the enormous groups of people who utilize the internet to advance civic and political discussions in a reasoned and measured manner. Such people, usually, want their leaders and society to listen to them, and they sacrifice their time to think and propose solutions to current issues. The community, also, should participate in promoting an appropriate environment. It is impossible for any single agency to monitor and regulate the amount of content available on the internet efficiently (Belza, Forth, Purnell, & Zwillenberg, 2012). This can only be achieved if all the parties work together under a relationship built on trust. A clear example is the Parental Advisory Group for the Internet, PAGi, is a group of volunteers who share experiences about parenthood experiences. This has helped many people in their parental duties. The Australian Mediascape: Examining Our Media Industry The media organizations operate in three markets. One of them is the market for creative content. This involves the ability to produce and distribute materials that are compelling to readers, users and audiences for them to willingly exchange money, time or both to access the content. The market for financial resources entails the ability for the media to finance their current operations and new investments in distribution platforms, territorial expansion and technology advancement for their operations. This section employs conceptual framework and tools to examine the media power in Australia today. Structure of media markets The Australian media industry generated $24.8 billion as revenue in 2011. The online fraction of the industry contributed to 7% of the revenues. In 2011, the industry employed about 105,000 people. This number is expected to reach a 120,000 mark in 2015, where internet is projected to be responsible for half of those jobs (Petrovic 2012, 1). In Australia, a normal citizen now spends 21.7 hours on the internet in a week. In addition, each person spends 15 hours listening to radio, 3,4 reading newspapers and 10.3 hours 15 hours watching TV besides. The increased accessibility of the internet is promoting a culture change in the country. For instance, the internet it makes the niche content easily accessible and thus enables remote communities to participate in the economy actively. The arts market, also, is, doing well. The revenues for this market have gone up 20% (Petrovic, 2012, 1). For example, one out of five Australia’s opera audiences is online. Though the internet gives access to global content, Australians value their content more especially the local news and entertainment. They currently view their content more frequently than they used to before. Australians highly prefer offline media to the online media, with 85% (Petrovic, 2012, 1) of the consumption remaining offline. Though the internet is mainly viewed as harmful for teenagers and children, Australians are contented with the new media. They are rather using the internet to their benefit, with some going creative enough to reach global audiences. The country is almost new to this transformation. Teenagers have not yet proceeded to the university. Political parallelism Australia has it right concerning the way they use the media to control its power. The government runs a three-day election advert on all media on Wednesday prior to Saturday’s elections. The blackout, however, runs in radio and TV only, not in the internet (Belza, Forth, Purnell, & Zwillenberg, 2012). This provides a relaxing period ahead of the polls at a time when candidates and political parties are restricted from engaging in television and radio for adverts. Minimal regulations exist concerning online election advertizing. In 2007, the Media termed the Federal’s decision a Facebook election. The internet significantly impacted the polls, though the government disputed this. Professionalism in journalism The massive and speedy technological advances have changed how Australians consume information. This media landscape keep evolving, and it is almost impossible to predict its future. Most Australian journalists consider their work a profession, though a significant number are against this and tend to use trade or craft. Their levels of professional commitment vary. The aspect of job security is among the most significant reason; owing to the instability in media ownership. Managerial interference in journalism does interfere with journalists’ commitment and motivation. Many journalists have reported of an improper managerial interference with their story. The Australian journalists’ have contradictory values and beliefs, which explains the upheaval in Australian media. A study conducted by Heningham (93), it shows that most Australian journalists are both cynics and ideologists; they are highly stressed by their work, but they are happy. They value the idea of professional ideal though most of them are not interested in education as a means of achieving professionalism. This shows the presence of confusion as journalists come to terms with the changing media environment and the high expectations from the community. Most news consumers complain on the declining standards of journalism; crying for more quality, care and less bias. However, most readers are no longer interested in the hard news. Readers are the main cause of the declining quality of information provided by the media since they influence what topics the media gives preference. For instance, an article on a celebrity’s wardrobe malfunction totally buries an item about industrial action, hospital closures or legislation on cigarette packaging (Birmingham, 2012). For instance, Birmingham gives an example of the cigarette registration. It is one of the hottest issues in Australian history. However, when Fairfax posts a story about it on their website, it receives quite less attention than celebrity news. He complains that Google killed the traditional business model, since everything on the web is free. The Role of the state This addresses the power the political system owns in shaping the functioning and structure of the media system. It is the different forms and extent of intervention the state imposes on the media. The Australian government owns the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) media. The government funds the corporation through taxes. Some people do not support the company’s adaptation of new media technologies since other private media industries already offer them (Belza, Forth, Purnell, & Zwillenberg, 2012). The Australian government prohibits sexual exposure through pornography and other sexually explicit sites. There is a symbolic 100; a concept whereby the government blocks sites that contain harmful information. In addition, the state plays a significant role in providing education about morality and discerning what is right or wrong. The Internet and a Networked World: Reshaping Media Power The new media provides freedom of expression whereby one can share what pleases. However, internet acts should not be treated as isolated acts. Internet is used for education; we have people who take distance-learning classes and rely heavily on the internet on their entire courses. Businesses use the internet for commerce activities such as advertising and online transactions. Others offer banking activities over the internet (Heningham, 1993, 213). A website or blog no longer has private, contained information. All information, whether correct or wrong, conducted in one website will have far reaching implications. The proposal of a regulation-free internet, a total guarantee of freedom of speech is advocating for radical liberalism. Such people call for differentiation between the public and private realm. Protecting cyber-acts as constitutional rights of speech may have adverse effects on other internet users. The internet activities can affect all people; all states should intervene and regulate the information flow in order to uphold the interests of individuals and community as a whole. The new media promotes a sense of liberation and activism. It is almost impossible to know who wrote a certain message or contributed since most people will post as anonymous. Cases of people and groups arranging for an uprising over the internet; with just a tweet are common today. Activists will start a discussion in a blog site, post a Facebook status or make a tweet, and within a minute an unusually large network of people will know about it. The availability of digital media that can store information for retrieval at the user’s own time encourages freedom of acquiring information. In addition, there is flexibility of information since one can receive information at any time through the new media. One of the ways of controlling the media power is by generalizing some of the rules that are already passed in parliament and are applicable in case of internet. For instance, the penal code may be applied where one breaks the rules (Couldry, 2003). The legislation on elections, too, is a superb example. While following what political leaders say each time they put an advert on TV or in a rally, the officers should also follow the film discussions, social site and blog posting to know if they make any offense. If someone is found guilty, the same rules and regulations applying to other media should be used to rule out on such offense and hold those responsible accountable. Several models that can be used for regulation. One of them is the ‘green light’ model that is based on a philosophy of individualism and laissez-faire. For instance, it provides that one should be allowed to proceed with the act without any limitation if no harm is shown (Belza, Forth, Purnell, & Zwillenberg, 2012). Next, there is a model based on ‘red light’ which calls for prior intervention by control. This involves, for instance, issuing for licenses before commencement. Finally, the balanced, middle ground model is ‘orange light’; a utilitarian approach that operates as “the greatest good for the greatest number.” This involves welfare groups or state where it acts as an adjudicator, protector, facilitator, and regulator of individual, community interest. This is applicable in the case of racial prejudice (Belza, Forth, Purnell, & Zwillenberg, 2012). The community should enforce laws that prohibit acts that may wound religious or racial ill feelings. They should uphold the laws that support harmony. Unregulated online content may also affect individual rights and interests. We should not accept liberalism as the leading philosophy for laws and practice. Another option is to employ the public eye to help do away with any sites with harmful information. Some sites in the internet publish dangerous information such as suicide prompts, terrorism, violence, pornography and information that promotes secularism or racialism. However, these are not the majority in the internet; there is more valuable information and more essential ways on how the internet benefits. Sites that contain such harmful information violate or undermine the interests and rights of individuals, racial, family and religious interests. Such websites need to be blocked. The challenge is that this will require daily scrutiny and sweep of the internet. Currently, many websites have the option where one can report anybody who posts harmful contents or hate speech, for instance, face book. When the report reaches the administrators, such a person is warned or punished for that. In addition, educating the public on the basic morality issues is one of the best way of cleaning up the media. This entails teaching children what is right or wrong from an early age. Also, it will involve encouraging the public to do what is right to avoid posting harmful information on the website (Belza, Forth, Purnell, & Zwillenberg, 2012). Additionally, it will involve showing people to use the information in the right places. For instance, an adult watching pornography in his or her bedroom is justified. However, showing the same in a public cinema or to underage persons is morally wrong and punishable by law. This calls for a relationship between the government, public and the media that is built on mutual trust for the promotion of a common interest. The best way to conceptualize on the effect of the internet on reshaping the media is by taking it as a compliment. Most people view the internet as a competitor to the traditional model. However, according to Kochler (2012, 20), the internet is one of the infrastructures for enhancing the traditional models and for making the market more effective and efficient. The traditional media should incorporate the use of the internet in their daily activities. For instance, it is close to impossible for a giant broadcaster like CNN to reach every corner of the world through satellite. On the contrary, the internet can be available all over the world, and all one needs to watch or read a CNN article is an internet enabled device. Wherever one goes, he or she will just carry his device and watch the program. If one does not access it live, then he can download it later since it is stored at their website. Thus, this example shows that through the internet, CNN has increased its reach while reducing the cost and hustle of looking for intermediaries in other countries. Thus, the internet is one of the infrastructures that CNN uses to facilitate its operations. References Belza J. Forth P., Purnell J., & Zwillenberg P. (2012). Culture Boom: How Digital Media are Invigorating Australia, BCG.com. Retrieved October 15, 2012 From http://www.bcg.com/documents/file101187.pdf Birmingham, J. (2012, June 19). It's a changing media landscape - and it's your fault Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/blogs/blunt-instrument/its-a-changing-media-landscape--and-its-your-fault-20120618-20jt6.html#ixzz29RfVvz5K. brisbane times. Retrieved October 15, 2012, from http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/blogs/blunt-instrument/its-a-changing-media-landscape--and-its-your-fault-20120618-20jt6.html COULDRY, N. (2003). Contesting media power: alternative media in a networked world. Lanham, Md, Rowman & Littlefield. Heningham, J. (1993). CHARACTERISTICS AND ATTITUDES OF AUSTRALIAN JOURNALISTS[1]. CIOS. Retrieved October 15, 2012, from http://www.cios.org/EJCPUBLIC/003/3/00337.HTML Kochler, H. (2012). THE NEW SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE RESHAPING OF COMMUNICATION IN THE 21 ST CENTURY: CHANCE OR CHALLENGE FOR DIALOGUE? hanskoechler.com. Retrieved October 15, 2012, from http://www.hanskoechler.com/Koechler-New_Social_Media-Oct2012-V5.pdf MACNAMARA, J. (2010). The 21st century media (r)evolution: emergent communication practices. New York, Peter Lang. Petrovic D. (2012). Australia’s Internet and Cultural Boom.Dejanseo.Retrieved October 15, 2012 fromhttp://dejanseo.com.au/australias-internet-cultural-boom/ Read More

Further, protection of the minors is a key issue today. The lack of regulation on the content available to them leads to adverse effects on their lives. Many regulatory bodies and governments have tried to solve this problem, but they have not succeeded (MacNamara, 2010, 347). The government can regulate what is broadcasted on the traditional systems, but the internet is borderless; thus hard to regulate. Currently, the government has set rules addressing crimes committed through the internet.

Individuals or companies responsible for harmful material, for example, child pornography, sexual grooming and sexual predatory practices are heavily punished. In some countries, the government puts sanctions, which interferes with the freedom of speech. For instance, there are cases where the government filters the online information running across the country. Social media and blogging, is no longer a threat; when used the right way, it enriches the way people consume their news. The way out for the media industries is staring small and thinking big.

For example, the Huffington Post, one of the most-sought informative website, began on a small start up; however, it now has adequate funds to invest in comprehensive journalism investigations. Critics of the traditional print media argue that supporting the print products, for instance, newspapers, magazines and journals is, absolutely, not the way forward. However, we cannot rule print media out yet. The print media industry can integrate its print distribution with the social media whereby each form attracts the readers to the other (Kochler, 2012, 20).

The web is not a competitive market running against the traditional media; rather, it reshapes both the market and infrastructure. Yet, many information industry operators view it as a competitor rather than advancement of infrastructure and the market. The media industries, therefore, have found other ways to fund fast, quality journalism. The number of newspapers and blogger partnerships are on the rise and are growing rapidly. In the future, the government should encourage the enormous groups of people who utilize the internet to advance civic and political discussions in a reasoned and measured manner.

Such people, usually, want their leaders and society to listen to them, and they sacrifice their time to think and propose solutions to current issues. The community, also, should participate in promoting an appropriate environment. It is impossible for any single agency to monitor and regulate the amount of content available on the internet efficiently (Belza, Forth, Purnell, & Zwillenberg, 2012). This can only be achieved if all the parties work together under a relationship built on trust.

A clear example is the Parental Advisory Group for the Internet, PAGi, is a group of volunteers who share experiences about parenthood experiences. This has helped many people in their parental duties. The Australian Mediascape: Examining Our Media Industry The media organizations operate in three markets. One of them is the market for creative content. This involves the ability to produce and distribute materials that are compelling to readers, users and audiences for them to willingly exchange money, time or both to access the content.

The market for financial resources entails the ability for the media to finance their current operations and new investments in distribution platforms, territorial expansion and technology advancement for their operations. This section employs conceptual framework and tools to examine the media power in Australia today. Structure of media markets The Australian media industry generated $24.8 billion as revenue in 2011. The online fraction of the industry contributed to 7% of the revenues. In 2011, the industry employed about 105,000 people.

This number is expected to reach a 120,000 mark in 2015, where internet is projected to be responsible for half of those jobs (Petrovic 2012, 1). In Australia, a normal citizen now spends 21.

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