Have you been paying attention to the big stories in the media this year? Test yourself with our festive quiz - Guardian online
Take the quiz here.
Saturday, 25 December 2010
Joanna Yeates disappearance generates massive hunt on Facebook
Networking sites used to spread pictures and appeals in bid to find answers to missing architect's whereabouts
Whole story here.
Whole story here.
What we want from Hollywood in 2011
What we want from Hollywood in 2011
Another year, another avalanche of remakes, dodgy 3D conversions and incomprehensible M Night Shyamalan dialogue. Here's how the studios need to mend their ways:
Read full article here.
Some of the demands made:
1 Fewer sequels and remakes
2 Lay off the 3D
3 More berserk Batman casting rumours
4 Pirates of the Caribbean 4 to be shorter, and actually make sense this time
5 Don't make The Social Network the start of a new trend
6 Stop employing M Night Shyamalan
7 Give us our vampires back
8 Pixar to stop being quite so unremittingly bleak
9 No new Nicholas Sparks movies
10 Jennifer Aniston to either make better films, or bad films less prolifically
Another year, another avalanche of remakes, dodgy 3D conversions and incomprehensible M Night Shyamalan dialogue. Here's how the studios need to mend their ways:
Read full article here.
Some of the demands made:
1 Fewer sequels and remakes
2 Lay off the 3D
3 More berserk Batman casting rumours
4 Pirates of the Caribbean 4 to be shorter, and actually make sense this time
5 Don't make The Social Network the start of a new trend
6 Stop employing M Night Shyamalan
7 Give us our vampires back
8 Pixar to stop being quite so unremittingly bleak
9 No new Nicholas Sparks movies
10 Jennifer Aniston to either make better films, or bad films less prolifically
Music Industry - Gorillaz give away their new album made on an iPad
Gorillaz give away their new album made on an iPad
Damon Albarn, produced The Fall while on the road touring America. Fans can now download it for free
Whole story here.
Extract:
Gorillaz are not the first major band to release an album free via the internet. Radiohead put out In Rainbows as a digital download in 2007 employing an "honesty box" scheme. But experts suggest Gorillaz are at the vanguard in recognising how the business model of popular music is changing, with fans able to play games, become an exclusive member of its fan club and buy limited-edition artwork all on the website.
Pearse McCabe, brand consultant with Rufus Leonard, a digital consultancy, said that finding new ways of building relationships with fans is vital at a time when most younger consumers are reluctant to pay for music.
"The point of entry for bands is no longer dependent on buying an electric guitar and an amp and touring for three years before they gain recognition," McCabe said. "You can produce music from your bedroom and publish it online. People are asking what the point of record companies is."
Given the increased competition, successful bands needed to look beyond simply selling records, McCabe suggested.
"It's not just about the music any more; you can sell them merchandise online and hook them up with other brands along the way. It's about building a long-term consumer relationship."
Music industry analysts point to the success of American country singer Corey Smith, who is reported to have made almost $4m (£2.5m) from touring, merchandise and other revenues in 2008 but gives most of his music away free from his website. "We don't look at it as 'free'," his manager, Marty Winsch, told the Wall Street Journal. "When people come to the website and download the music, they're giving us their time, their most valuable commodity."
Damon Albarn, produced The Fall while on the road touring America. Fans can now download it for free
Whole story here.
Extract:
Gorillaz are not the first major band to release an album free via the internet. Radiohead put out In Rainbows as a digital download in 2007 employing an "honesty box" scheme. But experts suggest Gorillaz are at the vanguard in recognising how the business model of popular music is changing, with fans able to play games, become an exclusive member of its fan club and buy limited-edition artwork all on the website.
Pearse McCabe, brand consultant with Rufus Leonard, a digital consultancy, said that finding new ways of building relationships with fans is vital at a time when most younger consumers are reluctant to pay for music.
"The point of entry for bands is no longer dependent on buying an electric guitar and an amp and touring for three years before they gain recognition," McCabe said. "You can produce music from your bedroom and publish it online. People are asking what the point of record companies is."
Given the increased competition, successful bands needed to look beyond simply selling records, McCabe suggested.
"It's not just about the music any more; you can sell them merchandise online and hook them up with other brands along the way. It's about building a long-term consumer relationship."
Music industry analysts point to the success of American country singer Corey Smith, who is reported to have made almost $4m (£2.5m) from touring, merchandise and other revenues in 2008 but gives most of his music away free from his website. "We don't look at it as 'free'," his manager, Marty Winsch, told the Wall Street Journal. "When people come to the website and download the music, they're giving us their time, their most valuable commodity."
Saturday, 18 December 2010
Radio Industry + Online Age
More than 8m Britons have downloaded podcasts
Rajar research also finds 6.6 million have listened to radio on smartphones, with many downloading dedicated apps
Read article here.
Rajar research also finds 6.6 million have listened to radio on smartphones, with many downloading dedicated apps
Read article here.
Music Industry - Piracy
Britons 'downloaded 1.2bn illegal tracks this year'
Online piracy is still growing, says latest BPI research
Read full article here.
Online piracy is still growing, says latest BPI research
Read full article here.
Film Industry - Reality sucks in the multiplex
Reality sucks in the multiplex
Parallel universes, dream worlds, virtual paradises – movies today are full of them. Mark Zuckerberg, it's your fault
Read full article here.
Parallel universes, dream worlds, virtual paradises – movies today are full of them. Mark Zuckerberg, it's your fault
Read full article here.
BUG is on YouTube with a brand new channel. New shows in the new year...
If you haven't attaended any of the BUG shows hosted by Adam Buxton, you can now watch their BUG YouTube channel.
The show is about showing and discussing music videos and chatting with music video directors.
The show is about showing and discussing music videos and chatting with music video directors.
Thursday, 16 December 2010
Illegal downloading cost UK music industry nearly £1bn this year
Illegal downloading cost UK music industry nearly £1bn this yearOnline piracy is still growing, says latest BPI research
Read the whole story here.
Read the whole story here.
Tuesday, 14 December 2010
Audiences and moral panics... Simon Cowell as the evil one...
In the light of our discussion on audiences and those who argue that they are passive, weak and duped, it is easy to see how moral panics can be created. Believing in a susceptible audience being 'injected' implies that the audience is constantly in danger of being 'contaminated'. Therefore, juicy moral panics are created by the media such as this one:
Save our kids from The X Factor!
Phil Hilton worries that 'twisted' TV talent shows like The X Factor teach children to expect easy success, to cry at setbacks and to judge other people harshly. Is he right?
Of course, you might agree with the point made in this article but many will counter argue that this is just an over-reaction. Audiences are not THAT passive and are more discerning than what is being suggested. (Note the amount of emotive language in the article!)
What do you think?
Save our kids from The X Factor!
Phil Hilton worries that 'twisted' TV talent shows like The X Factor teach children to expect easy success, to cry at setbacks and to judge other people harshly. Is he right?
Of course, you might agree with the point made in this article but many will counter argue that this is just an over-reaction. Audiences are not THAT passive and are more discerning than what is being suggested. (Note the amount of emotive language in the article!)
What do you think?
One to follow for A2 students - Untangling the web with Aleks Krotoski
This is really interesting stuff to find out about We Media and Media in the Online Age.
Untangling the web with Aleks Krotoski
About this series:
How has the most revolutionary innovation of our time - the internet - transformed our world? What does it mean for the modern family? How has it changed our concepts of privacy? Of celebrity? Of love, sex and hate?
Recent topics:
Hate and the internet
Does the internet encourage insidious and bullying behaviour? Aleks Krotoski investigates
The internet's cyber radicals: heroes of the web changing the world.
A generation of political activists have been transformed by new tools developed on the internet. Here, a leading net commentator profiles seven young radicals from around the world
Untangling the web with Aleks Krotoski
About this series:
How has the most revolutionary innovation of our time - the internet - transformed our world? What does it mean for the modern family? How has it changed our concepts of privacy? Of celebrity? Of love, sex and hate?
Recent topics:
Hate and the internet
Does the internet encourage insidious and bullying behaviour? Aleks Krotoski investigates
The internet's cyber radicals: heroes of the web changing the world.
A generation of political activists have been transformed by new tools developed on the internet. Here, a leading net commentator profiles seven young radicals from around the world
Media and Democracy - WikiLeaks backlash
Media and democracy VERY essential reading for students:
http://www.digitalpercept.com/tag/mark-townsend/
This article titled “WikiLeaks backlash: The first global cyber war has begun, claim hackers” was written by Mark Townsend, Paul Harris in New York, Alex Duval Smith in Johannesburg, Dan Sabbagh, Josh Halliday, for The Observer on Sunday 12th December 2010 03.00 Asia/Calcutta
http://www.digitalpercept.com/tag/mark-townsend/
This article titled “WikiLeaks backlash: The first global cyber war has begun, claim hackers” was written by Mark Townsend, Paul Harris in New York, Alex Duval Smith in Johannesburg, Dan Sabbagh, Josh Halliday, for The Observer on Sunday 12th December 2010 03.00 Asia/Calcutta
A2 Media in the Online Age - 3 articles
Generation Wiki's web savvy - Institutions have yet to catch up with net natives' instinct both for sharing information and guarding their own privacy
Read article here
Facebook's 2010 trends: 'HMU', Wagner and global disasters. Another day, another end of year list – Facebook unveils most popular status updates of 2010
Read article here
Twitter's 2010 trends: From the Gulf oil spill to Psychic Paul
Read article here
Read article here
Facebook's 2010 trends: 'HMU', Wagner and global disasters. Another day, another end of year list – Facebook unveils most popular status updates of 2010
Read article here
Twitter's 2010 trends: From the Gulf oil spill to Psychic Paul
Read article here
UK top 10 video games chart
Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops is, to no one's surprise at all, still sitting at No. 1 spot on the chart
Read the Guardian online article here.
Read the Guardian online article here.
Julian Assange and Wikileaks
Live updates from this Guardian online page.
Julian Assange urges supporters to protect WikiLeaks. Read it here
Julian Assange urges supporters to protect WikiLeaks. Read it here
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