Internet + Journalism + Politics

INTERNET+ JOURNALISM = ?

There are 2 options to this equation. Firstly, internet can be seen to boost journalism. With the rise of the internet, it opens many doors in terms where anyone can be a 'journalist' reporting the news and giving their own opinions. Furthermore, instead of waiting for the mass produced reports on news channels, anyone can go to the internet to read updates on anything. There would also be a lower chance of receiving propaganda as news on the internet is not as tightly regulated as it is on news channels, papers and magazines.

Other benefits of internet journalism are that it is faster, cheap and is able to reach out to anyone who has internet access. This also means that anyone can access news on the internet anytime and anywhere.

One example of the internet being faster than the mainstream news is on the crash of Tiger Woods. Apparently, Twitter reported this news 45 minutes before CNN and ESPN!! 10 minutes after Twitter came Google, who displayed the detailed report on where, what time and what happened. Unfortunately, when CNN reported its Breaking News, they only managed to divulge that Tiger Woods was involved in a car accident near his home. NOW, who wouldn't go to the internet for the latest updates?

In my opinion, one of the best benefits of having news on the internet is that we can access old news. News that were reported decades ago. Searching on old news is also so much easier, with a click of a button. One website that i check out is Crime Library, that lists down stories of Serial Killers, Notorious Murders, Gangsters,Terrorists and Controversial stories. There is a whole bank of information waiting to be explored.

The internet can also be the worst foe of journalism. With the benefits of the internet, how can traditional journalism ever compete? Luckily many have decided to incorporate the internet into their practices.

The changes in the workload of journalists ( from a European Digital Survey in 2009):

~40% said that they were expected to increase the content

~14.5%: make videos

~8%: make podcasts

~28%: work longer hours

~29%: had lesser time to research stories in person

~29%: able to focus more on analysis than on reporting news

Overall, 40% of journalists felt that the quality of journalism has improved

In this website: Internet Manifesto it lists down 17 ways how the Internet and Journalism interacts

some are:

1. The Internet is different

~produces different public spheres, different terms of trade and different cultural skills

~media must adapt their work methods to today’s technological reality instead of ignoring or challenging it

2. The Internet is a pocket-sized media empire

~the web rearranges existing media structures by transcending their former boundaries and oligopolies

~publication and dissemination of media contents no longer tied to heavy investments

3. The Internet is our society

~web-based platforms like social networks, Wikipedia or YouTube have become a part of everyday life for the majority of people in the western world

~if media companies want to continue to exist, they must embrace basic forms of social communication: listening and responding

4. The Internet is the victory of information

~today every citizen can set up her own personal news filter while search engines tap into wealths of information of a magnitude never before known

5. The Internet changes improves journalism

~through the Internet, journalism can fulfill its social-educational role in a new way

~presenting information as an ever-changing, continual process; the forfeiture of print media’s inalterability is a benefit

~those who want to survive in this new world of information need a new idealism, new journalistic ideas and a sense of pleasure in exploiting this new potential

6. The net requires networking

~links are connections

~those who do not use them exclude themselves from social discourse

~this also holds for the websites of traditional media companies

7. Today’s freedom of the press means freedom of opinion

~the Internet overrides the technological boundaries between the amateur and professional

~privilege of freedom of the press must hold for anyone who can contribute to the fulfillment of journalistic duties

8. More is more – there is no such thing as too much information

~more information leads to more freedom, both for the individual as well as society as a whole

9. Copyright becomes a civic duty on the Internet

10. What’s on the net stays on the net

~the Internet is lifting journalism to a new qualitative level

~online text, sound and images no longer have to be transient. They remain retrievable, thus building an archive of contemporary history

INTERNET + POLITICS

One of the most known example of internet and politics working hand in hand was during President Obama's Campaign, where he made full use of Youtube's vast, cheap and fast way of interaction. In the website, its showed that there were 22,864,685 channel views and 147,334,726 total upload views. Obama also had 186640 subscribers and 71334 friends.

I also came across an interesting fact regarding the internet being a double edged sword for politics: If a politician fails to deliver his/her promise or changed facts, citizens would use the internet to search for their past speeches to prove the politician wrong.

Multimedia on the Internet

Multimedia: A computer-based interactive communications process that involves the use of text, graphics, sounds, animation and video

In terms of having a personal mobile device, what steps have the different mobile companies taken to attract its customers.

First Comparison: Individualization

In terms of the ability to add the personal touch, Nokia fairs much better than LG. For users of Nokia, there are many websites that gives them the option of changing the theme of the phone, which to me is a very important component.

Instead of the usual, boring screen as seen in the picture,


there is the option of going to websites

such as.......



OWNSKIN!







Yes, this website enables phones to change the wallpaper, icons and even the word colours. You can either browse through the wide selection of themes made by users, or create your own design from scratch. Sadly, this application is not available for most LG phones.


However, LG has come up with an application to tackle this problem
Introducing the LG Lollipop....

Yes.. doesn't the phone look so much better? Users are able to personalize the screen on the cover to any picture they want. Furthermore, they are also able to change the colours of the LCD lights at the bottom.
Taking a peek inside, there is a cute pre-installed theme in the phone, as shown above. However, that is as far as personalization goes. Although the colours and graphics have become much more appealing, there is only a very limited number of pre-installed themes to choose from.


Second Comparison: Entertainment

In terms of games, applications such as FM radio and the camera, it is a touch choice between Nokia and LG. However, there is one application of LG's camera that really stands out from the rest, which is the camera function.

See this video to learn how you can personalize the screen cover as well as how to take funny pictures





Third Comparison: Website

In Nokia's case, the website exhibits professionalism and gives off a very business feel. In terms of product specifications, it also provides important details as well as pictures. It also has a feature that enables potential buyers to 'play' with the phone.

For LG, although there is the sense of professionalism, there is also hint of the fun factor, that makes the website look more lively.

However, the specifications of the phones are merely stated without much elaboration.


Fourth Comparison: Electronic Advertisements


NOKIA: Although there is some humour involved, i still find the ad boring. It seems as though the ad is more targeted at serious people



LG: Appeals and captures attention the moment it starts with the bright colours and catchy music. Gives off the fun vibe. Seems to target at the younger, lively and fun crowd