Media Usage &
Media Production
Media Production
‘The Media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They
have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and
that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.’ -Malcolm X-
Every day we are subjected to the iteration
of the media. With the adaptations of media usage (newspaper, television,
radio, magazines) and production (Facebook, Skype, YouTube, Tumblr, blogs,
Twitter and Email) it is clear of the height in change of past patterns to gain
news updates. However, it needs to be considered of the effect on ‘old media’ (being
media usage) due to the promotion of the web’s degree of free and easily accessible media and current affairs, and
whether these traditional forms of media are still as effective and influential
in the current society.
Project
Outline
The investigation into my means of media
usage/production was recorded for ten days. Ten days of logging my Facebook
time, television watching, newspaper reading, Skyping, YouTube, blogging and
more. This tedious activity allowed me to comprehend the amount of media I was
subjected to over this period of time. In accordance with my media usage, I
also had access to a survey conducted by Journalism 1111 students that roughly
incorporated their media usage in regard to social networking, online news
sites and ‘old media’. Through the comparison of my personal media usage and
production with my peers, I will be able to investigate further of distinctive
media patterns.
Prior to
beginning my media usage diary, I decided on elements of the media that I
commonly use. I did so by firstly outlining forms of old media (including
newspaper, magazine, radio, television) followed by my Internet forms of media production
(Skype, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, YouTube and Email) as well as my
access to online news sites. From this
outline, I was able to effectively record my media usage and media production.
My log appeared as follows:
|
Media
Usage (minutes)
|
|||||||||||
|
Media Usage
|
Monday
12th
|
Tuesday
13th
|
Wednesday
14th
|
Thursday
15th
|
Friday
16th
|
Saturday
17th
|
Sunday
18th
|
Monday
19th
|
Tuesday
20nd
|
Wednesday
21st
|
Total
|
|
Newspaper
|
20
|
0
|
20
|
15
|
15
|
0
|
0
|
20
|
30
|
15
|
135
|
|
Magazine
|
60
|
45
|
60
|
75
|
45
|
50
|
60
|
90
|
60
|
45
|
245
|
|
Radio
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
|
Television
|
0
|
0
|
20
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
15
|
10
|
10
|
15
|
70
|
|
Online News sites
|
120
|
180
|
100
|
130
|
140
|
150
|
120
|
150
|
115
|
100
|
1305
|
|
Media Production
|
|||||||||||
|
Skype
|
0
|
45
|
0
|
30
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
20
|
0
|
95
|
|
Tumblr
|
60
|
25
|
0
|
20
|
0
|
0
|
45
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
150
|
|
Facebook
|
120
|
100
|
75
|
75
|
90
|
160
|
150
|
90
|
45
|
60
|
965
|
|
Twitter
|
0
|
5
|
5
|
10
|
5
|
15
|
5
|
10
|
5
|
0
|
60
|
|
Blogs
|
20
|
20
|
0
|
5
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
20
|
30
|
15
|
115
|
|
YouTube
|
25
|
20
|
25
|
30
|
45
|
35
|
50
|
35
|
45
|
60
|
370
|
|
Email
|
15
|
10
|
7
|
4
|
20
|
12
|
0
|
18
|
45
|
35
|
166
|
|
Total
|
445
|
450
|
312
|
394
|
365
|
424
|
445
|
443
|
405
|
345
|
|
After my logging process, I began to
analysis the conducted survey for similarities between the two.
Being an eighteen-year-old female currently
enrolled in my first year at University of Queensland studying a Bachelor of
Journalism with a Bachelor of Business Management, the survey made apparent how
greatly I fitted with the survey participants. The majority of journalism 1111
students fit my age group, with 88.5% being aged between 17 and 20. It was further indicated of the popularity in
females in this course with only 23.6% stating to be male. My course was not of
highest popularity, with only 33 out of the 436 who participated in the survey
claiming to be currently studying B Business/Journalism. From these results, it
is evident that the people whom I will be comparing my media usage and
production with are in fact similar to me, in regard to the above circumstances.
Old
Media Usage
Newspaper Vs. Online Newspaper
The newspaper dates back centuries. It has
proven to be a powerful source of historical accuracy in informing the masses
of national movements, international conflicts, natural devastations, and so
forth. However, the past few years has seen great decay in the popularity of
print media. It is often believed of the potential, and soon, ‘death of the
newspaper’. However, according to the conducted survey, it would seem its
popularity is still quite apparent.
The survey, by the students of Journalism
1111, ranked newspapers as their third most used form of news intake, after
television and the ever-increasingly popularity of online newspapers and
websites. Print newspapers did prove to be more commonly used than that of the
radio for media usage according to this survey.
In comparing the survey with my newspaper usage, I found that this print media is
not a news source I use greatly. My recordings show I spent only 135 minutes
(two hours and 15 minutes) actually reading print newspapers within the ten
days (this roughly equates to 13.5 minutes a day). Specifically looking at old
media, the newspaper was ranked second in my usage log. Although, it caught my
attention of the dramatic increase in the time I spent searching news online,
whether it be online newspaper sites (www.brisbanetimes.com.au)
or online news sites (www.news.com.au),
with that of newspaper print. My log shows of a total of one thousand, three
hundred and five minutes (21.75 hours) spent
reading/watching/surfing
the Internet of current news issues. The comparison of online news sites usage with
print newspapers is shown here for both my log and the survey results.
Even though I currently live on campus at a
UQ College where I have access to multiple newspapers on a weekday basis
including The Australian, The Courier Mail, The Sydney Morning Herald and the
Financial Review, when I chose to read up on current news issues, I do so in my
own room (a place in which we are not allowed to take the newspapers). I do not
feel it necessary to purchase them myself just for the allowance of having them
in my room. As the online newspaper sites are free, it seems to make sense to
take advantage of such a cause. I feel the easy access to online news sites functions
much stronger in the time consuming lifestyles of university students.
Magazine
The likes of Marie Claire, Vogue and Bazaar
proved to be regarded my top ‘old media’ form of news intake. My total 245
minutes of magazine reading within the ten day period proved to reflect my interests
in fashion, gossip and worldly entertainment.
At the beginning of my logging, I had
predicted that my magazine reading would take up a large period of my media
usage as I have great interest in this field. I did incorporate a lot of my magazine
reading into my ‘online news sites’ section as I used the Internet for such
purposes also.
The conducted survey by Journalism 1111
students did not ask directly of magazine reading, however it did allow for
participants to select ‘other’ in question eighteen in places where their news
is acquired from. I believe magazines should have been an answer on this
question as they provide a great degree of information in regard to
entertainment, fashion and health – all of which are popularly read about
topics by the prominent female age group of the participants (being 17-20 years
of age).
The below comparison of my personal old
media usage and the survey results shows great change in popularity, however
this change may have been avoided if magazines was an option for question
eighteen.
My interests
in magazine reading compared with that of newspapers, television and radio
seemed to function as a direct result of availability. Magazine purchasing is
available every day on my way to university as I pass multiple news agency
stands advertising the latest magazines. They also allow me to read privately
or in the company of others, with minimal attention and great ability to draw
on conversations. It makes apparent of the magazines ability to be used as
effective and influential tools in creating opinions in regard to fashion,
gossip, trends, pregnancies, drug-overdoses and health issues.
Radio
My reading of many blogs over the Internet
has created this idea in my head of a certain ‘death of the radio’, and it does
seem very realistic. With the popularity of iPhones, comes the availability of constant
online podcasts and steaming music, ultimately decreasing the desire for people
to listen to the radio. As made apparent in the survey, the most popular
location for radio listening is that of the car. I feel I used to be able to
relate to this, I would often listen to the radio when driving or being driven,
however evidently, times have changed. With the degree of advertising on radio
stations, and quite often poor journalism, I have turned to the trusty iPhone.
The ability to plug in an auxiliary cord and freely listen to any chosen music
or podcasts has seen a revolutionary adaptation to the importance of the radio
- although I wonder whether is it just my age group. As I prefer to listen to
music as I am driving, I often avoid the ‘good journalists’ on such stations as
the ABC and tune to stations such as Triple J and Hot Fm that have a more music
based approach. These stations seem to represent news as only a minuet element
of the radio experience with the importance placed on music, advertisements and
moneymaking games for listeners. The survey further justified such a point as
89.1% of participants claimed to listen to their music via their iPhone, iPod
or Smart Phone.
Even though the survey indicates 53.6% of
participants do still listen to less than one hour of radio, I do wonder
whether it is for news updating or whether their iPhone was flat. As shown in
my log, my seven minutes of radio listening was a direct result of being in
someone else’s vehicle that did not feel obliged to plug in their iPhone for
the 7minute journey.
I feel such a finding of the lack of radio
usage is also a result of the degree of public transport available and most
possibly used by the participants. Public transport does not always allow for
radio listening, which can be why most people turn to their iPhone as a means
of time-consuming on their way to university or work.
These findings did not come as a surprise
to me as I am not a passionate radio listener unless it is humorous or a heated
debate.
Television
Television always seemed to be my first
source for news-related information. It provided in-depth details, created an
atmosphere and provided me with a perception of a certain issue or person in
the media. However, looking at my recent log, I found that television is no
longer such a dominant source of my media intake. I feel this can strongly be
related to me living at a college where personal televisions are not permitted
in bedrooms and the shared television is often playing movies, television shows
or music. When looking at the survey, it was evident that only 26.9% of people
spent little time in front of the box. As shown on the graph titled ‘Old Media
Usage according to Personal Log’, television was only 9% of my old media usage.
I feel television is still much a way of
life for accessing vital information in regard to many issues, as much of what
I watch online is from news broadcasting stations such as A Current Affair.
Having channels place their footage online allows for their popularity to stay
strong via the Internet if broadcasting networks popularity begins to decrease.
Media
Production
Social networking has completely changed
the way in which we communicate. Sites such as Facebook, Tumblr, Blogs, Skype
and Twitter promote a reformed way of relating and talking to people around the
world. It almost seems the common phone call, landline to landline, could
potentially be an element of history as technology continues to flourish into
the 21st century. Media’s impact on this growth has been mirrored in
both the survey results and my personal media production.
When analyzing the survey results, it was
evident of the height in popularity of Facebook. Having been originally
launched early February 2004, it has been the past three years where its use
amongst people of all walks of life has gone viral. This social networking site
also promotes news through the ‘liking’ of such pages as A Current Affair,
News.com and ABC Radio National. This ultimately allows for its use to be more
than just a form of communicating with friends, but a powerful source of news updating. The survey results also showed
that only twelve people out of the 436 participants do not have Facebook
accounts; I oppose a question for them – where have you been living for the
past three years?
I believe it is very much a change in what is deemed important in varying societies, for example what may be considered the normality in Japan may very much be a futuristic element for the people of Vanuatu. The following link shows of the height in Facebook users of 213 different countries: http://www.socialbakers.com/facebook-statistics/?interval=last-week#chart-intervals
It is from such a Facebook study that it is emphasized of the degree in change of importance on social networking between Vatican City (only 100 users) to that of Australia (ranked 19th with 10 889 960).
I believe it is very much a change in what is deemed important in varying societies, for example what may be considered the normality in Japan may very much be a futuristic element for the people of Vanuatu. The following link shows of the height in Facebook users of 213 different countries: http://www.socialbakers.com/facebook-statistics/?interval=last-week#chart-intervals
It is from such a Facebook study that it is emphasized of the degree in change of importance on social networking between Vatican City (only 100 users) to that of Australia (ranked 19th with 10 889 960).
As only 6.2% (27 of the 436) of the
Journalism survey participants were international students, it seems very
likely that these international students have not been subjected to a lifestyle
where social networking (focusing on Facebook) is an important social norm. I,
however, greatly blend with the majority as I have Facebook account.
Another issue raised with Facebook was
the amount of time spent using this site. My personal log showed a total of nine
hundred and sixty five minutes (approximately 16 hours) of Facebook use during
the ten day period, which ranked it my most popular form of media production
and my second most popular form of media behind Online news sites. Comparing
with the survey results, Facebook was too deemed a prominent Internet site when
accessing the Internet with 91.9% of participants using the network. When
comparing Facebook usage with Skype, twitter, blogs, and Email, it is made
apparent just how popular Facebook really is.
As shown above, Facebook is the most
popular form of media production in both my log and that of other Journalism
1111 students. I feel this can be justified, as it is a means of both
communication and education. Other media productions, such as the ones listed,
lack in popularity as they do not accommodate for a wide range of people. Skype
can be seen as just a way of communicating with close family and friends,
Twitter is known to be mostly ‘celebrity-stalking’ based as it requires popularity
to be ‘followed’, and blogs are found to be personal and highly opinioned
based. Email will continue to develop over the ongoing years as its service
secures a solid relationship of quick communication. All forms of media
production are popular in society as they encompass social standards of
communication.
Summary
Through the analysis and investigation into
my current media usage and production with that of the cohort of Journalism
1111 students, it was evident of the powerful relationship I share with the
media. I believe my findings greatly represent my personal need for constant
news updating, mainly by Internet sources. This relationship serves great means
in journalism and communicating as it allows me to investigate news on my own
accord and learn from the professionals in the field I wish to hopefully work
in one day. I find myself learning of the reliability of different news sites and
blogs, as well as constantly checking for news updates throughout my day. My
investigation into my media usage and production has ultimately further proved
of my desire for knowledge into current affairs.
The comparison between my personal usage
with that of my peers further iterated how strongly impacted society is by the
adaptations of the Internet. I felt my findings promoted my love for the
Internet, in searching current affairs (both news based and entertainment) as
well as my usage of social networking sites (primarily Facebook).
Growing up in an incredibly
technology-centred environment, in regard to the introduction of the iPhone,
iPod, iPad, 3D televisions, tablets and touch-screen PC’s (just to name a few),
I feel the web will continue to serve as a primary resource for news, social
networking and more.
It is uncertain if old media will once
again flourish; however its ability to update through ‘going online’ (with
online podcasts, online newspapers, online magazines and online broadcasting)
has proven how influential and powerful the Internet really is in altering the
pattern of news intake.
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