Transmedia Storytelling 101

1. There is a process where elements come together and spread across a digital channel to create one unified story, The Matrix is an example of this. Transmedia storytelling encompasses multiple aspects of media convergence. Consumers interact with producers for consumer-producer convergence because the story is available across multiple platforms allowing more people to become involved. Business consolidation also occurs because one company creates the story to be distributed by multiple outlets such as TV, Internet, books, movies, etc. Participatory culture occurs when the producer is able to show the story to many people who then communicate with one another and the company to create a large diverse community of dialogue.

2. The media business is able to have brands and products with a more diverse range targeting multiple audiences. The story can be told across books, games, TV, radio, movies, etc. So more products come in contact with more people and the company benefits from the large profit from these multiple sectors.

3. Storytelling practices can influence different audiences to purchase products because producers can gear products toward specific audiences. In the article it stated that if Marvel wanted to have females buy comic books based off of the Spiderman series they would create “Jane loves Spiderman” to gear more toward the romance and love demographic of women. Conversely producers may also create products based off of a demographic they know such as people who watch “The Real Housewives” and make a real housewives game. This would prompt people to buy this game when they otherwise wouldn’t. 

4. In terms of production, storytelling is collective intelligence because there are bits of stories that make up a larger story. It doesn’t matter if the consumer watched on TV show that told a small part of a larger story, all of the consumers would understand the large picture. It depends on what they watch that will tell if the consumer understands parts of the story.

 5. As transmedia storytelling reaches across multiple platforms of products more people get involved with the story. This causes more interactivity among viewers because someone who normally wouldn’t purchase a game watches the TV show while the gamer can still have a conversation with the TV watcher. This large storytelling spectrum encourages dialogue across many people.

It's the Audience Stupid!, All the Aggregation thats fit to Aggregate and Photojournalism

It's the Audience Stupid!

1. The use of storytelling is being used to broaden audiences because that is what the majority of viewers want to hear. As the author pointed out, when she went out and sampled a group of people they stated that the news they wanted to hear was based on storytelling. The author then started using this advice and started showcasing comparisons between the UK and the rest of Europe. She started to tell the story of how something happening in the UK could be solved or visa versa in another country. This storytelling theme the author uncovered broadened audiences because many different people were involved in the different sections of the story. This would also interest viewers because instead of just dishing out the information as to what was happening, viewers liked discussion on the topics.

2. Digital media is being used to engage audiences by allowing more people to be in touch with international news. People are in search of all different kinds of media coverage and they can establish connections to what they would like to find through digital media. It can can also be used to do things such as spark an international debate, call on others expertise, and allow journalists to crowdsource.

3.      1. Providing dimensional journalism to increase the interest level in a story.
         2. Comparative journalism from different countries.
         3. Discussion or debate to make the reader "wiser."

All the Aggregation that's fit to Aggregate

1. Aggregation is the collection of units into a mass, in the aspect of journalism it is taking news that has been reported by someone else and using it as your own.

2. An example of the Huffington Posts aggregation is here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/20/bibi-backtracks-palestinian-state_n_6904670.html?utm_hp_ref=world&utm_hp_ref=world

In this article for example, all the factual information is cited to other news sources who did the reporting, the Huffington Post just aggregated the information by citing it to other news sources and calling it their own.

3. Yes, aggregate journalism is a threat to professional journalism in that a report who aggregates is not actually doing his or her job. A real true professional would be at the scene of the crime reporting and getting first accounts of the story. Anyone can aggregate information, only a true seasoned journalism professional can understand how to get accurate information from first hand sources. When journalism is left to aggregation there will be no first hand source and facts will become skewed.

Photojournalism

1. People obtain real accounts of accurate pictures from the scenes of incidences.
2. The verification of the photo can become tricky because of social media if the original source cannot be verified the content becomes questionable.
3. If the source of the photo cannot be verified then the photo can be questionable and considered to be non factual.
4. A professional journalist now has many helpers. It is like having a team of ground troops who are all armed with their cellphones ready to take pictures. There are very few journalists compared to the population. When an event occurs it is very slim that a journalist will be there at the exact moment. People who capture events such as a plane crash help journalists entice viewers with real time footage of the crash. Everyone who owns a phone and can capture pictures helps newspapers and news outlets cover footage of what they would normally only have the aftermath.

YouTube

1. Online interaction becomes a key for YouTube production because of producer and consumer media convergence and the participatory culture. The producers of YouTube videos get instant feedback from the viewers of those videos. The comment section is also the only way for producers to get any kind of feedback. If a YouTuber wants viewers and a large fan base they will listen to comments made by viewers. Many YouTubers encourage viewers to comment and like at the end of their videos because they want participatory culture and the relationship between the consumers and producers. The only fan base the YouTuber has is from the people who actively comment, like, favorite and watch every video they produce. Media convergence of consumer producer interactions and participatory culture are the keys to YouTube success.

2. Teens make up a large part of the viewers and subscribers on YouTube however they may not actively participate. Teens feel insecure about their points of view and do not wish to comment or like videos because of this. Many YouTubers will obtain more views than likes or comments because many teens do not wish to voice their opinions. Teens may feel scared, insecure or pressured by writing comments. It is part of the adolescent phase of insecurity and self consciousness. They watch these videos are their primary source of entertainment but do not feel confident enough to post a comment.

3.YouTube creates a different community than other online sites because of the comment, like, share, favorite and other features. People who connect on YouTube can interact first hand with people who post and share clips. Viewers can also post videos of their own and interact with other producers that way. Usual websites do not allow the user to have this much participation in content. The most users can do on usual websites is post a comment. On YouTube consumers can actually talk to other people through video, they can comment, like and favorite videos. This creates a more humanistic website and goes toward what people want to see in technology. They want to be able to interact with producers and other consumers in ways they normally would through human nature.

4. The next step for YouTube development is having a more humanistic approach. This encompases the Web 3.0 theory in that the web will eventually be more human-like. Consumers will be able to interact in more ways with producers, and producers will interact among themselves as well. There will be a much more human approach to YouTube. Possibly allowing the site to go directly toward videos it knows the viewer will like or having related videos and topics integrated better. I think the future of YouTube will allow for much more consumer producer conversation in a more humanistic fashion. It will also have technology advances and allow for more technology convergence.

Social Media

1. The trends of social media are increasing as mobile application usage becomes more common. Social media use is 85% up from last year. Social media sites such as google plus and pintrest are up significantly from lastyear while Facebook is actually down by 8%. Nonetheless, social media are increasing with more usage of mobile technology.

2. The takeaways I see from this data are that the usage of social media will go hand-in-hand with increased mobile technology. Mobile social media applications will also increase usage. As technology increases more people will become connected to social media and use them with more regularity. As the survey results said, teenagers are using social media in the bathroom now. Things like this will continue to increase because as more people use technology and it becomes more endowed in everyday life people will use it in different ways. Social media usage will always increase as shown in these statistics.

3. Businesses use social media to heighten brand recognition and develop a conversation with consumers. Social media is used for customer service, and as a presence for establishing a "brand morale." Consumers look into social media sites; businesses should not use social media as a means of advertising because of this dynamic, conversational theme.

4. Social media are not places for advertising. They are also not quick fixes for companies who are looking to increase sales. Social media are places where companies can take part in the dynamic sense of media instead of the static, traditional means of advertising.

5. Social media "is" a place for dynamic conversations between consumers and businesses. Businesses can have dialogue with their customers and get into a more humanistic approach to marketing.

6. Businesses should not use social media for advertising as this is not the correct place for static marketing plans. Businesses should use social media to engage consumers and create a conversation with them. It can be used for brand management and creating a company message or theme. Companies should not use social media as a quick fix to increase sales and it should be used as a part of their marketing plan rather than just the entire plan itself.

Web 3.0

Web 3.0 is a revolutionary stage which occurs because of peoples' want for the web to be more humanistic. Web 1.0 is simply defined as a process where one person creates and publishes material online and another person consumes it. This was preceded by Web 2.0 which can most be related to social media in which there is no longer a static stream of content from publisher to user. In Web 2.0 consumers can produce material along with publishers and everyone can bring something to the web. Web 3.0 goes further than both of these and tries to establish a humanistic aspect to the web.

Humans try to push the boundaries of technology to allow it to coincide with human life. Web 3.0 is the next step in this process because it will combine human thought processes with data. Miko Coffey explains this to be like creating a dinner party. You are making a meal for a bunch of guests and Web 2.0 only knows which ingredients you are putting in, it does not know that you are making a meal or that your guests have food allergies or special dietary needs. Web 3.0 will be able to realize what meal you are making, know exactly who has which allergy and when you last spoke with your friends.

Web 3.0 is going to step toward that humanistic thought process. The web will understand the human link to thought and creation to go further than Web 2.0. The web will be able to think and rationalize just as humans do.

Rather than allowing all thought to come from producers and consumers, and having the web as a tool to publish those thoughts, the web will now be able to think on its own and connect data as if it is thinking as a human would.

Immigration Reform: Political Opinions Homework #1

As employers continue to hire undocumented workers and millions of people slink among the shadows, one thing is for sure: The immigration policy debate in America is twisted and causing much controversy. Both sides of the issue have been fighting tooth and nail for either reform or conservation, but which, if any, is right?

The immigration policy as it stands is confusing to many Americans, which might just be the source of unneeded controversy. According to The Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA), the U.S. provides for an annual worldwide limit of 675,000 immigrants. There are limited exceptions such as: exemptions for close family members, and a separate allowance for refugee admissions.

The immigration system is designed in various ways. There are different types of immigration such as family-based immigration, employment-based immigration and immigration for refuges. There are also U.S. programs such as the Diversity Visa Program and other forms of humanitarian relief.

According to americanprogress.org, undocumented immigrants usually settle in traditional “gateway” states such as California, Illinois, Texas, New York and Florida. But 15 states, Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Utah, have experienced a 200 percent increase in their immigration populations between 1990 and 2009.

When many Americans think of immigration their minds land on Mexican immigration, but statistics show that there has been an 80 percent decline in undocumented Mexican immigrants from 2004 to 2010. There are many things contributing to the decline of Mexican immigration. Right now, there are more Mexicans leaving the U.S. than entering it, according to americanprogress.org. This is contributed to increased border control, shaky job and housing markets, and an increase in deportations.

So if cracking down on undocumented immigration is statistically working then why should immigration reform? According to the White House, President Obama has three elements of action in the reform plan:

Cracking Down on Illegal Immigration at the Border: The President’s actions increase the chances that anyone attempting to cross the border illegally will be caught and sent back. Continuing the surge of resources that effectively reduced the number of unaccompanied children crossing the border illegally this summer, the President’s actions will also centralize border security command-and-control to continue to crack down on illegal immigration.

Deporting Felons, Not Families: The President’s actions focus on the deportation of people who threaten national security and public safety. He has directed immigration enforcement to place anyone suspected of terrorism, violent criminals, gang members, and recent border crossers at the top of the deportation priority list.

Accountability – Criminal Background Checks and Taxes: The President is also acting to hold accountable those undocumented immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for more than five years and are parents of U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents. By registering and passing criminal and national security background checks, millions of undocumented immigrants will start paying their fair share of taxes and temporarily stay in the U.S. without fear of deportation for three years at a time.

Immigration to the U.S. is based upon the principles of the reunification of families, admitting immigrants with skills that are valuable to the U.S. economy, protecting refugees and promoting diversity, according to the White House. But this is where things get interesting, and why immigration is more of a political opportunity than a fight for humanity. According to Democracy Journal, as demonstrated in the 2012 election, immigrant communities are increasingly becoming a major political and civic push. 10 percent of the electorate in 2012 was from the Latino population, and Asian-American’s rose to three percent. These are small percentages, but historic. However, the future influence will be dramatic. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, Hispanics will account for 40 percent of the electorate in the next two decades. These immigrants have a major influence on swaying voting results, and many believe that this is why President Obama is pushing for the immigration policy. The majority of immigrants will be of age to vote in the next election and if Obama’s plan succeeds, many will vote primarily democratic.

As of now, a U.S. district Judge temporarily halted the administrations executive decision because it may or may not violate the constitution. In the upcoming days the judge will rule whether Obama’s actions are legal or not. Until then the debate continues and the ruling will propel the issue into the Supreme Court.

Blogging Reading 4

1. Democratic leaders embrace blogging as a potential communication means because of the nature of blogging. Politician’s blogs can be seen by many more people than what is seen through traditional media in politics. During a televised event or news casting there is a limit to the number of people the politician can reach by who is actually viewing the media at that particular time, or watching a recorded segment. These usual means of politician communication are lacking of interaction. Through blogging, many people can communicate with the politician or see the ideas of the politician over the Internet quickly and efficiently. They can also respond and communicate with people, speak about a particular candidate and find out if they would like to vote for this person. Blogging touches more on the human nature aspects of interaction because anyone can communicate with the politician and get a first hand account of how this person will be in an election. This touches on the democratic sense of blogging and politics in that everyone should have their own voice and opinions should be heard.

2. The participatory culture enables an expansion of digital media convergence. People from anywhere can post or comment on a blog, and the blogger can communicate directly with the audience. This allows people to participate in the blogging experience, instead of information coming from one seemingly unattainable person, bloggers communicate first hand with their viewers. This encourages people to communicate, post, tweet and comment on blogs. Everyone has a say in what is being posted and everyone joins in on the conversation. This allows for more digital media convergence because now there are applications and multiple means of commenting and viewing a blog. The audience can comment and view a blog through an app, on a tablet or computer. Blogs are being incorporated into companies as part of their brand as well. These companies want to hear consumer feedback so they establish blogs on the Internet and through apps. This allows more digital media convergence to occur.

3.  Blogging can overturn the structural weakness in elections because of the immense communication that occurs. People can join together in blogging and create a conversation between people from around the nation. This can blur the geographical lines because there are a great number of people communicating from different areas. However, to overturn this people can turn netroots into grassroots and come up with plans to get their ideas flowing in certain areas. If someone on a blog in New Jersey realizes that no one else from around their area feels the same way that person can start a grassroots campaign and educate people around them of what they have learned from their blogging experiences.

4. In new media communication media convergence can abolish the sense of having elite bloggers control the Internet. With more people going online and joining in the conversation through different means of communication there will be no one source of blogging. The Internet was based off of the premise that information should come collectively rather than just one source, and blogging is the same way. Through the invention of new technologies such as smartphones and apps, more people are able to share their opinions online and express their thoughts. Videos, music, literature and ideas are all going onto the Internet faster than ever before from many different sources. This media convergence and advent of new media will allow the superior bloggers to be overthrown by the influx of many different bloggers all over the world.