Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Egyptian Revolution: Analyzing the Media
The media has become an extremely powerful tool for all of
society. Every TV broadcast, newspaper, blog, or post on a social networking
site can change the world. Through the functions of each media channel, along
with the different types of reporting, the media had a positive affect on the
revolution over all.
- Almost every single source of news on the Egyptian revolution was either from social media, or had links to social media – not to mention that social media played a vital role in the revolution itself. The first protest was planned over Facebook, and revolutionary events are still being planned on this site today. It is extremely likely that the Egyptian Revolution would not have been able to happen so effectively and on such a large scale if it was not for social media. This rapid and widespread form of communication allowed thousands of people to know what was going on, and join in; it brought people from completely different walks of life together for one sole purpose; and it gave people a platform to express themselves and communicate to masses of people whom they wouldn’t have been able to reach without social media.
- Each media channel (i.e. social network, newspaper, etc.) has different advantages over others. Facebook can be updated the quickest, has biggest following from all sorts of people, and is the most interactive of the media channels. I found that newspaper was the most informative, and definitely the most credible. The blogs were easiest to absorb, because they were the simplest and had the most personable tone. The TV Broadcasts were the most stimulating, covered the most information, and were also the most credible. Each has their advantages over others.
- Many of the different news medias covered use multiple channels to convey their stories. For example the video “Reflections On and Unfinished Revolution” from can only be viewed online, though The New York Times is also published in print every day. Also, the broadcast “Novelist Ahdaf Soueif on Egypt’s Revolution: ‘People Were Rediscovering Themselves’” is both a TV and radio show. The site also has options for real audio stream, MP3 download, real video stream, MPEG-4 video download, audio and video podcasts, and for iTunes subscriptions. Also, the newspapers and television newscasts are daily publications, while the blogs and social media can be updated anytime at all.
- Both citizen journalism and professional journalism play an important role in the news media. Citizen journalism – which is definitely becoming more and more popular – allows anyone to create the news, which gives people more power and allows us to gain a broader perspective on peoples’ views. Most importantly, it gives people even more freedom of speech (which could bring up debates about when, if ever, to censor). Though this is all true, professional journalism still has its definite advantages. It is much more credible than citizen journalism for obvious reasons, and in many cases it is easier to absorb because they are trained in how to express the news and make it comprehensible.
Egyptian Revolution: Results & Reactions
Since the first protests, the
Egyptian people have engaged in a full-fledged revolution, affecting all
aspects of media and society. The revolution has made HUGE steps of progress,
but has also faced tremendous challenges. The following will give you a brief
synopsis of the functions of each media channel, along with an update on the
revolution:
Social Media: Facebook – كلنا خالد سعيد
- By reading this page (with help from Google Translate*) you can grasp how many things have happened through the social media, and how much progress the revolution’s made as a whole. There have been organized marches about a new constitution, new democratic political campaigns, remembrances of Khaled Said, celebrations, boycotts for businesses and exports, and user-generated reporting – just to name a few happenings.
- On the Facebook page, the posts are organized chronologically on the wall and it can be updated anytime at all. It allows the creator of the page along with anyone who has liked the page to post writing, pictures, and videos on the wall. The page also has sections for info, friend activity, events, questions, and notes. At this point in time; 1,888,536 people have liked the group, and 262,428 people have mentioned it in their personal posts.
- This video from Wednesday, 25 January 2012 is exclusively on The New York Times’s online newspaper (which is updated every day). The page is formatted with related videos, unrelated videos, advertisements, and options to share the video through email & various social networks.
- In this video, young Egyptians express both the optimistic progress and the terrible hardships they still face in the changing tides of the revolution – looking back after a year from the protests’ beginnings. They reflect on the protests, the new and old voting systems, the power that the youth has on the revolution, the torment that the protesting youth have experienced, the abusive government and police force, the hardships that females in their society still face, racism among the cultures in the Middle East, religion and the different ways that it affects politics, and many other things.
Blog: CPJ Blog –
Courage in Documenting Egypt’s Revolution
- This blog post from February 11, 2011 (on the 18th day of the revolution) gives you a unique perspective on the revolution, through the eyes of the journalists. The blog is updated sporadically. The post is short and simple, and gets the point across well. It is presented as one central article, with comments on the bottom (and the ability to leave your own), tags, related articles, active discussions, and email & social media tools.
- The post talks about how both foreign and native journalists “were subjected to an unprecedented campaign of censorship, assaults, detentions, and worse,” and how many of them were eventually liberated. It tells some personal stories of journalists at the revolution, highlighting the dangers and honors of their role in the Egyptian Revolution.
TV Broadcast: Democracy
NOW! – Novelist Ahdaf Soueif on Egypt’s Revolution: “People Were Rediscovering
Themselves”
- Democracy NOW! is a daily TV/Radio news broadcast hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez. It is presented on their website with the video, a write up, different media channels to watch it through, other stories and topics, and email & social media options. This broadcast sums up the beginning of the revolution well, and then proceeds to interview Egyptian novelist Ahdaf Soueif.
- She expresses the collective joy that the people of Egypt felt in the midst of a new optomistic future. She said that “everybody was finding the best in themselves, and putting it forward.” She talks about how the revolution played out, how social media played a enormous role (referencing the Facebook page mentioned above), how the government failed at fighting back. She talks about the status of the government and the debates about how it should be run, about how the revolution became hostile, and about the power of the youth in the revolution. The program also includes talk about her books, and it includes a cool rap about the revolution.
How Social Media will end up choosing our next president. Part 2!!!!!!!!
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Indecision 2012 - Floridal Kombat | ||||
| ||||
- John Stewart again uses snippets to show how the republican candidates are complete hypocrite. He uses Newt Gingrich video quote where he says after his second term he will have a moon base. He also shows Mitt Romney having a little bit of common sense when saying he would fire the guy who proposed a base on the moon. John also showed that the republican candidate Newt Gingrich asked for a truth from spreading any more negative campaigns. Johns slant of mortal kombat showed how each candidate went blow for blow on the negative facts of their opponents.
- This is an ongoing segment in the daily shows coverage of the republican primaries.
- The story changed in how the coverage showed more and more of the negative ads run instead of the flip flopping of the issues by the candidates.
- it is used on a broad based scale. The Daily Show reaches millions of viewers every night and millions more online. The Daily Show is in conjunction with the internet web page it set up for the show in case you missed it. the audience will receive a slanted one sided view some say people should not get their facts from a comedy show rather use it as reference to go and look up the facts on their own.
- This story will vary widely from source to source. The Daily Show will almost seem to be against painting the republican candidates in a negative light.
- The story is multimedia, it is on television with repeats on the internet with extended footage. it has repeats the next morning with new shows every day at 8 pm.
- the story claims that Mitt Romney won a victory in the primary ballots in Florida. Romney had 46% compared to 32% for Newt Gingrich, 13% for former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and 7% for Texas Rep. Ron Paul.
- This as well is on-going coverage of the 2012 republican primaries and its last report was in South Carolina. the story is updated periodically on the website, as well on the channeled programming.
- the story has shifted momentum from Newt Gingrich winning the last ballot in South Carolina to Mitt winning and establishing himself as a republican front runner for the presidency.
- Social media is used in conjunction with the television show. the news is being reported from a liberal viewpoint and the audience might sway its vote to another side.
- the facts were checked and verified. the facts are the same from show to other forms of news media.
- the message is front page on the online format however not on the network channel. the only difference is that the websites periodically update itself and corrects any wrong information.
- Mitt Romney won in one of the most negative primary campaigns in modern presidential politics to a landslide victory in delegate-rich Florida, but the Republican contest is likely to rumble on for weeks.
- the LA times has ongoing coverage of the story and last week they reported of the Gingrich victory now they are shifting the momentum towards Mitt Romney.
- the paper is in conjunction with other news sources such as KTLA and KNBC. what is happening is that the newspaper is covering the primary and the perceived impact is that the audience will feel that Newt has the advantage in the polls.
- the News is one of the most credible sources of journalism. its reporters are held to a higher standard to report the news with no bias. the story has been the same in facts from one platform to another because it really is a matter of opinion.
- the story is longer online and has more coverage and detail. the story is also updated periodically online. the physical newspaper has a shorter article length.
- NBC shows how much Mitt Received from a super PAC directly related with private inrest groups, hedge funds, Wall Street CEO's, etc. Mitt is on a chair of Bain Capital, which may conflict with presidential duties if he was to win. one the last report of the primary the focus was of the negative ads, however in this the focus is the super PAC money and who is giving what.
- social media is not used, this is a report from a journalist for the channel.
- News is generally reliable on facts, because if they have a reputation for false information their credibility and ratings will go down.
- this is CNN's version of a blog where anyone can report in their opinion of a particular subject. now this form of journalism is subject to bias, however sometimes it takes a different angle to really get the full feel for a story.
- in this example anyone can create an account and input their opinion on a particular subject. this is used in conjunction with what the website has up running and what is being discussed in their channel.
- facts on backpack journalism is usually unreliable, only because a person giving an impromptu speech has little to know time to search for facts or evidence.
- this is used in different ways for all forms, however they are all in conunction and havea aim or focus towards certain stories.
- this form a journalism adds a unique twist to news coverage. now we can get video coverage from riots right from the streets as in Egypt. the only issue raised the credibility of the facts and also the journalist might feel emotion for a particular side and might show a favorite a bias towards one side.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Beyond SOPA: A Birth of Internet Freedom
Blog/Online News
Patrick Ruffini Blog on Huffingtonpost
Patrick Ruffini Blog on Huffingtonpost
The internet, has become the only way that citizens can have their voices heard. Big companies, keep us out of the decision making process of laws, by not informing it through the major media outlets. The internet, is the only place where we can find the traditional news we use to have. When the people voiced their opposition of PIPA/SOPA to their representatives in Congress, they listened and they heard, for what seems for the first time. Though the big corporation MPAA had spent almost a $100 million dollars on lobbying for PIPA/SOPA, Congress had no choice but to listen to the people they were elected to protect. A cyber libertarian and former lyricist to Grateful Dead, John Barlow said in 1996, that the internet should remain free from government regulation and corporation oppression.
Read his full "A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace" here: https://projects.eff.org/~barlow/Declaration-Final.html
The sides between the SOPA/PIPA is not over left vs. right but old vs. new. Traditional America vs. Corporate America. Though both sides disagree on everything else, both can agree that the internet has become the only way for communication of ideas, traditional news, and organization of movement to be possible. So take that away and the people have nothing. That is censorship. Patrick Ruffini says the people must fight for the internet to remain free of future threats like we did last week in order for the government to continue listening the the voice of its citizens. The Internet has become the only medium of communication for the people to the government. What else could have been able to prevent the bill.
- This blog by Patrick Ruffini, the president of Engage, supports the opposition of SOPA/PIPA. Ruffini believes that the win over SOPA/PIPA was through the protest of the people. Ruffini uses his blog to encourage users of the internet to continue protesting of unfair bills. His blog impacts the reader to feel a sense of citizenship, to practice their freedom of speech. Even though the only way may be through the internet.
- Throughout all blogs, reports, and news, all emphasize the importance of a censorship free internet. The importance of the people to take action against the government. To prevent further empowerment of big corporations to congress. That the people must continue as they did last week to voice themselves against regulation of the only medium of communication that is consistent with the 1st amendment.
- Huffington Post is not a multi-media reporting news channel.
- The reporting does raise an issue of freedom of speech. Huffingtonpost's articles are from independent writers. The writer for this blog, Patrick Ruffini, explains the importance of freedom of speech and how the internet has become the only medium for the people to communicate to Congress. As far as ethics, when was the last time big corporations gave a damn. Now they are trying to use it by saying that piracy steals millions of dollars from them.
Libyans find Gaddafi
4. Mass Media Channel: Public Blog
On October 20, 2011 Muammar Gaddafi was killed by Libyan citizens who were loyal to the country's new government. Gaddafi was 69 years old and was reported to be found hiding in a drain outside of Sirte. He and a few others took shelter there after their convoy was hit by NATO airstrike while trying to escape. Lybia is under the control of the rebel government and hoping to become a democratic country.
- The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2011/oct/20/syria-libya-middle-east-unrest-live
- Although The Guardian is a British newspaper, they have created an online blog where professional bloggers post stories and readers can reply and share them with anyone and everyone.
- The Guardian's New Media Lab was created in September 1995 by the Board of Guardian Newspapers Ltd.
- The story is covered in many ways, but in this instance, a story about Gaddafi's death is presented and people can comment or share the article on different forms of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.
- This article is very reliable and full of facts. The opinions are represented through the comments left by readers.
- This article is a touchy subject for many because some are happy about Gaddafi's death, some may feel upset about, and some may not even know who he is or what he has done in his life. A person's death is a very sensitive subject, and this article brings a private matter into the open but not in a hurtful, disrespectful way.
- The Libyan Revolution is a multi-media story that is presented on television, radio, and the internet.
An Interactive Timeline of the Middle East Protests
Here's a handy way to track the chronology of the many revolutions:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2011/mar/22/middle-east-protest-interactive-timeline
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2011/mar/22/middle-east-protest-interactive-timeline
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