Response (#9)
Among the obvious speculations and grandiose expectations of new media, one has to admit, it is a fairly remarkable time to be alive. The ways in which we communicate are changing ever so rapidly since the arrival of the internet. Like never before the audience is taking part in distributing media through a variety of outlets. No other form of communication has allowed the audience to become active participants in the information we soak up. “This circulation of media content- across different media systems, competing media economies, and national borders- depends heavily on consumers’ active participation (Jenkins, H pg. 3)”
The blending of old media to new media is becoming an interesting phenomenon in itself. In 2001, Dino Ignacio a high school student, posted several images of Bert, from Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie, interacting with notorious bad guys such as Bin Laden. The images were a collage of pictures depicting Bert as evil. Ignacio photo shopped several of these collages and posted them to his web site. Unbeknownst to him, this image would play a role in the quirky things that happen when blending new media with old. A publisher from Bangladesh searched the web for images of Bin Laden and came across the one with Bert and chose to use it for anti-American posters, tee shirts, and signs. Since Sesame Street is not a promenant part of the culture over their, Bert was plastered all over posing with Bin Laden. During a broadcast on CNN, The Children’s Television Workshop got hold of what was going on and immediately demanded an explanation. Long story short the boy was asked to remove the images from his site.
The power of the web and user driven content is bound to make several more splashes as these two Medias collide. Even though new media is heavily supplied by users, there will always be a place for old media. Between newspapers and television, there is still a large chunk of the audience that relies on them for the news. Most blogger and new media enthusiasts have the means and interest to engage in this technology as where older folks and those to busy to care may retreat to more comfortable forms of information retrieval. None the less, the more users that explore this new media the more challenges arise. As we travel this road of convergence, we are bound to witness more mishaps like those of Dino Ignacio’s. No matter how innocent it may be, boundaries will be crossed and names will be ruined until we get a better handle on this wild horse we are trying to ride. Until then, hold on tight it is going to be a bumpy ride.
Citations:
Jenkins, H. (2006). Introduction: “Worship at the alter of convergence” Convergence Culture.
New York: NYU Press.
Felton, E. (2004). Rip, mix, burn, sue: Technology, politics, and the fight to control digital media. Princeton University President’s Lecture Series, no. 1.
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