Facebook sets up 'social VR' team to explore virtual reality beyond games
Summary: Facebook has created a “social VR” team to explore virtual-reality technology’s potential beyond games, as it prepares for the consumer launch of its Oculus Rift VR headset. Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg revealed the plans in a surprise appearance at Samsung’s Mobile World Congress press conference, while talking up the popularity of 360-degree videos on Facebook, and on Samsung’s Gear VR headset – which uses technology from Oculus. Key Data:
“People have already watched more than a million hours of video in Gear VR,”explained a blog post from Facebook following the event. “Already, millions of people watch 360 videos on Facebook every day. More than 20,000 have been uploaded, with hundreds more added daily.”
HTC has confirmed that its Vive headset will cost $799, with pre-orders opening at the end of February. Meanwhile, LG is launching its own headset, designed to work with its new G5 Android smartphone.
New Day: Trinity Mirror's national newspaper to be aimed mainly at women
Summary:
Trinity Mirror has confirmed it will launch an "upbeat" and "optimistic" national newspaper called New Day on 29 February. The media giant said the tabloid "will be an entirely new newspaper" and not a "light version" of their flagship newspaper the Daily Mirror. "It will report with an upbeat, optimistic approach and will be politically neutral. It will cover important stories in a balanced way, without telling the reader what to think."
Key Data:
Simon Fox, the chief executive of Trinity Mirror, told BBC Radio Four’s Today programme the new paper will have an emphasis on reporting for women but will not have an online arm.
In a statement on the company's website, Mr Fox said: "The New Day will cover news and topical content but with a modern style and tone, aimed at a wide audience of women and men who want something different from what is currently available.
The newspaper will be available for free from over 40,000 retailers on its first day, 29 February, and then will be sold at 25p for two weeks before going up to 50p after that.
Independent staff condemn closures as owner moves to keep big names
Summary: Staff at the Independent have condemned the closure of its print titles and cast doubt on managers’ promise to improve the quality of the website as the company transfers to a digital-only format. The Independent’s owners have moved fast to ensure that some of the papers’ biggest names – including Robert Fisk, Grace Dent and Patrick Cockburn – will continue to write for its digital-only operation. Key Data:
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said the move, which also includes the£25m sale of the i newspaper to Johnston Press, was likely to cost about 100 jobs.
According to the NUJ, Johnston Press staff also “expressed astonishment that the company, which is making job cuts on its regional and local papers and has not filled vacancies for some time, leaving staff with unmanageable workloads, was able to find £25m ‘down the back of the sofa’ to buy the i”.
Viz magazine could be permanently banned from Facebook
Summary:
The comic Viz has had its company page pulled from Facebook for violating the social media site's "welcoming, respectful environment". A message posted on the comic's Twitter stated: "Facebook have taken the Viz page down. We can appeal, but if we get it wrong, we'll be 'permanently deleted'. Oo-er."
Key Data:
Viz is known for its risque content and black humour, with often graphic and violent content. It was founded in 1979 and parodies conventional comics such as The Beano and The Dandy, as well as tabloids and popular culture. It has a circulation of around 50,000 per issue.
Facebook's policy of censoring some material has attracted criticism from campaigners who say that the company is unfairly stiffling free speech.
The Independent becomes the first national newspaper to embrace a global, digital-only future
Summary:
The Independent is to become the first national newspaper title to move to a digital-only future, owners ESI Media have announced. The move will capitalise on The Independent’s position as the fastest growing UK quality newspaper website, and will ensure a sustainable and profitable future. The Independent’s last paper edition is expected to be published in March.
Key Data:
Its monthly audience has grown 33.3% in the last 12 months to nearly 70 million global unique users.
The site is profitable and is expected to see revenue growth of 50% this year.
Evgeny Lebedev, owner of The Independent, said: “The newspaper industry is changing, and that change is being driven by readers. They’re showing us that the future is digital.
My View:
I believe the independent newspaper is adapting well to the audiences needs as people would find it to be much more convenient now and also in the digital future.
The government has appointed a Facebook director and the former head of Amazon UK to a new advisory committee on the digital economy, despite the ongoing row over the amounts such companies have paid in tax to the UK exchequer. The appointments come days after it emerged that the Department for Work and Pensions plans to give a non-executive directorship to Amazon’s boss in China, Doug Gurr. Minister for the Cabinet Office Matt Hancock said he had appointed Facebook’s Richard Allan, the director of policy, Europe, to a new advisory board that will help shape the government’s digital services.
Key Data:
In October last year it emerged that Facebook paid just £4,327 in corporation tax in the UK.
Its revenues in the UK were £105m last year but the company declared an operating loss of £28.5m.
Amazon’s UK business paid just £11.9m in tax in 2014, even though its Luxembourg unit took £5.3bn from internet sales in the UK.
Collective identity is the shared sense of belonging to a group. In Media Studies, we need to consider the influence media has over a person’s sense of identity.
This is closely linked to the key concept of representation as the way groups are portrayed in the media can influence our sense of identity.
Collective identity: theories
Marxism and the Frankfurt School
Marxists believe identity is constructed through hegemony imposed by the ruling elite. A sense of individual identity is a myth that prevents people challenging powerful groups.
This links to the Frankfurt School, a group of influential Marxists who viewed media audiences as passive vessels. They believe the media is used to control and manipulate people. Example: Apple branding Apple’s branding suggests individuality and creative freedom... But in fact it is a massive profit-seeking corporation looking to sell as widely as possible.
Daniel Chandler: CAGE
Daniel Chandler suggested the acronym CAGE, stating our identity is constructed through class, age, gender and ethnicity.
Does this still apply in the 21st century? Do we construct our own identities along these lines? Think about your presence on social media.
Stuart Hall: media construction
Stuart Hall suggests the media actively constructs our society rather than reflecting it back.
Our identity is part of this and therefore any sense of individuality we may feel is actually constructed through the media we engage with.
Constructing our own identities
New technology has changed the way we see ourselves and others. Through social media we can construct identities for ourselves.
Example: Facebook
How did you choose your profile pic?
What do you ‘like’?
What groups have you joined?
How many friends do you have?
Shared identity online
New technology has also created the opportunity for people to form groups online that represent their shared identity. Think about the work we have already done on feminism and online activism.
Collective identity in the 21st Century
So, collective identity doesn’t just refer to representations in mainstream media. It also refers to self-constructed identity by users of social media and communities formed online of shared identity (e.g. Feminism).
Collective identity: blog task
Read the Media Magazine article on collective identity: Self-image and the Media (MM41 - page 6). Our Media Magazine archive is here.
Complete the following tasks on your blog:
1) Read the article and summarise each section in one sentence, starting with the section 'Who are you?'
-Who are you section : we all construct an image to communicate our identity. There is a difference between the person we think we are, the person we want to be and the person we want to be seen to be.
-I think, therefore I am : we present ourselves based on social constructs, constructed outside of our selves; class, religion, gender and the predetermined roles
-The rise of the individual : idea that beneath the surface there was an ‘essential self’ – the core of who you actually are.
-Branding and lifestyle : Branding is the association of a ‘personality’ with a product. Advertisers sell the personality rather than the product, so that people will choose products that match their own self image.
2) List brands you are happy to be associated with and explain how they reflect your sense of identity.
-Apple: as I own multiple apple products, and I use my iPhone constantly.
-Instagram : This is the social networking site I like to use the most
3) Do you agree with the view that modern media is all about 'style over substance'? What does this expression mean?
-I agree that modern media is all about style over substance. it seems that people are more concerned with being defined through their sense of style and the materialistic products they possess rather than the authentic human experiences.
4) Explain Baudrillard's theory of 'media saturation' in one paragraph. You may need to research it online to find out more.
-Baurdrillard's theory of 'media saturation' results in high cultural value being placed on external factors such as physical beauty and fashion sense over internal traits such as intelligence or compassion.
5) Is your presence on social media an accurate reflection of who you are? Have you ever added or removed a picture from a social media site purely because of what it says about the type of person you are?
-Social media presents a reflection of what the user wants to show themselves as to others. People usually rely heavily on 'likes' and 'comments' to feel good about their appearance. Personally, although I may post pictures of myself onto apps such as instagram, it doesn't give people information of the type of person I am, people construct their own opinions of you through what you post which doesn't affect me as I don't rely on people's opinions to construct my own identity.
6) What is your opinion on 'data mining'? Are you happy for companies to sell you products based on your social media presence and online search terms? Is this an invasion of privacy?
-Data mining allows corporations to create products designed to meet the needs we reveal in our personal information and ultimately we end up selling our selves. This is an invasion of privacy as corporations have our personal details and I am against that.
The media we choose to watch says a lot about us as people – it helps toconstruct our identity.
Complete the following tasks using Media Factsheet 142: Identity and Film. You'll find it in our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets
1) Read Media Factsheet 142: Identity and Film.
2) Complete the Twenty Statements Test yourself. This means answering the question ‘Who am I?’ 20 times with 20 different answers. What do they say about your identity? Write the 20 answers in full on your blog.
-I am a female -I am Indian
-I am a student -I am the youngest in my house
-I am a feminist -I am a film lover -I am a fan of action movies -I am a caring person -I am extremely lazy -I am loud
-I am amazing -I am a good listener -I am violent :) [WARNING: don't mess with me] -I am kind -I am polite -I am funny -I am highly addicted to sweets -I am 17 -I am going to turn 18 on the 3rd of August -I am the best.
3) Classify your answers into the categories listed on the Factsheet: Social groups, ideological beliefs, interests etc.
Self-evaluation : I am a caring person -I am extremely lazy -I am loud -I am amazing -I am a good listener -I am violent :) [WARNING: don't mess with me] -I am kind -I am polite -I am funny Ideological: I am a feminist Interests: -I am a film lover -I am a fan of action movies
4) Go back to your favourite film (as identified in the lesson). What does this choice of film say about your identity? Are there any identities within the film (e.g. certain characters) that particularly resonated with your values and beliefs? -I love the Harry Potter movies; although they don't contribute to my identity, I just enjoy watching movies like that.
Yahoo admits it could sell off its core internet business
Summary:
Yahoo has opened the door to a sale of its core internet business, as part of a raft of measures aimed at reversing the company’s long-running slump. Yahoo has come under pressure from activist investors to sell off its main business and cut costs so it can return to better shape. Yahoo will also close offices in five cities - Dubai, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Madrid and Milan - and raise up to $3bn from the sale of non-core assets.
Key Data:
The US search firm, which also revealed that it suffered a $4.4bn loss last year, said it would explore “strategic alternatives” for the internet unit alongside its preferred plan of a spin-off.
in November 2014, Yahoo revealed plans to axe 15pc of its workforce. It aims to have 9,000 employees by the end of the year.
As its core business has struggled, Yahoo has been looking at ways to maximise the performance of its $24bn stake in Chinese internet retailer Alibaba.
My View:
In my opinion, yahoo is not a very popular option for internet so selling its core internet business may be the best thing to do.
Twitter shares jump over 10pc on talk of Marc Andreessen and Silver Lake takeover
Summary:
Shares in Twitter leapt more than 11pc at one stage on Monday amid reports that the company may be a takeover target for private equity group Silver Lake and famous Silicon Valley investor Marc Andreessen. Twitter, which is struggling with growth two years after it floated in New York, is rapidly becoming seen as a takeover target as its share price falls, making a potential deal more likely. Google and News Corp have both been rumoured to be interested, although the latter denied it two weeks ago.
Key data:
The news sent shares in Twitter soaring but they fell back after reports that the private equity group was not interested, trading around 5.5pc up.
Its market value is now around $11bn, less than 25pc of its peak.
Google and News Corp have both been rumoured to be interested, although the latter denied it two weeks ago.
My view:
In my opinion, twitter has been a very popular social networking site for a long while, which is why I think the shares have grown especially due to the talk of the new takeover.
First wave: early 20th century, suffragette movement (right to vote).
Second wave: 1960s – 1990s, reproductive rights (pill), abortion, equal pay.
Third wave: 1990s – present, empowerment, reclaiming of femininity (high heels, sexuality etc. See Angela McRobbie's work on women's magazines).
Fourth wave? 2010 – ongoing, use of new technology and digital media (e.g. Twitter) for activism.
Fourth wave?
Many commentators argue that the internet itself has enabled a shift from ‘third-wave’ to ‘fourth-wave’ feminism. What is certain is that the internet has created a ‘call-out’ culture, in which sexism or misogyny can be ‘called out’ and challenged.
This culture is indicative of the continuing influence of the third wave, with its focus on challenging sexism and misogyny in advertising, film, television and the media.
Key quote: “power users of social media”
The internet has facilitated the creation of a global community of feminists who use the internet both for discussion and activism.
According to #FemFuture: Online Feminism, a report recently published by Columbia University’s Barnard Center for Research on Women, females aged between 18 and 29 are the ‘power users of social networking’.
Critics of online feminist movements suggest that petitions and pressure from Twitter campaigns is simply a witchhunt orchestrated by privileged middle-class white women.
They ask: are ‘trolls’ the danger they are portrayed to be?
Case study: Everyday Sexism
Watch this TEDx talk by Everyday Sexism founder Laura Bates:
Caroline was the feminist campaigner who had won her battle with the Bank of England to reinstate a woman on the back of an English banknote. Caroline had campaigned since it was announced that social reformer Elizabeth Fry was to be wiped off the fiver and replaced with Winston Churchill, leaving an all-male, all-white lineup on our English banknotes. Criado-Perez had threaten to sue the bank under the 2010 Equality Act. The then Bank of England governor, Mervyn King, appeared to dismiss her request. Then, within a week of new boss Mark Carney taking up his post, she had been invited to the bank and asked if she would accept Jane Austen on the back of a tenner. Five days later, Criado-Perez was back on the news in a very different context. This time she was talking about the rape and death threats she had received on Twitter, following her victory. I believe that Caroline's campaign was successful as it meant that women have equality around economics and politics by remaining on the banknote. She states that 'Women have always been put in their place and kept there through the threat of sexual violence. What social media has done is enable people to behave in way they wouldn't face to face."
Caitlin Moran created a Twitter trend called #TwitterSilence, this Trend was towards women and for women who were not able to speak out. Twitter, however, had already announced it would be listening to the protests of the U.K. feminists, adding more staff to deal with abuse claims and rolling out its current "Report Abuse" button for iPhone to its Android and web platforms as well.
However, many people were allowing Twitter users to "Report Abuse" and would do anything but make it harder for feminists to make their voices heard. This campaign was not useful as women were not getting their opinions across by being silent.
Emma Watson started the "HeForShe gender equality campaign" which was the first campaign of its kind at the UN to try and motivate as many men and boys as possible to be advocates for gender equality. She outlines how no country in the world can yet say they have achieved gender equality. - "it is right that as a woman I am paid the same as my male counterparts. I think it is right that I should be able to make decisions about my own body. I think it is right that women be involved on my behalf in the policies and decision-making of my country. I think it is right that socially I am afforded the same respect as men. But sadly I can say that there is no one country in the world where all women can expect to receive these rights." It's a balanced debate as she then goes on to identify that men are being imprisoned by gender stereotypes - "Men don’t have the benefits of equality either - young men suffering from mental illness unable to ask for help for fear it would make them look less “macho”—in fact in the UK suicide is the biggest killer of men between 20-49 years of age; eclipsing road accidents, cancer and coronary heart disease." Overall, I think Emma Watson's campaign is valid as it looks at both sides and discusses the issues surrounding gender stereotypes, such as pressures from society to look a certain way.
Individual blog task
Choose THREE of the examples above, read the linked articles and complete the three tasks above on your MEST3 exam blog for each.
A current debate in feminism is whether we are in a post-feminist state: is feminhism still needed?
Feminist theory: key notes Judith Butler: gender roles Butler believes traditional feminists are wrong to divide society into ‘men’ and ‘women’ and says gender is not biologically fixed. By dividing men and women, feminists accidently reinforced the idea of differences between the two genders Butler believes gender roles are ‘a performance’ and that male and female behaviour is socially constructed rather than the result of biology. Butler and the media If gender is a ‘performance’ rather than biological, we then need to think about what is influencing that ‘performance’. And that’s where the media comes in. How might the media influence our behaviour in terms of gender roles? Angela McRobbie: empowering women McRobbie is a British cultural theorist known for her work analysing magazines aimed at women and teenage girls in the 80s and 90s. McRobbie highlights the empowering nature of magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Glamour, taking a different perspective to traditional feminists. This idea of ‘popular feminism’ fits into the idea of post-feminism and challenges the radical feminism of the 1970s.
Feminism: blog task
Watch the Beyonce video for ‘Why Don’t You Love Me?’
1) How might this video contribute to Butler’s idea that gender roles are a ‘performance’?
- This video contributes to Butler's theory of gender roles being a performance as she is portraying the social construction of what society expects of her, also we see Beyonce fixing a car, which is typically a 'mans' job - this shows how gender role are a 'performance'.
2) Would McRobbie view Beyonce as an empowering role model for women?
- McRobbie may not view Beyoncehe may also be dis empowering women as she is self objectifying her self through sexualising her whole entirety, to something of less value and importance.
3) What are your OWN views on this debate – does Beyonce empower women or reinforce the traditional ‘male gaze’ (Mulvey)?
-In my opinion, I think that Beyonce reinforces the traditional 'male gaze'. This is due to the fact that she is wearing a tight, figure-hugging, 'sexy' outfit, which males gaze upon and stare at her body.
