Reflections

The world of blogging was new to me when I first started this. As I got more involved in it, one thing caught my attention. It is too easy. Anyone from anywhere can say anything they want and thanks to the power of the Internet, they have the potential of being heard. To a certain extent that is a scary thing. False information can and will cause a lot of problems. There definitely are some hoaxers out in Cyberspace that do prey on the gullible.

Also, in putting this blog together, I did learn to write for a large demographic audience. I thoroughly enjoyed creating the actual blog (designing, color schemes and font sizes). Although I did use most of the default or preset themes, there was not much designing to do. My design is meant to be simple and I did not want the reader to be bombarded with flash animations or too many colors. I decided that since I had chose such an important topic, filling the entire screen with color would not be appropriate.

I also wanted to make sure that the reader or viewer can click on links in order for them to view what I had viewed. Also, it will help them understand certain discussions more in depth.

All in all, I did enjoy this process and will definitely continue to maintain this blog and get my views across. I now consider myself a Blogger.

Control of Media by Politicians

Remember the movie Enemy of the State starring Will Smith? Throughout the movie, we learn that the U.S. government not only watch our every move but are capable of intruding in our personal lives as well. Politicians do in fact control the media. Take into account that freedom of speech does exist in Western countries but I'm sure the U.S. government does take offend to the various punters that take a blow at them but to a certain extent, the government also controls what they say. That whole freedom of speech amendment is in fact being practiced but with a close eye from the government. Take Malaysia for example, freedom of speech is not a luxury. It is supposed to be a right but if there are any bad mouthing going around about a political figure, that person can be thrown to jail. So where is the freedom of speech? To view more about this, please click here. At the end of the day, the government, or politicians can and do control the media and what they want us to hear. This is not a conspiracy theory against any government but just an observation.

Take Hollywood for example. Forbes, 2000 found that the U.S. government had wanted more anti-drug campaigns that will get the publics attention. What did they do? They went to television shows. Shows like Beverly Hills 90210, The Drew Carey Show and Chicago Hope (all used to be prime time shows) filled their shows with anti-drug campaigns and celebrity politicians. Even television shows were invaded. The message was for a good cause, but the point is, when will the government stop invading our heads?

Again, like I mentioned earlier, which one is taking advantage of the other. The media does sometimes blow things out of proportion to sell a story but isn't it all being regulated by the government? And what about countries like Malaysia, where getting ideas or opinions across might end up landing a person in prison?

At the end of the day, politics and media will continue to flourish one another. They need one another. A scandalous story of a politician is likely to turn more heads than a politician trying to get a new Act passed.

The problem and the solution lies in society itself. If we stop paying attention to the events that don't matter and start being pro actively involved, both politicians and the media will have to change their tune.

We don't realize that we have the Trump card and they have to work to our tastes.

Reference:
Forbes, D, Control of Media by Politicians, Ashville Magazine, January 13, 2000

Politics in the Media

Politicians are often critical of the way the media reports politics, claiming that they over-simplify, exaggerate and focus too much on scandals or disagreements between politicians. For their part the media often accuse politicians, particularly the Government, of over-complicating matters and trying to manipulate the media for their own benefit.

Clearly, politicians and the media have a trust issue - but it's not only a problem between them. With both politicians and the media being amongst the least respected professions in the UK, it's clear that the public also has a problem with the media and politicians. This is a serious issue because of the significant roles that politicians and the media play in UK society.

Newspapers, magazines, TV, the internet and other types of media are used by the public to find information about what's going with the issues they care about and Parliament generally. So, if there's a communication breakdown between politicians and the media then that's going to have a big effect on the people of the UK in terms of their political knowledge and ability to get involved.

Martin Linton has been on both sides of the barricades. He was a journalist for the Guardian before becoming a Member of Parliament. "I'm afraid a lot of journalists have a deeply ingrained desire to do politicians down and to interpret everything they do in a snide and over-cynical light, maybe because journalism is one of the few professions which is trusted even less than politicians. There's no point in lecturing journalists. It just makes them even more paranoid. But don't you think it would be good for the ordinary citizen if there was a source of simple straightforward information - not comment - from the Government that was unmediated by the media?"

To view more about Martin Linton, click here.

MySpace Revolution

MySpace is an online community phenomenon taking over every country regardless of gender, race and level of technological ability. Simon Canning's article "Politicians to seek young votes in cyberspace" in The Australian discusses the issue of My Space's domination now leading to Australian politicians using it as a medium to attract a younger audience.

Younger generations are increasingly using technology for information, entertainment and socialising. MySpace encompasses these three factors, making it a highly desirable form for any individual especially politicians. Politicians can be more open to the public, be more approachable, if you will.

Gone are the days that politicians can go into hiatus and only reappear during elections. With the age of Information Technology, politicians are required 24/7. They need to have a more public appeal. And what better way to have a public appeal than to have personal sites.

"With more than three million members registered in Australia, experts believe the online community could become an important factor in the election, connecting politicians with difficult-to-access members of generations X and Y who increasingly shun traditional media." (Canning 2007 p.15)

This is true; these generations are distancing themselves from the typical technological mediums which politicians and political parties use, TV commercials, print, brochures, letters, radio and newspapers. So politicians are coming to them, embracing MySpace and the format that entails.

"Barack Obama, John Edwards and Rudy Giuliani are among those who have embraced the new medium."(Canning 2007 p.15)


Canning, S 2007, 'Politicians to seek young votes in cyberspace', The Australian, May 31 p.15

The Internet and Elections

It has been observed that blogging is growing as a tool for promoting not only online engagement of citizens and public servants, but also offline engagement. Blogging activities by members of Congress, governors, city mayors, and police and fire departments in which they engage directly with the public. Blogging is also used within agencies to improve internal communications and speed the flow of information. Mr Tony Blair has been a fan of the Internet and and the technology revolution. Tony Blair delivered a message of congratulation's to the French President-Elect, Nicolas Sarkozy by posting a video on YouTube. To view the video, please click here. Never one to shy away from technology and the fact that we are living in a new age, Tony Blair has supported the Internet as a growing resource for politicians.

During the 2004 U.S. elections, the Internet did play a pivotal role. Politicians, still new to the idea of exploiting the Internet, used it haphazardly. Email was the main use as a media form. The Internet meant that politics can now be international. One of the frontrunners for the Democratic nomination, Mr Howard Dean, used the Internet to rally support and he went on to go from a no-hoper to one of the top contenders. I guess this says enough of the Internet. It is wide enough to reach any target audience and the fact that it is international, politicians can now reach out to everyone, whether for better or worse.

Politics and Media, Media and Politics?

After reading the full speech, one main question reoccurred:- Do politicians exploit the media or does the media exploit politicians? Tony Blair pointed out that the media overwhelmed his personal life. While that may be true, there are some politicians that use the media to their advantage. With the help of the Internet and the fact that nearly everybody in the whole world has access to it, websites such as YouTube can in fact give politicians the edge, if they want it. More than half the time, they not only want it, but need it. YouTube has opened doors for so many politicians and also normal, everyday people who want to express themselves visually. Nearly any subject matter can be searched an then viewed. From mishaps of George W. Bush to political speeches by Hillary Clinton.

I guess its very much similar to the media and the entertainment industry. Hollywood depends heavily on the media and an actor may or may not use the media to his or her personal advantage. The same thing applies in politics. If Nelson Mandela had the power of the Internet to grab the world's attention, chances are, he would have used it. In that sense, its alright I guess. It's not for personal gain. He had a vision that South Africa would adopt a full democratic system. He then went on to become South Africa's 11th President after spending 27 years in jail. He is now the the epitome of freedom and equality.

Now the question is, are politicians using the media for personal gain? During elections, obviously the media have been playing a pivotal role. From posters to advertisements on radio and television, the media and politics have had an ongoing relationship for decades. With the help of the Internet, it has become much more accessible. This media form has revolutionized the world of advertising and reaching out. It is easier to be heard now than ever before.

Some examples of being heard and seen with the help of the Internet:-
http://www.thekidfrombrooklyn.com/
http://www.lg15.com/

The Media and Politics

As you will see, the corresponding articles will have to do with the media and the political world. There is no doubt that the two go hand in hand. While there are many accredited writers that do address this topic, I personally, was spurred on by the former Prime Minster of The United Kingdom, Mr Tony Blair's speech one week before leaving office. In his speech, he addressed the media about their harshness, its toll on his personal life and its overall effect on the political world, amongst others. To view his full speech, please click here.

In his speech, Blair identified the media concentrating more on the 'impact' of story rather than the actual news. He stated, by having 'impact' a competitive edge exists. the accuracy of a story is regarded as secondary. Nick Robinson, the political editor of BBC News stated that he is glad that Blair started an important debate that is affecting this age. For Nick Robinson's full thoughts on this matter, click here.

Classifications of Blogs

Blogs can be started by anyone anywhere. With this in mind, there is no limit to the mount of people that are submitting their thoughts about a subject matter. Subjects range from celebrity gossip, automobiles, and sport. Click here to view one example of a blog that has gained worldwide attention for the latest Hollywood gossip. An for you car lovers, a local man from Malaysia got sick and tired of reviews of some of his favorite cars, so he decided to review them himself. He's site is the number one viewed site in Malaysia. Click here to view his site.

These two examples are nothing compared to the array of blog topics out in cyber space. Nearly every thinkable topic or discussion is out there. It is just a matter of finding them.

Designing for Print vs Designing for Online

Since the phenomenon of blogging has taken off, there is a need to distinguish the design concepts for online publications and print publication.

Newspapers and magazines are forms of print publication. When designing for print, it is crucial to know that readers have to be given all the information needed (Kress and Van Leeuwen 1998). Information needs to be carefully selected and then designed or put together in an order that is identifiable. That is one of the reasons a newspaper's layout does not change over time.

On the other hand, for online publications, such as Websites, information can be scattered and snippets or samples of information is used (Parker 2003). Links allow readers of 'guests' to view what they want. For example, viewers of a hotel home page do not need to read a whole passage and to find out about contact details. They can simply click on its respective link to view the contact details. Click here for an example.

Information provided over the Internet can be concise and short. If a site is constructed effectively, guests can decide for themselves the information they want to be viewing.


Kress, G & van Leeuwen, T 1998, 'Front pages: (the critical) analysis of newspaper layout' in Bell, Allen & Garret, Peter (eds) 1998, Approaches to media discourse, Blackwell, Oxford, Chapter 7, pp. 186-219

Parker, C. 2003, Designing Documents for Web distribution, Looking Good in Print, 5th edition, Paraglyph Press, Scottsdale AZ, p269-93.

The Purpose of Blogging

Blogging has now evolved into an online diary where Internet users from all around the world can post comments, ideas or views online. One of the earliest known bloggers is Brad Fitzpatrick. Blogs are no longer just personal diaries. Now they are used to take various forms, ranging from various topics such as news, politics, travel and fashion. Most of the time, blogs are 'posted' as events occur, making blogs a good source to get news or views fast, but not necessarily accurate. In some instances, blogs have news or discussions on current events even before they are published in newspapers or broad casted on the news.