Are
you connected, are you logged on? In today’s world mass media is everywhere you
are. From the moment some of us wake-up, until we shut our eyes for the night
mass media is available keeping us informed and in touch. We come in contact
with some form of media everyday, whether it’s economically, socially, or
culturally. Today’s technology allows us to be totally mobile, making media
convenient, streaming movies over our laptops, download music and books to our
cell phones with the option of news and entertainment with the touch of your
finger.
According
to Clay Shirky, the article “Everyone is a Media Outlet,” simply argues that
previously, the word professional carried some weight and people who were
professionals were well respected. Shirky states, “most professions exist
because there is a scarce resource that requires ongoing management and skill”
(Shirky 57). Also, a professional learns things in a way different from most
(Shirky 58). So, the job of the professional has now been put in the hands of
the amateur. In today’s world, individuals who have no formal training or
educational background can dominate the field of journalism by way of posting
to Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Text Messages or blogging. Sometime these social
media outlets can spread news as it’s happening faster than traditional news
outlets. Therefore, anyone who has access to the Internet can and produce and
publish their own topics and discussions on politics, entertainment, social
issues and world news.
Mass
amateurization in a nutshell, explains how a group of non-professionals have
mastered the craft once controlled by professionals. In relation to Shirky, the
principal threat to all newspapers small and large was not competition from
other newspapers but radical changes in the overall ecosystem of information
(Shirky 56).
By using the resources of today the average person with
access to a computer can people can publish what they want based on what is
important to them. Unfortunately, this is changing the quality of what is being
made public. A local issue can now become a national issue after being posted
on the web. For instance, the Trent Lott story where he made a comment based on
events that happened in 1948. Although, no major news outlets were at the event
to capture the comment made. That didn’t stop his comment from making headlines
days later, due to fact people blogged about it. This is a perfect example of
what is meant by mass amateurization, even though your not present to witness
something first hand, but due to social media outlets you are able to find out
everything that happened just as if you were there. This is another case in
point that, we can receive information as its happening and don’t have to wait
for the six o’clock news to uncover a story, regardless of importance. Prior to
the Internet, the ability to produce and publish was restricted to the
professionals who possessed education and a code of proper conduct. But thanks
to the Internet and other media outlets, something that was once done in high
standards and respect, has now been opened to anyone who wants to be heard.
Basically, mass amateurization comes down to publishing, anyone who can access
the Internet via their mobile phone, or any electronic device can produce and
distribute their ideas and onions.
In
relation to Why Heather Can Read, it talks specifically about participatory. It
promotes literacy for all, while all being done over the Internet. This created
a wide spread controversy over whether this new fade of books should be banned,
and if sites should be censored. I you have something that peaks a child’s
interest and encourages them to read and write, I consider that a win. They
created their own platform for learning, something teaches often hit a brick
wall, finding something that the kids love and want to be apart of. All sides
want to have a hand in how we educate the young, since shaping childhood is
often seen as a way shaping the future direction of our culture (Jenkins 177).
The Harry Potter phenomenon helped change the way not only children, as well as
some adults expands our writing skills producing and publishing pieces for the
world to see and also become apart of. Why Heather Can Read, illustrates
another example of mass amateurization, everyone now can participate in writing
an article or story posting it to the web. Although this is a great opportunity
for people to step away from the traditional classroom, are we allowing them to
be creative and show a form of expression? I think this was a major impact and
wake-up call to the world of journalism, Walter Cronkite is considered one of
the greatest in the field of journalism. Now, the average Joe can create a
market of its own with a large following based on the information and news they
put out their for the world to see, participate in the discussion and give feed
back. For those that didn’t the formal education and training to be considered
a professional in the eyes of corporate society, they took the largest platform
out available to be heard.
As
a result of today’s world of media, the future of the professional is unclear, computers
and the Internet has become the HUB station of information that formerly relied
on written words and major news sources. Computer technology allows for things
to happen much faster, the use of satellite broadcast, digital delivery and the
Internet is transforming the media to people faster than ever thought possible.
At one point the government could control what was being related to the public.
The Internet brings the world directly to the comfort of your living room. Like
everything else, once any and everyone can do it or has access to it becomes
standard.
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