Essay.

1501ART
New Communication Technologies
Essay
Megan Pope-s2676113
Thursday 1-3pm
Chris Mamo Zelos

How Television Interacts As A One Way Communication Platform.

Television was once a black and white box which showed us the technology of the future, but since its humble beginning the television has evolved into an interactive medium which influences the way we view programs.
The first television was created in 1926 by John Baird who created the first workable television set out of a series of strips of light and shaded images. In 1928 Baird “created colour television by scanning in primary colours” (Macquarie History Of Ideas, p 834) onto alternative strips of the shaded images to create a moving colour image. The television proceeded to evolve through time and in the 1930’s the invention of the iconoscope “saw a boom in television technology” (Macquarie History Of Ideas, p 834) with more companies getting involved with the television market. As this new technology developed so did the televisions development in Britain with a “total television system including a camera tube known as an Emitron”( Macquarie History Of Ideas, p 834) being created by a British research group. In 1938 another breakthrough occurred in the field of television with the creation of a “transmission system that could that could be received by both black and white and colour sets” (Macquarie History Of Ideas, p 834). After the basic transmission system had been created the worldwide invasion of television began with it soon invading households around the western world. (Inside the Magic Rectangle: Recent Research on the History of Television, J. Foot, 1992) (The History of Television, Jezek, 2006)

The use of programs on television has been labelled as a way “… to communicate the subject matter in ways that use the medium of television most effectively.” (B, Rustin, 1971, p.63) From what was once a device for informing viewers had become a vital part of everyday life with more and more people depending on it as a source of entertainment. With its news found power the use of the television began to change, it not only sold products but paid for its programs through the use of interactive methods. We’ve all noticed these subtle methods through out the television programming, “call now and win”, “it’s up to you” and my personal favourite “it’s your show”. By using these catch phrases and specific wording, programs are able to draw viewers into interacting with the television on a higher level than channel surfing. In most cases you wouldn’t realise that you are playing into the hands of the programs creators by taking an interest into the program and spending money to ensure its continuation. (The Impact of Television, T. Macbeth Williams)

Big Brother is a television program which based almost solely on the interactivity of viewers with there opinions helping to alter the foundation of the competition. Now you not only watch the program on your television but on your computer or phone as well which increases your interest in the program. The show works on the premise that viewers vote regularly for there favourite “housemate”to ensure they remain in the competition, every night a list of “housemates in trouble” are announced, this then provokes viewers to vote again for there favourite to ensure they remain in the house. On “eviction night” the hosts make the claim that “your favourite is not out of danger yet so vote now to save your favourite…” this provokes viewers to increase there votes and continue calling even though in some cases the price of voting has increased. “Most of us harbour some guilt feelings about spending, or ‘wasting’, so much time in front of ‘the box’ with so little to show for it…” (Television and its Audience, P. Barwise, A. Ehrenberg, p.137) but now with a result that a viewer can see in a tangible form some of this initial guilt will be removed. By doing this the show increases its daily audience and gains funds for broadcasting and prize money as well as making a profit all from phone polling through the television. (Television and its Audience, P. Barwise, A. Ehrenberg, p.137)
Interactive television has not only increased the amount of money people spend on programs everyday but has increased the amount of time we spend watching television to an average of “22.7 hours per week” (Statistics: Television, 2008) for adults and an average “38 hours (a week)” (Television Statistics, p1. 2008) for children. By using phone polls to help alter television shows, stations are able to monitor which programs are being watched more frequently and have the best effect on persuading viewers to vote. For example if more people voted during the ad break of “Rove” it would generally mean the audience which watches “Rove” are more likely to vote on other days therefore a company can increase the amount of promotions they put in each ad break as “enjoyment evokes responsiveness” (B M. Rustin, p. 63, 1971) in viewers. (N M. Hopkins, A K. Mullis, p. 177-180, 2008)
Television shows can connect with viewers on other levels excluding interactive media, some programs appeal to a person simplest flaw, emotion. Many television shows may not have the best content or the best budget but still gain high ratings by appealing to people’s heart strings. Shows like “Saving Kids”, “RPA” and “RSPCA Rescue” appeal to people not through phone polls but through the way in which a person can connect with the programs content on a deeper level. The synopsis on the “Saving Kids” website states the show is about “Little patients with big stories” (Saving Kids, 2008) This is another example of how television as a standard one way communication medium is able to communicate in a two way form.
In conclusion the way in which television has changed to incorporate new media technologies has allowed corporations to find yet another way to increase the amount of time we spend in front of the television. By incorporating phones and the internet into everyday programs, television was able to connect with a viewer on another level above the average one way communication technique. With its current status continuing to change it is no doubt that the future of interactive television is set to rise as it becomes less of one way communication medium and transforms into a two way communication form.






Bibliography
Book Sources

“The Macquarie History of Ideas”
Macquarie Library Pty. Ltd. 1983, p832-835.

“Television and its Audience”
SAGE Communications in Society Series, P Barwise, A Ehrenberg, p 137, SAGE Publications Ltd, 1988.

Journal Sources

“Inside the Magic Rectangle: Recent Research on the History of Television”
Contemporary European History, J Foot, p. 467- 475, Cambridge University Press, Unite Kingdom, 2002

“Family Perceptions of Television Viewing Habits”
Family Relations, Vol. 34. No. 2, N M. Hopkins, A K. Mullis, p. 177-180, National Council on Family Relations, 1985

“Looking at Television Isn’t Enough”
Music Educators Journal, vol 57. No.5, Technology in Music Teaching, B M. Rustin, p.63, The National Association for Music Education, 1971.

Internet Sources

“Television Statistics”
http://sociomedia.ibelgique.com/tvstats.htm, No Author, Date Accessed 22/04/08.


“Statistics on TV Viewing Habits (1994-2000)”
Media Awareness Network, http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/ research_documents/statistics/television/tv_viewing_habits.cfm, 2008.

“Saving Kids”
Synopsis, http://ten.com.au/ten/savingkids-synopsis.html, Network Ten, 2008.

“The History of Television”
Timeline of TV History, http://www.thehistoryoftelevision.com/, Geno Jezek, 2006.

“The Impact of Television: A Natural Experiment in Three Communities”
http://world.std.com/`jlr/comment/tv_impact.htm, T Macbeth Williams, J Redford, 1995.

Topic 12 - Electronic Civil Liberties / Creative Commons / Free and Open Source Software

Lecture
So this weeks lecture was a coninuation about peer to peer file sharing and also free software online. We spoke briefly about peer to peer file sharing again before we watched a movie by a corporation called "TED" which talked about how we once interected in a "read write" mode but now its more of a "read only" mode. The movie showed us clips of what people our age can create and made the point that while our parents are watching tv and listening to music we are making tv and making music. Whic is true considering this weeks tutorial task. After this point we began talking about free softwares and came up with a list of software we frequently use including, msn, internet explorer, windows office, photoshop, linus, mac OS, iTunes etc. we were then introduced into some other softwares which are free and work as efficently if not better than there expensive counter parts an example of this is GIMP *GNU Image Manipulation Program*. We spoke up the creation of the GNULinux platfrom and what provoke its creators to create free re-writable software.


Tutorial
so this is what i made on windows movie maker, which is non linear and i loathe it for that reason.
so yeah is my attempt it a montage of clips and effects of a band called all time low.



here is something more... non linear lets say...which was created on final cut pro.
not amazing work but still its better than that.




Readings

This weeks readings were "Why Software Should Not Have Owners" by Richard Stallman, FLOSS Is Not Just Good For Teeth and Cory Doctorow: Creative Commons. The readings talk about file sharing and open softwares on the internet. The creative commons reading speaks more against the concept of file sharing as it believes people have the right to create something and not have it stolen, in the same way however if you dont want your belongings stolen then you dont share it openly as such. The other readings speak about open software as well and that software should not be owned as a company as such but should be open to all users to use and modify in there own personal way. By doing this they could prevent people hacking systems and also use a broader amount of knowledge to increase the softwares potential.

Topic 11- The Ethics of Peer-to-Peer Filesharing

Lecture
This weeks lecture we watched Steal This Film 2, which was about the film industry and how it has evolved. It speaks about how copyright was produced and how its has effected the way films and other items are distributed. Another topic it discusses is the invention of the VCR, DVD and MP3 players, the VCR was considered a terrible invention by those involved in the film industry as it distributed movies. The basic television cable was also considered piracy as it was recreating the original tape from the studio. There are many other topics covered in this movie like if the product is on the internet shouldnt it be able to be downloaded and that once an item is put on the internet it spreads so quickly it is nearlly impossible to stop its spreading. Finally it speaks that while fighting file sharing they are really fighting the concepts of the internet.

Tutorial
Blog catch up and tutorial discussion.

Readings
This weeks reading was entitled When Pigs Fly: The Death of Oink, the Birth of Dissent, and a Brief History of Record Industry Suicide which was based on the music industry and how they make money. The reading spoke about how much money is wasted on miscellanious items that arent needed to produce or distribute music for example. dinners, holidays, flights and so on. It spoke about how to fill an new version of an ipod with legal music it would cost approximately $30,ooo when in contrast you can get it for free. He speaks about the concept that most cd's are created just to gain money for music business executives and in most cases not necessary to distribute music, a band who is considered mainstream for example"fall out boy" who have had several releases of there cd "infinity on high" even thought band members have stated that a re-release was not necessary. From that he suggests that if you like a band who is mainstream instead of buying there cd's buy there merch or tickets to there show, start a street team something that supports the band but not the greedy record executives. This will allow illegal downloading but still allow a band to make a profit and connect with there fans not there fans hip pockets.

Topic 10- Bladerunner

Lecture

This weeks lecture was a viewing of the movie "Bladerunner" a movie which is based about humans creating other human like creatures called "replicants". The movie was based in the future on the premise that humans created other beings as slaves or servants but in time they rebelled and were banned from the planet. The movie deals with different aspects of the future and what was perceived to be futuristic when the movie was created and how technology will dominate life. The movie showed how we depend on technologies and the negative effects it could have in the future on the technological revolution.

Tutorial
Draft work

Readings
This weeks reading was ‘Do androids dream of electric sheep’ by Philip K. Dick it related to blade runner, and gave a description that a 'blade runner" is: human (a) 1/ of or relating to people or humankind, 2/ having the nature, qualities or characteristics of people or humankind, 3/ of or relating to humankind as distinct from God or gods, animals or machines, (n) a human being. It talks about the use Voight-Kampff machine which in the movie measures if peoples emotions are instinctive or simulated in turn is able to detect if a person is a person or a replicant. The book talks about how some androids are examples of what it is to be a perfect human and the general flaws of humans that could be removed in a robot or "replicant". In general the reading discussed how people believed that an androids could be perfect and how this movie encapsulates this idea.

Topic 9- Cyberpunk

Lecture

This weeks lecture was on the history of cyberpunk and how the movement first began, and its different themes. There are five themes of cyberpunk: Technology and Mythology, Utopia and Dystopia, Cities as Machines, Modernism to Post Modernism and Technological Change. Cyberpunk can be defined as " a science fiction genre based in the possibilities inherent in computers, genetics, body modifications and corporate developments in the near future". We went into the background of cyberpunk and how it has progressed in time, we then went on to watch a French film called "Lajate`" (i cant spell). The film was about the threat of nuclear war and the aftermath that could occur from a nuclear attack, by using a serious of black and white pictures to a French voice over the movie told the story of the survivors who lived underground. Some survivors who were not scientists were used as tests subjects and subjected to different forms of mind alterations in the hope of traveling through time to alter the past and the present. The movie itself had a good storyline and general background to the nuclear war but was slightly confusing as the voice over was both dialogue, movement, gestures and expression. Apart from these facts the movie showed a great insight into what effects nuclear war could have on the world and how it may destroy civilization as we know it.

Tutorial
Draft work.

Reading
This weeks readings were "Allegory Of Plato's Cave" and "Burning Chrome", we read a chapter from a cyberpunk novel by William Gibson. The book was set in the future and was based on a world were computers were the main form of control. It focuses its story on two hackers who are trying to gain profits by hacking in computers systems and stealing whatever they can find. The story in general seems to portray a vision of how dangerous the computer world can be and the we should rely on there use so much. It reminds us that on computers there is always a chance someone is watching and waiting for you to type your personal details for them to steal. The second reading Plato's Allegory of the Cave, the reading was based on how we as a species are conditioned to certain things and that we are in some ways unable to see the negative in things as we are conditioned to believe it its right. This shows how we are too well adjusted to things that aren't normally accepted in society just because they are what they are.

Topic 8- "Are Games a Waste of Time?"

Lecture
This weeks lecture was based on the question "are games a waste of time?". The discussion began with the topic of who plays games, why they play them and what games they play. The general consensus was that males play more video games than females and most video game players play the games for the purpose of escaping reality or accomplishing some level of respect through the game. We also discussed the different types of games which include arcade games, consoles, computer games, MUD's and MMOG's and how they vary from each other in the ways in which they interact. During the lecture we also watched a youtube video by tripod which was parodying the use of computer games in males and how they can affect relationships.

Tutorial
The tutorial task for this week was extremely easy as i was taught the basics of Microsoft word in high school. I encountered no problems with the software as all of the functions and tasks were items which I had previously done. I found the tutorial task too simple as i would like to know some more of the finer details in Microsoft word but in retrospect i can see how this software is useful to people as I always use it to complete assignments or typing pieces. The software is also helpful to format items before placing them on the internet as it allows you to utilize its easy components to set out your work.

Readings
This weeks reading was "Unreal Cities" from Steven Poole's 'Trigger Happy', the article was about the creation of games and how they are more based on entertainment than actual plausible circumstances. Games are based on entertainment and excitement rather than what could actually happen in real life and in turn creating an alternate reality. Poole also states that some video game companies do have math and science consultants who have a large input into games creation and assist in making the games more believable. The article talked about different aspects of games and how they entertain us whilst differing from real life.

Topic 7 - Cronenberg: Cinema and Technology

Lecture

This weeks lecture was a viewing of the movie eXistenZ, the movie was based on the thought that if you played video games for long enough the line between reality and games would become blurred and what you view to be real could infact be a game or a surreal environment in your head. The storyline of the movie was based on the creation of a new game which plugged into your spine and you played the game as yourself in a copy of your body in an environment which resembled real life but were slightly altered. Through out the movie the main characters are troubled by how they are not able to distinguish there real life from the game and with this they react by killing more characters and becoming slightly disturbed. In the end of the movie the main gamers appear to be the characters (rebels) who were trying to kill them in the game and it appears that the two main characters personal thoughts had altered the plot of the game and in turn made the game a portion of there reality. In concluding eXistenZ as a movie leaves you wondering if this is reality of merely a fake version of reality created in our heads.

Reading

The reading The Military-Entertainment Complex: A New Facet of Information Warfare talks about how the use of military based concepts in games is altering how we as a society view war. The commonality in which war games are created makes players view actual war as more excepted and even in some ways more aggressive towards the "enemy". By incorporating general aspects of war into games it leaves a younger generation viewing war as more as a postitive gaming experience rather than a devastating world altering fight which can lead to thousands of deaths. Even as war is currently taking place in countries hours from ours, the way in which the war is depicted seems to be of a lesser amount than previous wars and in some way this can be contributed to the extreme violence we see in games and even television which have in some ways numbed us to the reality of war.