ALC215 Globalization and the Media WEEK8

Week 8 Modern celebritiesAccording to most people’ habitual thought, Celebrities are the people whom become well-known for some reasons and a group of fans endorse them. It is easy for people to confuse the concepts of celebrity and star. Leslie argues that “in general, celebrity is used to refer to anyone who has achieved widespread renown, either by merit, accident or notoriety. Star is more frequently used to refer to individuals who have become famous via their activities in the art and entertainment industries” (2011:p17). As it refers to the word ‘notoriety’, celebrity is not the kind of person who always brings the positive image and effects to the public. There are so many celebrities from different areas around the world. For instance, movie star Jennifer Aniston, pop star Lady Gaga, athlete Kobe Bryant and successful business man Bill Gates are four of the world most famous celebrities.

The most significant reason that celebrities sought after by fans all over the world is media. The newspapers, magazines, TV programs and the Internet are wide spreading the latest news, gossip and performance every day. People would know the celebrities and chase after them due to the global broadcasting. Celebrities seem enjoyable when their current news appear in the headline pretty much. Fans also like to appreciate the gossip of their idols.

When talking about celebrity, there is at least one thing you cannot miss- paparazzi. Paparazzi are the “natural enemy” of celebrities. Most of celebrities are afraid of and dislike paparazzi because they are hiding in every time and everywhere. 

Leslie, LZ 2011, Celebrity in the 21st Century, ABC-CLIO, retrieved 3 sep 2012,
http://reader.eblib.com.au.ezproxy-m.deakin.edu.au/(S(b3ahg0p0lsya4sxrhwzj1cb4))/Reader.aspx?p=656010&o=154&u=XZi7W1iv2hItoNZbe14pig%3d%3d&t=1348057956&h=D8F054DB885241D0004D5D15A5FF913093475D4D&s=6786611&ut=484&pg=1&r=img&c=-1&pat=n

Image 1- retrieved on 3 sep 2012

http://www.withnina.com/Jennifer-Aniston-Hairstyles.html

Image 2- retrieved on 3 sep 2012

http://ellohollywood.blogspot.com.au/2011/01/paparazzi.html

ALC215 Globalization and the Media WEEK7

Week 7 broadcasting and narrowcasting

As a universally acknowledges, broadcasting generally exists in our daily life such as television shows, radio programmes, podcasts, YouTube and so on. On contrast, narrowcasting is spreading in small scopes. Actually it is quite an infrequent concept that most people may not know. A simple example can be raised to help people understand, the differences between broadcast and narrowcast are similar with the differences between Hollywood and Bollywood. 

According to Walden& Woods, “In this, the definition of broadcasting emphasises the mass element of the service: the content is neither private nor personalised” (2011: p118). Broadcasting is available for the public and numerous people can share it. People can broadcast current affairs and funning things. For instance, YouTube is a good platform for everyone post interesting videos online for people to watch and vice versa. People could enjoy other people’ videos as well.

Narrowcasting can regard as the opposite concept of broadcasting. It targets a narrow range of audience in given areas, it is easy to set up and the cost must be low (Legendre& Lenders& May& Karlsson 2008: p11). There is millions of narrowcasting around the world. They are only spreading in local areas. Most of cities in China have few specific TV channels which only provide local TV program to the residents in this city.

Sometimes it is hard to identify broadcast and narrowcast. Some widespread TV shows or YouTube video are target particular audience as well. For instance, when the TV program shows the history about Africa, I think few people would not interested in it.

References
Walden, I& Woods, L2011, Broadcasting Privacy, retrieved 29 Aug 2012,
http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=3e46cf1a-e088-4025-b01b-7e968a490fd1%40sessionmgr112&vid=1&hid=109&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=66736373

Legendre, F& Lenders, V& May, M& Karlsson, G 2008, Narrowcasting: An Empirical Performance Evaluation Study, retrieved 29 Aug 2012,
http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=94ffcc0f-b4e6-435d-b43f-c2fdd4c2efd7%40sessionmgr4&vid=1&hid=4&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=iih&AN=36631089

ALC215 Globalization and the Media WEEK6

Blogosphere

Our society and technology faced a huge reformation. The new media such as Internet have developed and widespread rapidly. The Internet social network for instance blog, Facebook and twitter had emerged and occupied people’ spares time. Every people can be a journalist or writer on the Internet. “In the blogosphere, which is multi-dimensionally connected with numerous hyperlinks, users have become able to receive, process, and circulate news and information in a novel way” (Lee, 2006: p1). Blog is a place allowed people to write story and news based on their personal feelings and knowledge. Other people whom interested in these can view them on their blog very conveniently. Blog world is more creative and more mixable. Bloggers can use hyperlinks to post video, audio or links of other websites in their blogs. Some blogs’ page views can climb over 1million per day. What an exaggerated number! 

Whereas blogosphere is not belongs to the public sphere. Public sphere is an ideal concept. The blogosphere is not really globalized. First, most of the blogs people posts are not professional compare to the newspapers or novels. Everyone can post article on blog. Some of the ideas may not true or bring negative affects to the audiences. Second, blogosphere can be bounded due to the geography and culture differences. For example, people from different places may use different languages and blog operators. People from some place that may not access to the Internet still can enjoy the newspapers and novels but cannot use blog.

References:
Lee, J 2006, The Blogosphere and the Public Sphere: Exploring Possibility of the Blogosphere as a Public Sphere, retrieved 22 Aug 2012,
http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=ca86cf36-e699-4c82-90b8-b35a81e93ffb%40sessionmgr110&vid=1&hid=109&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=ufh&AN=27204611

ALC215 Globalization and the Media WEEK5 blog

Making cultureYou cannot define culture as a simple and changeless word. Culture include the objects, ideas and meaning and so on. Culture has a history and it can related to traditions. But each generations is sensible to create their own conceptualization of culture(Jenks, 1993, Introduction no page number). Culture can change all the times due to the high-speed development of technology and society.

I came to Australia about two years ago. Australia is a mix culture country, you could meet people from diverse cultures. Moreover, there are numerous restaurants, shops from all cultures in Australia. I have been through the strong culture shock which changed the language I speak, the food I eat, the film I watch and so on. How do people make their own culture? I reckon it must based on personal favor and supplementary by some external factor such as family, technologies and the place where people living or lived. 
                                      
Technology has plays an crucial roles in making culture as well. Since the Internet became worldwide, people could easily know the current affairs in other countries or enjoy the film and music in other countries. For me and my family, we enjoyed the Hollywood movies more than my own country’s movies. I used to enjoy the American movies and drama every week on the Internet or on television with my mother. Friends used to be my favorite TV series.

I also enjoy the western relaxed and easy going lifestyle.

Word count: 239
References
Jenks, C 1993, Culture, Routledge, retrieved Aug 11, 2012,
http://site.ebrary.com.ezproxy-f.deakin.edu.au/lib/deakin/docDetail.action?docID=10017708
Images 1: retrieved Aug 11, 2012
http://www.stephencolman.com.au/blog/
Images 2: retrieved Aug 11, 2012
http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2012/05/friends-oral-history-top-of-the-rock
Images 3: retrieved Aug 11, 2012
http://rentoid.wordpress.com/category/melbourne/

ALC215 Globalization and the Media WEEK4 The Olympics as a globalising force and global event (positive/negative)

What is the most popular hotspot this month? I reckon nothing can compare with the 2012 London Olympic Games. Why do Olympics get so much attentions? Probably because this pageant is holding every 4 years and it is a global event. There are some reasons to prove that.

The spirit of Olympics is to connect the whole world with sport. It is a world event. Almost all the countries and numerous athletes are participating in this event. The newspapers, magazines, TV and the Internet are covered by the Olympic games during the Olympic period. The world pays highly attention to the games and this game broadcasts globally. Even in the places where have no Internet, people also can know the Olympics’ informations on newspaper or radio. When I shopping in Chadstone shopping centre last week, I saw a big TV was set and broadcasted the London Olympics.

In order to host the 2012 Olympics, London spent £9.375 billion to build infrastructure budget by March 2007. The budget include built the gymnasiums, acquired the lands and transport investment (Gold a& Gold b, 2011: 359). We can see that hold an Olympics would consume massive labour, cost and physical resources. In addition, there are huge numbers of sponsors all over the world to support the Olympics. An Olympics may promote the global economic development.

Some people would doubt the competitions are not equal but I want to say the sports are majority equal. There is an example, table tennis was originally as a sport in Britain but now Chinese are standing at the top of this sport.

reference list
Gold J& Gold M 2011, Olympic Cities,  Routledge, retrieved 8th Aug 2011
<http://reader.eblib.com.au.ezproxy-f.deakin.edu.au/(S(qedncptffb1514frulvhuoo0))/Reader.aspx?p=614766&o=154&u=XZi7W1iv2hItoNZbe14pig%3d%3d&t=1344557394&h=DFE7A28307506D08D9AC31FD017546D1906D7E69&s=6414525&ut=484&pg=1&r=img&c=-1&pat=n#>

Image1- retrieved 8th Aug, 2012- <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9433818/London-2012-breathtaking-brash-and-bonkers...an-utterly-British-Olympic-opening-ceremony.html>

Image2- retrieved 8th Aug, 2012- <http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/slideshow/best-photos-summer-olympics-16896529>

ALC215 Globalization and the Media WEEK3 Global Media Empires

“What is the most popular technology devices brand around the world?”If u ask me this question, I would definitely tell Apple.There is no doubt that Apple products are like a storm. They are already permeate and change the contemporary society. If we lay emphasis on the class we take in university, it is no exaggeration to say that far more than half laptops are Apple products, let alone the iPhone.

Before iPhone emerged, cellphone has limited function. With the promotion of iPhone, cellphone is no longer just a communication tool for us. People can check weather, surfing internet, watching Youtube video and so on through the smart little thing. IPhone makes our life really convenience and fun. Since iPhone was created, traditional mobile phone were gradually weeding out by smartphone and touch screen cellphone is slightly replaced the keyboard cellphone. 

According to the statistics, “Apple had a record-breaking fiscal 2012 first quarter, the period spanning the last 14 of 2011. The company reported record quarterly revenue of $46.33 billion” (Claburn, 2012: 11). People can’t deny that apple is one of the biggest Global media empire now. Even though Apple company are from America, but we can see Apple store in any place on the earth and people can purchase Apple products very easily today. People from different places around the world like Apple products. They even consider Apple products as a kind of fashion.On the other side, the successful of Apple company could bring some disadvantages. Such as it may confine the development of technology, other company may imitate Apple products and Apple company may monopolize the market.

Reference listClaburn, T 2012, Apple’s Record Revenue And Other Figures Of Notes, Informations Week 6 Feb. 2012, retrieved 31 July 2012, Academic OneFile database, P11

Image: retrieved 31 july 2012, 

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/university-claims-it-invented-apples-siri-tech-20120731-23bh3.html

ALC215 Globalization and the Media WEEK2 What is missing in the definition #5

In the definition “globalization is a social process in which the constrains of geography on social and culture arrangements recede and in which people become increasingly aware that they are receding”, the writer explained people have noticed the world around them has been changed. But this definition does not mentioned the world has been developed integrally and the interconnectedness of the world. When each country has not been connected to others or in other words each country has not been communicate with each other, people only lived in small circles and they formed their own culture and society. After some districts and countries across the border and start communicate, the world connected as a whole in numerous aspect. People are sharing things from many miles away. 

In other hands, According to Rantanen(2005:p4), “Most theories agree that there is practically no globalization without media and communications, as many of the definitions of globalization at least indirectly acknowledge”. People can found media and communications are play significant roles on the process of globalization. As I concerned, technology is an core hinge in globalization. On account of the development of technology, people can communicate easier and faster. Especially through the Internet and other communication ways, people could know the fresh affairs in other places immediately or people could deal the business from far distance. For instance, Starbucks are rapidly emerged and spread in China miraculously in recent few years due to the media and globalization. If humans do not communicate or there are no medium for them to communicate, globalizations may not exist.

Rantanen, T 2005, ‘Theorizing media and globalization’, Media and globalization 2005, Sage Publications, London, pp. 1-18

Word count: 236