Question of the Week: Social Media

Social media is no longer a phenomenon. It is the norm. The technology has influenced almost every corner of the globe and has impacted upon most industries. People are now able to create and share their own content, giving feedback and changing the scope of communication. However no technology is without problems. A large part of social media is the issue of privacy. Many persons are simply unaware of how much of their lives are generated and stored on social media and the internet. Regardless of laws and regulations this posses a threat to one's privacy. But does the benefit of social media outweigh the costs?

Comment on the positives and the negatives of social media use. What do you think lies ahead for the future of Social media?

For a brief, quick understanding of how social media works, take a look at this simple example:

The Impact of Information and Communication Technologies

Question of the Week: Media Freedom and Independence

By now you are all aware of the protests and violence occurring in Islamic countries around the world due to the recent film which has insulted the Muslim faith. An article in the Express newspaper (dated Friday 28th Sept) puts forward the thought that such violence is an even greater offense to the religion than the video itself. The author suggests that freedom of information is key to educating persons on all issues involved in the matter such as freedom of expression, and delivery of information. However was it not 'freedom of expression that began the problem is the first place. Use the link below to download and read the article. Then comment on this statement that was made in the article:

“ I think the media should play a neutral role and not take sides. That’s the kind of environment we’d {also} like to see in the West, where people understand what’s right and what’s wrong and condemn the mistakes and not generalize it to a religious issue,” Almasmari said.

Download the article here:
http://www.yourfilelink.com/get.php?fid=822514

Question of the Week!

The American media last week reported on a surreptitiously taped speech of Mitt Romney in which he appeared to be dismissive of 47% of the voters. Was the media within its rights to do this? Secondly, in the same speech he spoke disparagingly of the Palestinians, yet this was edited out and not presented to the public.

 

Comment on this in terms of the topics we are doing in class: news writing and Print media. Comment on the ethics, responsibility to readers, integrity  and professionalism in writing and all other main considerations in writing a news story that would sell. You must allude to the local issue of Section 34

 

Word Limit - 250 - 300 words

Remember, if you post your comment please wait sometime for it to be uploaded.

Basic Concepts of Communication: Question of the Week

Effective communication is a process through which the sender conveys a message that the receiver readily receives and understands. It is a two-way process instead of a one-way process.

Read more: Definition of Effective Communication Skills | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_5459110_definition-effective-communication-skills.html#ixzz265GbZBjp

The phenomenon of communication is the natural desire of human beings to express their feelings and the ideas of others. The basic purpose of communication is to bring about changes in the behaviour of the receiver. Its aim is to inform, educate and entertain people.

Given this definition, should advertisers be allowed to communicate messages in any way they please? What are some of the considerations or issues surrounding this question?