Faye at Mass

Examples of Multimedia

2005-12-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

Before my 8-grade elementary education, multimedia and I are both strangers to each other. Forms of media I exposed were the traditional five: book, newspaper (both are text-based), radio, television and computer (note: not the internet, it had not prevailed in China at that time.

The first time “multimedia” bumped into my life was at my mathematics class. Our math teacher told us that he would gave us a multimedia math class. Interesting! The traditional projector was disappeared placing by the computer-connected projector. While he was elaborating the quadratic function through the graphic math software on his keyboard, we had explicit vision of a changing graph each time when he changed the coefficient. Instead of memorizing the formula, we had a better understanding of its attributes. Since human beings learn more efficient when most of the basic “five senses” are applied. I guess this is the primary reason for the birth of multimedia.

Quote from the wikipedia:" The information is presented in various formats, multimedia enhances us experience and makes it easier and faster to grasp information. Presenting information in various formats is nothing new, but multimedia generally implies presenting information in various digital formats. It is also used in visual arts to describe works created using more than one medium." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multimedia)

Time flies and technology evolves. Now, most of us contact with multimedia the time when we get up until the time we go to sleep.

The second example I want to introduce is a web-based called fancy world (Chinese version). It contained 10 columns (art, build, dance, letter, visual, illustration, DC, dress, face, movie), within which there is a bbs discussion board. Users can share by uploading their ideas/thoughts, music, movie clips, ps pictures/ animations on this website. Furthermore, the bbs format can let people interact with each other by getting feedback immediately.

Inevitable, there are also tons of commercials on which they lived. Like the other websites, only after you are in their membership, you can have the rights listed above.

Voice of Image---Digital Truth

2005-11-22T16:59:00.000-07:00

original photos

the combined one

I wonder what is the botton-line of morality to thoes photographers or editors in this digital era?

Sensation, job, or people who have the right to know the truth?

The National Geographic moved two of the Egyptian pyramids closer together on a cover, to fit the vertical format.

Quoto from the former chief photographer of National geography-Robert Gilka. "To control the usage of digital technology in pictures just like to control the usage of atom bomb."

Is that we really can do nothing about it?

The "examples" become more and more. Some use the images of celebrities for entertainment, people don't take serious or just take for granted. When come to news or science, although some are from the concern of aesthetics, those purposely tricking are being angrily reproached by people.

Truth matters to us. It can change the way we perceive the world as well as we judge the truth itself.

Hi-tech products---convenience or troublesome

2005-11-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

People always refer to digital era as a description of the present time. Digital, as a form of technology, penetrates our daiy lifes. Once, a teacher of mine said chalks are strangers to him simply because of the keyboard of computer. A joke? No, a tragety indeed. Advocaters especially the "native of digital"(people who were born after 1985) proclaim the indispensable functions of such and such technologies while the opposing side decry the negative effects (eg. health problems) which those tecnologies caused on people. I belong to the neutral group and tend to believe technology, being used as a tool instead of our master. Here, I will take mp3 for a typical example and mainly focus on its virtue and vice.

Mp3(and the recent mp4), a popular digital audio encoding and lossy compression format, can also mean the broadcasting device, such as ipod, yepp. Because of its versatile attribute, people use it as a mini music player, a radio or a removable disc. Receiving subscribed news from the internet, a great platform for mp3 file music and also wma, acc, mp3 operates like a medium between huaman beings and digits. More, it itself represents a sort of culture. On the street, subway, everywhere you can spot folks with their earphones on, swinging or murmring.

Mp4 even joint with "some"Tv corporation, provides "wonderful" soap operas to its audiences.
What a giant media net!

There is usually a "however". I recently came across a piece of news talking about the side effects of ipod. Not only will people generally get the hard-hearing problems(which also exists in cd player), but can also suffer from what is now called "ipod hands". According to the English Vertebra Nerves experts, frequently unnatural movements adopted by thumb and the rest of the fingers can cause arthritis. In some serious cases, pain spread up to neck and elbow.

Lots of similar harsh reality illustrate the abnormal relationship between people and technology: they are dependents of the technology!

Mind everyone and myself, try to be a smart user.

A little thoughts about the film "Outfoxed"

2005-11-04T21:33:00.000-07:00

From my personal perspective, the film, outfoxed reveals how political figures and powerful celebrities go hands in hands with the mainstream media.

The film well presents the variety techniques Fox used to target innocent citizens’ political stand, by focusing exclusively on some influential issues. The 2000 President election and the Iraq war are the two examples. Through the whole process in the election, Fox utilized some kinds of ugly strategies as follow: confused poll which differentiate with the other networks, fake truth, words chosen to modify Kerry and Bush, the first one who reported the result, in order to let Bush be the winner

As refer to the Iraq war, Fox was like a bridge which made the Bush government easily change the tone and turned the terrorism “arrow” to Iraq. Moreover, It aimed at creating a “happy Iraq” image during the war so as to convince people that they were reconstructing a new Iraq. How funny!

Here are some of the techniques I jotted down from the film.

Insert political ideas into journalism---which leads to biased news reports with no news judgment.
Disproportional guests from the two parties---in total, Republic takes up 85% while 15% for the Democratic.
Contradiction---by numerously saying “Some people said blablabla”. An expected debate happened.
Generate fear/danger on unnecessary issues instead of the truly natural disasters.
Those so called experts and strong people are indeed not at all.

In the end, the film concluded that “The more you look at it, the less you know about the truth and the more you support the government.

This is inevitable in the context of capitalism even in the socialism. But as we are aware of it, we can just stand up and make some noise. Don’t let the media colonize our imaginations and thoughts.

Too big a hat

2005-11-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

First, I want to quoto the what was present in TIME magazine(　By Susan Jakes 　　Posted Monday, October 3, 2005; 21:00 HKT )

Chinese showbiz rarely produces icons. Sure, there are the dozen or so movie actors who can carry a film, and the odd rocker who fills a stadium. But seldom does a face on China's small screen really stand out. Even singing, the national pastime and TV staple, seems reserved for an interchangeable lineup of warbling coquettes, husky crooners and jolly fellows in brass stars and epaulets belting out odes to red flags.

Which helps explain how a 21-year-old Sichuanese music student named Li Yuchun has become one of the most popular figures in China. In August, Li won a televised American Idol-like singing contest produced by Hunan province's Entertainment Channel and bearing its own inimitable name: "Mongolian Cow Sour Yogurt Super Girl's Voice." (Its sponsor makes yogurt.) The show drew the largest audiences in the history of Chinese television. As the competition narrowed, the media covered it like a war or the O.J. Simpson trial. By the time the finale aired, some 400 million people were tuning in.

The Li Yuchun phenomenon, however, goes far beyond her voice, which even the most ardent fans admit is pretty weak: her vocal range drifts between Cher territory and that place your little brother's voice went the summer before seventh grade. As a dancer, she's not much better. Hei Nan, one of the event's judges, told the Guangzhou Daily that Li was "the worst of the top six in terms of singing skills," but noted that she garnered the most audience votes.

What Li did possess was attitude, originality and a proud androgyny that defied Chinese norms. During the tryouts—in which 150,000 contestants were winnowed to 15—Li wore loose jeans and a black button-down shirt, with no make-up and the haircut (and body) of David Bowie during his Space Oddity phase. She auditioned with In My Heart There's Only You, Never Her, an oldie made famous by Taiwan's Liu Wenzheng—a man. In the main competition she sang other songs written for male performers and called herself "a tomboy." For an audience reared on the bubble-gum, lip-gloss standards of Chinese girl pop, Li's disregard for the rule book produced an unfamiliar knee-weakening. Her fans wept openly and frantically shrieked when Li took the stage. The show ruffled feathers among Beijing's commissars. By the final episode, Li and her two remaining rivals had switched their repertoire to patriotic folk songs.

Li's victory was unusual in other ways: like American Idol, but unlike China itself, "Super Girl's Voice" is run democratically. Eight million SMS votes flooded in on the night of the finale. For a few weeks after, the mainland press debated the relevance of this format. "Only something that smashes social norms could elicit such a response," Yu Guoming, a media expert at People's University, told the Beijing News. "After all, in China the opportunities to use votes to choose are relatively few." An editorial in the China Daily wondered: "How come an imitation of a democratic system ends up selecting the singer who has the least ability to carry a tune?" As Li prepares for a nationwide tour with the other finalists, her handlers are loath to discuss the political dimensions of the program or of Li's triumph. Hunan Entertainment Channel refused TIME's requests to interview or photograph Li. According to one of her many agents, they were worried the story would portray Li as more than just an entertainer. But she is more: Li represents unabashed individuality, and that's why she's a national icon.

At the first glance, the exaggerating title which TIME used was to grab readers attention and curiosity. Asia's hero? So first, what is the definition or concept of hero? No matter from the external or the internal side, it makes no sense to me who experienced the process the whole summer session.

Secondly, hero for what? Wonderful singing, unabashed individuality or even democracy? Sure, if you saw her performance, from the attracting way she present a song to the unexplored potential she have inside, you would agree with the statement that she will be a shining star for tomorrow. Despite the talent/ability she has which definitely deserves the champion, I saw little connection the word "hero". Or "some people" may argue that the way she "defied Chinese norms" is worthy of the name "hero". Defied Chinese norms? Chinese norms or international or American norms( otherwise, you won't think it has newsworthy). What I think Li conveys to us youth is " find youself and be yourself". Just be natural. Rather than those big and also inapproprite words that TIME modified her, such as androgyny or tomboy. In addition, reason for different people who appreciate her varies.

Last but not least, why people always purposely refer an issuse/topic, this time a entertainment show, to political? Million SMS votes? Partially true. To some extent, people did vote for the singer they favored. However, one vote needs 1RMB, how about the people who are not interested( note that is show is mainly for teenagers, so there is a age gap and the poll is mainly teens) and who live in rural area even cannot afford to eat. They won't and can't spend money on that type of thing. 800million votes? I doubt it.

Clearly, because of the techniques(change the tone) TIME applied, the story which present to you(most of Americans) or what they want you to believe has been distorted.

Images---manipulate reality

2005-10-20T08:20:00.000-06:00

According to the film “Consuming Images”, visual images manage the pattern of what our behavior should be. Have you ever noticed that? I bet most of us haven’t. Because of the nature of persuasive, images which flash before people’s eyes reflecting our consciousness are the basis of our decisions, perspectives, and how we view our world. Corresponding with one point from the film “The Ad and Ego”, “Consuming Images” also reveal that images-the symbolic meaning which shape and influence values we hold within the culture are built into strategy of persuading and are applied in the advertising industry.

With the development of technology, unfortunately, computer editing which is able to arrange, re-arrange, becomes one of the clever tactics images use. For instance, if you are on the Red Line, you may have just mused over an animated filmstrip for Target or Hummer on the tunnel walls. If you are on a bus, a glance upward will draw you into competing appeals from area colleges, public organizations, and the latest iPod accessories. And if you are on the street, a cab probably just zoomed by, complete with sports scores and news updates flickering on the letter board. Not to say the TV images. Wittingly or unwittingly, you will be involved with it. True. Images can manipulate reality. Hence, because we are struggling between what we think of ourselves/what we believe between the senses provided by the images, we never know how wide the gap is between visual images and reality, or we cannot tell whether the images are true or false.

In addition, both films indicate that images in the Ads being part of humanity not only touch our internal feelings but also push our desires and emotions.
Advertising has proven itself the cockroach of the media mix.

Tabloid

2005-10-18T19:55:00.000-06:00

Quote from--- China Daily---Updated:2005-01-14 09:46

Do you really want more?---reflection to the movie "Super Size Me"

2005-10-06T21:08:00.000-06:00

Fast food, a splendid name for junk food, dominates America’s food industry, gradually even the world from the 1990s till now! Admittedly, capital made by giant corporations can benefits themselves and pull up the national economy to some extent, while people are the sufferers. The “high calorie” eating habit formed by people unconsciously is deemed as the first trigger to obesity which directly affects your health (hypertension, heart diseases, etc). However, most of the people in America somehow do not realize it and keep on being Big McDonald Fans. The movie “Super Size Me” serves as an alarming clock in order to give rise to people’s awareness.

“For 30 days, Morgan Spurlock consumed nothing but food from McDonald's, an experiment in bad living that frames a jaunty critique of junk gastronomy and corporate power.” A gain of 25lbs in 30 days is the obvious and powerful evidence of the negative affection.

People may ask big questions such as “Are public health problems caused by capitalist rapacity or personal choice?” or “do corporations serve our need or enslave our bodies and soul? For the first question, I think both sides should take the responsibility. The reason why people addicted to the junk food under the condition that they have already known the devastating effect is because of its fastness, convenience and good taste. The big commercial companies, since the sole purpose is profits, instead of pointing out the nutrition clearly, they use Media propaganda, celebrity Ads for example, to tempt people!! Although they serve our need, actually enslave our bodies and soul from long-term view. Of course, we all know where these answers lie, so please ask yourself these questions chronically when you have a junk food rush.

A healthy diet can also be fast, convenience and good taste is what we need indeed.

Reaction to the movie" The Ad and the Ego"

2005-10-02T11:10:00.000-06:00

The Ads and the Ego aims at telling mass citizen how advertising influences people and the society. Ads convey consistent information to people again and again so as to make people accepting the illusion which the real products cannot provide unconsciously.

In the 1920s, because of the industrial revolution, manufacturers produce tons of commercial goods to the market. However, the consuming amount is far behind. At this circumstance, Ads serving as a tool of goods promotion made by people who are in control of the process. From that time till now, the sub-context of the Ads is: “You are not good.” which actually generate innocent conflicts within people’s mind: what you really think of yourself? Being good or bad

Gradually, “media” people realize the images are more persuadable than the words so the visual Ads carrying symbolic meanings to mass appear. What behind the symbolic meanings is different culture values holding by different people. True enough, you agree with the culture you identify with, but please ask what you really need when seeing a fabulous Ad.

In addition,“this film makes the critical connections between the rise of consumerism, environmental degradation and our blind commitment to economic growth at any cost.”People, instead of blinding our planet, should be aware of the Ad-effect on themselves and the other issues such as ecological environment consequence.

Nowadays, the giant power comes from the big cooperation that effortlessly controls the world. So what the film mentions last is that the freedom of participation is not only free from the government but also from the big corporations.

Cutural Consumption Essay

2005-10-01T08:46:00.000-06:00

NOWDAYS IN THIS MEDIA-SATURATED SOCIETY, THE MASS CULTURE WE CONSUME EVERYDAY, THE HABITS WE HAVE AND EVEN OUR THOUGHTS AND ATTITUDE WE FORMED ARE ALL RELATED WITH MEDIA. Simply put, media play an indispensable role in our daily life. Here’s a generalized record about my media consumption habits. I would say that once open my eyes, I will be involved in the media world. “Mp3” comes first which helps me wake up totally and because of its multifunction, I use it as a pocket radio on my way to school. During the breakfast, tons of shopping Ads from different supermarket are displayed at the table so that I scan the pile to find the favoring goods at a reasonable price. When I step out the front door, various types of media such as logo on passerby’s/ staff’s T-shirt, Ads on the buses, taxis and subway which is also the most serious one, big posters hanging up around the street will appear. Often at the class, books and reading material are the most media I refer to and sometimes the internet. After class, not saying exaggeratedly, internet to me, which takes up a large amount of my spare time, is as important as air to the breather. I do the usual things that any net surfer do, for instance, research searching, checking email, on-line chatting/gaming, downing music/DVD, reading e-books/ website news/ blogs, etc. Since my parents and friends are far (at the other side of the Pacific Ocean) from me, homesick makes me more internet-addicted. I use internet-phone with a good sound quality (skype), for free talking directly to my parents. That’s really exciting!

LET’S VIEW FROM ANOTHER ANGLE-TIME CONDUMING. Keeping the consumption log for a 24h period, I realize that I spent nearly 500min exposed to the different media which makes up 63% of my 24h and the internet covers 80% of the 63 opponents. In addition, new media---blog, vlog, audio blog, etc is the 50% of the total 80%. Now, I can make a list of my time-consuming:
Mass media (total): 500min.
Internet ( including new meida): 400min New media: 200min
Traditional media: 100min TV: 0min Radio: 30min
Newspaper: 30min Magazine: 10min Ads: 30min.
Statistics above imply teenagers/pre- adults are more inclined to the internet.
Therefore, if a big commercial company targets mainly at teenagers, they may think more about the internet power.

In order to gain more benefits from the cultural consumer, some cooperation does do better than the others. Take “Hannaford”---a western style supermarket for an example. Located in Quincy, knowing that Asian-Americans has a large residence proportion in this area, it specially set up a Asia-food section to tempt Asian and also American.

AS WE ALL KNOW THAT ADS IS THE NUTRITION OT THE MEDIA AND THE MEDIA SERVE AS A TOOL OF BIG MEIDA INDUSTRY, PEOPLE SHOULD AWARE THE JUNK IN THE CULTURE AND ABSORB THE ESSENCE.

Media Consumption Log#3---Antiwave

2005-09-29T16:07:00.000-06:00

Today, through a blogger's link, I came across a "mixed" types of media blog including website and radio which is also called "Antiwave"blog.

"All radios go to hell!", is the subtitle of this incredible blog. The first impression it gave me was the blogger knows how to advertise the blog/himself. Only in beholding that tons of the remarks made by passerby, you will know how popular(relatively) the blog is in a certain kind of community(Chinese language only). Since it had hooked up my insterest, I simply opened up a on-line audio and listened thoughfully. The mode of such audio blog is similar to the talkshow with a transparent host. The content ranges over many subjects/topics, such as China's economic situation now, the "curved" values held by people nowadays, even TIME magazine.

I cannot evaluate whether it is good or bad. I just want to say the sipirit of blogger is revealed by this blog.

Location: bedroom
Time: 4pm
Duration of exposure: 3h
Type of Media/Technology: Internet&audio
Activity: see this interesting blog
Notes: above.

also coming...

2005-09-26T16:51:00.000-06:00

~~cats' food
advising section for pregnancy.

also ADs

2005-09-26T16:48:00.000-06:00

AD about a car....
goods transpotation

Some ADs

2005-09-26T16:30:00.000-06:00

This is a piece of AD for Epson printer.
These ADs images really shock me! Instead of advertizing, I just want to show you guys how picture messages interact with people having different cultural background.

Media Consumption Log 2

2005-09-21T08:22:00.000-06:00

Observation #1

Location: subway
Time: 8:00am
Duration of exposure: 15min
Type of media: free "Metro" newspaper
Activity: scan for the news or important issues and also weather report.
Notes: In China, I often find that the news on the newspaper are copied from the Internet, and sometimes a little less instant than the Internet.
Subway newspaper or pocket books are also subway culture which has not permeate in China.

Obsearvation #2

Location: subway
Time: 2:00pm
Duration of exposure: 3min
Type of media: poster on the train
Activity: see if there are some events such as " Umass folk Festival" " Harvard extention study" etc, or some voluntary activity.
Notes: mixed with commercial and non-profit
differ from China

Obsearvation#3
Location: street
Time: 4:00pm
Duration : 1min
Type of media: Big AD board" papa Gino"
Activity: pass by this interesting name randomly
Notes: present eating culture in America. Italian history.

Who owns the media

2005-09-12T14:06:00.000-06:00

Who owns the media

Thousands of years back, our ancestors conveyed their ideas, information, knowledge and even instant news by a limited means of communication. For example, face-to-face talking, characters carved in stones and bamboo books. As technology builds the crescendo of the communication, a word “media” is brought into the national spotlight. We are now overwhelmed by diverse forms of media ( books, newspapers, magazines, radio, audio, TV, films, Internet, etc), so people have the question that who owns the media. Considering about the properties global media giants have and the population they covered, some people are convinced that media belong to those media giants, such as AOL Time Warner, Walt Disney. While others have the idea that government is the last owner. In my opinion, from the superficial aspect, the media owner depends on the political system that one country has. From a different angle, we, the public and also the consumers have the ownership of the media.

Although those big corporations have huge properties in quantity, we are the source where they get news, or we can say that we are the news generators. In addition, we have the right to choose and refuse. Imagine, if you will, the appearance of tons of blogs which are called a brand new type of medium threatens the traditional media; in China, some so called “Internet singers” produce their memo by themselves and sent them on the internet providing them free for people to download which also makes the CD industry depressed. As for me, I have one year learning experience in Tsinghua University. Within this year, students can make their voices heard on controversial issues, learning about the debates through BBS which is owned by us.

As I listed above, my point of view simply goes to the public audience own the media.

Media consumption log

2005-09-12T12:52:00.000-06:00

Observation#1

Location: bedroom
Time: 7:30-7:40am
Duration: 10min
Type of Media/technology: mp3
Activity: listen to the music I have downloaded which can help me wake up totally.
Notes: mp3 has a couple of functions now. The usual ones that I use now music, radio(FM), removing drive. Since I do not have a TV, I often refer to the little radio as my news reporter.

Observation#2

Location: kitchen
Time: 8:00am
Duration of exposure: 15min
Type of media/ technology: ADs about shopping at " stop shop"
Activity: I just want to check it out and see if there is something on sale which I necessarily need.
Notes: Each week, my mailbox receive 1~2 shopping lists or ADs about "xx" shop. Usually, there're tons of discount which try to tempt people to buy their goods. This culture does exist in China too. However, there're little differences between the similar culture. If I were in China, I would ignore these piceces of paper, because it is usually a way of propaganda. Now, in America, these ADs do more effect on me than in China.
Later, I will figure it out .

Observation#3

Location: house gate
Time: 10:39am
Duration of exposure: 2min
Type of media: " UPS" worker T-shirt. "UPS" poster on van
Activity: receive and signature my roomate's parcel.
Notes: Days when I was in China, UPS is one delivery company which I saw on ADs. People usually choose the "Express" or " DHL". I guess maybe is the price or the extend of familiaring influences people's behavior.

Observation#4

Location: classroom
Time: 11:30am
Duration: 2h
Type of media/ technology:books and paper materials
Activity: read the information and absorb the knowledge. Through understanding and digest, I can grasp some skills.
Notes: Books are our second hand experience. From ancient time till now, huamn beings cannot live without books which hold and change the socirty and history.

Observation#5

Location: bedroom
Time: 9:00pm
Duraton: 20min
Type of media: mobile phone and international phone card.
Activity: give a phone call to my parents ( miss them soooooooo much)
Notes: From the mobile culture, I realise some differences between the mobile companies in China and America. For example, SMS or the messages. In China, it only cost you 0.1yuan to send a instant message which is much more experience in America. So you can see lots of people in China sending or receiving messages, but not in America. In contrust, the cost of international call in America is much more cheaper than that in China if you choose a suitable program.

Welcome!!

2005-09-08T12:22:00.000-06:00

Welcome to this "small" and "big" media world.
I am not fresh to blog but the "media space" blog is new to me.
In the following weeks, I will try to keep this space as my media consumption log.
Let's warm up and consume the culture.
^_^