Dissertation

My dissertation question is now set.

Handed in this morning and 'signed off', its all official.

And my work load is going to get even more official!!!!

My research question is as follows:

‘How does the presence of the internet allow for a more complex change of cultural ideas, challenging the dominance of powerful global media and ‘westernized’ news values?'

Textual analysis of news websites and blogs will be carried out during my research and as part of my methodology. I will be looking at how citizen journalism and bloggers can impact on the discourse of professional news websites.

I will research the internet and the affect that its presence has on traditional news reporting, and how it creates a contra-flow of news, and look into the flow of news and contra-flow theories within my research.

When carrying out my research I will specifically be interested in looking at the ability that consumers have to create and uphold a complex exchange of ideas and values (reflecting on consumer culture) and how the presence of the internet affects this, and supports the challenge against dominant media.

I will carry out further research into whether dominant new media make ‘note’ of individual voices and interpretations of current news affairs, and how, and perhaps why they do this.

I will also carry out further research in how the internet has created an online community of news consumers and reporters that express their cultural values and views to a what is becoming ‘liberal’ online community, and how and why this is, and do they share the same values as each other, and how do these idea challenge the flow of westernized news values.


I will concentrate on how the internet is a vessel for discourse in the public and professional domain (online), and how it has created a platform for ‘consumers’ to exchange various ideas and values and how it challenges the one-way monolithic flow of western news values. I will research into the interactivity that the internet allows ‘consumers’ to have with the media, looking at alternative online medium such as audio and visual enhancements online, news forums and vlogs (video blogs), and how this challenges the flow and values if westernized news.


...there is alot to be getting on with, and Lit reviews for me to get my teeth into.

until next time.

Reflection

I have found it near impossible to get all of these deadlines out of the way as part of my degree.

Just when I think that I have let myself down again, I have picked myself right back up and at this moment am finishing a professional studies portfolio and applying for work experience with BBC Radio Leeds .

I have got really positive thoughts about this and fingers crossed will land me some work experience close to home in the summer.

Producing a Personal Development Plan for my professional studies module has truely made me reflect on my progression on my media course at UCE, and what have acheived over the past year or so. When it comes down to it...I have developed alot.

The skills that I now possess as a young freelance writer in the media field are for more valuable than they were a year ago.

Its rewarding to actaully look back and realise where you are now and were you have come from.


I mean writing this now, and the use of HTML coding is something that my Online Journalism module has pushed me to do. Well not literally, i wasn't forced or anything.

PRIDE 07 - Gay Community

I have been reseraching and making contacts regarding GAY PRIDE in Birmingham this year.


The BBC regional news website for Birmingham has released a statement from the events director, and is as follows:

The plans for Pride 2007 have been revealed. Events Director David Babbington tells us why he believes this year will be the best ever.
"Birmingham Pride began in 1997 and now, in 2007, it’s time to make some changes. Lots of work has been going on between the gay community and Birmingham City Council to give the event some stability, growth, financial input and make it into an event the community and Birmingham can be proud of.
Sparkle at Pride
I am pleased to say we are now moving together under the umbrella of Birmingham City Council, making the event bigger, better, transparent and putting the community at the heart of what happens. The theme for this year is: “United for Equality”". http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2007/02/09/birmingham_pride_preview_2007_feature.shtml

There is much excitement surrounding this years event, and with it being a decade of this event happening, then I can't think of a better time to do a large coverage piece for this- feature, photographs, and I have contacted David for a possible interview. I am also going to persue further articles surrounding the PRIDE event, and interview gays/lesbians that are students at UCE.

GAY PRIDE 07 is going to be my main article as part of the 'Gay' section that I am covering as part of 'Community' section of the UCE newsite that we are to produce in our Online Journalism Module.

Lets Get a Grip = )

As part of my University course at UCE in Birmingham, I am undertaking a module in Online Journalism. As part of this Module, myself and class mates are to create an online news site, research, write and post our own articles.

Our lecturer has had difficulty in commiting us, as a group, to this task.

My first thoughts on the fact that we haven't actually got 'stuck in' are that as a group, we don't communiate very well. Either being in class, or online, nevermind on moodle. Why is this?

Moodle in my opinion has become something to catch up on that lecture that you may have missed or to have 'a-go' at a course, or the people on said course, that in reality you don't hardly put any input into!!!
Maybe all this energy (and I am also speaking about myself here) should be put into making something out of this module- An Online News Site, run by not only students, but up and coming journalists. This is an opportunity that we can't afford to pass up.

In my opinion we need kicking in to touch, we need to learn to embrace the course, and work well as a group, and have that 'fuel' for the news individually, or this news website is never going to get on the way.

We wanted a challenge- so lets step up to it!

Its not just Paul we are letting down, we are letting down ourselves. More specifically, Yourself.