As a completely no-holds-barred liberal, both the Phillips reading and the Transmedia video have caused me to consider the role of the conservative stance in media. In many ways, it seems as if the right-wing ethos is in and of itself a complete opposition to the term “news.” As Massiah says in terms of the moral inspiration brought to her from Bambara, “…as cultural producers we have a real responsibility to help push the society forward and keep the society active in addressing lines of oppression.” Humans have always used storytelling as a way to keep our collective moral compass aligned. The notion of transmedia in general seems to be that we can use different methods of collaboration and perspective to make that alignment even clearer. Thus it seems that both story and media have helped us develop into a more compassionate and understanding species. We share the collective pains and misdirections, and use that shared knowledge to push ourselves forward. So how can a conservative mind frame that is weary of innovation and progress even exist in a modern transmedia reality? Perhaps the reason that Fox News relies on scare tactics and manipulation is because the very medium they are involved with is inherently opposed to their fundamental belief system. Did you see the story this weekend about how they reported on a fake Onion-like story of Obama using his own money to fund the museum for Muslim culture during the government shut-down? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/06/fox-news-anna-kooiman-obama-parody_n_4053994.html Of course they have to base themselves on lies – the very nature of the truth is in direct conflict with their jobs. It’s like throwing a man with no arms into a pool and hearing him rave about his swimming abilities as he sinks to the bottom. For him sinking is swimming, and he has no choice but to redefine the term as he has no possible way of interacting with its true meaning.
Hey Adam. Do you think that journalists shouldn’t be involved in transmedia since social change as an important element and journalist must always be neutral and has no goal when telling a story? In other words, do you think transmedia could be used as a propaganda?
Quite simply, I think transmedia can definitely be used as propaganda. And with a massive wash of information coming at us constantly from different media sources, the ability for propaganda to conceal its true self is easier than ever.
^ And on being neutral, a lot of non-American or more independent news sources are criticizing our countries press for not being tough enough on the issues surrounding the shutdown and actually calling out the individuals responsible. I was just watching CNN this morning, and hearing them dribble on about how “hopefully Republicans and Democrats can come together, and the President too…” An article from Aljazeera sums it up pretty nicely:
“When the political leadership of this country is incapable of even keeping the government open, a political course correction is in order. But how can democracy self-correct if the public does not understand where the problem lies? And where will the pressure for change come from if journalists do not hold the responsible parties accountable?
The truth of what happened Monday night, as almost all political reporters know full well, is that “Republicans staged a series of last-ditch efforts to use a once-routine budget procedure to force Democrats to abandon their efforts to extend U.S. health insurance.” (Thank you, Guardian.)” – http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/10/1/reporting-governmentshutdowndemocracy.html
So to pose a question to both of you, should journalists always be neutral? Is there a time to be tough and try to call people out and ask hard questions, when it means fighting for the direction in which your country is heading?
WOw your article encourages readers to critically examine the interplay between ideology and media, fostering a deeper understanding of the complexities involved. Your ability to present these ideas with clarity and conviction is commendable, making your article both engaging and thought-provoking. Well done!