Yochai Benkler, From consumer to User
Benkler questions himself ‘if the internet is going to replicate the mass media model, or will it change the deep structure of out information environment.’ My question is; how mass is the internet?
The television with its broadcasting model was always seen as a mass medium. Everybody saw the same thing on the same moment. But even that is changing; with the choice of many channels, the television experience became very individual. You can change the channel whenever you want. And with the record devises, as the video recorder and the computer, you can even play the program at any time you want. So every television experience is a unique experience.
I think the same thing counts for the internet. The pages you watch may be the same the second time you’re online, but the experience will be different. Everybody has a different way of ‘watching’ the internet.
So in terms of experience the internet is not a mass medium. In terms of people using it, it is; millions of people are online at the same moment. But I don’t reckon that this determents the term mass medium. Not in the way the user sees it.
L. Lessing, Innovations from the internet.
The internet brought a lot of new things, according to Lessing. New products, new markets, new means of distribution, new demands and new participation are the result of the rise of the internet. How does the real live economy react to these new things, provided by the internet?
MP3 is a product that can be considered as a product made available by the internet, as Lessing says. MP3 is a compressed audio format that takes less computer space than original audio. The reason for this development was that smaller files could be transported easier over the internet. It didn’t take long for some people found out that you could place a lot more MP3 files on a CD than original audio. So why not place three original cd’s on one cd? Smart marketers responded to this by making a MP3-player. This basically was a disc-man with the possibility to unfold MP3-files. Later they even developed MP3-players that didn’t nee a cd, but had its own hard disc. And you can connect it directly to your computer. Without a computer with internet this device is useless.
The music market responded shocked by the many download of MP3’s. They missed a lot of money, because people wouldn’t buy cd’s anymore. (This argument is arguable.) The solution to this was; selling your music via the internet. Some artists don’t even make tangible cd’s, but place their music on the internet, and let people download them for money.
These examples show two examples of opposite developments. The first is company’s making real products which use the internet. The second is company’s using the internet to sell products.
D. Harries, Watching the internet.
Dan Harries argues in this article that the terms ‘viewing’ and ‘using’ are not suitable for the usage of the internet. The first is used for people who are watching movies ore pictures online, but implies passivity. People not only view the internet, but they also participate. The second is used for people who search for information, or play online games, but this term sounds to active. Harries melts these two terms in a new one; ‘viewsing’. This is the way people experience the new medium, and implies both using and viewing. Is ‘viewsing’ only useable for describing the usage of the internet?
Well, for the internet it’s a good description. Most of the games I play online contain clickable options (use) and little movies (view) in between levels. And most websites are viewsed; watching pictures, and click hyperlinks. But in my opinion this term doesn’t limit itself to the internet. For example watching television is not just looking at a program and take everything they show; if you don’t like the program you switch program. And teletext can be used to find information. And a library visit is not only searching information, or books, you can find films as well. And shopping is viewsing for a lot of people as well. Sometimes you just look at clothes, or music cd’s. (I’m just browsing.) And other times you go to the fitting room, or listen to the cd. Maybe viewsing is a quality of (post)modern life?
Keith Negus, Identities and industries.
We all like to think that our demands are going to be fulfilled by the offers of companies. Keith Negus gives an example that proves otherwise. He says that commerce is corrupting creativity. The reason for this is that the culture of production is too one-sided. His example is the music industry in
Now everybody (in the western world) can make his/her own music on their own computers, and distribute them just as easy. And all for very little money. Nobody needs to have a hardcopy (cd) of your songs. Does this mean everybody has a fair change on the music-market? Well, everybody who has a computer with these capabilities can spread his/her songs. But this doesn’t mean that they become popular. In this market you have to advertise your product. This means you have to make video clips. This can also be done by a lot of individuals. But you will only become popular if the mayor music channels on TV (MTV) show your clip. People wouldn’t download your song if they don’t know it.
So the music industry is still in the hands of elite. Though the smart businesspeople make sure they provide products for every group of people; this way they make the most money. So R&B is also available in