![Student no: s13161812 Reflective Response to Reading – Week 8 MED4105
3 | P a g e
Gemma Harris
Bibliography:
BBC - Media Centre. 2014. James Harding: Journalism Today. [online] Available at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/speeches/2014/james-harding-wt-stead.html
[Accessed: 20 Mar 2014].
Castells, M. 2010. The rise of the network society. 2nd ed. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
Stokes, J. C. 2003. How to do media & cultural studies. London: SAGE.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/reflectiveresponsetoreading-week8-140322065808-phpapp02/85/Week-8-Reflective-Response-to-Reading-3-320.jpg)
Week 8 - Reflective Response to Reading
- 1. Student no: s13161812 Reflective Response to Reading – Week 8 MED4105 1 | P a g e Gemma Harris The author’s key point in this week’s reading is considering the ways new researchers can research media and cultural industries or organisations; it is primarily media artefacts and audiences that are investigated with theories. We should consider other factors behind these such as the production processes and organisational structures that influence them. I found this reading easier to understand as it’s aimed at students such as myself and so uses suitable language. An important concept is technological changes influencing cultural industries. “A culture industry is one which has as its main function the production or distribution of art, entertainment or information.” Technology is important to consider as it’s constantly developing and changing society “Another key area in which the relationship between theory and industry has been well investigated in our field is that of technology, especially theories of new technology.” Karl Marx contributed theories related to culture “the social structure of a society is reflected in its culture”. Structure is also important when considering culture; it suggests a culture is due to the formation of elements involved (Stokes, 2003, pp. 98-104). New technology’s impact on culture industries within society is further investigated by other theorists such as Manuel Castells; He said the combination of society and technology is “a complex pattern of interaction.” implying that neither relies on each other but they cannot exist without each other. He said “The information technology revolution half-consciously diffused through the material culture of our societies” implying technology innovation spreads widely perhaps even shaping the culture of current society. Therefore, possibly shaping the structure of society (2010, pp. 5-6).
- 2. Student no: s13161812 Reflective Response to Reading – Week 8 MED4105 2 | P a g e Gemma Harris A real example of this is new technology changing the journalism industry. A member of the BBC talked about changes within the organisation “digital technologies have changed not only the delivery of news, but the sources for it, too.” “The revolution I am talking about involves more than just economics.” This suggests technology is hugely impacting on many factors within organisations and it should be investigated deeper (BBC – Media Centre, 2014). A new investigation could be “How has technology innovation, of digital editing, changed the structure of Hearst Magazines UK?” A suitable methodology would be archive research and within that historical research in order to obtain structural documents to study the change over time. This investigation is appropriate as it’s normally the production or distribution processes primarily investigated due to technology changes and so structural change of culture industries isn’t researched as much. In conclusion, the knowledge I gained is what factors to consider, e.g. not just artefacts, when investigating culture industries. I also learnt what methods are appropriate for conducting different research.
- 3. Student no: s13161812 Reflective Response to Reading – Week 8 MED4105 3 | P a g e Gemma Harris Bibliography: BBC - Media Centre. 2014. James Harding: Journalism Today. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/speeches/2014/james-harding-wt-stead.html [Accessed: 20 Mar 2014]. Castells, M. 2010. The rise of the network society. 2nd ed. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. Stokes, J. C. 2003. How to do media & cultural studies. London: SAGE.