YEAR 12/13 lesson: Monday 28th June 2010.

Now then my lovely students. The footage from today's filming is okay but there were some technical shortcomings and I will discuss these issues next Monday. The footage works really well if used for a trailer so I propose that we create a two minute trailer that advertises the course for prospective Year 12 students. We can complete the filming next Monday morning. Bring some ideas. What content would you like to include in a trailer aimed at advertising the course?

Homework is to read the material that I prepared. You need to be aware of Narrative Theory and why Genre is considered such an important feature of media study. You also need to analyse the Guardian online material. Click on the last Blog entry for a working e-media version of my Guardian handout. We will be discussing the content of all the material you received in today's lesson in the next session. I was 'banging on' today about the importance of independent study and reading material that informs your understanding of media. This is your first challenge so read the material.

I hope you have bothered to visit this blog. I will begin next week's lesson by asking each student to name the magic word. The magic word is: UNICORNCHOMSKY. If you are not aware of the magic word, you have not visited the blog. This makes you a very bad media student.Rascals.Possibly.

WELCOME TO FISHYMEDIA. LET'S GET STINKING.

Have a great week. See you next Monday.

Glastonbury festival: Potential examination of how digital media was used by the Observer/Guardian and the BBC to report the festival.

The reporting of the Glastonbury Festival is of interest to all media students/teachers. The Observer/Guardian published an article by Paul Morley in the traditional Sunday broadsheet and provided a link at the bottom of the page [see image] that encouraged the reader to access further online material related to the festival. This is relevant when considering the impact of digital media as the Guardian now has the ability to post festival specific short films, podcasts, links to Flickr albums constructed and uploaded by people attending the festival and links to social networking sites. Furthermore, digital media provides the Guardian and the Guardian's readership with the ability to constantly update blogs and articles. Digital media has revolutionised how newspapers report news and transformed the role of the audience. Below is a link to the online material that was used to report the festival.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/glastonbury

The BBC also provided extensive online coverage of the festival to accompany their live broadcasts on BBC 3 and BBC 2. It may be useful to compare and contrast the online coverage of the Guardian with the online coverage presented by the BBC. Click on link below to access BBC online material:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/glastonbur
/2010/









The link below provides access to BBC News coverage of the festival:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10430391.stm


These resources are relevant for A2 study when considering MEST 3 Section B. An examination of the online content of the Guardian/BBC sites could be used to explore the role of Audience and Producer and provide material that encourages both student and teacher to consider how digital media is challenging the role of the traditional newspaper. This could lead to a consideration of Rupert Murdoch's opposition to the idea of 'Free News' and his attempts to charge subscription fees for online news linked to his own newspapers. James Murdoch's speech criticising the BBC is available elsewhere on Fishymedia.

Blur's Alex James explains in 'The Sun' why he loves Glastonbury. Click on link:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/music/3030809/Blurs-Alex-James-on-why-he-loves-Glastonbury.ht

And here is a link to 'The Daily Mail' who represent the Festival through their own unique institutional filter. Click on link:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1288064/Festival-goers-warned-dangers-legal-highs.html

Wonderful poet Simon Armitage provides his festival memories and concludes the article with a poem titled 'Festival'. Click on link:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jun/26/glastonbury-festival-40-simon-armitage

Machiavelli, Pulp Fiction, Paul Weller and Football. Article by Paul Hayward in the Guardian 22.6.10

Below is a link to an incredible article by the Guardian's football journalist Paul Hayward. The article relates to football but has such a vast range of cultural references that it is a superb resource for any consideration of institutional content, language and audience. Hayward incorporates a bewildering number of cultural references and elevates the article far beyond traditional football journalism. Hayward avoids derivative cliche. Click on link below:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/jun/21
/world-cup-2010-frank-lampard

This article could be compared with any article published on the 22nd June that relates to Frank Lampard's press conference the day after John Terry's 'controversial' comments relating to the England team's attitude towards their coach Fabio Capello. For example, this article is from the Daily Mirror and uses Lampard's comments along with a bizarre rewriting of Joe Dolce's 'Shuddupa your Face' which, i am assuming, is an attempt at humour but appears to construct a crude, lazy and childish Italian stereotype.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/06/22/jt-made-a-big-big-mistake-115875-22350365/

These resources may be suitable for any consideration of institution/language/audience across both AS and A2.

THE VIRTUAL REVOLUTION...ANOTHER REFERENCE TO THE BBC DOCUMENTARY: 'THE VIRTUAL REVOLUTION.'

I know i have referred to this WONDERFUL resource elsewhere on this blog but some kind soul has now uploaded the whole series to You Tube and the four episodes can be watched in the 10 minute chunky You Tube format.IT IS AN ESSENTIAL RESOURCE.I can not overstate how helpful this series was for my teaching when exploring the impact of digital media at A2.

Grab a pen and a piece of paper, click on link, and create some notes. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNAfnfcergc

The Virtual Revolution website remains a wonderful resource. Click on link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/virtualrevolution/

STEPHEN FRY'S EXTENDED INTERVIEWS FROM THE VIRTUAL REVOLUTION.Relevant for the study of the Impact of digital media at A2.

Stephen Fry discusses the significance of the web. These interviews are the extended versions of the interviews he gave for the BBC's 'Virtual Revolution' series. The Virtual Revolution is an ESSENTIAL resource for any media student or teacher as it provides a detailed examination of the impact of digital media. This series is a textbook for A2 study.Click on links to access Fry's views:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_4yrBoA2x4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAzTPJs0yn4&feature=related

the jan moir/ stephen gately controversy. Resources.

jan moir's appalling 'Stephen Gately' article published in the Daily Mail on 16th October 2009 caused an outcry and inspired a Facebook and twitter campaign that resulted in the PCC receiving 22 000 complaints.moir's article is an interesting resource when considering the regulation of the press,the power of social network sites to galvanise protest, institutional ideology, and press censorship. The links below will allow any student or teacher to become familiar with the issues and debates that relate to moir's article. The links within the guardian article will allow the reader to navigate through the argument.The reader comments on the Daily Mail webpage that react to moir's article are particularly worthy of consideration as they serve as an example of how readers can respond immediately to the comments of a mainstream journalist. This could also be linked to a consideration of how digital media has transformed the way the audience digest and respond to media.

click on links:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/feb/18/jan-moir-stephen-gately

click on link for Sky news [...yes...Sky news!] report on moir's article:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qz5v00EtQE

OBSERVER article 20th June 2010: 9 things you need to know about the internet by John Naughton.

This is an interesting article published in the review section of the Observer newspaper. This is a useful resource for considering the impact of digital media at A2. The reader comments are also extremely interesting. click on link below to access article.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/jun/20/internet-everything-need-to-know

The article refers to an article in Atlantic magazine in 2008 titled: 'Is Google Making Us Stupid?' The article was written by Nicholas Carr and the link below will take you to the full article. Again, this is a relevant resource when exploring the impact of digital media.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/6868/

BBC CLICK.

The following link will guide you towards the BBC's flagship technology programme. Click aims to report on modern media technology and how it might change the way we live our lives. podcasts may be useful.Click on link below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/default.stm

THE GENIUS OF CHARLIE BROOKER.

I have often mentioned Charlie Brooker in my lessons and here is a link that i post in the hope that all my students will use this You Tube link to watch ALL the clips that relate to Charlie Brooker's 'Screenwipe' and 'Newswipe'. Brooker also explores the video game industry in his 'Gameswipe.'

Brooker deconstructs the media in an irreverent and precise manner and all media students should be aware of his work. Brooker's bullshit detector is mighty. The clip below provides a typical example of Brooker's intelligent and ironic media analysis and will hopefully encourage a more detailed exploration of all things Charlie Brooker.

CHARLIE BROOKER IS ESSENTIAL VIEWING FOR ALL STUDENTS. YES...EVEN BUSINESS STUDIES AND GEOGRAPHY STUDENTS.

You Tube link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtGSXMuWMR4&feature=player_embedded#!

This link deals with U.S. tv news.Another typical Brooker analysis. Click on link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aEk864YrKw&feature=related

STARSUCKERS documentary and website.

STARSUCKERS is a valuable website for potential media analysis due to its exploration of celebrity culture, its linking of celebrity culture to 'news' and the examination of celebrity culture's influence upon our own wider sense of culture . The documentary is a resource that should be of use to both teacher and student. It is driven by a strong subjective narrative [similar to the narratives constructed by Michael Moore] but is still an interesting piece of work. If max clifford finds the film/site irritating it must be worth a visit. Click on link below to access the STARSUCKERS website:

http://www.starsuckersmovie.com/

Below is a link to a BBC Newsnight discussion relating to the release of Chris Atkins' STARSUCKERS documentary. The panel are quite scathing about the merits of the film and the credibility of Atkins' argument. Watch the film, visit the newsnight interview and decide for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByKl4oa8uts

Below is a link to the documentary trailer.

http://www.starsuckersmovie.com/trailer/