Reflection

Through this assignment, I have realized to be or as a blogger, writing skills is really important. I have to admit that I have faced language problems when I was doing this assignment. Furthermore, from the four issues that I have chosen to write on, I have been acknowledged about the importance of copyright and ethics when writing an article. However, throughout the whole semester, I have learnt about documents design where I am really interested with it. Undeniable, it is important to apply various theories as well as practical in documents design. According to Light (2010), principle of composition as in information value, salience and framing is vital to use to design the element in document that uses to attract the attention of the readers. Last but not least, I would like to say thank you to the lecturer, Miss Jenny for conducting us throughout the whole semester. IPD class is really fun.

(Source from http://cf.mp-cdn.net)

***************************************************************************

References:

1. Kress, G & van Leeuwen, T 2006, Reading images, Chapter 6: The meaning of composition, 2^nd edn, Routledge, New York, USA.

Ipad as Newspaper in Digital Age

(Source from http://www.sfnblog.com)

Trotter (2011) written the article titled ‘Ipad- only Newspaper Furthers Media Trend’ published on thecento.com has argued about the transformation of traditional media to digital media in this generation. In the digital newspaper, users are able to get the latest update as social media tools are applied in it such as Twitter. Furthermore, Ipad owners are able to interact with the publication by purchasing the news application and also customize their favorite news page. In spite of that, subscription news online is much cheaper compare with print newspaper. In this digital age generation, print media has been declining and the younger generation will prefer read news online instead of solid materials as they claimed that it is more convenient. However, there is still some public would refuse to use tablets as newspaper as they have their flaw such as application crashes. In short, the declining of traditional media will continue as the new media has slowly taking over it.

(Source from http://www.nytimes.com)

I personally think that with the improvement of technology, there are a lot of print materials are getting digitize such as letters, books and newspaper, which related to the article that I mentioned above. Undeniable, digitize the print materials have brought various aspects that quench the public demand in this generation. ‘Internet site combines text and images in complex structure with logos, menu bars, hyperlinks, hot spots, video clips, animations, graphics, music, sound effects, voice- over or write- over (Walsh, 2006). Compare with the print-based newspaper, Ipad has all these functions. Ipad as newspaper contains hyperlink, where it allows ‘readers’ to go for further reading in just one- click away. With all these features, it will be more interesting and convenient to the users. Walsh (2006) also stated whether is print- based or multimodal text, the similarities is just about meaning- making by using the combination of words, images and link. In shorts, Ipad as newspaper has created a hierarchy in this current generation.

***************************************************************************

References:

1. Trotter, C 2011, ‘Ipad- only Newspaper Furthers Media Trend’, The Cento 17 February, viewed on 5 November 2011, http://www.thecento.com/news/2011/feb/17/ipad-only-newspaper-furthers-media-trend/

2. Walsh, M 2006, ‘Textual shift: Examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts,’ Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, vol. 29, no. 1, pg.24-37, viewed on 5 November 2011.

3. Stevens, T 2011, ‘The Daily Ipad ‘Newspaper’ Launches, $.99 weekly or $39.99 per year’, Engadget 2 February, viewed on 5 November 2011, http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/02/the-daily-ipad-newspaper-launches/

Copy? Yes? No?

(Source from http://www.greekshares.com)

In this article, the author stated that copyrighted issues are getting serious in the Internet. The author has used several news issues as an example regarding to the copyright issues. The author stated that fair use allowed copyrighted materials reposted for others to comment, debate, research or for teaching but yet online materials were stolen or copied. Many authors have claimed that their ‘belonging’ were being stolen and sold by others. Furthermore, journalists have to emphasize more on copyright issues, as copyright policy is crucial in journalism field. Journalists may face problems when they plagiarize materials. However, editors have neglected this plagiarism issues, and excuse were given, as they are trying to work faster. In conclusion, both journalists and bloggers should be more alert when comes to copyright issues.

(Source from http://3.bp.blogspot.com)

According to Your Right (2008), copyright is defined as a legalize right to stop others from copying or make use on the authors’ material without the permission. However, According to The Central of Media (2009), fair use is defined as the permission is given to make use on other authors’ copyrighted materials such as repost, comment, debate, discuss and so. With the existence of fair use, I myself as a student is legally allowed to make use on copyright materials in a proper way, which it does help me a lot when it comes to research. Copyright has become a critical issue in this digital age where the Internet allows the sharing of information and the capability of copying (Poor, 2008). With the growth of Internet, copying and plagiarism have become easier and hard to prevent, as information is just one click away. As the article has mentioned, journalists tends to plagiarize the other authors’ materials in order to work faster but where it is an unethical action in journalism. In conclude, copyright issue is critical in the Internet and the related organization should have be more concern about the issue.

(Source from http://upload.wikimedia.org)

***************************************************************************

References:

1. Pichon, F 2011, Copyrighted Material: Fair and Unfair Use, Editorsweblog, 22 June, viewed on 5 November 2011, http://www.editorsweblog.org/newsrooms_and_journalism/2011/06/copyrighted_material_fair_and_unfair_use.php

2. Centre for Social Media 2011, The code of best practices in fair use for media literacy education, viewed 5 November 2011, http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/fair-use/related-materials/codes/code-best-practices-fair-use-media-literacy-education

3. Your Right 2011, Meaning of Copyright, viewed on 5 November 2011, http://www.yourrights.org.uk/yourrights/right-of-free-expression/copyright-and-allied-property-rights/meaning-of-copyright.html

4. Poor, N 2008, 'Copyright Notices in Traditional and New Media Journals: Lies, Damned Lies, and Copyright Notices', Journal Of Computer-Mediated Communication, vol. 14, no. 1, pg. 101-126, Communication & Mass Media Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 5 November 2011, http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.taylors.edu.my/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=8ec3bc83-8c3a-431c-84fb-29c4db4aa6b3%40sessionmgr113&vid=2&hid=105

Why E- Textbooks?

The article titled ‘How E- Textbooks, Online Modules could keep Journalism Education Current’ has described how textbooks can be replaced by the digital textbooks in this new digital age. Furthermore, the article also stated about the benefits of the digital textbook in this current phenomenon. In the article, she stated e- textbooks should be improved to fulfill the targeted public demand. E- textbooks help students save up a lot of cost compare with buying textbooks from bookstores. Moreover, e- textbooks should have the ability for students to take note, highlight texts, search key words and email passage to others, just like what commercial e- books can do. The concept of emergence of tablets will make the e- textbooks to be more sufficient where tablets allow updates and interactivity. With this idea, it makes e- textbooks more like software instead of online books. In short, interactivity and immediacy of e- textbooks are crucial in this generation.

In my opinion, students will prefer e- textbooks more than print textbooks when interactivity and immediacy is provided in it. According to Michael (2009), he stated with the use of e- textbooks, changes of information can be done immediately while print textbooks only allow to make changes when another version of books are out. Readers are allowed to get changed information faster than the print textbooks. Furthermore, interactivity is crucial in e- textbooks. Interactivity allows the students to communicate with each other in order to discuss about the information. According to Barack (2006), he stated students prefer learning tools that are more interactive. With the improvement of technology, the e- textbooks are overwhelming the print textbooks. According to Maynard and Cheyne (2005), they stated that e- textbooks would give a big impact to the academic sector. In short, with the use of digital textbooks, it is not only helps to save up cost of buying print textbooks; it also helps the students to get the latest information and to be more interactive in the learning environment.

*************************************************************************************

References:

Barack, L 2006, 'Touring the Digital Universe', School Library Journal, vol. 52, no. 2, p. 24, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 5 November 2011, http://web.ebscohost.com.ezlibproxy.unisa.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=71d69c7c-b89f-40c1-852e-bc45165d4162%40sessionmgr111&vid=2&hid=119

Capeloto, A 2011, How E-Textbooks, Online Modules could keep Journalism Education Current, PBS 25 August, viewed on 5 November 2011, http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2011/08/how-e-textbooks-online-modules-could-keep-journalism-education-current237.html

Michael, BF 2009, Schwarzenegger’s push for digital textbooks, The Christian Science Monitor 11 June, viewed on 5 November 2011, http://proquest.umi.com.ezlibproxy.unisa.edu.au/pqdlink?Ver=1&Exp=11-12-2016&FMT=7&DID=1744888741&RQT=309

Maynard, S & Cheyne, E 2005, ‘Can electronic textbooks help children to learn?’, The Electronic Library, vol. 23, no. 1, pg.103-115, viewed on 5 November 2011, http://proquest.umi.com.ezlibproxy.unisa.edu.au/pqdlink?vinst=PROD&fmt=3&startpage=-1&ver=1&clientid=14273&vname=PQD&RQT=309&did=828491721&exp=11-12-2016&scaling=FULL&ts=1321277865&vtype=PQD&rqt=309&TS=1321278381&clientId=14273

Social Media becomes more democratic

(Source from http://socialmediaexp.files.wordpress.com)

The news article, ‘How Social Media is keeping the Egyptian Revolution Alive’ has briefly described that how social media is applied by the Egyptian activists to fight against the SCAF to hold the power to control the country and remain the original government. In Aitamurto’s (2011) article, she reported numerous activists have voiced out their thought, commented, discussed and debated through the social media over the issues of Egyptian Revolution. Campaign was announced on Facebook and successfully gathers 8000 activists. Furthermore, she stated that an interviewee mentioned that news related to politics and the military are not allowed to report. She also mentioned that the number of citizen journalism is increasing, as the information they provided is more ‘transparent’. Sedra (Aitamurto, 2011) described that ‘Transparency is a weapon against corruption’. Other than that, through social media, an online event named ‘Tweetback’ has successfully funded 2 million Egyptian pound to support the poor neighborhood in Cairo.

(Source from http://www.1stwebdesigner.com)

I strongly believe that in this current digital age, the use of new media has left a big impact to the society. According to the Internet World Stats (2011), a body that traces trends in the sector, of the world’s 6 billions people, there are over 2 billions of Internet users in the worldwide. In Mcluhan’s study (cited in Glodeanu 2011, pg. 135) showed that the Internet has created a platform to allow Internet users to interactive with each and another. Through the social media, the users not only able to get information online, at the same time, it also allows the interconnection of users. In the news article, the author has mentioned about ‘transparency’. With the censorship in the mainstream media, it does not quench the public demands. Blue Book of China’s Society’s 2005 study (Xin 2010, pg. 333) stated that the media failed to act as the ‘watchdog’ of the political issues, where it caused the corruption in a government. In addition, with the rise of Internet users, the social media has become more influential in several aspects.

***************************************************************************

References:

1. World Internet Usage Statistics News and World Population Stats 2011, Internet World Stats, viewed on 5 November 2011, http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm

2. Aitamurto, T 2011, How Social Media is Keeping the Egyptian Revolution Allive, Media Shift 13 September, viewed on 5 November 2011, http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2011/09/how-social-media-is-keeping-the-egyptian-revolution-alive256.html

3. Glodeanu, A 2011, The Impact of Digital Communication in Political Journalism, EBSCOHOST, vol. 12, viewed on 5 November 2011, http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.taylors.edu.my/ehost/detail?sid=a708058e-d4a8-46de-8b9d-92e719737c94%40sessionmgr111&vid=3&hid=12&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3

4. Xin, X 2010, The Impact of ‘Citizen Journalism’ on Chinese Media and Society, EBSCOHOST, vol. 4, no. 3, viewed on 5 November 2011, http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.taylors.edu.my/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=afe37ccb-8fce-4513-a7a9-159e929de28b%40sessionmgr112&vid=4&hid=24