The Pros of Torrenting

At this point in time, in the digital age, it is generally an accepted practice that most of the musical content we consume is mostly downloaded on torrent websites such as The Pirate Bay and Demonoid.  These new practices has created a new community in the digital world, allowing for users to trade, share and download content from multiple genres, that are sometimes not available from mainstream media outlets.

Advances in technology, combined with music’s arrival on the digital stage has ultimately spurred on the collaborative effort to create file-sharing network on the Internet making music available to all. While this practice is considered illegal throughout the world, I do not believe it is entirely immoral or unethical. Before the digital age, musical content was mostly available through mainstream outlets, such as the radio, television, or buying the content legally. This meant that there was a limited amount of content available for people to access and engage with.

This new culture, fuelled by user empowerment and produsage, is highlighting the importance of convergence and the benefits it possesses. Torrent websites along with Youtube and music sites such as Spotify allow for people to share, communicate and engage with musical content in a way that was not previously possible.

Coal Seam Gas: The Horrors of ‘Fracking’

This week, I’ve chosen to take a closer look at the television program 60 minutes Australia, broadcasted on the Nine News Network. In June 2011, 60 minutes aired a segment on their show named “The Coal Seam Gas Land Grab”. The report outlined the harsh realities of the booming industry all over the country. While this segment may be close to 8 months old, I still feel it holds dire relevance to the Coal Seam Gas Issue, as what some have called an epidemic, remains a currently contemporary news issue.

Unlike other news stories and pieces I have analysed, this particular one interviews residents, lawyers fighting the case and fat-cat mining executives trying to justify their reasoning for breaking onto people’s properties in order to mine this hazard gas. The report also reveals the devastating effect this is having on families in communities, and also impacts on health, such as cancer and neurological disorders.

Cases in Queensland of water supplies leaking gas, and wells bursting into flames in America were also being reported on. The program also sheds light on the hydro-fracturing process, which is something I was unaware of up until now in my research. Also known as ‘fracking’, it is a process where water, sand and millions of gallons of toxic chemicals are injected into the earth at high pressure, in order to extract the gas. It is also revealed how mining companies possess all of the power, as government legislation supports them in whatever they choose to do.

Overall the programme addresses the shocking truth about the issue and how little is known about the consequences of the process, in an informative non-bias manner.

 

References:

60 Minutes Australia, Fracking – The Coal Seam Gas Land Grab, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PELxZ3K2o0c, accessed 21/04/2012

Out of Character: ‘Geek-ism’ Is Here To Stay

World of Warcraft

There was once a time when fantasy freaks and gaming geeks would in many ways have to conceal their love for the games they played and the lore they praised. However in recent times, it seems there has been a dynamic shift of acceptance within society for these once labelled nerds who were lamented as creatures with no social skills or attributes for acceptability in society.

Like many others I’m sure, I myself once had to conceal the fact that I was an avid computer gamer, spending my weekends as a teenager competing in various video games in tournaments online and at LANs around the country. Even today I still wonder as to how people will react if they were to discover this fact about me.

In recent years, Electronic Sports (eSports) along with many other facets of the digital world, have become much more acceptable within society, and they are now challenging the notion that gaming geeks and lovers of fantasy themed content are no longer outcasts of popular culture. In the world today, engaging with video games, gaming consoles and fantasy art has generally become an accepted practice, and there has been a convergence of the ideologies behind these practices.

The popular massive multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft is estimated to have over 12 million registered users in Europe and North America alone, making it one of the most popular games of all time. The game (like many RPGs) offers users a level of escapability, as it creates a digital realm where one can explore, complete quests, socialise with others and trade gold in exchange for goods and service. This type of interaction can allow users to disengage with their own world as they are being subjected to another, which can be beneficial, depending on the individual. Having played the game myself for many years, I know first-hand how addictive WoW can become, and how rewards and achievements made within the game are based on how much time is spent playing.

Transmedia Storytelling – A collective Effort

According to Henry Jenkins, transmedia storytelling is the process where key parts of fiction are separated in a certain way across multiple platforms for the purpose of creating a unified and organised entertainment experience for viewers. This compiled method of storytelling enhances a viewer’s experience as it can challenge them in many different ways, often leaving audiences captivated and curious about these complex narratives that completely differ from more classical, predictable narratives.

An example of transmedia storytelling in practice would be a comic books later being turned into films. Jenkins (2007) highlights how the graphic novel Batman published by DC acted as the base for the success of the films, which were owned and released by Warner Brothers. The comic book acted as the base for which the film generated so much of its success from, as the transmedia storytelling allowed the comic book to in a sense come to life, in a way that appealed to viewers on multiple platforms. Mitew (2012) reminds us that this form of storytelling frees the stories from the channels they are connected to, meaning there are more entry points, ultimately allowing for more points of engagement for the audience.

Transmedia narratives allow for audiences to experience a world that is larger than a single story. Mitew (2012) displays data explaining how transmedia involves telling multiple stories over multiple mediums, which together combine to tell one bigger story. Transmedia storytelling is the ideal visual platform for the era of collective intelligence (Jenkins 2007), and it is forever changing the way we engage with entertainment.

References:

Jenkins, H 2007, Transmedia Storytelling 101, accessed 03/03/2012, http://henryjenkins.org/2007/03/transmedia_storytelling_101.html

Mitew, T 2012, Transmedia narratives, BCM112, Convergent Media Practices, University of Wollongong, delivered 02 April 2012.

Edited 10/05/2012

The Internet – Stamping Out CSG?

This week my research once again focuses on the prevalent Coal Seam Gas issue both on a local and national scale.  As always I skimmed through the Mercury every day (handy having a roommate with a free subscription) this week, and I was quite surprised when I discovered no articles had been published regarding CSG and its effects on the environment.

With this in mind, I decided to take a closer look at the online website Coal Seam Gas News.  This website is quite similar to that of the STOP CSG Illawarra site, however it looks at CSG from a national scope, providing quick access to all things Coal Seam Gas related happening around the nation.

A more recent post on the website ‘Gas could be just as dirty as coal, study reveals’, sources an article from The Sydney Morning Herald, outlining how CSG could leave just as big as carbon footprint as coal unless world-class standards are employed during the extraction process. The article approaches the issue from a neutral standpoint, allowing for readers to independently form their opinions with factual and well-rounded information.  This style of reporting I think is embedded into the fibres of the website, which further elucidates their aim in raising awareness on the ever prevalent Coal Seam Gas issue.

Furthermore, the website even offers a live twitter feed #CoalSeamGas. Allowing for members of the community to interact and reflect in conversation, and have their opinions on key issues heard.