15. What have you learned from Tri-Media? How can this be brought most effectively
into your journalism?
Throughout my first year of study at university, within Tri-Media there have been three primary areas that the course has focused on, particularly with regards to the implementation of software and how that can be incorporated to boost and enhance your versatility as a music journalist.
The first of our three assignments focused on video recording, primarily working with the software Final Cut Pro to edit and modify our captured material. In addition to learning how to operate new software, this was an important module in understanding how the face of traditional journalism is changing. A lot of music magazines have their own website, and are utilizing this opportunity to embed various forms of media, such as songs, radio and of course, video into their sites. I have included a couple of relevant hyperlinks at the bottom of this piece as an example; the effect the internet has had on traditional journalism has demanded an increase in the understanding of the mediums which are used to communicate to consumers.
I also found our third and final assignment within Tri-Media to be particularly important. Working with software designed to assist with the creation of websites (DreamWeaver), and image editing (Photoshop) meant, much in the same vein of Final Cut Pro, as journalists we were being introduced to applications and practices which are far more relevant to the modern day journalist as opposed to 30 thirty years ago. In the future as possible candidates for journalist roles, the knowledge we have learnt in just this first year will give us an edge over other applicants. I also believe that with so much time spent on the production and editing of the Vibe magazine, as a group we spent a lot more time developing our understanding of semiotics, not only with regards to magazines but websites as well.
City and Colour - The Making Of 'Little Hell', 2011 [online video]. NME [viewed 10 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.nme.com/news/city-and-colour/56565
Kerrang! Podcast: Slaves To Gravity, 2011 [online video]. Kerrang! [viewed 10 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.kerrang.com/blog/2011/04/kerrang_podcast_slaves_to_grav_3.html
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Monday, 9 May 2011
Popular Music Journalism: Topic 14
14. What is the difference between fan-writing and music journalism?
If anything, this question should be considered an extention of my previous posting; what I consider right now to be a source for some of the most creative music writing at present is fan-writing. However, as for the differences between fan-writing and traditional music journalism, there are some key differences. The first and most obvious of which is the freedom fan-writers have. As we've seen from websites such as Sputnik, fuelled by user-generated material, are 'free from the constraints of maintaining readerships, fanzines don't have to worry about being identified with a scene that has become passe' (Thornton, 1996). Another difference to consider is the position fan-writing occupies almost as a subculture to the traditional aspect of music journalism; 'presented as an alternative to mainstream media because of their existense outside of the economics of traditional media, giving them a subversive power and a way to participate in the art they are a fan of' (Wodtke, 2008)
Another key difference between both fan-writing and music journalism is the basis on which the content is generated. The large majority of fan-writing is unpaid, as opposed to music journalism which is traditionally generated by publications with paid staff. This leads me onto another issue and that is one of bias. Many would argue that the majority of fan-writing is far more in favour of said artists and to an extent I would agree with this, but should an article be considered professional or more respected just because the author is being paid to write set piece? By contrast there are articles or album reviews I have read online which, despite being submitted by a user of the website and by no means a 'professional' journalist; their prose and analysis of the particular subject has been considerably more accomplished than past articles I have read from established publications.
THORNTON, S., 1996. Club Cultures: Music, Media and Subcultural Capital. Hanover: NH: Wesleyean UP.
WODTKE, L., 2008. MP3 Blogs and Burke's Dramatism. Does NME even know what a music blog is? The Rhetoric and Social Meaning of MP3 Blogs [online], p. 52 [viewed 8 May 2011]. Available from: http://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/bitstream/10012/3997/1/Final%20Draft%202.pdf
If anything, this question should be considered an extention of my previous posting; what I consider right now to be a source for some of the most creative music writing at present is fan-writing. However, as for the differences between fan-writing and traditional music journalism, there are some key differences. The first and most obvious of which is the freedom fan-writers have. As we've seen from websites such as Sputnik, fuelled by user-generated material, are 'free from the constraints of maintaining readerships, fanzines don't have to worry about being identified with a scene that has become passe' (Thornton, 1996). Another difference to consider is the position fan-writing occupies almost as a subculture to the traditional aspect of music journalism; 'presented as an alternative to mainstream media because of their existense outside of the economics of traditional media, giving them a subversive power and a way to participate in the art they are a fan of' (Wodtke, 2008)
Another key difference between both fan-writing and music journalism is the basis on which the content is generated. The large majority of fan-writing is unpaid, as opposed to music journalism which is traditionally generated by publications with paid staff. This leads me onto another issue and that is one of bias. Many would argue that the majority of fan-writing is far more in favour of said artists and to an extent I would agree with this, but should an article be considered professional or more respected just because the author is being paid to write set piece? By contrast there are articles or album reviews I have read online which, despite being submitted by a user of the website and by no means a 'professional' journalist; their prose and analysis of the particular subject has been considerably more accomplished than past articles I have read from established publications.
THORNTON, S., 1996. Club Cultures: Music, Media and Subcultural Capital. Hanover: NH: Wesleyean UP.
WODTKE, L., 2008. MP3 Blogs and Burke's Dramatism. Does NME even know what a music blog is? The Rhetoric and Social Meaning of MP3 Blogs [online], p. 52 [viewed 8 May 2011]. Available from: http://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/bitstream/10012/3997/1/Final%20Draft%202.pdf
Popular Music Journalism: Topic 13
13. Where is the most innovative music writing now? Give some detailed examples.
My prior reflections have often made reference to the introduction of blogging as a serious threat to the future of broadsheet journalism. The construct of the internet and particularly social media are in turn providing an outlet for anybody with the freedom to express their own opinion and form communities based on those points of view with a worldwide audience. The most innovative music writing I believe right now would take place in an online environment where music fans are included in a more central role in the creation of music criticism. This doesn't mean to say that traditional journalism cannot play its part, but print journalism as we know it does not give the readership a significant voice; they simply play their role as the consumer, the target demographic as it were. Music writing is a vague term in scope, but I will try to use a couple of examples here to show what I believe very much represents a potential standard format of music journalism for the future.
The first of my examples is Absolute Punk, a website which in many ways would not exist if it were not for reader involvement. In short it is a music site with blogs, reviews, forums, band profiles etc much like any online music site (Kerrang, NME). However, unlike traditional print journalism where established, salary-led publications direction is based on a particular demographic to meet economic demands, this website is maintained and supported by music fans, and therein lies the primary difference. Excluding management who oversee the sites business plan and finances, the majority if not all of the content is user-generated., meaning there is no demographic to cater to, no financial demands; the website, as mentioned above, provides an outlet for like-minded individuals to come together as an online community and discuss music. In traditional print journalism there is simply no means of providing the readership with a platform to so readily communicate to each other. I have visited the website for the past three years and in all probability accounts for 90% of my association with any form of music publication/criticism.
My second example is more suited to music writing, but I felt that the inclusion of Absolute Punk was an absolute necessary to highlight the signifiance I believe the internet plays in the creation of these online communities. Sputnik Music, much in the same vein of my first example, is an online music website consisting of music news and forums etc, but primarily album reviews, which are submitted by readers of the site. Sign up as a member is free, meaning anybody with internet access is able to pen a review of any album and upload it for submission. Each album review is then subject to praise or criticism from the online community, ranging from the prose, content or context of the article. In constrast to the balance of Absolute Punk, this website is considerably more suited to creative music writing, and traditionally users submit an increasing level of content.
Without the experience or training individuals would encounter as a print journalist, what is to say that anybody is qualified to write an album review in this context? Surely there is going to be an indefinite level of unfiltered bias? These and many other issues have arisen as a result of this format of online journalism - none of which is my concern. This question focuses on where the most creative music writing is taking place at this current moment I believe these online sites and particularly the communities that contribute towards them are significantly more creative and stimulating than the majority of current publications geared towards music criticism. We have already seen from my earlier blogs on how much of a significant role magazines and the music press play in the construction of subcultures, often defining them as they see fit. It is an intriguing thought then to consider the set of circumstances we have seen above and if there ever rose an occasion where these online hubs made the transition from the role they play today (arguably, on the periphary), to more of a central position in music criticism and what that would mean with regards to its influence on the construction of relative subcultures.
My prior reflections have often made reference to the introduction of blogging as a serious threat to the future of broadsheet journalism. The construct of the internet and particularly social media are in turn providing an outlet for anybody with the freedom to express their own opinion and form communities based on those points of view with a worldwide audience. The most innovative music writing I believe right now would take place in an online environment where music fans are included in a more central role in the creation of music criticism. This doesn't mean to say that traditional journalism cannot play its part, but print journalism as we know it does not give the readership a significant voice; they simply play their role as the consumer, the target demographic as it were. Music writing is a vague term in scope, but I will try to use a couple of examples here to show what I believe very much represents a potential standard format of music journalism for the future.
The first of my examples is Absolute Punk, a website which in many ways would not exist if it were not for reader involvement. In short it is a music site with blogs, reviews, forums, band profiles etc much like any online music site (Kerrang, NME). However, unlike traditional print journalism where established, salary-led publications direction is based on a particular demographic to meet economic demands, this website is maintained and supported by music fans, and therein lies the primary difference. Excluding management who oversee the sites business plan and finances, the majority if not all of the content is user-generated., meaning there is no demographic to cater to, no financial demands; the website, as mentioned above, provides an outlet for like-minded individuals to come together as an online community and discuss music. In traditional print journalism there is simply no means of providing the readership with a platform to so readily communicate to each other. I have visited the website for the past three years and in all probability accounts for 90% of my association with any form of music publication/criticism.
My second example is more suited to music writing, but I felt that the inclusion of Absolute Punk was an absolute necessary to highlight the signifiance I believe the internet plays in the creation of these online communities. Sputnik Music, much in the same vein of my first example, is an online music website consisting of music news and forums etc, but primarily album reviews, which are submitted by readers of the site. Sign up as a member is free, meaning anybody with internet access is able to pen a review of any album and upload it for submission. Each album review is then subject to praise or criticism from the online community, ranging from the prose, content or context of the article. In constrast to the balance of Absolute Punk, this website is considerably more suited to creative music writing, and traditionally users submit an increasing level of content.
Without the experience or training individuals would encounter as a print journalist, what is to say that anybody is qualified to write an album review in this context? Surely there is going to be an indefinite level of unfiltered bias? These and many other issues have arisen as a result of this format of online journalism - none of which is my concern. This question focuses on where the most creative music writing is taking place at this current moment I believe these online sites and particularly the communities that contribute towards them are significantly more creative and stimulating than the majority of current publications geared towards music criticism. We have already seen from my earlier blogs on how much of a significant role magazines and the music press play in the construction of subcultures, often defining them as they see fit. It is an intriguing thought then to consider the set of circumstances we have seen above and if there ever rose an occasion where these online hubs made the transition from the role they play today (arguably, on the periphary), to more of a central position in music criticism and what that would mean with regards to its influence on the construction of relative subcultures.
Popular Music Journalism: Topic 12
12. What have you learned about magazine design and the way it communicates meaning?
(Discuss examples from the music press).
'At its simplest magazine design is the way in which words and images and physical elements such as paper and binding work together' (McKay, 2006). Throughout the process of creating a magazine during Tri-Media, and particularly during Popular Music Journalism Practice, I have come to learn a lot more about the semiotics of magazine design and what this means for the consumer.
I've learnt through my work in Tri-Media that magazine covers play a key role in advertising themselves to potential consumers; 'what's more, the cover has to do this more or less instantaneously...if it's doing its job really well, then the cover will tempt readers away from those rivals [re; regards to other magazines]' (McKay, 2006). As I've discussed previously, the design chosen by the group used to front our issue of Vibe magazine was a clear winner and clearly its design struck a chord with the students, but why was this? I believe there were two specific reasons for this. The first; 'Make certain the cover logo (the name of the magazine in type or art) is easily identifiable' (Mogel, 1998).
Clearly we can see from the design on the left that the design in question accounted for this, as it did the second reason; 'Think of the cover as a poster. Would the reader want to hang it on his or her wall?' (Mogel, 1998).
What is particularly true is if you apply these rules to the majority of current music magazines such as NME and Kerrang. In addition to Q and Mojo, the covers of these magazines have a strong sense of direction. Such is the case using the front cover of the NME (right), as whilst the easily recognisable title connects with the consumer, who is generally able to identify it almost immediately, I feel their contrasting use of colour for each issue creates a strong sense of identity to each different cover story they run with. 'The choice of colours for paper and ink can affect more than the straightforward look of a page...like all other design choices these carry additional significance' (McKay, 2006). We've touched on the imagery of magazine design previously - we see here that in conjunction with the mug, cigarette, the overcast shade of blue and bold, dry stark use of black text as a choice of colour, all these semiotics collectively gather; providing the consumer with an idea of what they may expect the content of the magazine to include.
MCKAY, 2006. The Magazines Handbook. 2nd ed. Oxon: Routledge
MOGEL, L., 1998. The Magazine: Everything you need to know to make it in the magazine business. 4th ed. USA: Graphic Arts Technical Foundation
(Discuss examples from the music press).
'At its simplest magazine design is the way in which words and images and physical elements such as paper and binding work together' (McKay, 2006). Throughout the process of creating a magazine during Tri-Media, and particularly during Popular Music Journalism Practice, I have come to learn a lot more about the semiotics of magazine design and what this means for the consumer.
I've learnt through my work in Tri-Media that magazine covers play a key role in advertising themselves to potential consumers; 'what's more, the cover has to do this more or less instantaneously...if it's doing its job really well, then the cover will tempt readers away from those rivals [re; regards to other magazines]' (McKay, 2006). As I've discussed previously, the design chosen by the group used to front our issue of Vibe magazine was a clear winner and clearly its design struck a chord with the students, but why was this? I believe there were two specific reasons for this. The first; 'Make certain the cover logo (the name of the magazine in type or art) is easily identifiable' (Mogel, 1998).Clearly we can see from the design on the left that the design in question accounted for this, as it did the second reason; 'Think of the cover as a poster. Would the reader want to hang it on his or her wall?' (Mogel, 1998).
What is particularly true is if you apply these rules to the majority of current music magazines such as NME and Kerrang. In addition to Q and Mojo, the covers of these magazines have a strong sense of direction. Such is the case using the front cover of the NME (right), as whilst the easily recognisable title connects with the consumer, who is generally able to identify it almost immediately, I feel their contrasting use of colour for each issue creates a strong sense of identity to each different cover story they run with. 'The choice of colours for paper and ink can affect more than the straightforward look of a page...like all other design choices these carry additional significance' (McKay, 2006). We've touched on the imagery of magazine design previously - we see here that in conjunction with the mug, cigarette, the overcast shade of blue and bold, dry stark use of black text as a choice of colour, all these semiotics collectively gather; providing the consumer with an idea of what they may expect the content of the magazine to include.MCKAY, 2006. The Magazines Handbook. 2nd ed. Oxon: Routledge
MOGEL, L., 1998. The Magazine: Everything you need to know to make it in the magazine business. 4th ed. USA: Graphic Arts Technical Foundation
Popular Music Journalism: Topic 11
11. How does my writing compare with published writers I admire? What do I want to improve for next year?
With regards to music journalism, on reflection there is little or no-ones work out there whom I consider myself a fan of. On the other hand, there are definitely some writers out there whose prose and pieces I do enjoy. The advent of social media has enabled my generation unlimited access to creative writing, in particular I find the prose and wit penned by some journalisms to be particularly endearing. At present I am confident with the style and flow with which I use to write my pieces, and believe in comparision to others they do have a distinct sense of individuality. Sometimes though I feel my prose can be unnecessarily wordy, with sentences becoming cluttered and end up drawing the readers attention away from my original point entirely.
In direct contrast to my own style of writing, I admire writers who are able to draw a wry smile from their readers. This is usually from game or music bloggers, sometimes freelance, other times its from user submission. The use of humour in ones writing is a risky decision to take but I find that with the pieces I get most enjoyment from reading, its subtle enough to entertain but at the same time not laid on thick enough to turn you away. A commentary I came across recently, reviewing a particular title for the Nintendo Wii. I had never played this game, nor had any interest in purchasing it; yet the first line of the piece was well-written enough for me to invest time in reading the remainder of the article. To start; 'Conduit 2 Review: More like Con-don't-do-it 2: And with that headline, I exhausted and easily matched every bit of creativity that Sega and High Voltage Software put into Conduit 2, a half-rendered, poorly scripted, mysteriously voice-acted, first-person shooter for the Nintendo Wii' (Murdock, 2011). I love the character and wit of this piece, it encourages you, the reader, to follow the author and listen to his reasoning behind such a frank opening sentence.
So, for the next two years, I would love to increase the accessibility of my pieces. If i'm being asked to write a 200, 300 or 500 word article, I would have no problem doing this but still think that any personality that may come across in my writing won't be liked by all. Perhaps this is true of the articles that I enjoy reading, but accessibility and humour are definitely areas for improvement (in my own opinion).
MURDOCK, T, M., 2011. Conduit 2 Review: More like Con-don't-do-it-2 [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/conduit-2-review/
With regards to music journalism, on reflection there is little or no-ones work out there whom I consider myself a fan of. On the other hand, there are definitely some writers out there whose prose and pieces I do enjoy. The advent of social media has enabled my generation unlimited access to creative writing, in particular I find the prose and wit penned by some journalisms to be particularly endearing. At present I am confident with the style and flow with which I use to write my pieces, and believe in comparision to others they do have a distinct sense of individuality. Sometimes though I feel my prose can be unnecessarily wordy, with sentences becoming cluttered and end up drawing the readers attention away from my original point entirely.
In direct contrast to my own style of writing, I admire writers who are able to draw a wry smile from their readers. This is usually from game or music bloggers, sometimes freelance, other times its from user submission. The use of humour in ones writing is a risky decision to take but I find that with the pieces I get most enjoyment from reading, its subtle enough to entertain but at the same time not laid on thick enough to turn you away. A commentary I came across recently, reviewing a particular title for the Nintendo Wii. I had never played this game, nor had any interest in purchasing it; yet the first line of the piece was well-written enough for me to invest time in reading the remainder of the article. To start; 'Conduit 2 Review: More like Con-don't-do-it 2: And with that headline, I exhausted and easily matched every bit of creativity that Sega and High Voltage Software put into Conduit 2, a half-rendered, poorly scripted, mysteriously voice-acted, first-person shooter for the Nintendo Wii' (Murdock, 2011). I love the character and wit of this piece, it encourages you, the reader, to follow the author and listen to his reasoning behind such a frank opening sentence.
So, for the next two years, I would love to increase the accessibility of my pieces. If i'm being asked to write a 200, 300 or 500 word article, I would have no problem doing this but still think that any personality that may come across in my writing won't be liked by all. Perhaps this is true of the articles that I enjoy reading, but accessibility and humour are definitely areas for improvement (in my own opinion).
MURDOCK, T, M., 2011. Conduit 2 Review: More like Con-don't-do-it-2 [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/conduit-2-review/
Popular Music Journalism: Topic 10
10. What form does fanzine/DIY culture take today?
'A fanzine (also called a zine) is an amateur publication created by fans, and circulated for a low cost (to cover production expenses) or free of charge...originally hand-drafted or typed on a manual typewriter and printed using primitive reproduction techniques' (Knowledge, 2011). However, as we've seen from earlier postings of mine, 'as with all areas of publishing, the Internet has had a tremendous impact within the areas of fanzines...the ease with which a website can be set up by almost anyone and then put into the public domain has led to a huge number of sites being established that could very easily be described as a form of zine publication' (Stoneman, 2001). I don't believe this should come as a particular surprise; the use of software to assemble and the internet to distribute fanzines is considerably more benefical to the publisher for many reasons. Of course despite the changes there is still a niche market for traditional fanzines; 'many fans of printed zines feel the object-in-hand is part of the total experience' (Fanlore, 2011).
FANLORE, 2011. Zines and the Internet [online] [viewed online 8 May 2011]. Available from: http://fanlore.org/wiki/Zines_and_the_Internet
KNOWLEDGE RUSH, 2011. Fanzine [online] [viewed 8 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.knowledgerush.com/kr/encyclopedia/Fanzine/
STONEMAN, P., 2001. Fanzines: Their Production, Culture and Future [online] [viewed 8 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.lundwood.u-net.com/fandissy/fdtitle.html
'A fanzine (also called a zine) is an amateur publication created by fans, and circulated for a low cost (to cover production expenses) or free of charge...originally hand-drafted or typed on a manual typewriter and printed using primitive reproduction techniques' (Knowledge, 2011). However, as we've seen from earlier postings of mine, 'as with all areas of publishing, the Internet has had a tremendous impact within the areas of fanzines...the ease with which a website can be set up by almost anyone and then put into the public domain has led to a huge number of sites being established that could very easily be described as a form of zine publication' (Stoneman, 2001). I don't believe this should come as a particular surprise; the use of software to assemble and the internet to distribute fanzines is considerably more benefical to the publisher for many reasons. Of course despite the changes there is still a niche market for traditional fanzines; 'many fans of printed zines feel the object-in-hand is part of the total experience' (Fanlore, 2011).
FANLORE, 2011. Zines and the Internet [online] [viewed online 8 May 2011]. Available from: http://fanlore.org/wiki/Zines_and_the_Internet
KNOWLEDGE RUSH, 2011. Fanzine [online] [viewed 8 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.knowledgerush.com/kr/encyclopedia/Fanzine/
STONEMAN, P., 2001. Fanzines: Their Production, Culture and Future [online] [viewed 8 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.lundwood.u-net.com/fandissy/fdtitle.html
Popular Music Journalism: Topic 9
9. Discuss the process of designing pages for Vibe - what have I learned about magazine semiotics? What is my design communicating to the reader?
There are two particular sections of relevance within the magazine when attempting to answer this question. I will touch briefly on the front cover, chosen by majority of the class, and will then go on to explain and analyse the design of my individual page; and what that layout is communicating to any potential reader. The front cover design for our issue of Vibe magazine was chosen from several available; all of which had been designed by students within the class. The chosen design was a majority vote, and I felt there was a couple of clear reasons as to why its design appealed just to the students.
In hindsight it is easy to easy why magazine semiotics are so crucial to the production of a magazine; they play a pivotal role in attracting and appealing to the publications target audience. Colour plays a massive part in this, with which different tones and hues carry their own individual meaning. The choice of red is stark, alert, and attention grabbing, but at the same time, 'colour cannot work independently of other semiotic resources such as image and text' (Jones, 2007). Coupled with the magazine title "Vibe", which has descriptive physicality about it, in addition to the the term "smash" on the front cover, add up to create very obvious imagery. Collectively this correlation may not be apparent, but 'visual images have great power, and experienced customers learn to read and decode them immediately, even those consumers who don't have the analytical vocabulary to explain why' (McKay, 2006). As for my magazine page itself, only in hindsight have come to realise how I could have improved my design significantly. My article is text-laden, very content heavy, and not eye-catching. Magazine articles, in reality, are much more relaxed as it were; 'pages that are too businesslike (too much text, too many ads) are likely to turn off readers' (Rothstein, 2007). In addition to this,
JONES, 2007. Colour in learning resources for science students at university: pedagogical and design motivations. [online] [viewed 5 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.asfla.org.au/semioticmargins/papers.htm
MCKAY, 2006. The Magazines Handbook. 2nd ed. Oxon: Routledge
ROTHSTEIN, 2007. Designing magazines: Inside periodical design, redesign, and branding. New York: Allworth Press
There are two particular sections of relevance within the magazine when attempting to answer this question. I will touch briefly on the front cover, chosen by majority of the class, and will then go on to explain and analyse the design of my individual page; and what that layout is communicating to any potential reader. The front cover design for our issue of Vibe magazine was chosen from several available; all of which had been designed by students within the class. The chosen design was a majority vote, and I felt there was a couple of clear reasons as to why its design appealed just to the students.
In hindsight it is easy to easy why magazine semiotics are so crucial to the production of a magazine; they play a pivotal role in attracting and appealing to the publications target audience. Colour plays a massive part in this, with which different tones and hues carry their own individual meaning. The choice of red is stark, alert, and attention grabbing, but at the same time, 'colour cannot work independently of other semiotic resources such as image and text' (Jones, 2007). Coupled with the magazine title "Vibe", which has descriptive physicality about it, in addition to the the term "smash" on the front cover, add up to create very obvious imagery. Collectively this correlation may not be apparent, but 'visual images have great power, and experienced customers learn to read and decode them immediately, even those consumers who don't have the analytical vocabulary to explain why' (McKay, 2006). As for my magazine page itself, only in hindsight have come to realise how I could have improved my design significantly. My article is text-laden, very content heavy, and not eye-catching. Magazine articles, in reality, are much more relaxed as it were; 'pages that are too businesslike (too much text, too many ads) are likely to turn off readers' (Rothstein, 2007). In addition to this,
JONES, 2007. Colour in learning resources for science students at university: pedagogical and design motivations. [online] [viewed 5 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.asfla.org.au/semioticmargins/papers.htm
MCKAY, 2006. The Magazines Handbook. 2nd ed. Oxon: Routledge
ROTHSTEIN, 2007. Designing magazines: Inside periodical design, redesign, and branding. New York: Allworth Press
Popular Music Journalism: Topic 8
8. Discuss two music websites and the way they represent race and ethnicity.
Both race and ethnicity have played a central role in the creation and development of established music genres in todays industry, and as you'd expect, there are music websites which support and continue to represent the respective scenes and subcultures. Particular genres may place an extra degree of emphasis on race and ethnicity, such as Hip-hop, and during the following thinkpiece I am going to discuss and and analyse the way in which race and ethnicity is often communicated and illustrated through specifc websites.
A good site to begin would be XXLs music website, a publication which predominantly covers and represents hip-hop as a music genre, and as a culture. Unlike other websites such as NME etc, primarily concerned with genres which are far more racially ambiguous, XXLs coverage of hip-hop means its far easier to understand how they communicate race and particularly ethnicity; they represent a genre which has very close ties with black culture. Hip Hop as a musical genre is very much a product of black Hip Hop culture from the 1970's. The large majority of artists they cover are african-american; on the home page of the website there was only one image of a white artist. That is not to say that the website intentionally tries to cultivate the notion of black culture; but certainly in contrast to other hip-hop websites (such as Vibe), XXL are less broad in their scope and more of a specialist publication. 'For instance, a hip-hop fan wrote to Davey D's Hip-Hop Corner that Stress, Sub-culture, and XXL were the three "realest hip-hop magazines" [because] they represent the entire culture' (Jones, 2002). Strong editorial content focusing on a lifestyle and trappings deemed attractive by potential consumers, there seems a strong degree of emphasis on black culture as a success story, with a lot of attention paid to focus on the success and well-being of said artists.
Kerrang! by contrast is another interesting example to use, as by genre and representation of ethnicity they are starkly different to my first example. Kerrang! is primarily known for its association with rock and metal, two genres which have historically been dominated by the white male. Throughout the website there is obvious portrayal of white ethnicity; much like XXL and other publications by association, they are representing a genre of music which is so saturated by this particular ethnic group. Kerrang has strong connections to youth culture, the imagery of male frontmen used on the home page and indeed its articles is suggestive in its attempt to appeal to both its female audience (aesthetics), and its young male demographic through glorification of these individuals. There is little to no coverage of other ethnicities and this extends to the sites advertisements and even its stores imagery which primarily features white caucasian males. Initially I would have thought that a publication which covers such an extensive and wide-ranging genre would represent a significantly more varied level of ethnic diversity than it actually does. Arguably there is a reason for this; Kerrang have a set demographic to cater to; and trying to sell to that particular market means communicating through the most appropriate representations.
JONES, S., 2002. Pop Music and the Press. Philadelphia: Temple University Press
KERRANG! 2011 [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.kerrang.com/
XXL, 2011 [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.xxlmag.com/
Both race and ethnicity have played a central role in the creation and development of established music genres in todays industry, and as you'd expect, there are music websites which support and continue to represent the respective scenes and subcultures. Particular genres may place an extra degree of emphasis on race and ethnicity, such as Hip-hop, and during the following thinkpiece I am going to discuss and and analyse the way in which race and ethnicity is often communicated and illustrated through specifc websites.
A good site to begin would be XXLs music website, a publication which predominantly covers and represents hip-hop as a music genre, and as a culture. Unlike other websites such as NME etc, primarily concerned with genres which are far more racially ambiguous, XXLs coverage of hip-hop means its far easier to understand how they communicate race and particularly ethnicity; they represent a genre which has very close ties with black culture. Hip Hop as a musical genre is very much a product of black Hip Hop culture from the 1970's. The large majority of artists they cover are african-american; on the home page of the website there was only one image of a white artist. That is not to say that the website intentionally tries to cultivate the notion of black culture; but certainly in contrast to other hip-hop websites (such as Vibe), XXL are less broad in their scope and more of a specialist publication. 'For instance, a hip-hop fan wrote to Davey D's Hip-Hop Corner that Stress, Sub-culture, and XXL were the three "realest hip-hop magazines" [because] they represent the entire culture' (Jones, 2002). Strong editorial content focusing on a lifestyle and trappings deemed attractive by potential consumers, there seems a strong degree of emphasis on black culture as a success story, with a lot of attention paid to focus on the success and well-being of said artists.
Kerrang! by contrast is another interesting example to use, as by genre and representation of ethnicity they are starkly different to my first example. Kerrang! is primarily known for its association with rock and metal, two genres which have historically been dominated by the white male. Throughout the website there is obvious portrayal of white ethnicity; much like XXL and other publications by association, they are representing a genre of music which is so saturated by this particular ethnic group. Kerrang has strong connections to youth culture, the imagery of male frontmen used on the home page and indeed its articles is suggestive in its attempt to appeal to both its female audience (aesthetics), and its young male demographic through glorification of these individuals. There is little to no coverage of other ethnicities and this extends to the sites advertisements and even its stores imagery which primarily features white caucasian males. Initially I would have thought that a publication which covers such an extensive and wide-ranging genre would represent a significantly more varied level of ethnic diversity than it actually does. Arguably there is a reason for this; Kerrang have a set demographic to cater to; and trying to sell to that particular market means communicating through the most appropriate representations.
JONES, S., 2002. Pop Music and the Press. Philadelphia: Temple University Press
KERRANG! 2011 [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.kerrang.com/
XXL, 2011 [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.xxlmag.com/
Popular Music Journalism: Topic 7
7. How do magazines like NME and Kerrang! reflect a) subcultures b) gender
A subculture can be defined as 'an identifiably seperate social group within a larger culture, especially one regarded as existing outside mainstream society' (Encarta, 2011). So within the world of the music press, NME and Kerrangs publications need to appeal to relative subcultures (their target demographic). The publications, much in the same vein of similar magazines such as Mojo and Q, look to create an identity that their supposed demographic are able to connect with, through use of imagery, fashion, and to some extent ideologies, in turn providing a sense of community for their readership. In other words, magazines look to represent their relative subculture, to some extent are responsible for not only their creation but sustained existance; 'media and commerce do not just cover but help construct music subcultures...subcultural capital is itself, in no small sense, a phonomenon of the media' (Thornton, 1996). Specifically, with regards to music publications, their choice of branding and select advertisements will be what they consider to be relative to their audience.
The representation of gender and sexual identity within the music press is a lot more defined than you would perhaps think. The music press and media in general play a large role in shaping consumers understanding of gender and identity; 'the media, as we've said before, gives us ideas about gender, and relationships, and ways of living. These ideas come over in TV, movies, magazines and pop music' (Gauntlett, 2006). However in this instance it is unfair to just use one or two publications as an example; a critical aspect to understand is the music press' influence on association by genre; that is to say - a sexing of the scenes. Over the decades we have seen a traditionally masculine approach taken by the music press to objectify women in music, and there is a definite trend to associate men and women towards particular genres. There are a few exceptions to the rule, but traditionally within these publications they continue to represent traditional gender sterotypes through use of branding, advertising, and of course writing. Even where female artists are the basis for a particular article, generally speaking there is an unncessary degree of emphasis given to the role she plays as a female; 'popular rock and pop criticism has traditionally presented its subject matter in a way that assumes writer and reader coexist in a phallocentric world in which women are peripheral' (Kruse, 2002).
ENCARTA, 2011. Subculture. [online] [viewed 7 May 2011]. Available from: http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861716431/subculture.html
GAUNTLETT, D., 2006. Media, Gender and Identity; An Introduction. 3rd ed. Oxfordshire: Routledge
KRUSE, H., 2002. Abandoning the absolute: Transcendence and gender in popular music discourse. In: S. JONES, Popular Music and the Press. Philadelphia: Temple University Press
THORNTON, S., 1996. Moral Panic, the Media, and British Rave Culture. In: A. ROSS and T. ROSE. Microphone Fiends: Youth Music & Youth Culture. London: Routledge
A subculture can be defined as 'an identifiably seperate social group within a larger culture, especially one regarded as existing outside mainstream society' (Encarta, 2011). So within the world of the music press, NME and Kerrangs publications need to appeal to relative subcultures (their target demographic). The publications, much in the same vein of similar magazines such as Mojo and Q, look to create an identity that their supposed demographic are able to connect with, through use of imagery, fashion, and to some extent ideologies, in turn providing a sense of community for their readership. In other words, magazines look to represent their relative subculture, to some extent are responsible for not only their creation but sustained existance; 'media and commerce do not just cover but help construct music subcultures...subcultural capital is itself, in no small sense, a phonomenon of the media' (Thornton, 1996). Specifically, with regards to music publications, their choice of branding and select advertisements will be what they consider to be relative to their audience.
The representation of gender and sexual identity within the music press is a lot more defined than you would perhaps think. The music press and media in general play a large role in shaping consumers understanding of gender and identity; 'the media, as we've said before, gives us ideas about gender, and relationships, and ways of living. These ideas come over in TV, movies, magazines and pop music' (Gauntlett, 2006). However in this instance it is unfair to just use one or two publications as an example; a critical aspect to understand is the music press' influence on association by genre; that is to say - a sexing of the scenes. Over the decades we have seen a traditionally masculine approach taken by the music press to objectify women in music, and there is a definite trend to associate men and women towards particular genres. There are a few exceptions to the rule, but traditionally within these publications they continue to represent traditional gender sterotypes through use of branding, advertising, and of course writing. Even where female artists are the basis for a particular article, generally speaking there is an unncessary degree of emphasis given to the role she plays as a female; 'popular rock and pop criticism has traditionally presented its subject matter in a way that assumes writer and reader coexist in a phallocentric world in which women are peripheral' (Kruse, 2002).
ENCARTA, 2011. Subculture. [online] [viewed 7 May 2011]. Available from: http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861716431/subculture.html
GAUNTLETT, D., 2006. Media, Gender and Identity; An Introduction. 3rd ed. Oxfordshire: Routledge
KRUSE, H., 2002. Abandoning the absolute: Transcendence and gender in popular music discourse. In: S. JONES, Popular Music and the Press. Philadelphia: Temple University Press
THORNTON, S., 1996. Moral Panic, the Media, and British Rave Culture. In: A. ROSS and T. ROSE. Microphone Fiends: Youth Music & Youth Culture. London: Routledge
Popular Music Journalism: Topic 6
6. How has music journalism changed since the 1970's? Discuss, with reference to at least three writers.
Robert Christgau is a great example to use when studying the changes in music journalism since the 1970's, who through the last 30 years occupied a position as someone who made a career against the backdrop of traditional music journalism, prior to the introduction of social media. Christgau 'began writing rock criticism for Esquire in 1967, was a columnist for The Village Voice from 1969 to 1972, and returned to the Voice in 1974 after two years as pop music critic at Newsday' (Christgau). Having worked at the Voice for 37 years and after which enjoying a brief spell at Rolling Stone magazine, he then moved onto Blender where he remained until 2009 when 'it went out of business' (Christgau, 2009). Irrespective of his well-documented attitude towards the internets continued influence on the face of traditional music journalism, he played a pivotal role in shaping what we recognize it as today. 'With Pauline Kael, Christgau is arguably one of the two most important American mass-culture critics of the second half of the 20th century' (Rosen, 2006).
Since the 1970's, music journalism has very much been a male-dominated field, and up until the turn of the 21st century, there was little in the way of change. 'By 1999, the number of female editors or senior writers at Rolling Stone hovered around a whopping 15%, [while] at Spin and Raygun, [it was] roughly 20%' (McLeod, 2002). We already know the rock as a genre has been traditionally perceived as being very masculine; conventional music journalism has done little to suggest otherwise. Indeed, 'music journalism can be understood to be informed by a culture of masculinity that is reroduced in a number of different ways. One influencing factor may be the male dominance of the field...nevertheless, the fact that man have tended to dominate music writing and the editing of the music press should not go unacknowledged' (Leonard, 2007). However, over the last ten years or so, there have been changes in this regard. In 2009, Krissi Murison, having previously worked at the NME for six years, became 'the first female editor of the IPC Media music magazine in its 57-years history.' (SWENEY, 2009). In addition to Murisons appointment, in August 2009, Nichola Browne was appointed editor of Kerrang! magazine, becoming the 'eighth editor of Kerrang! in its 28-year history, and [critically], only its second female editor' (Brook, 2009).
So in short, we've seen here two examples of how music journalism has changed from 30 years ago. Gender inequality in music journalism is still an issue but there has been significant progress over the course of the past few years. By contrast, the influence of the internet and social media still remains one of the biggest threats to traditional print journalism, a format Christgau has been so comfortable with since the 1970's; 'I like journalism as a fulltime career...preferably on paper' (Christgau, 2009).
BROOK, 2009. Nichola Browne to edit Kerrang! [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/aug/17/kerrang-new-editor-nichola-browne
CHRISTGAU, R. Biography [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/web/bio.php
CHRISTGAU, R., Poptastic Bye-Bye [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.najp.org/articles/2009/03/under-the-axe.html
LEONARD, M., 2007. Gender in the music Industry: Rock, Discourse and Girl Power. England: Ashgate Publishing.
MCLEOD, K., 2002. Title Unknown.
ROSEN, J., 2006. X-ed Out [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.slate.com/id/2148997/
SWENEY, M., 2009. Krissi Murison to edit NME [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jul/29/krissi-murision-nme-editor
Robert Christgau is a great example to use when studying the changes in music journalism since the 1970's, who through the last 30 years occupied a position as someone who made a career against the backdrop of traditional music journalism, prior to the introduction of social media. Christgau 'began writing rock criticism for Esquire in 1967, was a columnist for The Village Voice from 1969 to 1972, and returned to the Voice in 1974 after two years as pop music critic at Newsday' (Christgau). Having worked at the Voice for 37 years and after which enjoying a brief spell at Rolling Stone magazine, he then moved onto Blender where he remained until 2009 when 'it went out of business' (Christgau, 2009). Irrespective of his well-documented attitude towards the internets continued influence on the face of traditional music journalism, he played a pivotal role in shaping what we recognize it as today. 'With Pauline Kael, Christgau is arguably one of the two most important American mass-culture critics of the second half of the 20th century' (Rosen, 2006).
Since the 1970's, music journalism has very much been a male-dominated field, and up until the turn of the 21st century, there was little in the way of change. 'By 1999, the number of female editors or senior writers at Rolling Stone hovered around a whopping 15%, [while] at Spin and Raygun, [it was] roughly 20%' (McLeod, 2002). We already know the rock as a genre has been traditionally perceived as being very masculine; conventional music journalism has done little to suggest otherwise. Indeed, 'music journalism can be understood to be informed by a culture of masculinity that is reroduced in a number of different ways. One influencing factor may be the male dominance of the field...nevertheless, the fact that man have tended to dominate music writing and the editing of the music press should not go unacknowledged' (Leonard, 2007). However, over the last ten years or so, there have been changes in this regard. In 2009, Krissi Murison, having previously worked at the NME for six years, became 'the first female editor of the IPC Media music magazine in its 57-years history.' (SWENEY, 2009). In addition to Murisons appointment, in August 2009, Nichola Browne was appointed editor of Kerrang! magazine, becoming the 'eighth editor of Kerrang! in its 28-year history, and [critically], only its second female editor' (Brook, 2009).
So in short, we've seen here two examples of how music journalism has changed from 30 years ago. Gender inequality in music journalism is still an issue but there has been significant progress over the course of the past few years. By contrast, the influence of the internet and social media still remains one of the biggest threats to traditional print journalism, a format Christgau has been so comfortable with since the 1970's; 'I like journalism as a fulltime career...preferably on paper' (Christgau, 2009).
BROOK, 2009. Nichola Browne to edit Kerrang! [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/aug/17/kerrang-new-editor-nichola-browne
CHRISTGAU, R. Biography [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/web/bio.php
CHRISTGAU, R., Poptastic Bye-Bye [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.najp.org/articles/2009/03/under-the-axe.html
LEONARD, M., 2007. Gender in the music Industry: Rock, Discourse and Girl Power. England: Ashgate Publishing.
MCLEOD, K., 2002. Title Unknown.
ROSEN, J., 2006. X-ed Out [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.slate.com/id/2148997/
SWENEY, M., 2009. Krissi Murison to edit NME [online] [viewed 9 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jul/29/krissi-murision-nme-editor
Saturday, 7 May 2011
Popular Music Journalism: Topic 5
5. Is blogging journalism?
Certainly an interesting question. In short however, just because you are using a blog to display certain information, this doesn't deem it journalism in the traditional sense. Blogs, or rather web blogging, is merely a platform, much in the same way paper is to print. In its simplest form, blogging could be perceived as a form of indepedent journalism perhaps, but I feel blogging is just a means of an individual being provided with an outlet to publish and express their own opinion. "Blogging is no more journalism than e-mail, Twitter or even newspapers or TV stations are journalism. They are tools - ways to disseminate informations" (Chen, 2009)
Journalism in the traditional sense is not always reflective of the writers own opinion. Working on behalf of a publication / company means that on occasion their agenda will always be forefront and that means the writers true opinion may be sidelined in favour of the magazines target demographic. This is particularly true when reference to publications such as Kerrang / NME is made. Both these magazines have clear audiences and to a certain degree they have to play to this notion. In direct contrast to print journalism, the use of online blogging is ones honest opinion. Blogging is certainly not free from bias but generally speaking there is not a target market to cater to. "Perhaps one attraction of blogging lies in its unmediated and dynamic quality...without an agenda, editorial stance, or pedantic sub-editor standing between the writer and reader, blogging can provide reportage in a raw and exciting form" (Raynsford, 2003)
I think that culture has accepted the notion that the ideas and opinions expressed in print journalism in turn represent those of the target audience, in contrast to blogging where generally the lines between opinion and fact can be blurred. Another issue to address would be the route taken to become a professional journalist (in print form), meaning that subsequent understanding/training of ethical and moral policies suggest these individuals would be better versed in the way of journalism. But what stops this person from blogging? In this instance there is a clear distinction between those who are qualified journalists well versed in the manner of which journalistic features need to be delivered, against an individual who can submit an article online and deem it journalism.
A better question to consider is thus; can types of blogging be deemed journalism? Certainly there are forms of blogging out there which could be defined as journalism, but this isn't to account for each and every blog out there; "if journalism is the imparting of verifiable facts to a general audience through a mass medium, then most blogs fall well short of meeting the standard" (Andrews, 2003)
ANDREWS, 2003. Is Blogging Journalism? [online] [viewed 6 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/article/101027/Is-Blogging-Journalism.aspx
CHEN, 2009. Is blogging journalism? [online] [viewed 6 May 2011]. Available from: http://savethemedia.com/2009/03/28/is-blogging-journalism/
RAYNSFORD, 2003. Blogging: the new journalism? [online] [viewed 6 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.journalism.co.uk/news-features/blogging-the-new-journalism-/s5/a5604/
Certainly an interesting question. In short however, just because you are using a blog to display certain information, this doesn't deem it journalism in the traditional sense. Blogs, or rather web blogging, is merely a platform, much in the same way paper is to print. In its simplest form, blogging could be perceived as a form of indepedent journalism perhaps, but I feel blogging is just a means of an individual being provided with an outlet to publish and express their own opinion. "Blogging is no more journalism than e-mail, Twitter or even newspapers or TV stations are journalism. They are tools - ways to disseminate informations" (Chen, 2009)
Journalism in the traditional sense is not always reflective of the writers own opinion. Working on behalf of a publication / company means that on occasion their agenda will always be forefront and that means the writers true opinion may be sidelined in favour of the magazines target demographic. This is particularly true when reference to publications such as Kerrang / NME is made. Both these magazines have clear audiences and to a certain degree they have to play to this notion. In direct contrast to print journalism, the use of online blogging is ones honest opinion. Blogging is certainly not free from bias but generally speaking there is not a target market to cater to. "Perhaps one attraction of blogging lies in its unmediated and dynamic quality...without an agenda, editorial stance, or pedantic sub-editor standing between the writer and reader, blogging can provide reportage in a raw and exciting form" (Raynsford, 2003)
I think that culture has accepted the notion that the ideas and opinions expressed in print journalism in turn represent those of the target audience, in contrast to blogging where generally the lines between opinion and fact can be blurred. Another issue to address would be the route taken to become a professional journalist (in print form), meaning that subsequent understanding/training of ethical and moral policies suggest these individuals would be better versed in the way of journalism. But what stops this person from blogging? In this instance there is a clear distinction between those who are qualified journalists well versed in the manner of which journalistic features need to be delivered, against an individual who can submit an article online and deem it journalism.
A better question to consider is thus; can types of blogging be deemed journalism? Certainly there are forms of blogging out there which could be defined as journalism, but this isn't to account for each and every blog out there; "if journalism is the imparting of verifiable facts to a general audience through a mass medium, then most blogs fall well short of meeting the standard" (Andrews, 2003)
ANDREWS, 2003. Is Blogging Journalism? [online] [viewed 6 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/article/101027/Is-Blogging-Journalism.aspx
CHEN, 2009. Is blogging journalism? [online] [viewed 6 May 2011]. Available from: http://savethemedia.com/2009/03/28/is-blogging-journalism/
RAYNSFORD, 2003. Blogging: the new journalism? [online] [viewed 6 May 2011]. Available from: http://www.journalism.co.uk/news-features/blogging-the-new-journalism-/s5/a5604/
Friday, 18 March 2011
Popular Music Journalism: Topic 4
4. What are the main differences between print and online journalism?
The first difference I feel obliged to discuss would be the accessibility of new information. With traditional publications issued perhaps on a weekly or even fortnightly basis, any new content cannot be implemented until the following issue. In comparision to online journalism, web sites / journals / blogs can be updated on a daily, 24/7 basis, allowing for instant access to new information as opposed to periodically - ie; determined by the publication dates of said articles. "Online journalism provides the best arena for distributing news quickly" (Media-Culture, 2004). In short; "for the person who wants an instant update, the difference between rolling news and online is like the difference between jumping on a passing bus or flagging down a taxi. The bus gets you there in the end, but you take in a lot of other scenery enroute" (Ward 2002, p. 134).
For me another primary difference is the level of content one can examine when comparing these two formats. Online, to a degree, allows for an unfiltered volume of information to work with, if not with reference to the size of a particular article, the freedom of the internet allows consumers to pull a limitless amount of data from numerous sources. In comparision to print journalism, such as articles seen in NME or Kerrang for example; the consumer has paid the fee and in return has an exact amount of data available to him. This effectively leads to a double-edged sword. With word counts etc to meet, the content needs to be informative & concise throughout. The freedom to write an article much longer would perhaps come at the deteriment of the piece in question.
Another, perhaps less obvious between these two types of journalism would be the audience participation. More relevant to blogs, but the majority of online articles will have some level of opportunity for reader feedback, whether this be a comments section or email etc. 'The internet provides a far wider range of communication flow than that afforded by any other medium...interactivity distinguishes online journalism from its traditional forms and has created a new relationship between the journalist and the user" (Media-Culture, 2004). In print journalism, the audience is static; ie, the information is presented to them on a regular basis without a clear means of involvement - merely acting as the consumer. Any form of online journalism will have more of an active involvement with its member/readership. A relevant example is TheYoungTurks, a political news site where the audience / consumer play a significant role in the direction of the publication.
M/CYCLOPEDIA OF NEW MEDIA, 2004 Immediacy [online] [viewed 6 May 2011]. Available from: http://wiki.media-culture.org.au/index.php/Online_Journalism:_Immediacy
M/CYCLOPEDIA OF NEW MEDIA, 2004 Interactivity [online] [viewed 6 May 2011]. Available from: http://wiki.media-culture.org.au/index.php/Online_Journalism:_Interactivity
THE YOUNG TURKS, 2011 [online] [viewed 15 April 2011]. Available from: http://www.theyoungturks.com/
WARD, M., 2002. Journalism Online. Oxford: Focal Press
The first difference I feel obliged to discuss would be the accessibility of new information. With traditional publications issued perhaps on a weekly or even fortnightly basis, any new content cannot be implemented until the following issue. In comparision to online journalism, web sites / journals / blogs can be updated on a daily, 24/7 basis, allowing for instant access to new information as opposed to periodically - ie; determined by the publication dates of said articles. "Online journalism provides the best arena for distributing news quickly" (Media-Culture, 2004). In short; "for the person who wants an instant update, the difference between rolling news and online is like the difference between jumping on a passing bus or flagging down a taxi. The bus gets you there in the end, but you take in a lot of other scenery enroute" (Ward 2002, p. 134).
For me another primary difference is the level of content one can examine when comparing these two formats. Online, to a degree, allows for an unfiltered volume of information to work with, if not with reference to the size of a particular article, the freedom of the internet allows consumers to pull a limitless amount of data from numerous sources. In comparision to print journalism, such as articles seen in NME or Kerrang for example; the consumer has paid the fee and in return has an exact amount of data available to him. This effectively leads to a double-edged sword. With word counts etc to meet, the content needs to be informative & concise throughout. The freedom to write an article much longer would perhaps come at the deteriment of the piece in question.
Another, perhaps less obvious between these two types of journalism would be the audience participation. More relevant to blogs, but the majority of online articles will have some level of opportunity for reader feedback, whether this be a comments section or email etc. 'The internet provides a far wider range of communication flow than that afforded by any other medium...interactivity distinguishes online journalism from its traditional forms and has created a new relationship between the journalist and the user" (Media-Culture, 2004). In print journalism, the audience is static; ie, the information is presented to them on a regular basis without a clear means of involvement - merely acting as the consumer. Any form of online journalism will have more of an active involvement with its member/readership. A relevant example is TheYoungTurks, a political news site where the audience / consumer play a significant role in the direction of the publication.
M/CYCLOPEDIA OF NEW MEDIA, 2004 Immediacy [online] [viewed 6 May 2011]. Available from: http://wiki.media-culture.org.au/index.php/Online_Journalism:_Immediacy
M/CYCLOPEDIA OF NEW MEDIA, 2004 Interactivity [online] [viewed 6 May 2011]. Available from: http://wiki.media-culture.org.au/index.php/Online_Journalism:_Interactivity
THE YOUNG TURKS, 2011 [online] [viewed 15 April 2011]. Available from: http://www.theyoungturks.com/
WARD, M., 2002. Journalism Online. Oxford: Focal Press
Sunday, 13 March 2011
Popular Music Journalism: Topic 3
3 Think about your own writing. How has it improved from your first to your second assignments? What have you learned? How had proofing and subbing work changed your awareness of your writing?
I believe that my writing/prose has developed significantly from my first to second assignment submission. I have always been confident in my writing ability since college but the demands of journalistic work such as word counts and writing for a specific demographic has meant that I have had to take on a lot of new techniques / stylings to ensure I met the assignment requirements.
Specifically, focus on ensuring my work / pieces were in keeping with the assignment criteria was important, and I was able to carry this across when working on my reviews portofolio. With guidelines being a shade regimental at first, it was a strange experience trying to incorporate my own voice into articles so heavily shaped by the assignment criteria. However, when working on my second assignment, I found the guidelines a lot more welcome, having spent the previous months developing my own prose coupled with a clear indication of the audience I found very beneficial. Another aspect I believe I learned from was keeping to a word count - in particular the need to keep the article / piece as raw and focused as possible. Without the constraints of a word count meant that any piece I had previously worked on had a tendency to be very wordy and lacking in its emphasis; whereas keeping to a max word count meant I had to spend time reviewing my piece, ensuring that any excess was removed whilst keeping the stronger elements intact.
Historically I have found it difficult to review my own works from another perspective but having read through various other journalistic pieces in class with both subbing & proofing oppourtunites have meant in turn I believe my own drafts have felt the benefit. Traditionally I was only able to read my own work from my personal perspective, but development on this aspect during class has meant working on my review portfolio allowed me to re-read my own prose from a target market mindset. One example is my often unnecessary use of cliched vocabulary without seeing how forced and irrelevant its usage was. However on reflection I was able to refine my own prose; 'writing that is full of cliches is annoying to read and suggests laziness on the part of the author' (MacWarlock, 2011)
MACWARLOCK, 2011 Prompt Proofing [online] [viewed 29 April 2011]. Available from: http://macwarlock.co.cc/prompt-proofing-blog-post-how-to-improve-your-writing-part-4/
I believe that my writing/prose has developed significantly from my first to second assignment submission. I have always been confident in my writing ability since college but the demands of journalistic work such as word counts and writing for a specific demographic has meant that I have had to take on a lot of new techniques / stylings to ensure I met the assignment requirements.
Specifically, focus on ensuring my work / pieces were in keeping with the assignment criteria was important, and I was able to carry this across when working on my reviews portofolio. With guidelines being a shade regimental at first, it was a strange experience trying to incorporate my own voice into articles so heavily shaped by the assignment criteria. However, when working on my second assignment, I found the guidelines a lot more welcome, having spent the previous months developing my own prose coupled with a clear indication of the audience I found very beneficial. Another aspect I believe I learned from was keeping to a word count - in particular the need to keep the article / piece as raw and focused as possible. Without the constraints of a word count meant that any piece I had previously worked on had a tendency to be very wordy and lacking in its emphasis; whereas keeping to a max word count meant I had to spend time reviewing my piece, ensuring that any excess was removed whilst keeping the stronger elements intact.
Historically I have found it difficult to review my own works from another perspective but having read through various other journalistic pieces in class with both subbing & proofing oppourtunites have meant in turn I believe my own drafts have felt the benefit. Traditionally I was only able to read my own work from my personal perspective, but development on this aspect during class has meant working on my review portfolio allowed me to re-read my own prose from a target market mindset. One example is my often unnecessary use of cliched vocabulary without seeing how forced and irrelevant its usage was. However on reflection I was able to refine my own prose; 'writing that is full of cliches is annoying to read and suggests laziness on the part of the author' (MacWarlock, 2011)
MACWARLOCK, 2011 Prompt Proofing [online] [viewed 29 April 2011]. Available from: http://macwarlock.co.cc/prompt-proofing-blog-post-how-to-improve-your-writing-part-4/
Popular Music Journalism: Topic 1
1. What is the role of the music journalist today?
To answer this question it is important to first understand the definition of the term 'role'. Generally regarded as the 'proper or customary function; the rights, obligations, and expected behaviour patterns associated with a particular social status' (Dictionary, 2011), even so the 'role' of the current-day music journalist is a difficult one to define. The ever-changing landscape of technological and social advances dictate that traditional broadsheet communications are not entirely relevant; an image which many would consider an established image of music journalism. The advent of the digital revolution has meant that the internet has encouraged a significant increase in the level/degree of user-generated journalism, as opposed to the traditional means of leaving this aspect to companies / established publications.
Journalism in any chosen field should be about reporting the facts of a chosen matter to a target audience. Music Journalism can cover a wide range of topics, from album and gig reviews, to news regarding a bands status or direction for the future - supposedly without bias or personal belief; unfortunately this is not always true. A high level of current high-street music journalism cater to their set demographic of a relative scene/sub-culture; this coupled with economic interests mean that true journalistic ideals will always be sacrificed in place of finanicial security / meeting a target audiences demands. The need to ensure your work is in keeping with the ideals of a certain sub-culture / scene runs parallel to financial issues, and with the vast majority of online content being free; means the traditional role of a music journalist today differs greatly from that of those perhaps 50 years earlier. In my later blogs I will discuss this position further; looking to understand and identify whether user/consumer-based music criticism could be cosidered journalistic in the traditional sense.
The modern day journalists in my opinion are a necessary evil, providing doses of scripted criticism and entertainment in equal measures. 'As Shuker noted: "The music press and critics are not, at least directly, vertically integrated into the music industry...A sense of distance is thereby maintained, while at the same time the need of the industry to constantly sell new images, styles and product is met' (Jones, 2010). Whether this can be deemed true music journalism is indeed questionable.
DICTIONARY, 2011 [online] [viewed 13 March 2011] Available from: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/role
JONES, 2002. Pop Music and the Press. USA, Philadelphia: Temple University Press
To answer this question it is important to first understand the definition of the term 'role'. Generally regarded as the 'proper or customary function; the rights, obligations, and expected behaviour patterns associated with a particular social status' (Dictionary, 2011), even so the 'role' of the current-day music journalist is a difficult one to define. The ever-changing landscape of technological and social advances dictate that traditional broadsheet communications are not entirely relevant; an image which many would consider an established image of music journalism. The advent of the digital revolution has meant that the internet has encouraged a significant increase in the level/degree of user-generated journalism, as opposed to the traditional means of leaving this aspect to companies / established publications.
Journalism in any chosen field should be about reporting the facts of a chosen matter to a target audience. Music Journalism can cover a wide range of topics, from album and gig reviews, to news regarding a bands status or direction for the future - supposedly without bias or personal belief; unfortunately this is not always true. A high level of current high-street music journalism cater to their set demographic of a relative scene/sub-culture; this coupled with economic interests mean that true journalistic ideals will always be sacrificed in place of finanicial security / meeting a target audiences demands. The need to ensure your work is in keeping with the ideals of a certain sub-culture / scene runs parallel to financial issues, and with the vast majority of online content being free; means the traditional role of a music journalist today differs greatly from that of those perhaps 50 years earlier. In my later blogs I will discuss this position further; looking to understand and identify whether user/consumer-based music criticism could be cosidered journalistic in the traditional sense.
The modern day journalists in my opinion are a necessary evil, providing doses of scripted criticism and entertainment in equal measures. 'As Shuker noted: "The music press and critics are not, at least directly, vertically integrated into the music industry...A sense of distance is thereby maintained, while at the same time the need of the industry to constantly sell new images, styles and product is met' (Jones, 2010). Whether this can be deemed true music journalism is indeed questionable.
DICTIONARY, 2011 [online] [viewed 13 March 2011] Available from: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/role
JONES, 2002. Pop Music and the Press. USA, Philadelphia: Temple University Press
Track Review
Biffy Clyro - Whorses
Summer-americana feel to the 3 minutes, soft but loud, Nirvana feel to the track. Backings of punk-rock with clean vocals across the top. The result; leading to a distortion-laden chorus
Ian Drury & + The Blockheads - Aint hast...
Resonates with a very british feel, laces of Ska / Reggae, not dissimilar to madness. Punk, musichall.
Corinne Bailey Rae - The Sea
Emotional, angst-ridden melody which is slow to unfurl, slow-tempo'd pop with lacings of piano. Billy Holiday, Katie Melua, soul and jazz sounds to it.
Virus Syndicate - Hijak
Brooding, vampiric , but introduction of sampling and synths, aggressive MC'ing
New Young Pony Club - Ice Cream
New Order, Blondie. Vocal style similar to Delta Five, Talking Heads, Dresdon Dolls
My Chemical Romance - Helena
Thrash: Slayer, Anthrax, Queen, Black Flag, Garage Punk, Velvet Underground, Goth (Marilyn Manson).
Kanye West - Soul Jazz, Little Richard, Aretha Franklin, Chakra Khan, Ray Charles. Graduation-era included Elton John & Daft Punk etc, Strings influence from Portishead, Wu Tang Clan, RZA, U2.
Circa Survive - Beach Boys, Beatles, Nirvana, Zeppelin, Frank Zappa,
Le Martells - One of Those
Very infectious indie-pop, structured with resolutely british lyrics, all encased with an easy to follow melody. A great number which has been well worked on, no part of this song sounds out of place, the pace of the piece serving as both its wit and confidence (sorry, screwed up this last bit)
Apollos Arrows - Start at the End
Electronic Post-rock intro, which all changes 30 seconds in, with a jump into aggressive, sharp, choppy Wombats-esque progressive rock. Despite the lack of distortion, the relentless assault on the rhythm guitars serve their purpose well, strong track whilst rough around the edges.
The Sharps - Midnight State
Solent outfit harnessing a sound not a far cry from the likes of Fleetwood Mac and America, but it is their vocalist which draws the strongest comparison, to Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner. A track which I feel needs improvement; whilst echoing the feel of already-established acts, missing that key lick/melody which would provide that extra kick.
Fly Frankie Fly - We Are One
Bass-laden synthetic grooves, but repetitive verses/chorus transform the track into resembling a dance number. Poor use of distortion. MGMT, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys seem likely candidates for influencing their sound.
The Chromatones - In My Eyes
Striking vocal range, whilst musically very easy to draw comparisons to Manic Street Preachers. Fairly repetitive song structure with a half-hearted use of dual vocals. Despite the strong intro, the remainder of the track fails to live up the short-lived standard, wellowing in a pool of sub-par rock music for the last 2 minutes.
Summer-americana feel to the 3 minutes, soft but loud, Nirvana feel to the track. Backings of punk-rock with clean vocals across the top. The result; leading to a distortion-laden chorus
Ian Drury & + The Blockheads - Aint hast...
Resonates with a very british feel, laces of Ska / Reggae, not dissimilar to madness. Punk, musichall.
Corinne Bailey Rae - The Sea
Emotional, angst-ridden melody which is slow to unfurl, slow-tempo'd pop with lacings of piano. Billy Holiday, Katie Melua, soul and jazz sounds to it.
Virus Syndicate - Hijak
Brooding, vampiric , but introduction of sampling and synths, aggressive MC'ing
New Young Pony Club - Ice Cream
New Order, Blondie. Vocal style similar to Delta Five, Talking Heads, Dresdon Dolls
My Chemical Romance - Helena
Thrash: Slayer, Anthrax, Queen, Black Flag, Garage Punk, Velvet Underground, Goth (Marilyn Manson).
Kanye West - Soul Jazz, Little Richard, Aretha Franklin, Chakra Khan, Ray Charles. Graduation-era included Elton John & Daft Punk etc, Strings influence from Portishead, Wu Tang Clan, RZA, U2.
Circa Survive - Beach Boys, Beatles, Nirvana, Zeppelin, Frank Zappa,
Le Martells - One of Those
Very infectious indie-pop, structured with resolutely british lyrics, all encased with an easy to follow melody. A great number which has been well worked on, no part of this song sounds out of place, the pace of the piece serving as both its wit and confidence (sorry, screwed up this last bit)
Apollos Arrows - Start at the End
Electronic Post-rock intro, which all changes 30 seconds in, with a jump into aggressive, sharp, choppy Wombats-esque progressive rock. Despite the lack of distortion, the relentless assault on the rhythm guitars serve their purpose well, strong track whilst rough around the edges.
The Sharps - Midnight State
Solent outfit harnessing a sound not a far cry from the likes of Fleetwood Mac and America, but it is their vocalist which draws the strongest comparison, to Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner. A track which I feel needs improvement; whilst echoing the feel of already-established acts, missing that key lick/melody which would provide that extra kick.
Fly Frankie Fly - We Are One
Bass-laden synthetic grooves, but repetitive verses/chorus transform the track into resembling a dance number. Poor use of distortion. MGMT, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys seem likely candidates for influencing their sound.
The Chromatones - In My Eyes
Striking vocal range, whilst musically very easy to draw comparisons to Manic Street Preachers. Fairly repetitive song structure with a half-hearted use of dual vocals. Despite the strong intro, the remainder of the track fails to live up the short-lived standard, wellowing in a pool of sub-par rock music for the last 2 minutes.
Tri-Media Considerations
After spending recent Journalism lessons studying the semiotics of sample magazines, there are cetain aspects which I feel are paramount when considering your own layout
Colour
When used effectively, can determine whether the comsumer will choose that article over others. Unfortunately, as with the case of Audio Addict, I felt there were too many occasions where either the contrast or pallette was completely ineffectual, certainly putting me off from choosing that article.
Font
On reviewing the semiotics of NME, whilst I noticed they had incorporated various fonts, it wasn't until we had, as a group, reviewed Audio Addict. On reflection, NME were able to effectively vary the use of fonts according to the context and audience of a piece, despite what seemed at time a hogpodge of styles. Although Audio Addict kept to a set of clear defined rules across the magazine in general, the use of Comic Sans in particular highlighted how important it was to consider the font may portray to the audience; keep it professional but appealing to possible consumers.
Colour
When used effectively, can determine whether the comsumer will choose that article over others. Unfortunately, as with the case of Audio Addict, I felt there were too many occasions where either the contrast or pallette was completely ineffectual, certainly putting me off from choosing that article.
Font
On reviewing the semiotics of NME, whilst I noticed they had incorporated various fonts, it wasn't until we had, as a group, reviewed Audio Addict. On reflection, NME were able to effectively vary the use of fonts according to the context and audience of a piece, despite what seemed at time a hogpodge of styles. Although Audio Addict kept to a set of clear defined rules across the magazine in general, the use of Comic Sans in particular highlighted how important it was to consider the font may portray to the audience; keep it professional but appealing to possible consumers.
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