Final Exam Blog

How Media has Influenced and Changed the World as We Know it.

For this final blog I will be discussing the effects of media on life and various industries, the implications of these changes in both long and short term, and a few directions I think these various industries will be heading. I will look at the art industry, including animation, cartooning, classic art, and computer generated art. Next I will look at the music industry.I will also look at the mobile technology market and how it has changed rapidly, as well as were I think it is headed next. Finally I will look at the effects of media on the TV industry as well.

 Art Industry

The art industry is perhaps one of the most widely influenced industries by media. Art reflects into other media industries such as television, radio, advertising, web-based media, print, news, etc. You name it and chances are that some art form is used to create it. Art has come a long way from just classical paintings and drawings. Animation, cartoonings, CGI (Computer Generated Graphics), graphic design, and even writing have all developed or bloomed as a result of changes in media and technology. Take for instance the way news is presented in both paper forms and in TV or the way websites are created. Though these things are not directly art in the classical sense, they are indeed created by some form of art. 

The invention of computers gave rise to electronic age of art and graphic arts. Now the smartphones and mobile technology has open the door for many new artistically demanding jobs. Take for instance the articles geared toward the Future of TV, specifically the article about Youtube and Disney making an agreement. Though the nature of this article is geared toward the development of TV, the very title hints at the possible future of part of the art industry. Animation leader Disney, seeks to put its animated shows on youtube to get more revenue and more visitors to their site. As Disney is known for its animation and cartoons, we see a drastic change over the last 20 years in the way this animation is presented.

I think that art is going to have a large say in the way other media presents itself especially emerging media. Art is needed in every sort of media outlet. Journalism requires art for graphics, as does TV. Any interactive application or outlet will most likely have some sort of art application to it whether it be images, writings, or other visuals. Art is not going anywhere except for following the latest trends and helping to shape them and create new paths for industries old and new alike.

Music Industry

Perhaps one of the biggest industries to see the most change from media in the shortest amount of time is the music industry. Media and technological advances have rewritten the way consumers get a hold of music, not to mention the way they listen to it. This comes with after effects for the industry and its previously close counterpart, the record industry. Some of these effects include, dealing with piracy, gaining money from other outlets, and coping with the fact that people don't want to spend money on listening to music.

As the article "The Music Industry: A Change of Tune"  points out, people are willing to spend a certain amount of money on 'music' and when they can get the actual music for free through the internet an various other illegal or legal means, the artists have to face the fact that this means people want to spend money on 'music' in other ways. Thus artists and the music industry are now flourishing from live concert sales and promotions as well as merchandising sales more than they have ever done in the past. The record companies however, are starting to see loss in this. Thus, they are attempting to gain all-rights control of artists that sign on to them. This means that the record companies would then gain money through the sales of band merchandies and concert tickets (as the labels dont see much profit from these things as it stands now, because they only make money of of CD sales).

It is with this knowledge of the way the record label is trying to suck bands and artists in, plus my own love for music, experience playing in bands, and knowledge of how record labels can be nothing more than traps, that I make a guess as to the future of the music industry: In literally 5 years there will no longer be a need for record labels. In fact, one could argue that there is no need for them now. Let me explain form my own point of few from playing in a band. With technology today, it is EXTREMELY easy to record your own music with exceptional quality, quality that matches quality you would receive under a record label or exceeds it. It is easy to get your name known, promote your band, set up shows, tour, sell your own self created and produced albums, and meet people and network with other bands through social media and things like that. A booking agent is no longer required. It is also very easy to create your own merchandise and sell it out shows or online and make back the money you would have had to shell out at first to produce your album. 

So there, the three main perks of having a record label are now able to be done yourself and at home or in the practice area. You don't sign your bands music away. You will not be told how or what to write, nor will your music be shaped by anyone but the band. So you get all the perks now by doing them yourself and none of the trap that a record label is? How will this not take hold of the future of the music industry? Well it already has. As the article "Steven Levy on Facebook, Spotify, and the Future of Music" points out, music is readily accessible through streaming and this is absolutely free. With mobile music apps like Pandora, listening to music is at the tips of a consumers fingers and it is FREE. So, the artists have to make money some how. And when the artists need to make money it means they need to save money. So why sign your band and music away to a label, and only see half the profit while getting the short end of the deal? I honestly believe that these main arguments are the very basis for the absolute fact (yes I say fact because I know this will happen) that record lables will be obsolete in 5 years. 

Mobile Market


The world of mobile applications is still rather new compared to other industries but this market is booming and growing faster than anything we have seen before. Any company looking to get more customers and viewers should start in the world of mobile integration and activity. Some of the mobile markets big key trends, as listed in the article "8 Key Mobile Marketing Trends" are things that any company with existing mobile interfaces should begin to follow, as well as companies looking to get into the market. Based on the way consumers are wanting the mobile technology to better suit them, the technology is changing to do just that. Gone are the days where people have to keep up with Social Media Networking behind a computer. Instead they can now keep up with their social lives from their phones through mobile applications and mobile websites.

One of the big trends the previous article talks about centers around consumer location. People no longer want to just tweet their thoughts or update their status. Now they want to be able to tell their friends where they are doing it from, with tools built right into the applications. Four Square is a big hit as a result of this and many companies can gain a lot from looking at this application. Other trends point to constant revamping of the accessibility of mobile applications and website as well as the interface. These are constantly changing based on the critiquing of consumers. Making these more and more simple with new innovations everyday is the route this market is heading down, and its a good way for it to go. Yet all of these innovations and thoughts point at Smartphone applications and that end of the mobile market.

Lets talk about the basic cellphone text message and how the mobile market will begin to reach customers this way. Based on the article "Five Can't-Miss Mobile Marketing Trends for 2010" the smartphone applications will 'ultimately disappoint'. This article points us toward more advertising and accessibility through basic text messaging as well as smartphone applications. For example, the article points out that advertising through text message will begin to come into play, much the same way that e-mail advertising is formatted. Consumers can get ads through text messaging that might then be able to link them to a mobile website or application for that company. This opens an entire new window for advertisers.

So where is all this headed? In my own opinion, I believe that the mobile market is going to slowly moving toward a large 'circle'. Let me explain: As I presented above you have the mobile market focused on smartphones and applications for them, as well as mobile websites. Yet you also have changes in advertising coming throurgh text messaging. So I picture this as two separate ends on the same thread. Eventually companies are going to start taking all of these aspects and linking them together. So not only will you be able to access mobile website and applications, but you may get ads and even coupons from that company through text messaging that can only be applied to a purchase made through their mobile website or application. News outlets are going to start luring people into their mobile websites with text messaging campaigns in the form of article excerpts or even full blown articles that will link back to the mobile site for more information. You may even be able to get breaking news alerts texted right to your phone.

This all points to advertisers being able to reach out in multiple ways to various people. However, as the article "Ad Companies Fret Over a Digital Talent Gap" suggests, this is becoming difficult for current employees in the market. I like to think that this issue will be solved with the next generation of graduates however, as they are more familiar with social networking, mobile integration, and have expanded knowledge on these things. Thus, their creativity will be centered around being able to take an idea and make it work through various outlets (as the article suggests is needed) rather than focusing on one idea that could be used for only a few outlets. It is for this reason that I think the move to text messaging and mobile market trends for advertisers will happen, but it may take a few more years.

Television Industry

The television industry and market have seen vast changes over the past few years and while the range of changes have not been nearly as broad as changes to art in my personal opinion, these changes are by far the most innovative and have the most potential for continuity in the future. First lets look at the new Internet TVs which allow people to connect to the internet through the television and then access Facebook, Netflix, and even weather applications through their TV. This was a major step up for the TV market and how consumers viewed TV. I believe that this helped set the current demand for how TV is turning out.

With the Netflix innovation, viewers are able to access TV programs and movies with a few clicks and they don't decide what they want to watch based on what the cable programs are airing. This was a major blow for some cable companies and is still a big contender and thus cable companies invented things like Xfinity and On-Demand. This marked the beginning of the shift toward customized television experiences and as the video article The Future of TV points out, this is the direction television is going to take. I believe this to be entirely true in the sense that TV will be brought to viewers the way they want to see it, tailored to their specific interests, right down to advertisements. We discussed in class the thoughts of multiple endings for shows, so that each viewer could experience a TV program the way they think it should end. This is the epitome of a tailored and customized TV viewing experience and though I was very critical of this thought during class, upon pondering it and doing some more research I think this will very well be one the many end results that TV reaches.

As of now however, TV is seeing other changes in the actual technology which will also serve to better the experience. With the recent Xbox Kinect Upgrade the way a TV is handled, viewed, and now interacted with has made a huge development. The article "Xbox Aims to be 'Future of TV' " gives us the low down on how the Kinect (and thus the Xbox) can be made to control and interface with a TV without the use of remote controls. Being able to control the TV experience with voice commands and hand gestures is straight out of a sci-fi movie, but that technology is very real and very exciting. I see this being the norm in the next 5-10 years. Not only does the Xbox Kinect bring this innovation of interactive TV interfaces, but it also begins the transition to a single 'box' or device that will do everything your entertainment needs desire. With various upgrades in store the Xbox will not only be able to allow you to control the TV with voice commands, but you can access NetFlix, Cable programs, music, pictures, and video games with those very same commands. Indeed, it will become a household item.

I think these two important innovations set up many future paths for TV to in both advertising, interaction, and programming. People will want a fully customizable experience tailored specifically toward them and so the cable providers and advertisers are going to have to step it up and create this sort of content as the technology becomes available. I truly think that TV will take this route and stay on it from here on out because the allure of a customized TV experience is too enticing to simply throw to the side. And now that the Xbox is beginning to bring this to the table, other competitors are going to have meet this demand as well.

Conclusion

Overall several advancements in media and innovative technologies will bring many singular opportunities to each specific industry, but I also envision that these innovations will also help to create opportunities that span across multiple, if not all of these industries. This is simply because most of media ties into these industries and markets and with changing mobile, social, and connectivity trends all of the markets are going to have to get together and work as one in order to bring the best experiences to consumers and thus even more changes and innovations to life.

Industry Leaders Essay

After following the CEOs of Microsoft, Apple, and Adobe  as well as following the companies themselves through Twitter and various blogs on their websites, several things can be learned from each of them. Many of their tweets and posts coincide with releases of new products, features, or benefits. These often come in the form of personal reviews/notes, comments on the product, polls asking about customer ratings, and their own experience using them. However, their are occasional posts regarding the state of the job market from their point  of view, thoughts on where the industry is headed, and sometimes random ramblings. Though sorting through these different posts, readings, tweets, etc can be very much a hassle I have found that they tend to be insightful and very thought provoking, especially coming form the leaders and professionals in the industry.

Following the leaders and professionals alongside the company posts and twitter accounts proved to be a valuable method to use for side-by-side comparison. I obviously wanted to make sure that neither of the two were contradicting each other (if that chance arrived). I'll say now that I never once saw an instance or that though I didn't expect to find such things. Regardless of that first thought, it was interesting to see news of upcoming products or services from the company accounts and also see them talked about by the leaders and professionals as well. This allowed me to research new and upcoming technologies from the companies and also receive insight from the leaders of the companies on the products.

For instance, Xbox (owned by Microsoft) had post after post about the upcoming Kinect upgrade and the new innovations revolving around that upgrade. Adobe had much to say about upgrades being made to the CS5.5 Suite and the upcoming launch of the CS6 Suite. Apples continuous hinting of the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and the various talks of the success of the iPad were interesting as well. With each of these posts from the various companies came talks from the CEOs (and other professionals, as these accounts would often link to other Press Releases and comments made by others) about the products and I found these to be the most interesting tweets/posts/blogs during the course of researching for this essay. However, the most useful information in regards to this essay's topic, centered around the few posts and tweets regarding the industries future as seen by the professionals.

 Thus, I believe that there are a few things to be learned from following industry professionals through social media. First, we can gain insight into a particular leaders thoughts on a product or service. I believe this to be of utmost importance because it lets us know how they actually feel about a product. Now granted, they probably won't have anything negative to say about their own products given that they are most likely obligated to say things in their own interest, but regardless of this reading their comments through nearly real-time updates is fascinating and helpful for both the company and the customer. I compare this to this country nearly fifty years ago and the relationship it had with its elected president. Most Americans felt that they didn't have a close relationship with the President and that he was unknown to them aside from what they had read or researched themselves. This gives a sense of mystery and while suspense is great, you definitely don't want to feel that from a leader of your country.

So in the same way that social media, television, and the advance of emerging media has helped America feel close to its leader, social media helps customers feel close to company leaders. Yet this doesn't just apply to customers either. Looking at this from my own perspective, as a student hoping to eventually gain a footing in this very industry, working with the products from these companies, I gain much from merely following the professionals through social media. I gain a sense of knowing them better. I gain insight on the job market, market trends, advancements in technologies, and what to expect when I get into the field. This allows me to research these things further, because if the industry leaders have something to say about it, I can bet a significant amount of money that it will be important to know within the industry. So in a sense, following these professionals through social media is like planning directions for my research.

These blogs and twitter accounts give me the ability to efficiently research topics that are hot within the industry at that very moment, as opposed to going in blindly and maybe researching something that won't do me any good in the long run. Knowing about products, market trends, future plans for a company, etc are all things that I can gather from following these professionals and they basically act as the gateways to that knowledge. Its a map right there on my computer or phone. I think this is what anyone within any industry stands the most to gain from following their professionals through social media. It doesn't matter if the industry is computer science, telecommunications, art, or dietetics; arming yourself with current knowledge that is basically given to you by leaders in your industry, is the best thing you could do to become a professional yourself within you career.

Second Lynda Training Module Outline/Review: Flash Catalyst

Working in this training module was very challenging and yet very rewarding. I had not previously had Flash building experience nor any experience with the Flash Catalyst line of Adobe programs. However, a lot of interactive media uses Flash and flash based tools and files so I knew that this would be a good module to look into. Immediately I noted the extensiveness of this module despite being labeled 'Training Essentials'. As I continued through the module I came to find out that building even simple flash tools and files takes extensive time. Yet, each of the examples that was worked on in this module showed me what a good flash tool consists of, how to go about getting the interactive tool to do even the most basic of functions while looking sleek and elegant.

I found that working on the Olive Farm Interactive Tour tool was very fun and exciting. I was able to create drop down menus, scroll bars with selectable items, and design the flash-based game that went along with the interactive tool. These were the core features of this module, as well as scripting/coding the various events that took place within the interactive tool. However, the module also introduced flash timelines and event timelines to plan out how the interactive tool and game appear and depending on player outcomes, what happens next. I fount this particular part to be the most challenging and thus confusing at first. Yet the instructor and the video was very helpful in walking me through all of this.
I would also like to note that the module assisted me by showing how to import SWF files into Dreamweaver and thus use flash catalyst in conjunction with the web design program. The module also helped in showing me how to use the SWF Flash catalyst files with other HTML editing programs and tools so that they can be used on other sites not created with Dreamweaver. 

Overall, I found this module to be very helpful. I believe I was much more interested in this module and program than i was with the Illustrator program. However, both are very useful tools and I hope to find the time to take other training modules with these two programs.

Second Lynda Training Module: Adobe Flash Catalyst

CS5 Flash Catalyst Essential Training Complete

1.1 Drop Down Menu template

 Lynda.com Training Module:

1.2 Olive Farm interactive tour extracting tab

Flash Catalyst CS5: Essential Training

Author:
Mordy Golding

Completed By:
R. Aaron Webster

1.3 Olive Farm interactive tour growing tab

1.4 Olive Farm interactive Final

1.5 Spices scroll bar flash tool

Final Project Topic :: Outline :: Group

 TOPIC:

The topic for this project is 'Time Management'. We will address the issue of time management in regards to high school and college students and resolve the issue of time management through digital media. We will attempt to do this with an interactive calendar program that a user can utilize to remind them of pressing events. The program will notify them of upcoming events through their media outlets. It could be a website they log into, an app to add to their phone, Tumblr, or Facebook profile, or a desktop widget for their PC/Mac/Netbook.

GROUP:

The group consists of myself (R. Aaron Webster), Michael Koester, and Jessica Pettengill.


In order to present this project we will be utilizing a website/webpage that will either demonstrate the tool we have envisioned, or will explain it in detail. I will be in charge of building and designing the website/webpage. Michael will be in charge of writing and literature for the project, and Jessica will be in charge of putting together a PowerPoint that will contain our sources and supplement the website. Jessica and Michael will have a say in the website design. We will divide the task of finding sources, evenly among the three of us.

Mid-Term Exam Blog

“HOW IS MEDIA/TECHNOLOGY IMPACTING/CHANGING LIFE AS WE KNOW IT?”

I believe the best way to answer this question is to first look back at the overall public view of media and technology prior to the era of 'social media' and then follow this up by diving into the ways in which social media specifically has helped expand and change that general view to reflect on technology and media as a whole.

Referring specifically to the several articles on video gaming, including "Video Games Are Their Major, So Don't Call Them Slackers " and "Video Games in Health Care: Closing the Gap" we are able to directly see a glimpse of the way media and technology were sort of viewed prior to social media. The need for the articles, their nature, and the way in which the content is presented screams 'look, things are changing'. The general public would have once thought of video games as a manner to occupy kids, a tool used by slackers to waste their lives away and live in their parents house, and a cause of brain rot and moments of violence in children. 

However, these articles clearly tell us that the outlook of video games and the nature of video games is becoming more widely accepted as a respectable career, tool, and learning process. Video Game concepts and techniques, along with technology is being used to help surgeons through their training and lab sessions, which is a far cry from other methods of just five years ago. If we look at the article titled 'Who Says Social Games are Shallow?' we get a look at a an obvious and abruptly direct influence of the 'Social media' era on video games and thus the public. The generation of Baby Boomers and other adults who had previously shunned anything video game related, now spends their time playing Farmville, Ninja Wars, Cityville, and other social media based games through Facebook, Xanga, Twitter, and their various Apps. So where did the change come from? What prompted those who had frowned upon such things to become enveloped in them?

The Social Games article points us in the right direction for this specific concept, but also serves to show us some insight as to how not only the older generation, but young as well, have come to grow more dependent on media and technology. More or less, Social Games were simplistic to start off with yet addicting. Those who dared to step into the world of Facebook for a chance to connect with their childhood friends now find themselves playing games together, or in competition with people they are reconnecting with and potentially reliving those relationships and growing new ones. 

The key words here are 'simplistic' ' addicting' and most importantly, 'connect'. It is my belief that technology and media prior to the 'Social Media Era' sewed the seeds of fear, uneasiness, and complexity within all but the young and educated. Technology grew at such an alarming rate and new innovations were popping up left and right for many years. There was no sense of simplicity, nor was any of these very user friendly to those who were not already educated or familiar with the utilization of such things. Thus, a since of disconnection from technology and the media grew out of the confusion. 

However, I believe websites such as Facebook and Twitter, along with the ability to reach such outlets across various platforms (i.e. Computer, Smartphone, TV, etc) brought a swift and sweeping change to many people. Suddenly, the technology was no longer  confusing to use because Facebook was user friendly and allowed connectivity to people with whom some one might not have spoken to in years. This silver-lining served to draw many people young and old into the world of media and technology once again and actually sit down and learn things they might have thought they never could have done before. 

This ultimately led to many other utilization across various platforms, of the technology. The idea of web-based businesses spread like the plague, businesses began to use tools such as Skype to hold conferences of employees spread across the world, and more people felt like sharing their thoughts through blogs and sites like Twitter and Tumblr. The introduction of social media to the world opened up a wide array of jobs and career opportunities that are still expanding. We also see many companies begin to advertise through Twitter and Facebook, and the article 'Marketing small businesses with Twitter' serves to show us just how this came about for even small and local business with only the introductory paragraph. Advertising for all types of businesses is now something that permeates every part of people's lives as they enter the world of Social Media, and with advertising being geared toward their preferences and likes, the outlook of media and technology changes even more as consumers feel as if things are more tailored to themselves.

We can next look at the government and political elections for a drastic change in technology. Some of the older generation certainly recalls a time when they might have felt that their presidential candidates were far from approachable or able to make communications with the voters. How about their look back on past presidents, from whom they only heard through radio and TV broadcasts every once in a while? Yet, we look at the last election and the way in which our current president, as well as up and coming candidates contact voters. Social Media, and thus media and technology is the key to securing votes and making voters feel as if they are able to actually connect with the candidates. President Obama saw the importance of reaching out to the people through this outlet when he held what is now referred to as the 'Twitter Town Hall". 

Even before that, he was recognized as the first President to accept and utilize Social Media. The article "Barack Obama The First Social Media President?" clearly emphasis he heavy use of the social tool in his rise to presidency. However, the Twitter Town Hall shows even more the change in technology. Viewers were able to Tweet questions they wished to ask the President and get immediate responses to some of their questions. This was the first time something like this had ever happened on such a national scale and it is still mind blowing. Thus, we see many ways in which the Government's use of Social Media would effect the general outlook of media and technology in a positive manner. 

We must also look back to the events within Egypt and other middle eastern countries, as well as the more recent riots in the UK and recognize that many protests and related acts were set up through social media. the people of these countries and these movements would absolutely not have been able to organize in such a manner, under such conditions, nor as effectively, without the means of social media. The outcomes might very well have been different had social media never came into existence. I cannot emphasize this point enough in itself. Political movements were directly tied to being able to organize through sites like Facebook and Twitter and they overcame tyranny because of this important outlet of technology and media. 

Thus, I close this blog with the following: Technology, which had once been shunned by the majority of people who were not younger or educated, is now permeating their lives. It is in fact permeating the lives of people of all ages, across the entire world, even in under developed countries and it has done so in only a matter of a few years. That fact in and of itself is something to sit back and marvel over. Social Media, had a major key in allowing this to happen, but regardless one cannot refute this simple fact that the outlook and acceptance of technology and media is growing.

First Lynda Training Module Outline/Review: Adobe Illustrator

     After completing the first Lynda Module I would like to take the time to say that I would wholeheartedly recommend Lynda.com to any one seeking to expand their skill set or become more familiar with any given software. I found that the lessons were very comprehensive, detailed, and some were very extensive which is one of the many qualities that has me hooked on this service. Now that I know Lynda.com modules are available to me for free during my time here at Ball State, I will be making the most of them whenever possible. I would strongly encourage anyone I know personally, to do the same.

The particular module that I completed was centered around the basics and essentials of Adobe Illustrator CS5. The goal of the module was to allow the viewer to become familiar with the basic functions and features of Illustrator in the shortest amount of time possible, so that one could create professional work with the program. In total, the module was close to three hours long. This was by no means a detailed look at the functions of the program, nor was it a lesson that would cover all of the ways in which a person could properly utilize Illustrator. It was simply meant to introduce a person to the basics and allow them to begin to feel familiar with them. However, the end of the module pointed the viewer in the direction of several other modules that were much longer and covered much more topics, while truly diving into the heart of the program. I had initially attempted one of these longer modules (ten hour module in total) but couldn't not complete it on time for this assignment. However, I will say that it is very helpful and I plan on finishing it for the second required module.

In terms of the skills learned through this particular module, I must first say that I had no prior knowledge of Illustrator, other than knowing that it renders graphics using vectors and the pen tool is 'god'. Previously, I had thought that tool to be the most complicated tool to use in the entire Adobe Creative Suite. However, this module helped me become more familiar with the tool. I am just now beginning to become more comfortable using it but going through the listen and following along with my own program to the work, helped tremendously in learning the tools basic functions. Aside from that, I am much more familiar with keyboard shortcuts for Adobe in general, as well as the basic layout of Illustrator, how to use Artboards with my work, creating and editing gradients, typing along a vector path, dealing with pixel based content inside of Illustrator and different settings used for various works such as print and screen based work.

In all I would give this entire module two big thumbs up and I look forward to completing the next one as well, in order to further expand my knowledge of Illustrator. I also plan to look into other software programs through Lynda as well as I complete my education at Ball State.