Background Information

Microsoft Xbox 360:

• Released: December 2005
• Features: Plays high-definition games, as well as DVDs and CDs, and internet play allows global tournaments to be held.
• Sales so far: 10.5 million
• Price: £285

Sony Playstation 3:

• Released: March 2006
• Features: Sony's new blu-ray disks which can store vastly more information than existing disks, allowing for superb graphics. Also compatible with PS1 and PS2 games and HD dvd's.
• Sales so far: 1.5 million and rising fast
• Price: £325 or £425

Nintendo Wii:

• Released: December 2006
• Features: Its main selling point is its movement sensitive controller which allows the user to control the game by physically performing the required actions. Compatible with Nintendo GameCube games as well.
• Sales so far: 4.6 million
• Price: £180

Related Articles

The topic that i have chosen to report on is the gaming industry and there are a number of reports on this subject such as:

• This article on the guardian online which briefly compares the three new major consoles, the PS3, X-Box 360 and Nintendo Wii.
• This article which relates to the Sony Playstation 3 and gives some information about its launch and chances of success.
• This article about the problems with the Playstation 3 during its production and the effect that it had on its release.

The future of blogging

www.robinsloan.com/epic The following debates are raised by the above video:

• The moral issue of what would happen if the news was chosen by a computer and edited to suit our individual needs.
• The issue of who would be responsible for copyright.
• The idea of a custom content package which means that everybody is given different news and information depending on their personal interests and requirements.

Personally i have mixed opinions about this video. Although all of the events that take place are believable and possible i do not think that in such a competitive market there would be as much readiness for companies to allow themselves to be bought or merge with their rivals, it is this that makes me sceptical about the possibility of the events in the video taking place.

Journalism

"We're all reporters in the digital democracy" - Emily Bell

• The once passive audience now plays an active role in the media.
• Recording and sending images and videos of news events has now become second nature to the general public, allowing the news companies greater choice when reporting a story.
• National papers are becoming more like village locals in that they are influenced by the public.
• Some see it as an exploitation of the free material, although the nature of the participation is totally out of choice.

Conclusion

The professional journalists are now no longer the only source of news and in many situations the public can give a clearer insight into the story. The media is also becoming far more inclusive as the public are given a greater say in the news.

Bloggers and Journalism

"Writers who work for nothing: It's a licence to print money" - John Naughton

• Images taken from a mobile phone is an example of user-generated content, e.g. somebody involved in the Virgin train crash took a photo on their camera phone and sent it to the BBC.
• The 7/7 bombings were the first time that news networks had realised the need for user-generated content as their own photographers could not get access to the sites that were wanted.
• All over the world people are now publishing photos and videos on the web, with over 161 billion gigabytes published last year alone.
• Optimists see this new wave as an excellent way for people all over the world to express themselves freely using the internet.
• Media moguls have realised that creative consumers can help their businesses as they are willing to give information for free if you give them space.
• This means that the distribution of production is moving towards the general public but the economic rewards are going to a few rich businessmen.

Five areas of study

1. Technology What does the technology allow the audience and institution to do that they couldn’t do before? What is your chosen technology and how is it marketed? Who to? Which companies provide it and how much does it cost? Is it new media or old media undergoing radical transformation?
2. Institutions How are media institutions converging media interests to increase profit? How are they reaching audiences in new ways?
3. Audience What are experiences doing with their new media technologies? How are traditional experiences of the media changing? What are audiences not doing so that they can spend more time interacting with new media technologies? What advantages are there for the consumer? You will carry out audience research, asking opinions and investigating consumption patterns.
4. Issues Will shops close or people lose jobs as a result of the new media technology? Does it encourage illegal activity? Is it generating any “moral panics”?
5. The Future If the technology is extended, what could happen? How could media practices be different in future, based on the potential of current technologies?