Y12 Media Studies Induction Lessons

Offline to Online Media

As you will have seen from the timeline exercise, technology shapes the way that media is
produced distributed and consumed.

Since the late 90s, there has been a huge shift away from physical, analogue forms of media to
digital forms. This is part of the spread of digital technology, and the usage of computers at work
and in the home.

Different sorts of media are no longer totally separate areas, they now overlap. This can be seen in
the way that you might now watch a feature film on your phone via a platform like YouTube rather
than going to the cinema to watch a film.

The combining of forms via technology is known as convergence.

TASK 1: Definitions

In order to understand how Media has evolved from offline to online forms and products, it is
necessary to understand the different terminology associated with this.

Using Google, look up definitions for the following terms and note them down in the grid below:

Technology

Analogue

Digital

TASK 2: Offline and Online media quiz

Before we begin to look at online media in more detail, we are going to complete a short quiz.

You will be shown some offline or analogue versions of hardware that help create different
media products. Try to guess what they are and, if you can, what they have been replaced by.

To help you, you will have 2 minutes to look through and see if you know what they are before the
quiz starts.
Product Name, function, media What has it been replaced
associated with and era / date with?
of use
TASK 3: Advantages and Disadvantages of offline and online media

2.1 In the box below, list different media that, generally speaking, can be described as offline and
online

Offline Online
e.g. Newspapers e.g. Social Media Sites

2.2. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of physical and digital media? Note
them down in the grid below.

Advantages of Physical / Offline Media Advantages of Online Media

Disadvantages of Physical / Offline Media Disadvantages of Online Media

TASK 3: Online Media and the Audience as Prosumers

As a result of these new types of digital technologies and developments in the range of online
media products available, the media is now used differently by consumers. They are said to
promote a more active and engaged media consumption (use of media by the audience).

The term prosumer has been coined to describe a new type of media behaviour where we spend
time creating and sharing media content, instead of simply consuming it.

The term prosumer is made up of the following two words:

PRODUCER the maker of a media product, and

CONSUMER the person who reads or takes in the product.

This suggests that new online media forms such as social networking sites, enable us to produce
and consume media products simultaneously.
Below are some examples of how people are prosumers of media as result of developments in
digital technology:

Example 1: Instagram
You might like a selfie that your friend has posted on Instagram and leave a comment or emoji. In
doing this, you have consumed the photo and have produced and shared a response to the photo
for others to then consume. The photo and your online response to it are both content on the
media platform Instagram. In doing this you have acted as a prosumer.

Example 2: X-factor TV show, X-Factor app and Twitter

You might be dual screening so watching the X-factor live shows on the TV or computer and
simultaneously on the X-factor app on your phone. As you watch each audition on the TV
(consumption) you might rate the performance or vote for your favourite performer on the app
(production), which in turn has an effect on the outcomes of the show and who wins. You might
also be on Twitter at the same time and consuming and responding to tweets about the show. You
have consumed the show and produced a response, so have acted as a prosumer.

Can you think of any other examples of online media or sharing apps that enable us to be
prosumers? Try to think of 2 and note them down in the box below:

My Prosumer example 1: My Prosumer example 1:

What do you think are some of the benefits of being a prosumer of media rather than just a
consumer? Note your ideas down in the box below:

TASK 4: Some theoretical ideas about online media David Gauntlett

David Gauntlett has completed lots of research into Online Media and believes that by enabling
people to be prosumers and share media, they are connecting with society and, in turn, feel more
engaged in the world.
We are going to watch a short video of him explaining his ideas about Online Media (web 2.0). Try
to note down as many of the reasons he gives about the benefits of online media and
prosumption as you can.

Idea 1 Idea 2

Idea 3 Idea 4

Idea 5 Idea 6

TASK 5: Some theoretical ideas about online media - Henry Jenkins

Read the following quote by Henry Jenkins and translate it into your own words in the box below.
Use some examples from your own experience to help you explain what it means:

The term participatory culture contrasts with older notions of passive consumers as occupying
separate roles, we might now see them as participants who interact with each other using a new
set of rules none of us fully understands.

(Henry Jenkins, Convergence Culture p. 3)