Case study research tasks
The basics
Your chosen industry:
The impacts of social media and new digital media on democracy and elections. Greater focus on the US Presidential election of 2016. Trump.
Your chosen case study (i.e. text/institution etc.):
Your chosen case study (i.e. text/institution etc.):
Social media and political engagement. Fake news, Facebook, Russian hacking
Have you received approval for this case study from your teacher?
Have you received approval for this case study from your teacher?
Yes
New digital media has changed the audience experience in a way that people are more likely to share emotional related narratives. A lot of articles and stories related to elections are created with the intention of having many narratives linked to them. This essentially aims to unlock the emotion of the audience, that makes the articles and stories a lot more relatable and therefore much more likely to be shared amongst peers. This also leads to a greater spread of targetted demographics and in some cases, creates a sense of an echo chamber which only resonates within specific demographic groups that only begins to escalate to the point where its the only narrative left to consume.
Has new and digital media changed the way the audience consume your chosen product?
New and digital media has essentially changed the way audiences consume in quite a few different ways. When it comes to politics, new digital media has been remarkably good at forming a bridge to get people into real world politics. However, it also poses a real challenge. It has allowed audiences to greatly interact with their local politicans in a much more personal level. A tweet to your local consistency's politican can be seen directly on their phone's screen, and essentially makes sure that audiences are a lot more up to date and linked with their local context's politics.
Has the size of the audience changed as a result of new and digital media?
I genuinely think the size of the audience has increased exponentially since the introduction of new digital media. With the use of social media in politics, it has quickly become a topic that is relevant and fast paced. It is arguably now a topic in society that many people need to be updated on every day otherwise they would be left behind. It has also led to a lot of young people getting interested in politics as they are the most adept when it comes to new digital media and therefore are much more likely to take part in a politics that is online and modern.
What are the positive changes new and digital media have brought to the audience of your case study? (E.g. greater choice, easier access etc.)
It's now a lot more easier to access news that is directly related to specific political topics. This ease of access provides more information to audiences and also gets them more invovled. New and digital media in politics has also made young people a lot more invested in the current affairs, as the world of politics is evolving to accomodate the use of technology and new digital media therefore young people who are more adept with the technology are far more likely to get involved with politics which therefore breaks down the negative stigma around politics.
What are the negative changes new and digital media have had on your chosen audience? (E.g. quality of product etc.)
I think some of the negative changes that new and digital media have had on the political audience is the huge amount of fake news that is being presented online. The internet and social media are essentially a completely different virtual world with little to no editorial control and this can lead to a lot of issues where articles are made that sensationalise stories or even are made with the sole purpose to spread false information and make people question their ideologies. There can also be a negative change to democracy with the creation of echo chambers.
What about audience pleasures - have these changed as a result of new and digital media?
Audiences can find a lot more identification with the political world of new and digital media, especially with stories that focus a lot more on local contextual level narratives that essentially help to make politics personal and relatable to each person.
What is the target audience for your chosen case study? Write a demographic/psychographic profile.
In terms of demographics, the target audience will probably be in the older generations that are in jobs that are not as skilled, might be in the manufacturing or service industry with greater focus on the manual labour. They would be hit a lot more harder by hardship and cuts from previous governments and would feel fed up. Due to their age, it's possible that they would be a lot more susceptible to the likes of fake news.
In terms of psychographics, I believe the target audience for my case study would be Resigned. This is due to the fact that they tend to seek survival and hold rigid, authoritarian values. They also tend to be a lot more interested in the past and hold traditional values whilst typically being older people.
In the case of Donald Trump its interest to note that a lot of what is said about him is sourced through his own tweets which are personally written by him. In a way, it is interesting that Trump essentially controls the media narrative created about him in one way or another. By doing so, he can eliminate speculations that media narratives can create and get straight to the point with one single narrative that he himself creates.
What impact has new and digital media had on ownership in your chosen case study?
I think that it has definitely allowed for a greater amount of institutions to control the way that social media is consumed by audiences by using computerised algorithms to specifically target certain demographics and therefore make the spread of their agenda incredibly efficient.
How has new and digital media changed the way institutions produce texts?
Institutions have to focus a lot more on the creation of simple narratives and distribute them on a variety of platforms which will ensure a widespread reach. In the case of Donald Trump, in a rapidly expanding digital age, there is huge influx of overwhelming data, where in these circumstances people tend to turn to the narratives that are the most loud, offensive or most emotive. So instituions focus entirely on creating local based contextualised stories which help to make politics a lot more relatable.
How has new and digital media changed the way institutions distribute their product?
Social and new digital media has been changed quite a lot in terms of how its distributed, especially by using computerised algorithms to specifically target certain demographics and therefore make the spread of their agenda incredibly efficient.
How might new and digital media threaten your chosen industry?
One of the most prominent threats to the chosen industry is the introduction of fake news and its place in the political world. During the US Election many sites were being made with the sole purpose of spreading misinformation to make people doubt their ideologies in order to sway their votes to right wing ideologies.
How has new and digital media changed the way your chosen industry is regulated?
It's greatly affected regulations especially when it comes to fake news, as instituions have to work a lot more harder now more than ever, as through the rise of fake news, many people no longer agree with the ideologies of President Trump. This is due to the fact that there was no regulation to fake news prior to its rise, and so institutions are having to work hard to come up with new ways to add a type of editorial control to the internet.
https://www.wayin.com/blog/powershop-trump-meme-generator-personalized-ugc/
To coincide with last year’s US presidential election, and to capitalize on the vast coverage surrounding Donald Trump, Powershop New Zealand gave its followers the power to control the ‘Trump’ conversation with its unique meme generator campaign to drive personalized UGC.
How has UGC changed things for audiences or institutions in your chosen case study?
UGC has essentially changed things quite a lot for audiences in my chosen case study. It allows people to get involved with politics and current affairs on a much more personal level. Through the ability to share their UGC submissions on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtags, people can easily create a conversation or buzz going when it comes to a political narrative or story. This makes the politics of the US election a lot more relatable and makes the audiences feel as if they are greater part of the process compared to before the introduction of new digital media.
Institutions are also able to then to capitalize on vast coverage and the conversation relating to the US election which can lead to a greater amount of website visitors and therefore greater income from ad revenue. It allows their audiences to get involved and gives them a certain power to the content being created.
A marxist view of the impact of new and digital media in my chosen industry would be that by modernising politics, it means that it is easier for people to inject others with their own views. The change/confusion in regulations means that it may be easier for people to be explicit with these actions and are less likely to be challenged. Furthermore, it also means that those in power are able to keep their power by brainwashing those without.
How would a pluralist view the impact of new and digital media in your chosen industry?
A pluralistic view of the impact of new and digital media in my chosen industry would be that by modernising politics, social media essentially allows for a greater control that is given to the audiences. It also allows for a greater level of democracy as it essentially allows for a lot more discussion to be created around politics.
Are there any examples of hegemony in your chosen industry or case study?
An example of hegemony in social media and politics would be the increasing use of memes to dillute the seriousness of issues. This essentially helps those in power to maintain their control over those without power by making serious matters laughable as people in society begin to slowly not care about such topics.
Globalisation has essentially resulted in a greater spread of democracy through the rapid expansion of technology which has led to a greater ease of access to information through the internet and social media. It has led to countries and cultures being a lot more closely connected and linked with each other.
In your opinion, has globalisation had a positive or negative impact on your chosen industry and case study? Why?
I think through globalisation and the greater ease of access to information through the internet and social media, has led to a lot of democracy being spread across the globe. It has also led to a rise in liberalism in radicalised dictatorships which has led to protests and political reform. With the case of the Arab spring, young people used their mobile devices and digital websites to spread information about protests until it lead to the downfall of dictatorships.
Can you find examples of cultural imperialism in your case study or industry? (The 'Americanisation' of the world)
I think Western democracy, especally the US election has been sensationalised across the world and this "americanisation" is sought after by other countries around the globe to some extent. It is shown to be overly dramatic and filled with action or intensity which is in stark contrast to the general stigma around politics.
Especially with the US Election, there has been a huge influx when it comes to using social media. Politicans and people have essentially been sharing articles and stories when it comes to real world politics. A recent popular method of using social media to promote politics is the use of humourous memes. These aim to humanise serious topics and make them laughable, which in a way polarizies politics and essentially dumbs down major serious issues to laughable matters that are no longer taken seriously. In the case of Trump, the use of memes, essentially boosted the conversation around his presidential campaign and in a way helped to get him the presidency.
Provide examples of how your case study has used social media and explain the impact this would have on audiences.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jan/09/donald-trump-calls-meryl-streep-over-rated-golden-globes-twitter
Is social media an opportunity or a threat to your industry and case study?
I think that new and digital media, especially social media is both an opportunity and a threat to politics. It has gotten a lot of people engaged and social media has been remarkably good at forming a bridge to get people into real world politics. People are essentially more likely to vote if they get involved in politics online. However, it creates new problems as these problems are making politics a lot more polarised, unpredictable and difficult to control. In many ways, Donald Trump is the perfect politcian for a digital age as there is huge influx of overwhelming data, where in these circumstances people tend to turn to the narratives that are the most loud, offensive or most emotive.
http://www.journalism.org/2017/04/04/most-say-tensions-between-trump-administration-and-news-media-hinder-access-to-political-news/
“Fake news” was a factor within the 2016 Presidential Election. This poll shows that 83% believe that the relationship between President Trump and the media is unhealthy. Furthermore, 73% believe that this relationship is clouding the view of important political news.
Looking at these statistics, what impact has new/digital media had on institutions in your chosen industry?
A lot of institutions have to work a lot more harder now more than ever, as through the rise of fake news, many people no longer agree with the ideologies of President Trump. This is due to the fact that there was no regulation to fake news prior to its rise, and so institutions are having to work hard to come up with new ways to add a type of editorial control to the internet.
What has the impact been for audiences? These may be positive and negative.
Audiences could essentialy be getting the content they want, but whether it is completely accurate and or even in their best interests is arguable.
Pluralism and Marxism - Fight between who is in power and whether audiences are passive or active. Theres an argument for both sides with relevant evidence. Online activism and "clicktivism" are relatively new.
Two-Step Flow Model – The internet's social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram have a huge amount of elites and celebrities that essentially act as the opinion leaders for a vast audience.
Audience
How has new and digital media changed the audience experience in your chosen industry?New digital media has changed the audience experience in a way that people are more likely to share emotional related narratives. A lot of articles and stories related to elections are created with the intention of having many narratives linked to them. This essentially aims to unlock the emotion of the audience, that makes the articles and stories a lot more relatable and therefore much more likely to be shared amongst peers. This also leads to a greater spread of targetted demographics and in some cases, creates a sense of an echo chamber which only resonates within specific demographic groups that only begins to escalate to the point where its the only narrative left to consume.
Has new and digital media changed the way the audience consume your chosen product?
New and digital media has essentially changed the way audiences consume in quite a few different ways. When it comes to politics, new digital media has been remarkably good at forming a bridge to get people into real world politics. However, it also poses a real challenge. It has allowed audiences to greatly interact with their local politicans in a much more personal level. A tweet to your local consistency's politican can be seen directly on their phone's screen, and essentially makes sure that audiences are a lot more up to date and linked with their local context's politics.
Has the size of the audience changed as a result of new and digital media?
I genuinely think the size of the audience has increased exponentially since the introduction of new digital media. With the use of social media in politics, it has quickly become a topic that is relevant and fast paced. It is arguably now a topic in society that many people need to be updated on every day otherwise they would be left behind. It has also led to a lot of young people getting interested in politics as they are the most adept when it comes to new digital media and therefore are much more likely to take part in a politics that is online and modern.
What are the positive changes new and digital media have brought to the audience of your case study? (E.g. greater choice, easier access etc.)
It's now a lot more easier to access news that is directly related to specific political topics. This ease of access provides more information to audiences and also gets them more invovled. New and digital media in politics has also made young people a lot more invested in the current affairs, as the world of politics is evolving to accomodate the use of technology and new digital media therefore young people who are more adept with the technology are far more likely to get involved with politics which therefore breaks down the negative stigma around politics.
What are the negative changes new and digital media have had on your chosen audience? (E.g. quality of product etc.)
I think some of the negative changes that new and digital media have had on the political audience is the huge amount of fake news that is being presented online. The internet and social media are essentially a completely different virtual world with little to no editorial control and this can lead to a lot of issues where articles are made that sensationalise stories or even are made with the sole purpose to spread false information and make people question their ideologies. There can also be a negative change to democracy with the creation of echo chambers.
What about audience pleasures - have these changed as a result of new and digital media?
Audiences can find a lot more identification with the political world of new and digital media, especially with stories that focus a lot more on local contextual level narratives that essentially help to make politics personal and relatable to each person.
What is the target audience for your chosen case study? Write a demographic/psychographic profile.
In terms of demographics, the target audience will probably be in the older generations that are in jobs that are not as skilled, might be in the manufacturing or service industry with greater focus on the manual labour. They would be hit a lot more harder by hardship and cuts from previous governments and would feel fed up. Due to their age, it's possible that they would be a lot more susceptible to the likes of fake news.
In terms of psychographics, I believe the target audience for my case study would be Resigned. This is due to the fact that they tend to seek survival and hold rigid, authoritarian values. They also tend to be a lot more interested in the past and hold traditional values whilst typically being older people.
Institution
How has new and digital media had an impact on ownership or control in your chosen industry?In the case of Donald Trump its interest to note that a lot of what is said about him is sourced through his own tweets which are personally written by him. In a way, it is interesting that Trump essentially controls the media narrative created about him in one way or another. By doing so, he can eliminate speculations that media narratives can create and get straight to the point with one single narrative that he himself creates.
What impact has new and digital media had on ownership in your chosen case study?
I think that it has definitely allowed for a greater amount of institutions to control the way that social media is consumed by audiences by using computerised algorithms to specifically target certain demographics and therefore make the spread of their agenda incredibly efficient.
How has new and digital media changed the way institutions produce texts?
Institutions have to focus a lot more on the creation of simple narratives and distribute them on a variety of platforms which will ensure a widespread reach. In the case of Donald Trump, in a rapidly expanding digital age, there is huge influx of overwhelming data, where in these circumstances people tend to turn to the narratives that are the most loud, offensive or most emotive. So instituions focus entirely on creating local based contextualised stories which help to make politics a lot more relatable.
How has new and digital media changed the way institutions distribute their product?
Social and new digital media has been changed quite a lot in terms of how its distributed, especially by using computerised algorithms to specifically target certain demographics and therefore make the spread of their agenda incredibly efficient.
How might new and digital media threaten your chosen industry?
One of the most prominent threats to the chosen industry is the introduction of fake news and its place in the political world. During the US Election many sites were being made with the sole purpose of spreading misinformation to make people doubt their ideologies in order to sway their votes to right wing ideologies.
How has new and digital media changed the way your chosen industry is regulated?
It's greatly affected regulations especially when it comes to fake news, as instituions have to work a lot more harder now more than ever, as through the rise of fake news, many people no longer agree with the ideologies of President Trump. This is due to the fact that there was no regulation to fake news prior to its rise, and so institutions are having to work hard to come up with new ways to add a type of editorial control to the internet.
UGC
What examples of user-generated content can you find in your case study?https://www.wayin.com/blog/powershop-trump-meme-generator-personalized-ugc/
To coincide with last year’s US presidential election, and to capitalize on the vast coverage surrounding Donald Trump, Powershop New Zealand gave its followers the power to control the ‘Trump’ conversation with its unique meme generator campaign to drive personalized UGC.
How has UGC changed things for audiences or institutions in your chosen case study?
UGC has essentially changed things quite a lot for audiences in my chosen case study. It allows people to get involved with politics and current affairs on a much more personal level. Through the ability to share their UGC submissions on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtags, people can easily create a conversation or buzz going when it comes to a political narrative or story. This makes the politics of the US election a lot more relatable and makes the audiences feel as if they are greater part of the process compared to before the introduction of new digital media.
Institutions are also able to then to capitalize on vast coverage and the conversation relating to the US election which can lead to a greater amount of website visitors and therefore greater income from ad revenue. It allows their audiences to get involved and gives them a certain power to the content being created.
Marxism, Pluralism and Hegemony
What would be a Marxist perspective of the impact of new and digital media on your chosen case study?A marxist view of the impact of new and digital media in my chosen industry would be that by modernising politics, it means that it is easier for people to inject others with their own views. The change/confusion in regulations means that it may be easier for people to be explicit with these actions and are less likely to be challenged. Furthermore, it also means that those in power are able to keep their power by brainwashing those without.
How would a pluralist view the impact of new and digital media in your chosen industry?
A pluralistic view of the impact of new and digital media in my chosen industry would be that by modernising politics, social media essentially allows for a greater control that is given to the audiences. It also allows for a greater level of democracy as it essentially allows for a lot more discussion to be created around politics.
Are there any examples of hegemony in your chosen industry or case study?
An example of hegemony in social media and politics would be the increasing use of memes to dillute the seriousness of issues. This essentially helps those in power to maintain their control over those without power by making serious matters laughable as people in society begin to slowly not care about such topics.
Globalisation
How has globalisation impacted on your chosen industry or case study?Globalisation has essentially resulted in a greater spread of democracy through the rapid expansion of technology which has led to a greater ease of access to information through the internet and social media. It has led to countries and cultures being a lot more closely connected and linked with each other.
In your opinion, has globalisation had a positive or negative impact on your chosen industry and case study? Why?
I think through globalisation and the greater ease of access to information through the internet and social media, has led to a lot of democracy being spread across the globe. It has also led to a rise in liberalism in radicalised dictatorships which has led to protests and political reform. With the case of the Arab spring, young people used their mobile devices and digital websites to spread information about protests until it lead to the downfall of dictatorships.
Can you find examples of cultural imperialism in your case study or industry? (The 'Americanisation' of the world)
I think Western democracy, especally the US election has been sensationalised across the world and this "americanisation" is sought after by other countries around the globe to some extent. It is shown to be overly dramatic and filled with action or intensity which is in stark contrast to the general stigma around politics.
Social media
How has your industry or case study used social media to promote its products?Especially with the US Election, there has been a huge influx when it comes to using social media. Politicans and people have essentially been sharing articles and stories when it comes to real world politics. A recent popular method of using social media to promote politics is the use of humourous memes. These aim to humanise serious topics and make them laughable, which in a way polarizies politics and essentially dumbs down major serious issues to laughable matters that are no longer taken seriously. In the case of Trump, the use of memes, essentially boosted the conversation around his presidential campaign and in a way helped to get him the presidency.
Provide examples of how your case study has used social media and explain the impact this would have on audiences.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jan/09/donald-trump-calls-meryl-streep-over-rated-golden-globes-twitter
Actress Meryl Streep used her Golden Globes acceptance speech as an opportunity and platform to condone the actions of Donald Trump especially when he mocked a disabled reporter. Trump then went ahead to write about Meryl Streep on his twitter account calling her "over-rated". This essentially goes to show the President in a very negative light and affects the way audiences perceive politics as a whole.
Is social media an opportunity or a threat to your industry and case study?
I think that new and digital media, especially social media is both an opportunity and a threat to politics. It has gotten a lot of people engaged and social media has been remarkably good at forming a bridge to get people into real world politics. People are essentially more likely to vote if they get involved in politics online. However, it creates new problems as these problems are making politics a lot more polarised, unpredictable and difficult to control. In many ways, Donald Trump is the perfect politcian for a digital age as there is huge influx of overwhelming data, where in these circumstances people tend to turn to the narratives that are the most loud, offensive or most emotive.
Statistics
What statistics can you find to illustrate the impact new and digital media has had on your industry or case study? For example, in news, the UK newspaper industry sold more than 12m copies a day in 2001 but in 2014 it was below 7m.http://www.journalism.org/2017/04/04/most-say-tensions-between-trump-administration-and-news-media-hinder-access-to-political-news/
“Fake news” was a factor within the 2016 Presidential Election. This poll shows that 83% believe that the relationship between President Trump and the media is unhealthy. Furthermore, 73% believe that this relationship is clouding the view of important political news.
A lot of institutions have to work a lot more harder now more than ever, as through the rise of fake news, many people no longer agree with the ideologies of President Trump. This is due to the fact that there was no regulation to fake news prior to its rise, and so institutions are having to work hard to come up with new ways to add a type of editorial control to the internet.
What has the impact been for audiences? These may be positive and negative.
Audiences could essentialy be getting the content they want, but whether it is completely accurate and or even in their best interests is arguable.
Theories
What media theories can you apply to your chosen industry and case study? Select THREE media theories and explain how they are relevant to your case study. Note: these can be ANY of the theories we have learned over the whole of Year 12 and 13.Pluralism and Marxism - Fight between who is in power and whether audiences are passive or active. Theres an argument for both sides with relevant evidence. Online activism and "clicktivism" are relatively new.
Two-Step Flow Model – The internet's social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram have a huge amount of elites and celebrities that essentially act as the opinion leaders for a vast audience.
Issues/debates
What media issues and debates can you apply to your chosen industry and case study? Select THREE media issues/debates and explain how they are relevant to your case study.- Fake news - The online world has little to no editorial control, and during the US Election many sites were being made with the sole purpose of spreading misinformation to make people doubt their ideologies
- Russian hacking - The Russians have been accused of hacking online American websites to influence the campaigns and results in order to make sure that Trump is elected as president due to his lack of experience which makes him easy to manipulate for their own agenda
- Cambridge Analytica - This was a company that used specific algorithms and targeted demographics on social media to promote campaigns but concerns has been raised as it helped Trumps campaign in unfair methods
Wider examples and secondary texts
What other texts or institutions are also relevant to your case study? What would be good secondary texts or examples to use to support the findings of your independent case study?- Online voting
- Cambridge Analytica
- Use of targeted campaigning online with algorithms
- Psychological targeting of campagins on specific demographics and psychographics
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