cculture6curator

Dan McCauley

www.moveon.org

This group’s attempt to manufacture martyrdom encapsulates much of the static antagonism existing between conventional mass media outlets and that which is user generated.  The seeming validity of the group’s message notwithstanding, it is intriguing that the website group’s potential Superbowl coup was ultimately ineffectual due to the fact that it was not legitimized by the mass media.  In this case, it sure seems that mass media was able to bully with simple, disdainful indifference one of the most influential new media groups.

http://www.chicagoray.com/politicalparodies.htm  This is a site offering interested individuals customized graphic parodies to suit any taste.  This service represents a near mercenary use of convergence technology-here there is no “blog echoing” debate.  The site designer promises no affiliation, his intentions purely capitalistic, and yet the force which these images must hold in shaping at least a certain portion of public opinion is evident by the mere existence of this streamlined (and seemingly cheap starting at $5-10) service.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFQFB5YpDZE  An iconic appearance for the Daily Show host. Stewart’s barbs are certainly enjoyable and he commands this exchange, but he does seem a bit naïve as to the nature of his role as an emergent force impacting the news cycle.  This influential position is perhaps unprecedented in American televised media; a cultural icon, a farceur, that repeatedly denies a portion of his significance while simultaneously only commanding more and more influence.

http://www.reason.com/news/show/33781.html  Chapter 6 alludes to portions of this article in the endeavor to demarcate clearly the respective roles in a convergent culture for traditional media outlets and user driven, “new media” forms.  I have included the entire text, but the link may be a bit stubborn.  If this is the case, it is possible to navigate to the article from the “reason.com” homepage.  

http://www.cloudmakers.org/

Jenkins references this organization in a segment meant to analyze the ability of collective intelligence gathering, in the manner of blogging, to effect change upon concerns based in tangible, “realistic” space.

www.punditkitchen.com

This is a collection of relatively harmless, but crudely done, photoshopped political images.  Currently, there are countless images in this same style clogging the web, though this practice is not limited to politics.  Photo editing technology, seemingly, is a fundamental force in a convergent exchange of information and opinion.

Kate

Lizhi

Aileen