My article titled Understanding Media Psychology was published in the January issue of the APS Observer.
I’ll be presenting some of my research at the New Communications Forum, presented by the Society for New Communications Research, in Sonoma this April: Comparing Independent and Corporate Media Agendas. They asked me to participate in the track titled The Changing Face of Journalism & The New Business of the News Media. Below is my session summary:
Increasingly available participatory media technologies have led to easier production and consumption of independent news. Independent media outlets have been addressed as social movements, potential sources addressing oppression, and presenters of opposing views to corporate media. However, the producers of independent media are the public, and agenda setting research has shown that an increased need for orientation leads information seekers to integrate the media agenda. This session will explore the media agenda of independent media compared to that of corporate media. Based on original research using online news sources, we will discuss the tie between the corporate media agenda, the public agenda, and the independent media agenda. In addition, we will explore the nature and potential of independent media in relation to social change.
It doesn’t seem like I’m in one place long enough to think any more. We still have not found a permanent place to live, and everything we own is boxed up in a storage unit. Last month we were back in Alaska, this month we moved into a new rental house. We have it for three months, during which time we hope to find a less expensive and more permanent residence where we can unpack all of our belongings. I’m also hoping that in this three months I will have the time to set up a working space where I can not only make a mad dash to check emails and keep up with work, but also unpack some books, review my notes, and get on with school. I really should have taken some time off from school this winter since I was unable to get to anything. But right now, I just want to bury myself in media pscyh.
Still procrastinating with fervor on addressing my dissertation. However, in an as yet inexpressible way I do know that I have come across a way to combine the topic I already wrote a concept paper for with all of the new information I have gathered. So in a way I am calm about it, just waiting for the concept to become clear so I can put it into words.
In the meantime, I submitted an article to the APS newsletter’s Student Notebook column. Now that my Div 46 associate editorship has wrapped up I want to keep getting things out there. It was accepted, and should be printed in January.
I also applied as a grant reviewer for a student competition and received the applications for review today.
And, I’m headed back to Juneau for a month.
Google takes a hack at solving the social networking puzzle withOpenSocial
After much searching, I finally found an application that appears to offer what I want for socializing and managing my social networks. I have reached the point that I have a bookmarks folder just to keep up with the accounts I create. I don’t even remember the purposes of many of them, and I certainly don’t want to log into each account to update bits and pieces everywhere. However there are benefits to the niche networking available in communities devoted to specific subjects—gaining feedback on creations, finding new resources based on shared interests, and connecting with similar people. So what is the solution?
There is a definite progression of virtual interactions, which began as plain text and have evolved to multi-sensory experiences, from what appeared (to outsiders) to be an anti-social experience sustained wholly in the ether to technology available for use IRL. We count on each other, through this evolved technology, for directions, advice, entertainment, problem solving, stories, warnings, news, photos, games, recipes, help finding ingredients in the grocery store ...
Online social networking, social marketing, and social media optimization have been targets of organizations and businesses trying to harness the power of the web. And now we can add social pressure.
I grew up hearing that peer pressure was a bad thing, but it looks like the city of Pittsburgh is trying to turn this often lamented form of social influence on attitudes, behaviors, and values around to its positive side.
To bring some money into the city, they have decided to collect on old tickets. And what better way to do that than to shame those who have not paid publicly? check the online database to see if you (or someone you know) has been charged with a summary offense
Some people I know through Fielding have started a new organization and are working on an online media psychology journal. It’s exciting to have two now, and it’s nice to see the older one publishing again. I hadn’t checked the site for years because the information didn’t change, now there’s all sorts of new tidbits, like the online gaming piece.
After a lot of juggling dates and resources, I finally submitted the first attempt at my comps. I’m excited to move back to the concept paper, finalize that, and feel like I’m moving ahead again. I had intended to submit the comps before Summer Session, but the house sold after three days and we were busy for months. We’re still in limbo, looking for a new home to settle into where I can unpack my ton of books. For now, having them all in storage has been a good excuse to start exploring some new areas, and I’ve started accumulating a new mini-library here.