Enter World: exploring mediated cultures

Friday, February 22, 2008

Moving to Braddock, PA

Within the first day, we knew we were moving to Braddock.  There are so many energetic people there, taking on challenges and following or discovering dreams. It’s a hard place to be calm in. I’ve already signed myself up for a ton of projects. And what is equally exciting is that I was inspired to work on my concept paper revisions while I was there even though I am officially on leave right now.

We arrived during a happening week in town. We rolled in on Valentine’s Day and were invited to the Elks Club Valentine’s dinner. That night the cook made the first vegan dishes ever served there. (I hear the mayor got them to add veggie dogs to the standing menu also, and they are perhaps the only Elks Club in PA with such an offering.) We ended up applying for membership. It seems like it will be needed if we live there, not just for networking but also for a place to hang out in town.

Friday was a going away and birthday party at the gallery with a film screening. The films were made by a guy who is still in town, starting in 1979 and up into the 1990s I think. Saturday was a black history month celebration at the library and a dinner. Sundays are standing potluck dinners at the co-op, and we also had brunch at the mayor’s. Monday and Tuesday are a blur. One day we managed to make it into Pittsburgh and hit the Carnegie natural history and art museums.

We thought a large portion of our decision would be based on Pittsburgh, but other than knowing it is available Pittsburgh had little to do with everything we fell in love with in Braddock. My favorite part is that it is a place to live where you are free to do the things you want instead of the things you have to do. And the things people are choosing to do so far make all the difference.

Fossil Free Fuel
BraddockActiveArts

Monday, February 11, 2008

Published in APS Student Notebook

My article titled Understanding Media Psychology was published in the January issue of the APS Observer. 

Conference presentation in April

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.