As a student of media studies, I was at first concerned when I read the description of the special CBC program The End. It concerns me because I have spent the past three years learning about the mass media, and for someone to say that it is going to soon be irrelevant is almost offensive.
Upon watching the three part series on Radio, Television and Print, I understand where the producers of this program are coming from. Conventional and traditional forms of media are changing but they will never be obsolete. There will always be a need for informative and entertaining content. People will always watch, listen and read. But younger generations are much more media savvy that previous, and they are asking for more.
What are we asking for?
Well I cannot speak for the collective youth. But if someone were to ask me what the main things I look for in my media my answer would be simple. I want a choice in my content, and I want to be able to access it quickly and easily.
Sifting through pages, waiting for my show to come on, and listening to 5 songs I don’t like before I hear one that I do is not my idea of good communication. The End uses the examples of satellite radio, Wikipedia and PVR to prove that users are becoming more motivated by their own interests, rather than turning on the 6’ Oclock news and passively watching whatever is thrown at them. The hypodermic needle model has its flaws, and those who believe that audiences of the future will be that easily persuaded are naive.
I also see that a lot of this need for choice is a result of people who are sick of being taken advantage of by the mass media. I absolutely hate having to sit through 10 minutes of commercials each half hour, and if it can be avoided I most certainly will. T
This CBC program encapsulates many ideas that we learn about in mit. It seems that the winds are changing direction in the media world, and those who fail to acknowledge that are going to be left behind.
