These theories go to the heart of whether the media elite or the audience have the power in a 21st century digital world. There are compelling arguments to both sides and recent world events only add fuel to this debate. Complete the tasks below to reinforce the work you've done in the lesson.
Main task
Read the Media Magazine article ‘Web 2.0: Participation or Hegemony?'. Go to our archive of Media Magazine issues and click on MM39 - the article you need is on page 58. Answer the following questions:
1) Research the Ian Tomlinson case. What would the traditional, hegemonic view of the police be in a case like this? How did new and digital media create a different story? What does the police officer's subsequent acquittal suggest about the power of new and digital media?
From the Ian Tomlinson case, the view of the traditional, hegemonic would be that the Police do not care about anything and wouldn't try to understand the situation before trying to accuse someone. New and Digital media created a different story by user generation; filming the footage themselves - trying to really show what happened, in the footage you can really tell that Ian Tomlinson was just strolling past the event and minding his own business; whoever the police just took their chance to use Ian as their target. The story went viral online through audiences. New and digital media is powerful especially with active audiences, but because the police are in power - in the media eyes; the police weren't the ones to blame.
2) What does the author argue regarding whether hegemony is being challenged by Web 2.0?
Since the media is so wide, it is difficult to get information - information that is true or not. Problems are not being faced, when UGC are taking over the internet with their views and events that are happened, since producers of news have the power, they want to be able to protect the powerful and not question them - this is why it is making it less hegemonic. It could be that in time user-generated content may develop its own codes and conventions different to those of the traditional media.
3) In your opinion, does new and digital media reinforce dominant hegemonic views or give the audience a platform to challenge them?
In my opinion, i think it is a bit of both - this is because audiences are able to challenge the dominant hegemonic through the use of social media, audiences do feel through as if online it is easier to express their views and opinions to the outer public, so they can be heard. Social media is also a platform where things do go viral very quickly especially on Twitter; "trends." However, the media can reinforce the dominant ideology of hegemonic, this is because of their power and social class - because their powerful they feel like they don't need to share everything with the public and wouldn't really question the powerful because it could ruin their reputation or authority.
4) Do recent world events such as Brexit or Donald Trump's election in the US suggest dominant hegemonic ideologies are being challenged or reinforced? There are arguments for both sides here - explain your opinion and why.
Recent events such as Brexit or Donald Trump election in the US, the media did reinforce the dominant hegemonic ideology to their advantage, they done this in several newspapers - they done it also because it may have fitted their ideologies. They would do to make sure the audiences are picking up their newspapers and reading the latest popular gossip in order to gain profit and keep in the industry for a bit more longer. New and Digital media however, could have challenged this, this is because the audiences can be very opinionated online and can become a big issue on social media as a lot of people get involved wherever they can get the chance and don't really bother with what social class people are in - whereas bigger news outlets do.
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