New Season, New Content (Hello MSTU 4020!; Week 1)
Happy Friday!
I'm pleased to announce that Media Make Change's official blog Media Speaks will be revamping this fall. We took some time off over the summer to regroup and think about better ways to improve Media Make Change. Our passion to serve communities through social and new media still stands strong. We're looking forward to new partnerships and ideas from individuals willing to support our efforts.
In other fantastic news, I'm officially a doctoral student at Teachers College, Columbia University! I still can't believe I'm here. Sometimes I wonder if the Admissions Department screwed up somehow. Ha! Anyhoo, as required for a few of my courses this semester, I'll be posting lots more content this fall on #tech, social media, identity, and communication theory. I'm already giddy about the ideas I'm learning through some of the assigned readings this week. All of which brings me to:
Hello MSTU 4020!
Thanks so much for stopping by. I'm looking forward to engaging with you all this semester.
Back to the readings for a second, I came across this lovely tidbit of information last night while reading a chapter 4, "Marshal McLuhan and the Cultural Medium: Space, Time and Implosion in the Global Village", of Nick Stevenson's Understanding Media Cultures: Social Theory and Mass Communication.
It reads:
"[T]he mass media's impact upon the construction of horizontal spatial relations and temporal dimensions of social life remains chronically underresearched."
#ZING!
My dreams have come true! I've finally come across ideas where folks are talking about the relationship between new forms of media communication and time/ space theories, and how both influence social organization of culture and identity. Since Stevenson's article was published in 1995, I'm excited about reading more of his work as well as McLuhan's ideas on space and time.
While you're here, feel free to take a peek at one of the videos from my class MSTU 4020.
Until next post...
CRUSH: Facebook Nation
It's the return of CRUSH! After taking a short summer hiatus, we're back in action, crushing the week's social media news into a juicy 3 minutes or less. And this week we're even giving you a special behind-the-scenes look into Crush Studios, so don't forget to join us on Facebook and Twitter.
The newest and third-largest nation in the world - Facebook Nation - is having trouble getting its currency off the ground. Facebook's announcement that Facebook credits will soon be the sole currency for all apps and games, has some of its 500,000 million citizens (i.e. developers) putting up a fight.
But Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg better start focusing on national security because other forces are preparing to attack. A web designer has filed a lawsuit against the social networking site claiming that, based on a contract entered in 2003 with Zuckerberg, he is entitled to 84% of Facebook, or $12.6 billion. And a Judge in New York has ruled to freeze the social networking site's assets until the case is resolved.
So Mr. Zuckerberg, how would you like to pay for that? Cash, credit, check or...Facebook credits?
In this week's quick hits:
- Ebay has it's own legal woes, facing a copyright infringement lawsuit over PayPal technology that could cost them almost $4 billion.
- Tweet Deck surpassed 15 million downloads this week, meaning that apparently more than 15 million people have yet to hear of Hootsuite.
- And just when you thought Chatroulette couldn't get any creepier...it has now added a local feature, so you can now tell just how close that person (or body part) really is.
And in world news, China's online population has skyrocketed to "420 million as more people access the Internet with cell phones." The Communist government has renewed Google's operating license, ending the months-long stalemate over Internet censorship and providing momentum for rights groups, such as Human Rights First, in their effort to create an open Internet behind the Great Chinese Firewall.
And that brings us to our "Crush of the Week" where we would like to recognize the brilliant folks over at Old Spice for their new, creative social media marketing campaign that is both entertaining and effective.
Make A Father's Day Declaration
I invite you to join me in making the following declaration:
I declare here and now I believe in respect. I am a person ready to take a stand against relationship violence and abuse. I want all to know this symbolizes my commitment to solve problems through conversation, not confrontation. Together we can teach others to lift their hands in embrace, not in anger. We can show compassion equals strength, and by doing so, help shape a world free of relationship violence.
To declare it, go here.
After you declare it, share it.
The Family Violence Prevention Fund is on a mission to create a future of healthy relationships. And as such, they are asking people to Give RESPECT!, and make a declaration.
So far, mostly women have signed. Women should sign, and I'm asking the men to step up. Relationship violence is a problem that lives in the shadows. To end it, we must bring it into the light and talk about it. You can help by making the declaration, and sending it on.
And to the women reading this, please sign the declaration too and send it to the men you know, and ask them to make a stand.
After all, what is it to be a man?
It's not measured by the size of your wallet, but by the size of your heart. It's not determined by the strength of your muscles, but by the strength of your courage. It's not judged by how tall you stand, but by what you stand up for.
And this Father's Day, it's time to man up.
We're Headed to Detroit!
Media Make Change is going to Detroit
We're pleased to announce that Media Make Change will be presenting for the first time at the 2010 Allied Media Conference in Detroit, Michigan! The conference kicks of this Friday, June 18 and wraps up on Sunday, June 20, just one day before the U.S. Social Forum. We'll be presenting on Social Media for Social Justice 101, sharing tips and suggestions on how to effectively create social media campaigns for social change worldwide.
About Allied Media Conference
12th Allied Media Conference
"We Are Ready New: Media and creativity to transform our selves and our world"
June 18-20, 2010 • Detroit, Michigan - Wayne State University
www.alliedmediaconference.org The Allied Media Conference advances our visions for a just and creative world. It is a laboratory for media-based solutions to the matrix of life-threatening problems we face. Since our founding in 1999, we have evolved our definition of media, and the role it can play in our lives – from zines to video-blogging to breakdancing, to communicating solidarity and creating justice. Each conference builds off the previous one and plants the seeds for the next. Ideas and relationships evolve year-round, incorporating new networks of media-makers, technologists and social justice organizers. We draw strength from our converging movements to face the challenges and opportunities of our current moment. We are ready to create, connect and transform.
Join us! From Wherever!
We'll be live streaming our presentation via Ustream directly on the Media Make Change website on Saturday morning, June 19th. You can participate from the privacy of your home, office, or local coffee shop on the public chat forum and through the Ustream live feed that we will embed on our website. Simply connect as a guest or through your Ustream, Twitter, Facebook, or Myspace account and you'll automatically be linked in to the conversation.
We hope you can join us this weekend. If you're unable to participate, don't worry, we'll have updates, video, and photos from Detroit on Twitter, Facebook, and Media Speaks.
In the meantime, if you have any questions about the conference or about how to participate virtually, email us directly at mediamakechange@gmail.com.
See you in Detroit!
Tara L. Conley
Founder, President
Want to blog for us at Media Speaks? We're looking for contributors with fresh perspectives on how social and new media can make communities stronger. Email us at mediamakechange@gmail.com.
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Our Vision: To help support and build coalitions of Media Justice Advocates, that is, future social leaders, informants, activists, and entrepreneurs committed to making a positive impact around the world and using digital media technology as innovative and creative tools for civic engagement and community building.
Become a Blogger for Media Speaks!
Media Make Change is growing and we're looking for more inspiring and fresh voices on Media Speaks!
If you're interested in how social and new media can make communities stronger, and you want to blog about it, drop us a note at mediamakechange@gmail.com for more information.
We want to hear from you!
Blogger positions are currently unpaid, although we are diligently working on opportunities to provide funds for our contributors. College credit is available!