New media questions and plan

Explore the claim that the new media are more democratic than the old media.  Discuss, using examples of two media you have studied.

Introduction: Explain that “New media” = We Media/User Generated Content and old media = traditional media (TV, radio, newspapers, magazines etc.) Use the Gillmor quote ““We Media’ is all media that is ‘homegrown’, local, organic and potentially counter-cultural.” Define ‘more democratic.’  (democratic can be defined as meaning that everyone has equal access, equal voice and equal potential.)   Say which media you are going to discuss as your two examples (e.g. you could use the news media - newspapers and/or news broadcasting - and the music industry. This will then cover democracy in both the political sense and in the sense of challenging corporate strongholds.)
	Traditional Media	We Media
How far can it be said that this media offers equal access?	Mass broadcasting etc. for a passive audience. The audience is given little opportunity to choose different viewpoints or to question.   Access and content are also restricted by:  Commercial advertising needs (BBC excepted) Laws and regulations Censorship   Discuss with your own examples how far this helps or hinders democracy both in the political sense and in the sense of challenging the corporate stronghold.	Produced by prosumers for prosumers (often for niche audiences) and accessed through web-platforms (social networking sites etc.) Choice and interaction are built in.   It is much harder to restrict access by law and censorship etc. leading to questions around fairness, accuracy and accountability etc.   Consider also Leadbeater’s point about the cacophony argument and his counter-argument.   Consider how the audience is left at the end of EPIC 2015 – literally unable to access (or even be aware of) what is happening beyond their own locality.   Discuss with your own examples how far this helps or hinders democracy both in the political sense and in the sense of challenging the corporate stronghold.
How far can it be said that this media offers equal voice?	Comment below on how far this can be said of traditional news media and the music industry? e.g. both are based on a top-down hierarchy   Proprietor    Gatekeeper Media Audience   In this top-down hierarchy the gate keeper selects and organises content. For example this is true of both the news media (editors) and the music industry (the A & R department) These gatekeepers can be biased and partisan.   Discuss with your own examples how far this helps or hinders democracy both in the political sense and in the sense of challenging the corporate stronghold.	Comment below on how far this can be said of blogging, crowd-sourcing and file-sharing etc. etc. e.g. We Media is based on a flat hierarchy Prosumer – Media –  Prosumer   Discuss with your own examples how far this helps or hinders democracy both in the political sense and in the sense of challenging the corporate stronghold. e.g. blogging and crowdsourcing for the news and file-sharing etc. for music industry.
How far can it be said that this media offers equal potential?	Traditional media is produced by professionals and opportunity to participate in the production is very limited for non-professionals.   Discuss with your own examples how far this helps or hinders democracy both in the political sense and in the sense of challenging the corporate stronghold.	New Media is produced by prosumers.  Selection is made on an individual basis by prosumers, leading to questions around quality, trust and authenticity etc. (look at Leadbeater’s counter arguments.)   Discuss with your own examples how far this helps or hinders democracy both in the political sense and in the sense of challenging the corporate stronghold.
Conclusion Offer your final opinion with a summary of your reasons as to whether you think that the new media or the old media are more democratic.