Empowering the audience

The social network has had many revolutions. Convergence is vastly affecting the relationship between media technologies and audiences by empowering the audience through the use of online social media platforms. Convergence has allowed the audience to become a new type of active audience, positively changing the relationship between media technologies and audiences. Social networks empower users through a range of interactions such as participatory culture. Participatory culture allows the opportunity for interaction amongst media technology users. Social network users are no longer ‘the audience’ but now a new type of media creator as they are empowered through producing, sharing and consuming participatory culture.

Convergence is segueing a significant paradigm shift in the mediated public sphere. Media scholar Henry Jenkins defines convergence as “the flow of content across multiple media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media industries, and the migratory behavior of media audiences”. This cooperation across multiple media platforms is changing the way the media industry works. Convergence produces audience empowerment, which changes the relationship between audiences and media technologies as audiences become more capable and involved in the medias construction. The boundary between production and reception has been blurred in the era of digitalization and convergence. Accordingly, there has been a rapid increase in social network revolutions.

In class this week we discussed how social network platforms have been used by activists and ordinary citizens in the 2010-2011 protests in the Middle East and North Africa, and the 2013-2014 protests in Ukraine. We also looked at the reactions of the authorities. Whilst learning about this I immediately thought back to the 2007 and 2011 Bersih rallies in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The rallies were held to promote electoral reform of free and fair elections in Malaysia. Participatory politics has been a popular mode for social media platforms. Political scientist Cathy J. Cohen defines participatory politics as “interactive, peer- based acts through which individuals and groups seek to exert both voice and influence on issues of public concern”. 

The first Bersih rally held in 2007 was not as successful as hoped because the monologic media stopped anything from being posted about the rally as the government itself opposed it. In 2007 most media was one-way communication known as monologic. This meant that messages were processed through several gatekeepers who then decided whether the message could be transferred through to the next gatekeeper.

The 2011 rally was a lot more successful and ended up going viral. This was because so much of today’s media is dialogic, meaning there are fewer or no gatekeepers to process messages. Therefore protesters were able to organise through social network sites and generate hash-tags to create awareness. Media scholar, Henry Jenkins, argues that, “the digital age has opened a new era of activism that offers the next generation new avenues into broader political participation”.  This exemplifies the powerful nature of media technology led participatory culture. The government could not do anything about these forums as they were held through dialogic media. This demonstrates how social network platforms have affected the relationship between media technologies and audiences through permitting the audience to have the power to become activists.

We can work together

When we studied the problems facing the Australian film industry this week I thought back to the last Australian film I watched…and I couldn’t remember. It has been that long since I have consumed an Australian made movie that I can’t even remember what it was. This here lays the central problem. There is not enough support from the Australian audience. Things aren’t looking to get any better either, as this year has been Australian cinema’s worst domestic performance in 10 years so the trend looks set to continue.

Australian films occupied 3.8% of the Australian box office share in 2013. Moreover, only 26 (6%) of the 421 films screened in Australian cinemas during 2013 were Australian. This is minimal in comparison to the United States, which provided 183 (43%) of the total. So what is the problem? Why does Australian films only occupy 3.8% of last years box office share? Why are we being dominated by overseas films?

Specialist in the area Carroll Harris believes “the problem is not in the substance of Australian films, but in the way they are distributed to an audience”. She doesn’t believe the plunging of Australian cinema should surprise Australians because the distribution and delivery of Australian films is very ordinary. After reading this article by Harris it inspired me for an idea for a proposal for a creative qualitative research project. I want to analyse audience distribution.

When looking at the audience distribution of a recent 2013 Australian movie Patrick it is easy to comprehend Harris’ point of view. The audience distribution of Patrick was very poor, as it was shown at just six cinemas nationwide. How can this movie be successful with such poor means of distribution? – It can’t. Harris asks, “Why are we shocked when an Australian film flops when it’s not accessible, not available, and most cinema goers don’t actually have the choice to watch it.” I think Harris hit the nail on the head here. It is impossible for a film to take off if only a very few have the chance to see it. Shawn O’Connor the Founder and President of Stratus Prep believes word of mouth “is the best advertisement possible”. Word of mouth advertising will not be successful and travel far if only a very few people see the film.

My design method would involve better distribution and advertising. Australian films will have a better chance if there is broader distribution across the country. There should also be more buzz created for them. I don’t remember the last advertisement I saw for an Australian film. This is because they have very low visibility. Let’s pull the nation together and boost Australian film advertisements. We should have social premiere nights where Australian’s can socialise and create awareness. I know I may be naïve and wishful thinking but if Australian’s work together to boost the Australian film industry overtime it will gain more funding, more viewers and be much more successful.