Brexit - is it the end?

I don't need to tell you about what's been going on in the news over the last week, but I can tell you this; this is definitely an interesting time for all of us!

No-one really knows what the future holds, but avid media studies students, you need to keep your eyes and ears peeled for updates, how the news is being reported, what this means for not only your country but also imports/exports ad how this could affect the media industry.

There are many stories related to Brexit that link to the wider contexts:  Cultural (How will this change ex-pats'/immigrants' attitudes?), Historical (The Union was something that happened after the 2nd World War to aid peace time Europe and trade); Economical (How will the pound survive; how will this affect stocks, shares and business?); Political (Who will succeed David Cameron?   What will happen to Corbyn?  What will happen to societal attitudes?) and Sociological (How will society react to the outcome?  Will it stick together and work better than before, or be segregated?).

This is also an interesting case study that will develop over time if you are looking at Representation (MS1 WJEC) or for identities (MEST 3/4, AQA).

I think it is safe to say, watch this space!

Right Wing Ideologies, Extremism and Facism

The Media has certainly shown Right Wing ideologies and Extremism in a very narrow way since 9/11 particularly only really depicting Muslim Extremism.

However,  it occurred to me that the tragic and horrific death of MP Jo Cox last week, was in fact a result of British Right Wing Extremism.  Although no officially affiliated to the Right Wing group Britain First (due to his comments), it was clear that Thomas Mair, the man being charged for her murder is a victim of Right Wing Extremism; one area that the Media, and perhaps the government and police, overlook.

It struck me that the hegemonic view of the Media only shows Right Wing ideologies, Extremism or Fascism coming from people who aren't white and British; this in turn shows the two-step flow, with Media Institutions acting as opinion leaders and passive audiences taking on board their narrow minded messages and values.

There's certainly a growth of white Right Wing ideologies with the growth in popularity of parties such as Britain First, the EDL, and perhaps not quite on the same extremist scale, UKIP.

It will certainly be interesting to see the outcome of the Referendum at the end of the month..... as well as the outcome of the Presidential elections in November as these are ideologies that Trump is embodying also....!

Could VR bring back games arcades?

If you're of a certain age, you will remember that every social activity you attended, the cinema, bowling, Quasar and the like, then there would be a games arcade.  The flashing lights, the noises, the big screens and gaming chairs - things that made computer games more exciting than your Sega Mega Drive at home.  But due to the increase of digital literacy amongst audiences and the decrease in prices of consoles, games arcades didn't offer us anything that we couldn't get at home.

The increase in VR technology has certainly meant that games arcades could be making a comeback! This is obviously a USP in the market, and one that is too expensive for Joe Bloggs to afford.  New and Digital Media is certainly still evolving and still having an impact on the way audiences consume gaming.

Read the article below for more particulars!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36560030

Identities and representations in the Media - using BBC3

Everybody has an opinion about the move of BBC3 online, however you cannot fault its controversial and thought provoking documentaries.

The 2 documentaries below are just 2 examples of insightful and eye opening programming by the BBC.  If you are studying representation of race/ethnicity for MS1, WJEC or identities for MEST 3, AQA, then these are a must to watch.

Be warned, there are some shocking scenes and scenes which you may find distressing, nevertheless they are very informative and give many fruitful examples to write about.

United States of Hate: Muslims Under Attack

Black Power: America's Armed Resistance

How does this link to theory, issues and debates?

• Post-colonialism
• Institutional racism
• Stuart Hall's ethnicity model
• Alvarado's ethnicity model
• Racial equality
• Islamophobia
• Post 9/11 hero representations 
• Hegemonic representations
• Marxism 

Is social media making you sad?

An interesting article on the BBC3 website - http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/item/65c9fe044b3d461ba3ab10d0d5f6d9b5intc_type=singletheme&intc_location=threeonline&intc_campaign=threeonline&intc_linkname=article_socialmedia_contentcard13

There's been much debate whether or not the increased usage of social media has had an impact on the mental health of audiences; is this really a version of the hypodermic needle model coming to fruition on a large scale?

Catriona White's article makes a good read!

Top Gear in reverse?

It was always going to be hard to live up to the antics of Jeremy Clarkson, Captain Slow - James May, and Richard 'the Hamster' Hammond, but has Top Gear lost control?

Poor Chris Evans; now that he is the face of the new Top Gear, he has really taken the brunt of all of the negative comments.  It has been reported that the programme has lost a third of its audience - but why?  Yes there are loyal fans, yes the scriptwriters haven't changed from the previous formula - perhaps the BBC need to realise that Chris Evans just attracts a much different audience to Jeremy Clarkson?

In terms of John Fiske's Fandom theory, we aren't necessarily dealing with die hard fans in either case, but Clarkson with his witty and controversial comments and sometimes senseless motor mouth attracts a very different audience to the more tame and family friendly Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans.
Stuart Heritage's article for The Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/jun/07/top-gear-in-defence-of-chris-evans

SIMS video game removes gender barriers!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/36441867/life-simulation-video-game-the-sims-removes-gender-barriers-in-virtual-world


Sims probably isn't as popular as it was in it's early 00's hey-day, but it's certainly got a USP that has got it noticed in the saturated video game market.  Due to wider contextual developments such as the gay marriage and societys' adaptability where transgendered people are concerned, it's a no-brainer that these, what once were 'issues', are now being reflected in popular culture.  Sims is allowing 'genderless' characters and developers have given audiences the power to fully customise their virtual-selves.

This is certainly a postmodern response to societal attitudes and changes; what once was the simulacrum in Jean Baudrillard's hyper-reality, is now becoming an actuality.

It will certainly be interesting to see how other platforms and mediums respond and adapt to this change!