Media Diary

My media diary was from 3rd to 7th of December. The reason I chose these days is because I went to Helsinki and Tallin at this weekend. Usually, my weekend is just like the normal weekdays if I am staying at home, surfing on internet, chatting with my friends or families, watching movies, listening to music and reading some books. We don't have TV in our apartment, so we never watched TV ever after we got to Finland. I think it would be interesting to record some days that are different from usual to see what will my life be when I'm not with my laptop. I had Finnish exam on 3rd of December so I went to university in the morning then came back home at around 6. Between the speaking exam and written exam, I spent several hours in the library. I logged in Facebook from the computer there and chatted with my friends in China for a while. Since I came here, the time differences made it difficult for me to talk with them. I never change the time of my laptop into Finnish time just to remind me of their time. In the evening, I watched a Finnish movie pretending that I was doing that for the listening exam on 4th December. It was a good movie and I thought it felt really different to watch a movie of that country after you've been living in there for a while.

I went to bed early on Friday because I had to take the 6:30 train to Helsinki and then to Tallin. I took some picture in Tallin by my mobile phone and sent them back to my friends in China. Then I realized that I hardly use my mobile phone as a phone here in Finland. I used to text a lot with my friends because I didn't like talking on the phone, however I did most of the talk with my friends and classmates here on internet. We share the information on Facebook instead of text message. Then my phone is just working as the alarm to wake me up early in the morning and sometimes as a camera because it's easier to carry. I talk to my mum on Skype several times a month. At first I didn't tell her my phone number because I knew she would start to send me message or call me if she knew the number but it cost too much. I taught her how to use the web camera and Skype before I left. But she insisted to get my number and promised that she wouldn't use it unless there's anything emergency. Well, I know that's not gonna happen because I'm receiving her message quite often now. It's interesting because she's the last person to send message from mobile phone to me when I was in China but now seems to be the one who texts me the most.

I took a lot of pictures in Tallin and Helsinki. During these two days, I didn't even have the time to think about what's happening on Facebook or on MSN. But whenever I'm with the laptop, I can always find something to do. Time really flies so fast when I am using the digital media. I could spend the whole day sitting on my bed watching movies and also watched the snow outside my window during the break between movies :D I enjoy enjoying the life with digital media however I also think it's a good idea to be away from them once a while then I can come back to reality and know exactly how long 24 hours really is!!!

Media diary

The period I kept a media diary was from friday 20.11. untill tuesday 24.11. and it was a very typical week for me, except the tuesday when I was sick. I actually thought I use less of media in my everyday life what actually happened. It feels I never have time to do anything, but now I can see it´s not totally the truth. I talk on a phone few of times a day for 5 to 10 minutes at time. Once or twice a week I talk longer with a good friend of mine, but even then the call lasts mostly for 20 minutes. I´m never on-line anymore. I used to be, but after my younger son was born, there is just no time anymore. I also marked out I´m doing many things at the same time, reading mails, watching tv, doing household works, playing with the boys, watching children tv programmes, talking on the phone and calming a child in sleep. Even in the evening after children are in bed and I get to spend my own time, I´m watching movies or tv programmes and doing homeworks and maybe talking on a phone too. Guess I can´t concentrate in silence anymore. Only time I´m actually focusing on one thing only is while I´m playing Nintendo Wii with my son. These sessions are also short, 20-30 minutes most, we played on friday and saturday. I was on a phone even when I was jogging, that´s really sad I think. I get a chance for a private sport moment maybe once a week and even then I´m doing something else but focusing on performance. I read a newspaper on one day only and watched the news on one day. I used to read a newspaper on every morning, or in the evening at least, if the day was a catastrof. Nowdays it´s good if I find time to read the paper on sundays.

All of this, except some phone calls, happend at home. I use my own computer, sheldom a friends one or the ones in University. I also marked out I didn´t surf on net at all.

MIITTA TÄTI (Aunt Miitta) tv show

Wellknown finnish comedienne Miitta Sorvali makes a comic show Miitta täti. Miitta täti is a selfeducated socialpsychologist, who runs therapy sessions for finnish socialites in the field of entertainment, sports and politics. When the guest first steps in the ”therapy room”, Miitta täti whashes he´s/she´s feets. She also holds the guests in her arms in a therapy chair, she asks questions and make songs with them about their situation. She plays with tabus and atrocitys.

Miitta täti´s way of talking to the guests is not so profitable I guess, but that´s exactly why the show is so fun to watch. Some guests have been quite stunned about the way she talks and that´s the most of fun.

On last show I´ve seen, her guest was Krisse Salminen, a finnish comedienne herself. Miitta made Krisse act like an elderly and ask her to luy down on hospital bed wearing hospital clothes and diapers. Miitta was wearing same kind of costume, but suddenly she had to take a piss in a pisspot. Ha-ha-ha, Krisse was laughing too. Miitta´s humour is based on her own humor, she sayd in an interview of IltaLehti (newspaper). The show is actually really rube and I don´t normally laugh at these kind of things, but Miitta does it so well.

Sorry, these sites are all in finnish:

http://tv1.yle.fi/ohjelmat/viihde/miitta-tati

http://www.iltalehti.fi/viihde/200911070171351_vi.shtml

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMqvzMy5WeI

Convergence culture

I have read Jenkins' book before, and I am re-reading it now, under a new light, after what was discussed and learnt this semester in our course. But there are some topics in the book, which called my attention above others, that I would like to discuss here, hoping to get back some comments and critics about it.

The first point that called my attention was the change (and/or inversion) in the roles of the media usage. Before the advent of the digital media as we know nowadays, the media (publicities, ads, publications, etc.) was used by the companies as a mean to impose and/or influence the customers (basically, all of us). It was clearly a top-to-bottom relationship, as pointed by Jenkins. And, although we always had the power to influence back through the consumption of a given product/idea, the media control was, without any doubt, in the hand of the companies. Who controlled the media had the true power. Being from a country as Brazil, this power is even clearer than I believe it was possible to notice in Europe.

With the advent of the digital media, this control changed. There is still the top-down control used by the companies to influence the customers, but we are not helpless targets anymore. Having in hands the possibility to research, comment and exchange ideas about pretty much everything, we have the power now to influence the companies and media on how we want things to be. And the companies are adapting themselves to this new reality and using it as much as possible to have the customers as allies and partners, instead of confronting them.

The second topic brought up by Jenkins and that called my attention was the idea of cultural convergence, mainly due to the fact that the technology allows us to mingle between different cultures, systems, political realities. There aren't limits to the interaction allowed by the digital media. I can personally see a good side and a bad side of it (I believe you can come up to several other pros and cons in this matter): The good side is the possibility of exchange ideas and information with people and cultures coming from different realities and such a situation was impossible before the usage of digital media was spread. This certainly enriches the cultural experience, improves the technology and creation of new concepts and ideas, among other benefits. But I can also see a bad side: With time, there is a possibility that there won't be anymore any unique culture, traditions defined by geographical situation, everyday life, etc. Everybody will be so inserted in the digital world and so aware of what is going on in other places that they might forget their identity as an unique person in an unique place in the planet. I hope I am wrong though.

But there is a third topic that called my attention and somehow answers the questions that I brought up in the previous idea. The information and data available in the digital media is so vast and rich, no one is able to absorb everything and everything is absorbed in a different manner by each individual. Therefore, no matter how open and available the information is, how easy it is to know more about any topic, the way this topic will be learnt will be different, so there will still be peculiarities in each culture and way of living, which will be kept. The question I see here is that these differences won't be influenced anymore by geography, by way of living or weather, as it was in the past. The main factor will be the way people understand the world and interact with it and how one understands the changes in the society and culture.

I'm very sure new topics will intrigue me, now that I am reading the book again. Nevertheless, there is no doubt this is a great book and a wonderful source of information for us.

Media Phenomenon - Queensryche

I don't know if many of you heard about this band before, but when Raine talked about Media Phenomenon, I immediately thought about the Queensryche.

The Queensryche is a progressive metal band, formed in 1981, and which is still active and quite famous in the industry. They are very talented and respected and they have been one of my favorite bands for years, together with Motley Crue (www.motley.com). If I had to talk about my favorite band, it would be Motley, but Digital Media certainly remembers me of Queensryche and I will explain why.

Besides all CDs and DVDs every band publishes in their career, Queensryche, in 1994, released a game called Promise Land (same name as a CD from the same year - http://www.amazon.com/Queensryches-Promised-Land-pc/dp/B000FJ01DM). In this game, it is possible to visit the island in Washington where the band recorded their CDs, visit each band member's world (including the chance to play musical puzzles, save the whales, go outer space, etc.). When one finishes the game, it is possible to watch an exclusive video, of an exclusive song, recorded specially for the game. It doesn't seem as a big deal, specially nowadays, but it was great at the time, as fans could learn more about each band member and share a bit of their lives, hopes and dreams.

And, although the game is 15 years old, it is still playable and its technology can still blow someones mind, as it was done as a movie, with original footages and the possibility to walk through the island while visiting each world.

I totally recommend it, if you can buy it or find the torrent to it. I lost my CDs some years ago and I'm still looking for it.

To know more about the band, visit www.queensryche.com

Media diary

The period I decided to keep track of my Media usage was from November 26 to December 01. As it was also the time I had all the Finnish course assignments, I was curious to see how it would change my everyday life.

I usually spend much time online on Facebook and MSN, even if I don't do anything related to social networking. It just stays online, forgotten until someone talks to me. And I watch TV every night: CSI, the news, Friends, The Simpsons, some movies, if there is any available. It is my routine in accordance to media usage.

Notwithstanding, this week was different. I spent more time reading and studying than in the computer. And, when I was in the computer, I was working with other softwares, as Microsoft Word and Powerpoint, in order to prepare my assignments to the courses. Or listening to Finnish music and/or watching Finnish movies in order to prepare myself to the Finnish exams. However, I can say I spent 80% of my time reading books and doing exercises. Not a very digital week, I might inform.

The evenings seem to have changed too: I have spent longer hours reading and writing than usual and reduced my TV time to 1 hour per day. And I was usually too tired to pay attention to what I was reading.

Another curious data I collected this week is that I never use any kind of digital media in friends' places. I might use the Internet to check my e-mail in the university, but that's mainly it. 99% of my Digital media time happens inside my home, with all the comfort and secrecy. It is usually followed with coffee and music. Except this last week, when all my attention was focused in Finnish language and culture.

I hope I can come back soon to my digital life though. I miss it already.

The summery of my media usage daily

The period I kept record was from last week and had lots assignments to work on. Therefore, the time I spent on net surfing appeared to be slightly more than usual.

About media…Normally there would be more time spend on playing with my digital camera and photographs, posting articles and photos on my blog and so forth. The use of media for entertainment (DVDs & video blogs) would add a couple of hours to the records below (Last week, I didn’t have time for watching them). http://www.illdoctrine.com/ and http://vodpod.com/jgoroncy are my favorite video blogs. By the way, I highly recommend http://www.ted.com/ . You might find a useful speech for your thesis!

The following record of the media usage is from between 25.11 and 29.11.The number of hours is the average. The average hours I spent in front of PC are roughly 7.5hrs per day. It seems quite a lot but I am sure many people spend more than that. (I don’t have a fancy mobile phone and am mobile phone illiterate. I did not include it in the record).

At home (weekday), it is 5.5 hrs.

- OnlineNews - about 10 min.

- Net surfing - about 4 hrs

- Emails, Facebook & blog – 20-40 min

- Photography related software & web (organizing, editing, etc.) – 1 hour

At home (weekend), it is about 7 hrs.

- The usage detail is almost same as above.

At school (weekday), it is 2.5 hrs.

- Net surfing - 2.5 hrs