mind over matter

For the record, this is the 4th blog I have started in which I believe is the most productive and fruitful of all. Personally, I believe that every topic relating ethical, sensitivity, social responsibility and other concerns discussed in this blog applies to blogging as well. And as much as it is important for every blogger to acknowledge, a good design should consists of:


Which applies to blogging as well, it has to be beautiful to attract people, useful in terms of having purpose, which indeed form has function, and last but not least, durability.

As technology continues to advance, the roles of media will change where people continue to adopt and adapt.

On the global scenario, the libertarian of internet has been questioned for being too resourceful. The irony is that, while some strongly agree for net censorship to be imposed, some stand their ground by taking an extreme libertarian view that people deserve to view whatever they like.

In fact, in most context, pornography and sensitive issue are the only real concerns that provoke cyber laws to dip their hands in the paint. While it is true that majority people who surfs the web have at least visited pornography site once, the liberty of internet promotes freedom of speech.

In Malaysia, Information Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim had threatened to install a filter where it aims to block undesirable websites on the grounds of maintaining racial harmony in our multiracial nation as well as preventing children from surfing pornographic materials through the internet. In August 2009 however, Malaysia Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that the government will not censor the internet as such a move will be ineffective in a borderless world where information flows freely.

Obviously, "information" here does not refer to pornography material, but rather it refers to blogs and webpage where "transparency flows freely". In fact, despite being a culture of pornography, it is also a culture where the mainstream media practices self-censorship by sweeping ugly things under the carpet. Hence, there is a need and demand for uncensored information which only deemed available on the internet. Again, with more alternative media such as Malaysia Kini and Malaysia Insider stepping up to strive for transparency and straightforward reporting, imposing censorship on internet will only cause dissatisfaction among people who already acknowledge the biasness of mainstream media when comes to political and sensitive issues.

However, as much as it is dominant to champion Freedom of Speech in Malaysia, ethical and social responsibility are concerns to be employed by every bloggers and writers. In fact, while freedom of expression is still off the leash, it should be practiced responsibly.


References

• Hamilton, C 2009, Web doesn't belong to net libertarians, viewed on 19 November 2009, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/web-doesnt-belong-to-net-libertarians/story-0-1111118869227
• Malaysia Considers China-Style Internet Censor, viewed on 19 November 2009, http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=200908060519dowjonesdjonline000453&title=malaysia-considers-china-style-internet-censor
• Malaysia: A Step Closer To Internet Censorship?, viewed on 19 November 2009, http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/06/malaysia-a-step-closer-to-internet-censorship/
  
• Najib: Government will not censor the internet, viewed on 19 November 2009, http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/8/7/nation/20090807143305&sec=nation
  

The rise of the new genre, video blog and vlogs on mobile phone have gained massive acceptance as well as suggesting various issues at the same time. Is it a threat or a treat, both if you ask me.

Since the marriage of webcams and broadband, and the birth of newly advanced mobile phones, video blog has become a familiar sight. In fact, it has made recognizable contribution in discovering young talents and internet celebrities.

Zee Avi, a jazz soul from Sarawak did not set out to become an internet sensation, let alone land a record deal, when she first signed up for a YouTube account in 2007. She then became a hit with online video watchers where thousands of YouTube users subscribed to her channel and seen the grainy, black-and-white webcam videos of her performing original songs. And later landed a record deal with White Stripes manager Ian Monotoneand who brought her to Brushfire Records. That is the treat.

On the flip side, video blogging is also infamous with its controversial and explicit content including politician error, celebrities exposed and home made sex video using webcam and mobile phone which have offended many public and spreaded all over the internet. Now when everybody tries to be a celebrity, that is the threat.



With the increasing subscribers of mobile phones and that to emerging nations are at the forefront with the number of users, citizen journalism is getting popular where normal people can cover a story and post it on the net.

As stated by Bowman and Willis (2003), we are at the beginning of a Golden Age of journalism but it is not journalism as we have known it, if we carry on like this, by 2021 citizens will have contributed 50 per cent of the news peer-to-peer.

Hence, while vlogs and mobisodes continue to explode in the contemporary media, issues concerning ethics and journalism would surface along the way.


References

• Zee Avi biography, viewed on 19 November 2009, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zee_Avi
• Bowman, S & Willis, C 2003, 'We media: how audiences are shaping the future of news and information’, The Media Center at The American Press Institute, viewed on 19 November 2009, http://www.hypergene.net/wemedia/weblog.php
  

In September 2008, Facebook launched a fresh makeover of their interface design which eventually left 100 million users of the social networking website fuming. Despite changing into a much speedy, more streamlined and spam-resistant format, many users remained in a state of rebellion.

In fact, many technological innovations rely upon user interface design to elevate their technical complexity to a usable product. As Facebook engineer Mark Slee said that the website's team is confident they can win over their users. "We don't look at this through the lens of messing with something that works," Slee said. "We are focusing on innovating and making the product better."

However, technology alone may not win over user acceptance. The User Experience, or how the users experience the product, is the key to acceptance.

Similarly, Nielsen (2009) opined that usability is a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use. Usability is defined by five quality components:

• Learnability: How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?
• Efficiency: Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?
• Memorability: When users return to the design after a period of not using it, how easily can they reestablish proficiency?
• Errors: How many errors do users make, how severe are these errors, and how easily can they recover from the errors?
• Satisfaction: How pleasant is it to use the design?

The truth is, usability is a necessary condition for web survival. And a fresh design will be a worse design just because it is new and thus breaks user expectations. Nielsen (2009) also says that, the key is to play up familiarity and build on users' existing knowledge of how a system works.

In my opinion, we can also conclude that usability remains dominant in the sense that being a Facebook user myself, all I care about is getting into things I wan't to do and log out. In fact, no one really cares for the design or the new and fresh format despite their reason being making the product better.

When people are visiting websites or using applications, they don't spend their time analyzing or admiring the design. They focus their attention on the task and the content.

References

• Facebook makeover leaves some devotees fuming, viewed on 19 November 2009, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/facebook-makeover-leaves-some-devotees-fuming/story-e6frgamx-1111117453632
  
• Nielsen, J 2009, Fresh vs. Familiar, viewed on 19 November 2009, http://www.useit.com/alertbox/familiar-design.html
• Nielsen, J 2009, Usability 101, viewed on 19 November 2009, http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030825.html

A photograph captures an event as no words can. But should a photo be used despite inflicting pain to the already grieving family of the picture’s subject? That is the ultimate question.

As the article raises the issue of The War Photo Limited Gallery for exhibiting destructive war photographs which left many locals fuming, once again it recalls photojournalism issue.

While Lester (1995) described photojournalism as the profession in which journalists make news-editorial images for print and screen media, photograph use continue to raise controversy and is under attack.

In fact, photographs is inevitably used and plays a major role in the contemporary media. Because images evoke almost immediate emotional responses among viewers, it creates tremendous impact with well chosen words, visual messages combine to educate, entertain and persuade. On the flip side, images also offend, shock, mislead, stereotype and confuse.

Similarly in the recent issue regarding Michael Jackson's death which OK! Magazine reportedly paid $500,000 for the 'last' picture of Michael Jackson being carried on a stretcher to be published on their latest issue cover, it stirs up controversy, leaving many readers fuming, upset and shocked.

As Vesely (2008) opined, ethics in photojournalism is overwhelmed by the power of photograph because photo is the story. And because seeing is believing, the picture of Michael Jackson possibly dying or even picture of a child lying in a pool of blood, it brings an event to an emotional pitch. It is not just facts that becomes news.

In my opinion, to place myself in an editor or photojournalist shoe, ethical concern still needs to be employed every time a photograph is used. As much as it provides sensation, it may continue to stir controversy in the contemporary media.

Lester (2005) too stated that, displaying sensational images, violating a person's privacy before the judicial process can function, manipulating news-editorial pictures to alter their content, stereotyping individuals into pre-conceived categories and blurring the distinction between advertising and editorial messages were journalism concerns in 1895, are important topics in 1995 and will be carefully considered issues, no doubt, in 2095. Professionals, academics and students owe it to their readers to be sensitive to unethical practices that demean the profession and reduce the credibility of journalism.

Therefore, it is imperative that whenever and wherever possible, ethical issues be discussed by all those concerned about the journalism profession.

Reference

• Hughes, R 2008, A photo that had to be used, viewed on 18 November 2009, http://journalism.indiana.edu/resources/ethics/controversial-photos/a-photo-that-had-to-be-used/
• Lester, PM 1995, Photojournalism Ethics Timeless Issues, viewed on 18 November 2009, http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/lester/writings/photoethics.html
• The Power of Photograph, viewed on 18 November 2009, http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2007/2051819.htm
• Vesely, J.F 2008, Bringing death close, viewed on 18 November 2009, http://journalism.indiana.edu/resources/ethics/controversial-photos/bringing-death-close/
  

While it seems like the modern era is wrapped up in the new media ecosystem such as Online newspaper, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and blogs, a finding in 2007 shows that web traffic to blog pages of the top 10 online newspapers grew 210 percent year over year. The overall unique audience growth to these online newspapers was 9 percent year over year.

The fact is, the combination of digital convergence, multimedia, social media and alternative online newspaper that empowers the freedom of speech which most traditional media have failed to achieve, it has given new media a boost in popularity.




As we learned about multimodality opined by Walsh (2006), it has also changed the way audience 'consume' media.



Apart from that, there is also a need to acknowledge and accept the fact that freedom of speech in conventional media remains a myth especially in Malaysia. Hence, alternative online media such as MalaysiaKini and MalaysiaInsider will continue to emerge as a "most wanted" media to overcome the burden of conventional journalism.


References

• Naughton, J 2006, Blogging and the emerging media ecosystem, Reuters Institute, viewed on 18 November 2009, http://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/fileadmin/documents/discussion/blogging.pdf
• Online newspaper blog traffic grows 210 percent year over year, viewed on 18 November 2009, http://www.newmedia.org/articles/online-newspaper-blog-traffic-grows-210-percent-year-over-year.html
• Walsh, M. 2006, 'Textual Shift': Examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, vol. 29, no.1. p. 24-37.

While document design main concern are readers, readers read on print and on screen differently. Hence, designing for print and online is different.

As Nielsen (1999) opined that newspaper designers have a huge canvas to play with, the entire two-page spread has greater impact provided with room for large amount of text integrated with the headlines and graphics to compliment the overall layout that allows reader's eye to move from overview to details in a split second.



In contrast, web page is a scrolling experience which readers navigate by scanning. As Nielsen (1997) stated, web pages have to employ 'scannable text', using:

• Highlighted keywords (hypertext links serve as one form of highlighting; typeface variations and color are others)
• Meaningful sub-headings (avoid ambiguous title)
  
• Bulleted lists
• One idea per paragraph (users will skip over any additional ideas if they are not caught by the first few words in the paragraph)
• Inverted pyramid style, starting from most important information to the least
  
• Half the word count (or less) than print

Nielsen (1999) also clarified, that:

• Print design is based on letting the eyes walk over the information, selectively looking at information objects and using spatial juxtaposition to make page elements enhance and explain each other.
• Web design functions by letting the hands move the information (by scrolling or clicking); information relationships are expressed temporally as part of an interaction and user movement.

References

• Nielsen, J 1999, Differences between print design and web design, viewed on 17 November 2009, http://www.useit.com/alertbox/990124.html
• Nielsen, J 1997, How users read on web, viewed on 17 November 2009, http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html