NDM: Hyper-Reality and the digital renaissance

Hyper-reality and the digital renaissance

1) Read the article from Media Magazine: Hyper-reality and the digital renaissance (Dec 2009). Use our Media Magazine archive, click on MM30 and go to page 59.

2) Create a new blogpost called 'Hyper-reality and the digital renaissance' and make notes from the article under the following headings: 

 examples:
  • Alexander Graham Bell launched the telephone in 1876. This creation was not simply a revolution in communication systems but it also sewed the seeds of a more wide-ranging transformation about the way in which society thought about itself and culture.
  • The first television sets became commercially available in the 30s and 40s, audiences embraced the new medium, inviting it into their homes to occupy pride of place in the sitting room: displacing the fire place as the focal point of domestic living.
  • The Internet came about in the 1990's where it had many restrictions for the users. 
  • Innovative forms of media such as Skype was a unique platform where people were able to voice and video call each other. 
  • Social networking sites like Facebook embody postmodern culture. 
theories: 
  • Bauldrillard : defined "hyperreality" as "the generation by models of a real without origin or reality;" hyperreality is a representation, a sign, without an original referent.
positive aspects of new technology (or 'digital renaissance' 
  • The new technology benefits everyone in the sense that it allows people to gain any information they are curious about which is available to any user at any time. 
negative aspects of new technology on audiences and society  
  • The new technology comes with drawbacks such as people being able to influence people negatively through the use of social media platforms. Lack of privacy puts the users in risk.
wider issues and debates 
  • A huge concern are echo chambers which is simply where information, ideas, or beliefs are amplified or reinforced by communication and repetition inside a defined system. This concept has been created due to the way the media makes it users see what they want to see.

3) The article was written in 2009. Offer three examples of more recent social networking sites or uses of technology that support the idea of a 'digital renaissance'.

  • The development of the new and digital media such as social media platforms such as Snapchat which influences the way people think about the society and culture. SnapChat is an app for photo communication and it envourages users to prodominantly communicate through photographs and this clarifies the altercation in the way people communicate in this digital renaissance. 
  • Another example is the development of Twitter which makes the users condense their statuses to 140 words and this has allowed people to report news too. Essentially, Twitter has become a news source. 
  • The third example is a similar social media platform like Instagram which is also a photograph use of communication and again this demonstrates how its changing the way people are communicating. 

4) How do live streaming services such as Periscope or Facebook Live fit into the idea of a 'digital renaissance'? Are these a force for good or simply a further blurring of reality?
Live streaming services like Periscope live fits into the idea of digital renaissance as there is a facade created by the users. This is due to the fact that live streaming will get the users more views which will then turn into blur reality. The positive side of this is that the users receive live in the flesh content quickly. Also, the audiences and the users can come together due to mutual interests. However, the disadvantage to news institutions is how they are challenged by instantaneous aspect of live streams. 
5) How can we link the 'digital renaissance' to our case study on news? Is citizen journalism a further example of hyper-reality or is it actually making news more accurate and closer to real life?
We can link digital renaissance to our case study on news as it affects the way audiences interact with the media. Citizen journalism is increasing rapidly and it is an example of hyper-reality as the consumers are more likely to believe it as it is sort of that behind the scenes take and raw nature. However, most of the citizen journalism news reported by "ordinary people" are true and honest who are far from being biased in comparison to the professional news industry. 

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