Midterm answers Question 3

3. McLuhan used a model with four elements surrounding the term MEDIUM. Touching on the four elements, describe how this model can help us in interpreting social media.

Does the medium enhance a personal trait
Social media absolutely enhances a personal trait. People's sense of community is enhanced through the use of social media. Look at our class, we came in as strangers, and now we're a community of students. This was enhanced through our use of ning, wiggio and other social media as a form of early communication. What interpreting whether or not a social media application is useful or effective, the first thing I look at is whether it helps create a community.

What medium does the new medium make obsolete?
Unfortunately for me, a former journalist, social media is making broadcast news and newspapers obsolete. As I said earlier, anyone can create news. (Even this guy)

The other disappointing part of social media is that it has eliminated the need for face-to-face contact. I can keep a close relationship with people I've never met without leaving my house. This is great for networking, but having to create a personal brand online, rather than having people associate your brand with what you do on a daily basis seems like humans are taking a step backwards.

What does the medium retrieve?
Keeping in line with what I said above, social media has helped people retrieve their own voice. Without the internet, average people had a tough time having their ideas heard. Now, with the social media explosion, there is almost an overflow of opinion. You can find opinions of all sorts, with the click of a mouse. To me, that's what social media should do.

What does the new medium reverse?
Social media has changed the way people communicate with each other. All communication used to be top down and linear. Not anymore.
Now, since everyone has a voice, communication comes from all sides, all levels of people and through all mediums.
This is a great way to analyze if a social media site is working. If people are communicating in various ways, on various topics and there is no heirarchy, then that site is probably worth checking out.

Midterm question 2

2. In Wikipedia: The Truth in Numbers the message seems to be: no longer do the victors write the history books, we do: you, me, and everyone else. How is social media (twitter, blogs) forwarding this idea? What gives someone authority to "write history" and why should we listen to them? Is there a hierarchy of authorities? ie. is what someone like Seth Godin says more important? What should be taken as canon?



Social media champions the idea that anyone can write history simply by giving anyone and everyone that very opportunity. Now, if a major event happens, anybody can write how they feel and post that into cyberspace. It used to be that history came from newspapers, broadcast accounts or literary records. Not anymore. Social media users are recording history without really knowing it.







I agree that everyone should be able to voice their opinions, but I don’t think anyone should have the license to write human history. The authority to write history should come only after meticulous research and reporting to ensure all angles are covered. I’d rather read an encyclopedia than hear Buddy from next door tell me about recent historic events.


The beauty of Wikipedia is that there is no heirarchy of authority. The opinions are anonymous and that's why it works. No one is better than anyone else. As I said, I don't think Wikipedia should be considered exact history, but I like that people have the chance to give their own two cents.

As far as if there is a canon. I think it depends on the issue. There are recognized experts in every field, and they have the experience and have earned their legitimacy. The work of these people, like a Noam Chomsky, will also be more authoritative than any average person's take on things.


Some additional reading I found interesting when forming my opinions. Click here and here.

Midterm question 1

1. In Deirdre Breakenridge's article PR 2.0, Brian Cross discusses how changes in technology will change the function of PR practitioners. In what ways do you think public relations will change and what role will PR professional's play in these changes?

"Today's online audiences will target your brand. PR professionals can go directly to the public. Or better yet, they'll come to you" - Brian Cross

The rise of social media will create a major change in public relations. Essentially, the consumer is gaining more power. Twitter, blogs and other social media are making newspapers and broadcast media less important. Public relations practitioners need to change their approach. No longer will there efforts be squarely designed to work with journalists. Public relations efforts will now be aimed directly at the consumer. Selling a brand now means selling it to single audiences, not disseminating messages to a mass audience through large media.

Public relations officials will be important in helping company’s adjust to this change. Not only are PR professionals the people who will spread the message, but they will also determine who needs to be reach. Scouring industry blogs, relevant internet personalities and social media sites will be required work for those in PR. They need to know what the public is saying in order to figure out who they should target.

Basically, the audience for public relations is changing. Public relations practitioners need to enter this on the ground floor become engaged with social media and target the audience that will be most interested in the message being spread.

This is what Brian Solis says about the idea.

Social media for the sports fan

Did you happen to catch the score of last night's ball game?

Unless you stayed up until all hours of the night, not likely.

Major League Baseball is well into its playoffs and sports fans are treated to at least a game a day right through October. While this sounds good, it's got a downside.

TV schedules and timezone changes mean most playoff games aren't starting until 8 p.m. Throw in games that continuously go well over three hours and few games wrap up before every day fans are in bed.

What does this have to do with social media, you ask. The answer: A lot.

The rise of Twitter, blogs and streaming video means sports fan can know exactly what's happening without watching the games. If you're tired by the seventh, you can get an inning-by-inning breakdown of the action without getting out of bed the next day. Quick hashtag searches mean you don't even need to visit Google.

Social media has changed sports fandom in another big way. All of a sudden, regular fans have new access to the players. Athlete's blogs, twitter accounts and ning posts (just kidding, they don't use ning) let us know exactly how our heroes are feeling. (and apparently who they like to win the Daytona 500).

On a side note. NBA players seem to love Twitter. So much so, it got some of them in some trouble.

It used to be that newspapers and television were the only gateways into a team's games and especially the players. Not anymore. With social media, anyone can be a sports columnists and anyone can post news.

But, what does this all mean. It means you don't have to be glued to your television for your sports highlights. Like never before, the answers are all around us.

I suggest using the time you save to go have a milkshake.

Social App review: Plan your trip...with Gusto!

Most things I do, I do with energy. So why wouldn't I travel with Gusto!

The premise is simple: travelers write reviews of places and things they experienced on their own trips. Would-be travelers log on, read these reviews and decide which destination is best for them.

The Internet is littered with these sites, but Gusto might be the best I've seen. In addition to standard photos and reviews, here are five things I loved about the site:

• Trip planner: Would-be travelers can plan their dream vacation down to the second using Gusto's in-depth resources. The planner offers 18 different themes for users - from action adventure to shop-til-you-drop, as well as the option to search for specific destinations.
  


• Hotel reservations: Gusto users can do more than read hotel reviews. The site allows users to reserve hotels and plan where they'll stay without navigating off the page. Gusto even gives you the option to book car rentals and dinner reservations, saving users stress and money.
  


• Attraction reviews: Gusto goes beyond simple destination overviews. Users can post rated reviews on every attraction under the sun. Organized by city, restaurants, tourist traps and hidden gems are put to the test.
  


• Gusto Grabber: A relatively-new tool. The Grabber lets Gusto users save their most-visited sites in an easy-to-access bar at the top of the browser. It's a handy tool for those planning trips over several days.




• What's making news?: The left side of Gusto's main page is a list of travel-related stories in American newspapers. The stories give users an idea of current trends and areas to avoid.

Using Gusto is easier than it looks at first glance. I was a bit worried for my sanity when I first glanced at its crowded homepage. While its busy, the page is easy to navigate. Users can sign-in or create an account at the top right of the page.

From there, you can search a large bank of American cities at the bottom of the screen, or read media reports on the site's best features. The top left of the page allows users to choose locations based on geographic location or hotel prices.

Click on a city, and you're given the option to read any number of reviews from fellow Gusto fans. There are also tabs for car rents, hotels, attractions and food, as discussed above. Under the profiles is a brief summary of some of what the city has to offer. The site's detailed profiles let users connect with travelers with similar interests. Personally, I had a trip to Pigeon Ford, Tennessee all lined up and ready to go - beautiful this time of year.

I'm also sold on the sites management team. Site founder Jeff Wasson is a) an internet-travel pioneer with a successful track record and b) Really, really rich. That combination has me sold on the site's ability to survive.

Wasson, 36, and his management team in Missouri are reasonably young. Travel sites tend to cater to younger people and the theme-searching option leads me to believe the site is looking to reel in young, adventurous travelers.

All social media can be useful to PR professionals and Gusto is no exception. Those working with hotels are restaurants can drum up business by recruiting good reviews and the site is an excellent way to monitor travel trends and plan for the future. After all, any publicity is good publicity.

So, go ahead, try the site out. You never know where you could go.