Reflection

This blog is my final project for IPD as I currently stand at the edge of my undergraduate study. This is the first my academic blog that I think it would be an interesting way to learn and apply all theories we captured. Surely, it required me to do a bunch of research to complete and support my research about blogging phenomenon. I hope this blog will help other students to understand more about blogging world and for those people who likely to blog.

Blog is one way to communicate with people who read it; therefore, clearly purpose, context and knowledge of audience are important (Rowse, 2006). For example, this blog is an academic blog, therefore, references and citations are required to assure readers that those articles are credible. Furthermore, to make it more understandable, I learned framing, salience, and information value for publishing documents as Kress, G & van Leeuwen (2006) said. Apart of it, images and text are work together to give better understanding to the readers (Reep, Diana, 2006).

Last but not least, I will try to apply all knowledge I have to create a good blog. This course definitely benefit me a lot regarding to knowledge about publication and design. Hope you will enjoy reading it. Thanks.



References:

Kress, G & van Leeuwen, T. 2006, 'Chapter 1: The semiotic landscape: language and visual communication', in Reading images: The Grammar of Visual Design, 2dn edn, Routledge, London.

Reep, Diana C. 2006, 'Chapter 4: Principles of Document Design', in Technical writing, 6th ed, Pearson Edu, Inc, New York, p.173-190.

Rowse, D. 2008, 10 Steps to writing Successful Series on your Blog, viewed 12 April 2010, <http://www.problogger.net/archives/2006/03/24/10-steps-to-writing-a-successful-series-on-your-blog/>.

Cultural/Situational Context

Every country has their own rules and regulations as same as culture differences. In this point, I will discuss about a movie called ‘Rumah Dara’ published in different countries but be banned in Malaysia. ‘Rumah Dara’ has been officially released on January 22, 2010 in Indonesia.

In other countries ‘Rumah Dara’ known as ‘Macabre’. It was available in Singapore, North America and Korea. Moreover, the initial idea of this movie is how Ladya and the gank which is the victim in this movie escaped from psychopaths in Dara’s house. Dara’s family is human meat eater or cannibals. Everyone who comes to her house will not be out anymore; they will be slashed and slaughtered by them. Every scene of this movie might put frightened feeling to the audiences, they may not be able to accept it because of the picture showed was too violence. Therefore, it is banned in Malaysia.

Moreover, Malaysia has its own regulation about censorship and separate department called Film Censorship Board of Malaysia to control movie released in Malaysia. Every movie must have approval from the Board to be released out publicly in Malaysia. The Board has created Film Censorship Act on 2002 and keeps improvising it throughout the year. Under this Act, there are three rating systems which are U (general viewing for all ages), PG 13 (parental guidance is suggested for viewer under 13), and 18 (for aged 18 and above only). Each of these ratings has its own screening time (for television show).

Furthermore, there is no clear reason behind banning movie of ‘Rumah Dara’ in Malaysia. Even though all frightened scenes have been cut off for few times, it still not passes the censorship Board. Therefore, House Production of ‘Rumah Dara’ decided not asking further permission to release the movie in Malaysia.

Yet, there are some facts why Malaysia censorship is though and strict regarding any publication material. Firstly, moral issues in the country. According to Shaari Mohammad Noor (2005), to build a good moral and value of the country, they need to prohibit materials that inappropriate to the country. Second issue is ideological and religious sensitivities. There are many different tribes living in Malaysia, therefore it will be very sensitive issues. Last but not least is cultural issue. As still in Asia, east-culture still plays dominant role. Any scene or materials showing over nudity, sex, strong language, violence or sensitive issue themes will be banned strictly.

References:

Wikipedia, 2010, 'Macabre', Wikimedia Foundation, viewed 12 June 2010, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumah_Dara#Awards>.

Puspasari, E 2010, 'Malaysia Bans Indonesian Movie 'Rumah Dara'', Viva News, viewed 12 June 2010, <http://en.vivanews.com/news/read/127130-malaysia_bans_indonesian_movie__rumah_dara_>.

NCAC 2005, 'TV and Film Censorship in Malaysia', BBC News, viewed 13 June 2010, <http://www.thefileroom.org/documents/dyn/DisplayCase.cfm/id/430>.

Ethical Publising

All information shared publicly is controlled by regulation system. There is certain action that people need to avoid such as insult words, fake statement, and misleading statement. It is true that everyone has freewill to write and spoke out of ideas but there is still boundary of rules that cannot be breached.

Trespasses boundary of rules = Problem!

As it happened in Indonesia, an artist named Luna Maya has pour out her feelings in Twitter and used sarcastic words that streak out the journalists’ reputation. Therefore, she has been charged with defamatory statement to media public under law of ITE (Informasi dan Transaksi Elektronik) pasal 27 ayat 3 that written about defamation through electronic media which is her official Twitter account.

Another case is Manohara Odelia Pinot. She was an 18 years-old model and married to prince of Kelantan, Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Sultan Ismail Petra. Her case was brought to the court of Malaysia and Indonesia. The case is Tengku Muhammad Fakhry sued his wife, Manohara, because of defamatory statement that widely printed and broadly known in electronic media in Malaysia and Indonesia. Manohara claimed that her husband did physically and sexually abusing her, mistreating, abducting, and unlawfully confining her. At the end, she was awarded RM2mil each in aggravated, exemplary, compensatory damages and RM105mil defamation suit by Malaysia High Court (Mageswari, M 2010).

Both cases above categorized as defamatory publication because it contained a publication of words or images to a person that damages the reputation of others (Australian Law Reform commission, 2006).

What is the solution?

There is no publication rules that not allows you to exposed your feelings in public media, however, words chosen must be correct otherwise it would be a ‘boomerang’ for you as experienced by two artists above.

As journalist, what code of ethics we should follow?

Apart from personal issues, a journalist has certain rules to follow since they are providing recent information to the audiences publicly. A journalist must have integrity because integrity determines their credibility in sharing information. Readers believe in you to give them a truth, actual and reliable information. Furthermore, in order to avoid unethical issue in publishing, a journalist should seek the truth of the information before they release it to the public, minimizing harm by respecting the sources, act independently by no giving side interest, and be accountable to their readers, listeners, and viewers (SPJ National Convention, 1996).

References:

Australian Law Reform Commission, 2006, 'Defamation Laws & the Internet', Electronic Frontiers Australia, viewed 11 June 2010, <http://www.efa.org.au/Issues/Censor/defamation.html#defpubl>.

Mageswari, M 2010, 'Tengku Fakhry wins RM6mil in damages against wife Manohara (Updated)', The Star Online, viewed 12 June 2010, <http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/11/nation/20100311095019&sec=nation>.

Schotz, A 1996, 'SPJ Code of Ethics', Society of Professional Journalist, viewed 11 June 2010, <http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp>.

Printed Media vs Electronic Media

Generalization shift is common to us today, along with advance technology everything move from old pace to another pace, unexceptionally published media. Langeveld, M (2009) believes that printed media is still the king. On the other hand, he also admits that web has change the origin or nature of journalism. Further discussion will focus on existence of printed media and the effect of the trend shifting.

Is printed media dead?
Initially, printed media is the most powerful media to get information in the past because there is no other source to get information. Nowadays, Many people turn away to electronic media such as e-newspaper, website, television, etc.

Yet, even though circulation of newspaper dropped for few last years, it does not mean that newspaper dead. It proven by statement stated previously that ‘television will beat newspaper’, but until today newspaper still exist and have its own loyal reader (Reid, D 2006). According to Killman, L (2006), there is no doubt in electronic media growth in future but there is still a future for print.

(Source:http://www.niemanlab.org/author/mlangeveld/)


What is the effect of shifted trend in publishing media?

First thing will affected is journalism sector. A journalist forced to get information as soon as possible (ASAP) because fast-paced of internet would be the threat for printing media. Once the information available in internet, people does easily to read it and even download it. Therefore, to sustain in this industry and have strong stand in competition with electronic media, UNESCO Media Development (2007) has some strategies for journalist such as giving technical support for local and commercial initiatives in print media, improve the technical quality and increase standard quality of the print media content, and lastly expand and increase readership of print media.

Secondly, it would affect to financial area. From the first time, people paid for monthly fee newspaper or other print media like magazine. Now, people can get information free of charge from the internet. This condition shakes the print media company financially, since how they can compete with free thing. As Rousselot, F (2006) says that internet is problem, but it is also the solution. Print media company earn money by borrowing internet’s business model through advertising.

References:

Josefowicz, M 2009, 'The Fallacy pf the 'Print is Dead' Meme, Media Shift, viewed 11 June 2010, <http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2009/04/the-fallacy-of-the-print-is-dead-meme117.html>.

Langeveld, M 2010, 'Moderating declines: Pasing the NAA's spin on newspaper circ data', Nieman Journalism lab, viewed 12 June 2010, <http://www.niemanlab.org/author/mlangeveld/>.

Reid, D 2006, 'Papers battle online new sites', The BBC's flagship technology programme, viewed 11 June 2010, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/6220424.stm>.

UNESCO 2009, 'Print and Electronic Media', Communication and information, viewed 11 June 2010, <http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=1528&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html>.

iPad

Technology is an area with no limitation. From time to time, there are new inventions of product with purpose for easy use and is not exceptionally for Apple with their new invention, iPad.

According to Glaser, M (2010), as a new product, iPad has some advantages and disadvantages regarding to the features and function of it. From article he wrote, it showed that different group of ages has their own interest toward iPad, for instance his son is only interested to it for gaming, while he prefers to read books. Thus, there are some issues will discuss later on concerning iPad.

iPad syndrome?

Recently, as a booming product, iPad grab much attention of technology and Apple lovers by 11.5% in US market share by the end of May 2010 (www.getclicky.com) and 22% of e-book market share (Raby, M 2010). And even before it released, demand for it was mountain. Through advertisement and demonstration, they prepared audiences to buy when it is launch.

At first time seeing iPad, you might think that is a giant iPod touch because the similar design and only size difference. iPad is identical with e-book and it will be the first choice for people who do not have this gadget yet. Moreover, it targeted to people who wants to upgrade their e-reader to featured-rich and color-filled gadget experience too (Medeiros, N 2010).

Do iPad adopt multimodal text theory?

Referring to Walsh (2006), texts that contained more than one ‘mode’ in order to deliver message called multimodal texts. iPad as a media to read books electronically proved that multimodal texts exist. We are not only reading a page full of texts but it accompanied by pictures, sounds, videos, etc. iPad was a new outstanding gadget features that impressed the world and they happily use it. Thus, advanced technology brings new idea and shifts monomodal text to multimodal texts as appeared everywhere today in difference medias such as printed text, gadget, newspaper, websites, etc.

Is audience satisfied?

Subsequently, even though iPad famously known, research in America showed that people who really interested on iPad only 4.6% overall the market and 65% people are not interested at all (Sutherland, Ed 2010). It happened because they are not reader user and some of them prefer to use iPhone instead of iPad concerning to its size, similarity features and another extra benefit which is call line while iPad do not have it.

(http://www.cultofmac.com)

References:

Glaser, M 2010, 'Glaser & Son Review the iPad', Media Shift, viewed 10 June 2010, <http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2010/04/glaser-son-review-the-ipad098.html>.

Medeiros, N 2010, 'ILL and iPad: reflections on the fast and furious', International digital library perspective, vol. 26, No. 2, pp. 66-68, viewed 5 June 2010, <http://www.emeraldinsight.com.ezlibproxy.unisa.edu.au/Insight/viewPDF.jsp?contentType=Article&Filename=html/Output/Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Pdf/1640260201.pdf>.

Raby, M 2010, 'iPad Collects 22% Of Ebook Market Share At Warp Speed', I4U, viewed 5 June 2010, <http://www.i4u.com/article34902.html>.

Sutherland, Ed 2010, 'iPad Survey: 4.6 Percent 'Extremely Interested'; 16.4 Percent 'Somewhat Interested', Cult of Mac, viewed 8 June 2010, <http://www.cultofmac.com/ipad-survey-4-6-percent-extremely-interested-16-4-percent-somewhat-interested/38042>.

Walsh, M. (2006),” The ‘textual shift’: Examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts,” Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, vol.29, no.1, pp.24-37.