3. Neophiliac Perspective

Question 1

Summary

Answer 1

1. Curran and Seaton
2. Increased Consumer Choice
3. An E-Commerce Revolution
4. Revitalising Democracy

Question 2

2. Increased Consumer Choice

Answer 2

• Neophiliacs argue that the convergence, compression and interactivity that characterise media today have increased consumer choice.
• There are now hundreds of channels on TV.
• Competition between media institutions will result in more quality output
• People can choose from a number of media delivery systems (e.g. listen to music on a CD, iPod or Computer?)

Question 3

3. An E-Commerce Revolution

Answer 3

• Internet has also led to a revolution in e-commerce

• E-tailors such as Amazon have been great economic successes and actually undermined high-street sales of books and music.
• Most major commercial companies now have their own websites.

• E-commerce trends has increased competition, lowers prices and gives consumers control as they can compare prices from a huge range.

Question 4

4. Revitalising Democracy

Answer 4

• New Media technologies offer opportunities to acquire the education and information required to play an active role in democratic societies.

• Internet is a means of communicating information that the giant corporations who own and control the world’s traditional media are unlikely to report.
- Internet has also been highlighted in this way as it is anyone can access it.

• Internet provides people with opportunity to access a wide range of information and alternative views.
• Some commentators have referred to this as ‘Citizen Journalism’
• Seaton: Media is advancing progressive politics. Internet is a place of assembly that leads to political activism.
• Internet can revitalise democracy as it gives a voice to those who would go otherwise unheard. (like-minded people can join together and take action)
• Some neophiliacs who are anti-global capitalism have used the internet to challenge elites.
• Itzoe: internet is an ‘anarchic confederation of millions of users’ who participate in the ‘freest forum of speech in history’.
• Internet has been used to harness mass support for ‘Make Poverty History’, to coordinate protests (e.g. London 2018) and to monitor immorality of business

Question 5

1. Curran and Seaton

Answer 5

• Curran and Seaton: two perspectives dominate the debate about the new media in the UK:
  1. Neophiliacs: optimistic about spread and influence of new media technologies, which they see as offering consumers more choice and the opportunity to participate more effectively in the democratic process