It’s All Good, Even With the Bad and the Ugly

As Strategic Communications 6630, Emerging Media comes to a close this term, I reflect on a blog post a few weeks ago that I entitled “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.” Just today while watching the news on television, I am reminded of many trends that we have covered in this class. One story featured a threat to a local high school that transpired and was communicated to us through various media.  First of all, someone had gotten into the high school’s Google account and posted something threatening, leading students, parents and some personnel to think that something dangerous might happen at the school.  The school system committed to crisis control by alerting stakeholders via Facebook to explain what had happened and reassured everyone that steps are being taken to protect the campus.  Technology was used to cause chaos and technology was used for crisis communication. 

A positive story that I read today featured a little boy traveling with his family who lost his beloved stuffed rabbit.  A family found the toy and started a Facebook account to try to find its owner.  The social media post spread wide enough that it finally reached the little boy’s family who lived several states from where it was lost, and he was joyously reunited with his stuffed rabbit. 

Daily, whether through television, YouTube or social media, emerging media trends are responsible for so many experiences that weren’t possible years ago.  Of course, years ago, the person who posed the threat to the high school would not have had access to the Google account to make a threat that spread so rapidly.  Dangers to institutions like this were not exposed as quickly and crisis communication was not handled as quickly and widespread before the advent of real-time media that we have today.  The little boy who was reunited with his favorite toy probably would not have seen it again because years ago, communication was not shared so fast and globally as it is today. 

People will use things for good and bad.  With the enormous wealth of emerging media and all of the good that it does for the world, it is unfortunate that some will misuse it for bad causes.  We have learned how emerging media is helping to teach underprivileged children in remote areas.  New technology is helping us to detect and cure diseases.  New media is allowing us to crowdsource for medicine, business, education, crime-solving, and yes, communication among many other things.  Emerging media is allowing us to connect with new friends and associates all over the world in an instant. It is a great time to be a communicator, and of course a strategic communication professional. I’m just glad that the positive gains far outweigh the negative and look forward to the awesome possibilities that will be at hand with the amazing emerging media discoveries that are taking place every day.    

A Child’s Curiosity, the Wonders and Possibilities

When a seven-year-old asks you out of the blue if Santa Claus really exists, what do you say? I think I managed to answer that question by saying that to some people he exists and to some people he doesn’t.  My seven-year-old niece apparently wasn’t satisfied with that answer.  Little did I know that while she was playing with my phone when she asked me about Santa Claus, she googled an answer.  She never said a word but did her own research and found a satisfactory answer to the question that a lot of children have.  This week in Strategic Communication 6630 we are looking at children, technology and learning.  It is a fascinating topic and considering that I spend time with many young children personally and professionally, much of the information I’ve learned this week has proven to be significantly important to me in several capacities. Technology increasingly creates learning possibilities for children all over the world, but there are risks involved. We as strategic communications professionals and caregivers must remain vigilant about developing strategies that will help our children to grow with technology and be harmed less by it.   

Days later when I was searching for some information on my phone, I saw that my niece had typed in the question “Is Santa Claus real?” At first I laughed and then I was amazed at her resourcefulness.  Unlike her, I wasn’t raised with technology, but I have worked with it for a long time.  Yet there are times when I have a question or need information and forget that I have a world of information in the palm of my hand.  It blew me away that a seven-year-old intuitively googled the question that I didn’t answer to her satisfaction.  This is just one example of the amazing ways that children adapt to and utilize technology today in a good way.  I think that even though she is only seven, technology is teaching her to be creative when she is using it to color, listen to songs, watch certain content, learn school subjects, and, oh, yes, research Santa Claus and other topics that adults can’t seem to adequately help her with.  On the other hand there are harmful effects.  Our reading and video features this week gave us important information on the positive and negative aspects of children’s increasing use of technology.

Experiments by educational researcher Sugata Mitra throughout India proved that no matter what language they spoke, when children were presented with technology they adapted and learned to use it easily even if its instructions were not in their native language.  Children learn so intuitively to use computers that they learned to use them to translate its instructions in order to understand how to better use the devices.  It was fascinating to see how technology touched children’s curiosity and also helped them to learn even when they had no formal teachers and no instructions in their native language.  It was also amazing to see the children come together to teach each other.  Mitra’s TED Talks video entitled “Kids Can Teach Themselves” detailed the promising possibilities of using technology to help teach underserved populations throughout the world.

Daily I see children solve tasks and easily learn to use devices that take me forever to learn.  Therefore, technology is an excellent tool to help children learn and this is tremendously beneficial to children everywhere.  Over the past few years, the schools here in this rural area where I live have invested in more learning technology such as tablets, smartboards, personal computers and distance education equipment for the classrooms.  Just this week, I visited a classroom where the teacher had just received a huge 72-inch touchscreen interactive smartboard.  She said that it was amazing how she could use the technology to interface with different educational sites and the Internet.  She added that the devices hold the attention of her technology-raised students and that when she can’t figure out things about operating the smartboard that her students can figure out solutions much easier than she can.  With technology advancing so quickly and children’s ability to learn so easily, educating children in the future is filled with amazing possibilities.   

 Yet as with most things, there is the good and bad when it comes to children and technology.  Two studies by Sonia Livingstone about social media literacy in children that we read this week pointed out that social media technology provides different tools to children at different stages of life. Younger children are inquisitive and explore information through social media technology like my niece does. Teenagers seek relationships and acceptance online and help to find their identity through social media. Children have different motivations for social media at different ages but all ages seek to communicate, find out about the world and themselves, and express themselves increasingly more through social media technology.  Yet the risks involved with increased social media usage include bullying, stalking, and harassment that have in some publicized cases lead to suicide. 

Some say that heavy technology use harms a child’s development.  This is true according to pediatric occupational therapist Cris Rowan. On May 29, 2013 Rowan wrote in a Huffpost blog entitled “The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child” that technology has caused children to drastically reduce physical play time that is important to creativity, imagination, and mental and physical development. Children are inside and sedentary so much using technology that sensory, motor and attachment skills are becoming underdeveloped.  She also said that obesity, diabetes, coordination, and other physical and psychological disorders have increased. We are seeing children becoming less social outside of online activities and more unhealthy.  These are discouraging consequences of tools that are so encouraging to a child’s learning capabilities. 

There are solutions. Technology when used, managed and monitored properly is a useful tool that helps children to learn, communicate and develop.  Careful management by parents and caregivers can also help to shelter children from pitfalls such as bullying, harassment and cyber-crimes.  We can also limit children’s technology usage and require physical interaction and activities in order for them to have a balance in life that will help them to still enjoy the benefits of technology and develop healthfully.  As with most things in life, it takes time, effort and planning.  The children in my family still enjoy technology but they also like the outdoors.  We require that they spend time outdoors playing and engaging with others daily.  They love their technology and they also love physical and social activities.  I guess this is why my niece continues to be a healthy, social, inquisitive, smart and progressive seven-year-old.  There is a balance in her life between the technology that she craves and needs and the physical and social activities that she also craves and needs in order to develop healthfully.  I think that the positive aspects and the risks of the saturation of technology upon our youth can be managed because it adds so much to a child’s learning. I can only imagine how different my life would have been if I’d had the backup of a computer to research things like Santa Claus and facts of life questions when I was a little girl when my parents’ answers, or non-answers, left me scratching my head. 

The Importance of Your Brand

This week in Strategic Communication 6630, our focus is on branding and online reputation. We have had literature and videos about corporate and organizational branding, which is always important for strategic communication professionals.  We also looked at personal branding. In past classes I have learned the importance of corporations putting forth great internal communication, campaigning and customer service in order to have a good name.  As we live in an age of real-time communication where one negative online post can happen so quickly and potentially cause problems, branding today is a never-ending 24-7 job.  In this world of emerging media, there are many facets to successful branding. A major thought that stands out to me is from Tim Leberecht’s TED Talks video entitled “Three Ways to (Usefully) Lose Control of Your Brand.” He said, “Your brand is what others say about you when you’re not in the room.” Successful strategic communication professionals should be well-equipped to establish a good reputation and maintain it during the good times and the bad. 

Peter Economy wrote “7 Things Great Brands Always Do” in an Inc.com article from May 5, 2015.  He stated strategies that are highly important to branding such as having a successful internal culture, committing to and staying committed your brand, ignoring trends and sweating the small stuff.  If you work to create a great in-house organization, it is easier to project your brand to the public and in doing so your product or service should be great and you never have to compromise in order to follow trends.  If an organization is successful to its target audience, then they do not have to sell products; products will sell themselves.  If a brand is this successful, then the corporation does not even have to gain attention through giving back.  A great brand works to create a culture that has shared value for everyone involved internally and externally.   

Cheryl Conner wrote about how important your online reputation is on March 4, 2014 in a Forbes.com article entitled “Top Online Reputation Management Tips for Brand Marketers” stating the importance of Google search engine results. In the fast growing world of mobile and online communication, a major focus of communication professionals is crisis communication. Putting out a good product or service and managing great internal relations are not the only components of great branding.  Corporations must be proactive at maintaining their reputation by constantly monitoring their name online.  If something negative does pop up, then hopefully your track record will be enough to safeguard your reputations.  If not, then procedures need to be in place to negate any bad press that may happen as quickly as possible. 

There are several names that come to mind when I think of successful branding and online reputations.  Target is one that has a successfully managed reputation.  They continue to satisfy internally and externally and give back to their communities.  Whole Foods is another.  These two companies continue to work their magic, and their reputations continue to shine.  Yes, both have hit some minor bumps in the road, but their reputations before these negative occurrences helped them to bounce back and maintain even through controversy.  This is the result of successful branding, monitoring and maintenance.   

Leberecht also said about branding, “What’s true about you is you.” This was proven to me when I looked at another brand this week.  Oddly enough, I took a look at Playboy.  I am not one to agree with the nature behind Playboy, but since Hugh Hefner died this week, his Playboy empire was all over the news.  Playboy was a great brand to its target audience!  After six decades of production, Playboy continues to lead men’s magazine in sales with over two million monthly in the U.S. alone. The publication successfully lead its market, even with the growing popularity of online pornography, so its success over the decades is definitely about much more than nude women.  In 2016 the magazine stopped featuring nudity, and its sales climbed by 28%.  Therefore, much of the magazine’s success has to be its articles. I was surprised to learn that the corporation gives back by supporting women’s rights, abortion rights, birth control access, the Equal Rights Amendment and helps fund rape crisis centers.  The magazine has had female support as well as male support in these six decades because they successfully managed their brand and satisfied its target audience.  There was controversy from the beginning and throughout, but successful branding has kept the magazine afloat.  Playboy has been true to its mission and gives back along the way.  A lot of negative has been said about the company, but apparently their brand and online reputation has been and continues to be successful to its target audience over the years.   

One other topic I would like to mention this week is personal branding.  The January 22, 2012 Business Insider blog post entitled “Fundamentals of Personal Branding” gave me some tips to follow and goals to pursue. The personal branding blog pointed out the importance of knowing who you are and your goals and meeting the needs of your target audience.  So far I haven’t thought much about the importance of My Brand moving forward.  As I think about it, personal branding should be an important topic as I try to wrap up my master’s in Strategic Communication and pursue other business interests.  The Business Insider blog states that the things that are important to a personal brand include skills, experience, expertise, travels, hobbies, education and work experiences, among others. I am optimistic that my brand should be off to a good start.  My brand already includes skills, experiences, education and even hobbies that should attract my target audience when I pursue future endeavors. 

This week’s topic, as well as most others in this class, gives me much to think about when it comes to my future.  Again I have learned something that is important not only to my current professional life, but also to my personal life which I one day would love to combine in order to create a successful business opportunity using My Brand.  After all, what’s true about me is me and I am continuing to grow. There is work and branding to be done. 

 

The Mouse That Chased the Cat??

Did you have the pleasure of viewing a viral video this week about the guy in his bathroom with his cat, chasing a rat that was so big that it scared the guy and his cat out of the bathroom?  Believe me, it is one of the funniest social media videos that I’ve seen in a long time.  What’s important about it and our class this week is the way the video grew in popularity this week.  The video had doubled in viewership in two days from 20 million viewers to over 40 million. A week later the video has had over 50 million viewers. The video is incredibly funny so I understand why it has been so popular.  Everybody appreciates a good laugh.  In the world of business, when it comes to putting your message out there, we can’t always count on humor.  Corporate success is a serious business.  Another crowdsourcing lesson I’ve witnessed this week includes a small business’s approach to growing while helping others in need. Topics this week in Strategic Communications 6630 have been very informative and entertaining as we look at the world of crowdsourcing, politics and the global impact of emerging media. 

In our literature this week several communications professionals predicted how the business would change.  Clay Shirky, a popular social media theorist who authored the book “Here Comes Everybody,” in a 2008 YouTube video talked about the possibilities of success through sharing, conversation, collaboration and collective action through the Internet in years to come.  Back then Shirky expressed that the first three processes were easier than the last, collective action.  He said that he expected an increase in the years to come in collective action.  Paul Lewis, a journalist in the TED Talks video “How Mobile Phones Helped Solve Two Murders” in 2011 noted how far investigative journalism had grown from around five years earlier and he predicted that social media would define entertainment in the future.  David Winston, author of the 1998 article, “Digital Democracy and the New Age of Reason” predicted that people were turning from traditional media to get political news and that political news would become more individualized thanks to digital media.  Here in 2017, all of these predictions are true and I’m sure these professionals are excited to the extent to which communication has grown and transformed due to the Internet and digital media.   

Living in Alabama during an election year, I have to agree with Winston about the media and politics.  Personally, I am so tired of political advertisements interrupting my entertainment evening on television.  I have individualized my watching habits.  Now I record most of my programs and I am able to fast forward through political advertisements.  Oh, but they got me.  The videos such as the one I mentioned above about the cat and the rat are now being saturated with advertising.  Communication professionals are taking advantage of viral videos and a few months ago I noticed that some of the viral ones will allow you to watch half and then interrupt with an advertisement. It is up to you whether or not to continue.  Chances are that the video is so informative or entertaining that you will sit through the ad in order to see the conclusion.  I was knocked off my feet when I thought I was free of Alabama political ads when a couple of weeks ago, a viral video that I was enjoying was interrupted by an ad that I was trying my best to avoid on traditional television.  Even though I have done my best to individualize my political exposure, the market has a way of finding you. So Winston was right.  In order to avoid political agendas that I oppose, I am working constantly to be exposed more to information that I desire and less information that I detest.  

I witnessed Shirky’s prediction that collective action would increase this week in a CNN feature about a small company that was crowdsourcing in order to help people rebuild after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas.  A small clothing company from Illinois sold its apparel with some proceeds going to hurricane victims and sought volunteers and donations through its website.  This, of course, gave them exposure with their good deeds, increased profits, and also attracted enough people who volunteered and donated that they were able to help areas in Texas.  They not only raised enough for supplies; they also had enough money and volunteers to help rebuild a town center.  Through a Facebook post and their website, the company was able to raise a quarter of a million dollars and enough volunteers to get all of this done.  I’m sure the exposure will help the company to prosper in the future, so good job. And at the same time they were able to make a difference in many lives hurt by the storm. Collective action is a lot easier these days, especially for a worthy cause.  Through the Internet many devastated areas around the world are benefitting through the growth in sharing, conversation, collaboration and collective action.

The last example of crowdsourcing points back to what Lewis said about social media one day defining entertainment. I think back to the cat and mouse video that made me laugh until I cried.  This is a big deal because I laugh at a lot on social media but seldom do I laugh until I cry.  I noticed that as the video went viral, more and more people commented that it was one of the funniest videos that they had ever seen.  Entertainment is prevalent on social media in so many forms. When I saw another version of the video, I noticed that the guy in the video was speaking a foreign language.  I don’t know why I assumed he was American.  I bring this up to note that I am glad that I learned this because I appreciate the fact that someone with a diverse background had brought laughter to so many people around the world.  Today’s political climate is volatile.  Storms, earthquakes and other natural disasters are wreaking havoc.  Crowdsourcing is bringing together people of all backgrounds and knowledge in order to make a difference in the world in the wake of such negativity and destruction.  Hopefully the amazing possibilities of the Internet and digital media and the way it can bring us together will continue to be a positive force in a world that needs a laugh and a helping hand in so many instances. 

 

Discoveries Within the Blogosphere

To be honest, I was introduced to blogging as a requirement for a Strategic Communications class last year.  Once that was over, I stopped writing. Again this term blogging is a requirement for COM 6630, but this time around, I have a newfound interest in blogging that will continue well beyond this class.  This week, while learning more about blogging and citizen journalism, I learned more facts and statistics about blogging, but two things stand out.  This may sound odd, but simply learning what the word “blog” means was an ah-ha moment that I should have remembered from last year.  Knowing that a blog is simply a web log or weblog with mostly written content helped me to understand the forum better.  Virtually anyone who wants to can blog.  Then learning what a listicle was totally helped me develop more of an interest in pursuing blogging. Listicles are articles or segments containing lists and are popular in blogging. I cannot go a day without reading listicles online or listening to them on the radio. I was familiar with both but just didn't know what they were called. Blogs are a great way to communicate and I am going to use a listicle to tell you why I will further my blogging.  Five reasons why this strategic communicator will continue to blog. 

1.      Blogging is becoming a very popular forum for obtaining and dispensing news and information. Mena Trott, who is called the mother of the blog revolution, in her TED Talks segment “Meet the Founder of the Blog Revolution” said that blogging is changing the way we read news.  Like-minded people follow each other in search of information and/or entertainment of their choice.  Trott mentioned how MSNBC once posted vital updates about a hurricane that reached millions who wanted precisely that information.  I remember following a local weather blog when Hurricanes Herman and Hurricane Ivan neared the Gulf Coast recently.  Instead of searching through countless of other subjects, blogs can streamline information into precisely what you are searching for.  Another of this week’s TED Talks featured James Surowiecki in a segment called “The Power and Danger of Online Crowds.” Surowiecki stressed that countless numbers of people are “organizing, linking and commenting” on information throughout the Internet and generating amounts of information that is changing the world and the way in which we seek and share information.

2.      Professionally, blogging is an easy and inexpensive way to grow my customer base and promote information for my organization.  The searchinginejournal.com article entitled “5 Ways a Blog Can Help Your Business Right Now,” which is a listicle! first suggests that blogging can draw online traffic that can help you engage customers, convert customers and keep any customers you might already have. Businesses exists because of customers, and inexpensively promoting your ideas and/or information on a frequent basis that will help you attract new customers and help you keep existing ones should be a priority for any business.  If I frequently create interesting and engaging content with a target audience in mind, I can help my organization to attract and maintain an important customer base.  This would open many possibilities for myself and my organization. One article we read this week, that was also a listicle! stated many advantages that blogging brings to businesses.  “52 Incredible Blogging Statistics to Inspire You to Keep Blogging” said that blogging can increase traffic to your website, help you be seen as an authority, a resource and as a problem solver in your field. The more frequently you blog the more traffic you generate.  Also, blogging tends to attract a loyal customer base and if you are in sales, blogs help to generate purchases.    

3.      Blogging can be a useful tool to promote my hobbies and talents and can be used for entertainment purposes.  I have a passion for poetry and creative writing.  Personally, if I want to gain an audience to promote my writing, blogging would be a great forum and could possibly attract followers who have similar hobbies and interests. I have a hobby that I have chronicled through hundreds if not thousands of pictures.  Often I look at the pictures and wonder what I should do with them. Trott also said that people blog to tell personal stories through online journals or diaries.  You can also keep photo albums through blogging.  It would be great to share with the world my hobbies through pictures and personal stories.  I have never wanted to be famous or speak in front of large crowds.  I have, however, wanted to share information with others who would appreciate my passions.

4.      I could possibly earn extra cash.  Most literature this week stated that the more you blog the more you are able to attract an audience.  In an article from theblogstarter.com entitled “How to Start Your Own Blog” Scott Chow said that a blog is about sharing your knowledge with the world. If I dedicate time and creativity to blog about my hobbies or writings regularly and turn it into an interesting and entertaining website, it is possible to gain an audience and then gain advertising that could earn me extra income. I know it would require a lot of time and work, but as Chow said, anyone can blog if they have the passion for something, dedicate the time, and hang in there until your site takes off. It will take practice and perseverance, and I have both.  

5.      Blogging could also help me to make a difference in the world.  Surowiecki read profound blogging details about the deadly tsunami in Indonesia in 2004.  Trott also showed some touching moments about how blogging has chronicled humanitarian efforts as well as personal stories that affected and touched people around the world.  Often, I am touched by stories that need to be shared with the world in order to inspire people by letting them know that they are not the only ones going through a situation.  I have met incredible people who have shared information with me that could change lives. The easy and inexpensive accessibility of blogging that could possibly reach millions might just make someone’s day and therefore grow to change the world. 

 

I know that most people blog for free.  Most bloggers simply have a passion for something and want to link and share with others.  Knowing how information can touch people and help to make their lives better personally and professionally, I understand the popularity of the blogosphere.  I want to join and prosper. If I enjoy it, dedicate myself to my craft, and try to reach someone, then my purpose will have been served.   

Social Media-- The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Hurricane season is literally barreling its way towards us in the southeast, and with the help of social media, citizens are staying informed.  Gone are the days of frantically finding a television screen or radio in order to keep up with forecasts.  Thanks to online blogs, Facebook Live, and Twitter I have been able to track the hurricane, get in touch with family in its path, check on traffic conditions, and keep up with headlines surrounding Hurricane Irma, a devastating category 5 storm.  This week in Strategic Communication 6630 our focus is on social media, and what an interesting time to be doing so.  Statista, The Statistics Portal, reports that 81% of the U.S. population has a social media profile, up from 24% in 2008.  A Pew Research article in January of 2017 stated that 70% of all Americans use some type of social media.  With these types of statistics on the popularity of this forum, it is evident that strategic communicators have an incredible tool but as with most things there are the Good, the Bad and the Ugly attached to it. 

It is said that the thing you love most about a person sometimes becomes what you hate about them.  Unfortunately, this also applies to social media. The awesomeness of social media is that it allows you to send a message to people all over the world and receive instant feedback.  The Ugly of social media is that as quickly as you send a message, someone is able to take that message and distort it.  The Ugly includes the trolls that seem to have nothing better to do than lurk and turn every content into something malicious.  No matter how positive, innocent or amazing content is, a troll will find a way to turn it negative or criticize it. An August 30, 2016 article on Salesforce.com entitled “Beware the Troll: 8 Ways to Deal With Negative Social Media Comments” by Carl Henderson suggests you can react to trolls, try to understand them, or ignore them by not feeding into their negativity.  Millions rely on social media to get their news and another Ugly that is increasing is fake news.  Social media organizations are coming up with vetting processes to help identify and eliminate fake news.  You cannot get rid of all trolls and fake news, but these Uglies are becoming less prevalent as organizations increasingly develop ways to recognize and deal with them. Strategic communicators cannot shy away from social media as a communication tool just because of negativity and fake news. 

One Bad aspect for an organization on social media is dealing with legitimate negativity or bad press that could spread and kill your reputation The Salesforce.com article points out that sometimes negative publicity comes when people feel they are not being listened to.  If this is the case, an organization should do everything possible to acknowledge this person, communicate and resolve the issue.  Negativity can also come when consumers are not pleased with a product or service, and on a forum like social media, an unhappy consumer can be heard around the world quickly. Successful strategic communication involves investigating, responding, communicating and offering a solution. The transparency of social media communications allows all of these steps to be seen openly.  Most of the time when a solution is worked out, all parties are pleased.  Sometimes things cannot be worked out and you have to live with that. But if there is a concerted effort to deal with a legitimate problem, there will be proof of your efforts, and often this will help to erase some negativity. Clay Shirky, a social media theorist, pointed out in his TED Talks video entitled “How Social Media Can Make History” that social media is “more and more often a way of creating an environment for convening and supporting,” not controlling.  When dealing with legitimate negativity, this is tremendously beneficial.  Services like Google Alerts monitor your brand and help organizations quickly respond to negativity. Most organizations utilize public relations in order to recognize, address and correct negative publicity.  Social media allows immediate two-way communication and increased transparency to help organizations correct these instances in a timely manner.

The Good associated with social media far outweighs the Bad and the Ugly.  Often this week, I have read that social media brings with it an openness and allows collaborations on a global scale that is transforming many lives socially, economically and politically.  This technology allows the world to engage with one another, entertain ourselves and each other, seek news, promote news, and many other activities that make our lives richer. As strategic communicators, social media also allows us to detect trends and empowers us to reach millions of people, get their feedback, and improve products and services.

An interesting article we had this week was a February 22, 2013 Mashable.com article by Todd Wasserman entitled “Steal These 3 Social Marketing Tricks from Top Brands.”  Wasserman pointed out that brands that are successful on social media are connecting with you through your passions and/or interests.  They are entertaining you with their engaging personality.  Also they are providing you with interesting and/or important information.  The Good of social media includes these three priorities and so much more.  As I stated earlier, this week social media has provided me with helpful blogs, live footage and archived information about hurricane season and the big one that is approaching.  This information has been insightful and some of it has even been entertaining.  I am a fan, a consumer and a professional that embraces all of the Good of social media because even if Irma comes and knocks out my power, my smart phone will allow me to communicate with family and friends and stay informed and even entertained.  After this emergency passes, we can get back to using social media for less stressful and day-to-day communication and entertainment purposes.

Again, as with anything, there is the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.  There is a little Bad that can be dealt with, some Ugly that needs to be ignored, but the Good that social media provides on a global scale far outweighs the negative.  We as strategic communicators cannot ignore the possibilities that are increasingly available thanks to social media.  From the moment we wake up, we can check on business, our friends and family, then communicate personally and professionally. We can entertain and be entertained.  We can produce messages and promotions and receive them. We can discover and be discovered. We can travel around the world and back and come into contact with vital people by the time the day is over.   I’d say that all of these Good applications certainly outweigh any negativity that may come with it.

An image that kept me busy on my smartphone on Saturday. 

 

Trending

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I do not like change.  I held onto my Blackberry until it was way out of style.  “All I need is a phone to talk on,” was my excuse when my friends suggested I get a smart phone.  Truly I did not need Internet access for social media, search engines, music and all the things they said I was missing.  Honestly, I saw smartphones as the latest trend for my teenage students.  They were glued to their devices, and it seemed it was dumbing them down and ruining their ability to concentrate. I did not want any part of that. But it has always been said that love can make you do the craziest of things.  When I began dating a tech savvy guy who wanted to communicate in various ways, guess who became a proud smart phone owner.  Over the years owning a smart phone has added so much to my life and my mobile devices have evolved far from just a communication device with my boyfriend to one that I cannot see myself living without.  Like so much of our population, I wake up with my smart phone and go to bed relying on it.

This week in Strategic Communication 6630 we are looking at mobile media.  It is amazing that the industry is taking over communications.  When I look at the fact that my smartphone is used for so much in my life, I wanted to know more about its impact on the world.  A Pew Research article entitled “U.S. Smartphone Use in 2015” by Aaron Smith says that in 2015 64% of American adults owned smartphones and that was up from 35% four years earlier. Pew Research data that year revealed that we use our smartphones to get news, check health issues, look and apply for jobs, look up real estate, find governmental services and even take classes. Sixty-eight percent use their smartphones to follow breaking news. And more and more online activity is primarily through smartphones. The article added that 68% of this population of smartphone owners share pictures and videos or commentary about community events. Ten percent of this population relied on smartphone for Internet access because they had no broadband access. Forty-eight percent had cancelled or shut off their cell service at some time because they could not afford the bills and 30% maxed out their data plans. Mobile devices affect and do so much for so many people.     

The August 2017 article “Where People Can’t Live Without The Internet” by Niall McCarthy surprised me in that it states that India’s population was number one at 82% that responded that they cannot live without the Internet.  The United States came in fifth at 73% behind United Kingdom, China, and Germany.  All over the world, smartphones are relied upon for so many purposes.  With so much information this week about where mobile capabilities are going, I decided to track my usage for one day. This was not a typical day for me since Monday through Friday, I work for nine hours a day.  But this was a typical Saturday during football season. 

One of the first things I did this morning was check the weather to see if there were any remnants from Hurricane Harvey in our area.  My flower garden needed tidying up, so I needed to know if any rain showers might interfere.  Next, as always, I checked social media to see if any friends or family needed birthday greetings.  Then, I checked my emails, personal and work.  The first few minutes of my day I usually depend on one of my mobile devices. After working outside for a while, I wanted to post pictures of my beautiful end-of-summer flowers, so after using my smartphone to take pictures and videos, I posted them to social media. The smartphone got a break while I caught up with the latest on College GameDay on television.  Then I had to rely on my cell phone to see if the USC game would be webcast or on a college football app since I saw that the game was not being televised in my area.  Thinking that the most of my day would be spent in front of a big screen instead of a small smart phone was wrong.  For hours I went from the television to my cell phone and tablet in order to check the USC game details and to also respond to social media comments about my flowers. Honestly, I think I spent 75% of my leisure time using mobile devices today.

This was amazing to me, considering a few years ago, I professed that I did not have any need for a smartphone. The overwhelming message from our resources in Strategic Communication 6630 this week was that mobile is and is going to continue to be the wave of the future for communication success.  We as strategic communicators must stay on top of these trends.  The mobile industry is ever evolving in order to adapt to the new usages and demands of consumers.  New capabilities are being added every day in order to stay competitive and also to help this gadget remain the prize that it is.  Just as I looked at myself and my evolution and dependency on smartphones and mobile devices, I know that I am just a novice.  I use my devices far less than most people, and yet I think I use them a lot.  From new access, to navigational devices, to tools that help students pursue their educations, mobile technology is incredible.  Mobile devices add so much to our lives, allow us access to unlimited information, and treat us to so many conveniences in the palm of our hand. The future is unimaginable for this medium, and I hope that I continue to embrace this wave and learn to use it to the fullest personally and professionally.



Digitally Experiencing the Eclipse 2017

Did you catch the solar eclipse this week?  How could you miss it?  If you were at work, at school, at play, inside or outside, some way or another you had an opportunity to witness it, if not by your own eyes, you could definitely have witnessed the historical total solar eclipse on some type of broadcast on some type of device, probably a digital one.  This week in Strategic Communication 6630 we covered the introduction to Digital Media, and it was amazing to me how digital information transformed my 2017 eclipse experience from my last one just as it has transformed so many opportunities. Our class resources this week covered the history of digital media and how digital technology has added an unlimited amount of information to our universe.  It was from this enormous amount of “big data” that many people were able to gather enough information to prepare for, understand and experience an event such as the eclipse.

 

The last total solar eclipse that you could witness in North America was in February of 1979, and I vaguely remember the hype that surrounded the event.  I come from a small town, and we only had three channels back then, ABC, CBS and NBC,  maybe two decent radio stations, one local newspaper, and one regional newspaper to which we had access.    I remember watching coverage, but it wasn’t a big deal because I didn’t know much about the eclipse and I couldn’t get the glasses to protect my eyes.  I just remember watching the news summary about it.  During this past week, the fourth week in August 2017, the information leading up to this total solar eclipse occurring in North America received so much hype, that you couldn’t help but to be curious enough to watch.  Most of this hype, of course, came in numerous forms thanks to the many innovations that have resulted from the digital information age. Looking back on this week’s eclipse and learning so much more about digital media, I am putting things into better perspective as to how media has changed so drastically over the years and how it continues to change, grow and benefit society.     

 I looked back on the coverage of the 1979 eclipse.  We had the ABC, CBS and NBC networks, radio networks, and computers existed but were not in many households.  I’m sure most people appreciated the coverage of such a momentous occurrence back then but the hype leading up to it and the coverage was nothing close to this week’s.  Here we are in 2017, and the coverage leading up to the eclipse, during the eclipse and after was astronomical, especially compared to 1979.  Just as we learned this week in class, far more eclipse information came from online sources and digital media than from television. As I stated, living in a small town and having only three television stations, one of which almost never worked, two radio stations and two newspapers limited information that was generated for any event, even the solar eclipse, but that was what was available and it was very useful, back then.  This past week, eclipse coverage was limitless, coming from the TV and radio stations, but mostly from digital sources like computers, tablets, social media and cell phones. These sources allowed us to witness history in ways that were not possible 38 years ago.  

I was able to go online and get a refresher on how exactly the eclipse happens.  In order to understand it fully, I had to learn again how the Earth and moon rotate around the sun.  YouTube provided the most entertaining and insightful lessons.   I also learned where the path of totality was going to be.  Online I was also able learn about safe viewing glasses and the exact time that the eclipse would reach my area.  On the day of the eclipse, I utilized my computer, cell phone and social media to keep up with its path and to view the eclipse as it crossed the country.

Our lessons this week covered how we have grown from limited television, radio and printed press to so many media sources in 2017, that we are no longer limited to how much information that is out there and how we can obtain it. Of course, there was so much information about the eclipse that it was easy to find out all you needed to know to anticipate the eclipse and enjoy the event in its entirety if you wanted to view it.  If you were not fortunate to be able to walk outside and view it, there were so many options where you could stay inside and watch it live on television, computers, tablets, or your cell phones. Additionally, friends on social media shared video and other details to keep everyone informed. The school system here decided to keep students inside during the eclipse in fear that some may damage their eyes.  My niece, who is in the fourth grade, totally enjoyed being able to watch it on a live feed in their class, as did many people throughout the world.  The eclipse turned out to be an amazing experience for me and many others, and digital information sources helped to make the experience so much better.

This eclipse experience is only one of the unlimited benefits that the tremendous explosion of information technology has brought to humanity over the years.  The advancements in technology and the vast amount of information that is generated and shared by millions of people over unlimited resources today make everyday experiences so different today from years ago.  Our resources this week point to the overwhelming amount of information that is being generated and how this information is creating opportunities and innovations that are transforming business, government, education, health and other areas of society.  We are able to tap into a universe of data and extract information that we need to carry out so many tasks in ways that we never have before, thanks to digital media and technology.  We can get the latest in science, business, entertainment, health and so many other topics through so many mediums now that the possibilities for learning and growing are tremendous.  The fact that I was able to get the precise information on the eclipse that I needed to totally experience it makes me so thankful for technological advances. And the fact that I am able to pursue my master’s from the comfort of my own home is just another positive example of the extraordinary benefits that the growth in digital media provides on a daily basis.  Never did I imagine in 1979 what advancements would come.  Looking back, those three (two) television stations back in 1979 along with the few radio stations and newspapers were my lifeline to the outside world. Now my world is limitless thanks to the incredible amount of information that is available through digital television and radio, computers, social media and cell phones. I can only imagine the information capabilities that will be present in seven years when the next solar eclipse crosses the United States.

Choices

I am a millennial who works full time helping to prepare high school students for college and career success.  When our worlds come together interesting things happen.  We have totally different tastes and cultures, but we all get a kick out of learning from each other.  Some of them do not know how to write in cursive, some haven’t learned great English skills, and some of them never pick up a newspaper or magazine, but I try my best to expose them to such things. They get a kick out of my vinyl record collection of music from the ‘70s and ‘80s. I get a kick out of how they take so easily to technology and how they cannot live without technology being within hand’s reach. My students introduce me to exciting ideas such as the latest in digital trends.  Our worlds complement each other when it comes to technology.  The young students help me to learn about the latest in technology.  Just last week a student taught me things about navigating Facebook that I never knew, which is sad because I have been on Facebook for over eight years. They also help me save money by helping me with technology problems free of charge.   It is fascinating looking at both of our technological cultures and this helps me to address this week’s topic of where traditional media is headed. I think that there will always be a market for traditional media outlets, but audiences crave online news sources increasingly.  Over time, traditional and online resources will continue to be successful news sources because audiences have come to appreciate both, and industry leaders are coming up with ways to satisfy these preferences on both sides of the aisle.

If you look at technological trends today you might think that traditional media is becoming obsolete.  Sure, newspapers and magazine sales are down.  But these industries are being innovative and coming up with ways to keep traditional sources afloat.  Social media is quickly becoming one of the most popular forums where consumers get their news.  I never thought I would rely on social media to catch up on the latest headlines, especially on a small handheld device.  I have always been a television fanatic and always looked forward to at least two hours of news watching daily. Even my traditions of traditional news outlets have changed. In a world filled with technology and people who have so much on their to-do lists, of course social media is a great place to get your news.  What could be better than catching up with your social media friends and family while also getting the latest in news and entertainment at the same time?

Around ten years ago, I remember telling my younger students that I had no need for Facebook or Twitter.  Years later I remember telling them that I was only on social media to contact friends and family I had lost contact with over time.  Years after that I remember saying that I mainly used social media to wish friends and family a happy birthday.  Nowadays I honestly must admit that social media has replaced a lot of the time that I used to spend in front of a television.  Now while I am catching up with family and friends, I am also learning about the latest in the world of news.

Several articles that I read this week point to the obvious fact that technology is helping to increase consumers’ dependence on online sources for news.  Other articles this week state that there are tremendous efforts with traditional media industries to come up with new tactics in order to save these outlets from further decline and they seem to be working.  The fact that consumers continue to rely on traditional outlets for news and the fact that more is being invested into these sources is a sign that they are not going away.  This is good news because on some days when my eyes just cannot deal with another minute of glaring at a computer or cell phone screen it is nice to just casually sit and watch my old friend the television or get my hands on a real newspaper or magazine.

One thing that is clear to me about the state of news sources today is that there is room for both traditional news sources and new technology based online sources.  I don’t think one is better than the other and I hope that neither ever goes away.  What is of most importance though is that both continue to stay on top of industry trends and consumer preferences.  Our readings this week showed us what some traditional newspapers and magazine companies are doing to compete with online sources, and they seem to be working.  These trends fall in line with other things I see in society today.  As I mentioned earlier, my students are fascinated with my vinyl record collection.  A few years ago I wondered what would happen to my collection if they stopped making record players. The advent of digital music was making vinyl obsolete. Then a couple of years ago, I began seeing more and more record players being sold.  Then this year I read several articles about how, of all things, vinyl is making a comeback.  Now I know how much space these albums take up, just like printed newspapers and magazines.  Yet there is a market for the vinyl and this is why it is making a return to popularity.  Just like my vinyl, I am pleased that traditional media is not going away anytime soon. Is it nostalgia or is it just that some people like getting their hands on tangible items?  Whatever the motivation, I am just as thankful for a good old paper newspaper and/or magazine as I am pleased with my vinyl records being in my hands.  And then again, I often appreciate having online resources on my cell phone or tablet. Why should we have to choose? After all, isn’t variety the spice of life?