Michael Wesch Web 2.0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLBBD467647B030386
A YouTube link explaining Michael Weschs Theory Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing Us.

Who is Michael Wesch?

Michael Wesch is an associate professor of cultural anthropology and media ecologist who explores the effects of new media on human interaction, society and culture. He was dubbed “the explainer” by Wired magazine.

What is he famous for?

Wesch is famous for making a short video “Web 2.0... The machine is US/ing us” which was released on YouTube on Jan 31, 2007. It quickly became the most popular video in the blogsphere and has been viewed over 11 million times. His videos have been translated into 15 different languages meaning that this video has spread worldwide. Weschs videos are part of his broader efforts to pursue the possibilities of digital media to extend and transform the way ethnographies are presented.

Wesch has won several major awards for his work, including a Wired magazine Rave award, the John Culkin award for outstanding praxis in media ecology, and he was recently named an emerging explorer by National Geographic. He also won several teaching awards.

What is Web 2.0?
Web 2.0 is a name given to the internet which explains how the web has been extended and developed into a ‘social web’ where the users are in fact the web.  Therefore it is collaboration on the World Wide Web. Opinions are posted worldwide through blogging and wiki. Websites or web pages can now be easily created as you no longer have to know the HTML codes. The web is now an interactive institution where anyone can participate in commenting on other peoples work and putting across their point of view. The web has been named a collaborative medium, which is a place where we [could] all meet and read and write.

An advantage of Web 2.0 is that it makes everyone’s day to day like easier as near enough everything they need is on a computer which is nowadays widely available to everyone. However, a disadvantage would be that it can be very distracting and we could also end up relying on the internet to much. 




Here is an image showing how Web 2.0 is changing the way in which we communicate:
http://www.google.co.uk/imgresq=web+2.0&um=1&hl=en&biw=1600&bih=766&tbm=isch&tbnid=8TUNUhXWJ67PHM:&imgrefurl=http://www.catehuston.com/blog/2009/10/29/how-web-2-0-is-changing-the-way-we-communicate/&docid=nMadjzMNiJ2

How has it impacted on how we relate to others?

Web 2.0 has impacted majorly on the way in which we relate to others. Many people now use the web to communicate with friends and family through social networking sites, and pictures and videos can be uploaded to show others about their life and what they have been up to.

Now that smart phones have such a major impact in everyone’s day to day lifes, email is now commonly used instead of a phone call or text message as it is a cheaper and more convenient way of communication. 

Why is this significant for media studies?

This is significant for media studies as it shows us how media institutions can change rapidly over a short period of time. It also shows us that we need to keep up to date in the way in which media is moving forward and we need to keep people interested and involved within the certain media platforms.

How has Web2.0 impacted on a media institution or media form of your choice?

Web 2.0 has had a major impact on newspapers. People can now view newspapers online for free in a more convenient way. Smart phones also offer apps in which can be downloaded which are updated daily for people to read the paper when and where ever they want.

Newspapers have not yet started to shut down in large numbers, but it is only a matter of time. Jobs are already disappearing for those working in the newspaper industry and according to the Newspaper Association of America , the number of people employed in the industry fell by 18% between 1990 and 2004. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a day. The worldwide recession of 2008, combined with the rapid growth of web-based alternatives, caused a serious decline in advertising.

Many newspaper companies are also trying to attract younger readers by shifting the mix of their stories towards entertainment, lifestyle and subjects that may seem more relevant to people's daily lives than international affairs and politics. This is a way in which they are encouraging people to still purchase newspapers as they are worried that the newspaper industry will one day die out.