Amrit's MEST3 Exam Blog

Are mobiles changing how we shop? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/shopping-and-consumer-news/12172230/Are-mobiles-changing-how-we-shop.html Summary:  its recently been found out that the majority of online shopping in the UK is now conducted through smartphones and tablets. This is potentially due to  bigger screens on smartphones and improvements by retailers making online shopping sites easier to view on phones. Also this is true for tablets. Potentially due to mobile penetration, they're managing most our lives.  Statistics:  IMRG (Interactive Media in Retail Group), the trade body for internet retailers, 51 per cent of online sales between November and January in the UK involved hand-held devices rather than traditional computers or laptops A year earlier it was 40% 66 per cent of visits to retail websites between November and January came through mobile devices.  A year earlier it was 53% (before nov) 49 per cent of online sales cam...

Daily Mail publisher turns to price rise to counter advertising slump http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/12127164/Daily-Mail-publisher-turns-to-price-rise-to-counter-advertising-slump.html Summary: Daily mail increases price of flagship title cover for the first time in 3 years by 5p to cover the loss made by decreased revenue from advertising.  In the previous three months, digital growth offset most of the decline of print. Key statistics:  In the first quarter, to the end of December, underlying sales for the unit were down 2pc to £188m. The overall decline for the quarter at DMG Media reflected a 12pc drop in print advertising offset by 32pc growth in digital revenues MailOnline reported 27pc growth in advertising sales My opinion: I think this is definitely due to the developments of new and digital media as there are many more platforms to market and advertise not just print media. Howe...

A little history lesson... Over the last 20 years dramatic changes have taken place in regards to news but we cannot judge its vastness until we see it in perspective to the last 500 years ago too. From town criers carrying the news by word of mouth to the 17th century's print information. Only to progress further into 1920's radio to 1930's-1940's cinema news reels. Then came the major controversy of Nixon's resignation to 1980's CNN, the first news channel to be 24-hours long running. Then leading to the last 20 years and come to major news story that changed politics and live TV news as we know it 9/11. The changes & their impact It isn't hard to see that news as we know it wouldn't have the same impact and outcomes if all these developments hadent already taken place in history. But because they did, with major developments of news and technology over the last 20 years, news has been transformed. Lets begin with broadcast... Over the ...

Request shows and rehabilitation: How prison radio changes the lives of inmates http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/prison-radio-rehabilitation-isle-of-wight-cut-off-changes-lives-a7205126.html Summary: Prison radio is one of the only ways inmates can access the outside world. Kashmira Gander finds out how it can play an essential role in rehabilitation. Ex inmate states that“When you’re stuck in a room that size for 23 hours a day with no access to the outside world except the radio, NPR becomes a good friend,” says Smith. The article states the idea that prison media such as NPR (and Inside Time for those who are literate) are invaluable. Another ex inmate a 33-year-old who served four years in HMP Rochester for fraud – NPR made prison less “dreadful, isolating and lonely”Thus suggesting that “NPR radio is a lifeline.” Key statistics:  Hard reality for 85,000 people currently behind bars in England and Wales.   A recent poll shows that two t...

WhatsApp threatened with legal action over Facebook data sharing deal http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/whatsapp-threatened-with-legal-action-over-facebook-data-sharing-deal-a7318981.html Summary:  The watchdog has given WhatsApp until this week to reverse the controversial change as the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv) has said that WhatsApp could face legal action over what it says is a "betrayal by WhatsApp" This is because “When Facebook took over WhatsApp in 2014, it pledged that the WhatsApp service would remain independent,” “We are extremely concerned about this insidious trend: consumers are losing step by step the ownership of their data. Their private sphere is in danger,” the watchdog's statement reads. My opinion: This was bound to happen at some point with large institutions constantly data mining users individual data causing a deeper and deeper breach of privacy. I think that this ...

1) Why has Google led to the decline of the newspaper industry? Google has lead to the decline of the newspaper industry as they have taken away from advertising revenue.  2) Find a statistic from the article that illustrates the decline of traditional news media. print publications have lost $60 billion minimum from ad sales. 3) Looking at the graph featured in the article, what period has seen the steepest decline in newspaper advertising revenue?  2003 4) Do you personally think Google is to blame for newspapers closing and journalists losing their jobs? Why? i think google is only doing what they deem as profitable yet it has had an impact negatively. I think that in these situations these problems shouldn't be so dominant and if they are they should be transferable to the job opportunities they create.  5) Read the comments below the article. Pick one comment you agree with and one you disagree with and justify your opinions in detail. Sorry, you d...

Rupert Murdoch 21st Century Fox  News Corp.  A little Bit of everything (in america  defiantly )  The Sun The Scottish Sun  and in Ireland as  The Irish Sun News of the World  (ended publication 10 July 2011) Times Newspapers Ltd. The Sunday Times The Times The Times Literary Supplement Fox Broadcasting Company MyNetworkTV Sky BBC - BBC1 BBC2 BBCNEWS CBBC WEBSITE Channel 5 Daily Mail Online  LAST HOUR   746,717 - global views  LAST HOUR   376,576 - UK tariff  37.9 million adults consume quality daily newsbrands across print and digital (newsbrands - national readership survey: June 2015) 

Instagram unveils tool to allow users to filter abusive comments https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/sep/13/ instagram-tool-users-filter-abusive-comments Summary: Instagram introduces a filter that blocks negative/ abusive comments from your account simply by changing the setting. High profile users were given early access.  Opinion:  This seems to be the step forward as the users that want to block certain abusive comments they can do so easily and those who feel that it conflicts with theirs views on free speech can just not enable it. However the need to type in what phrases we deem as harassment could easily vary causing people to realise the comment has been blocked an simply rephrase it to give the individual abuse. Moreover social media is such a huge platform and until these abusive comments are tackled from all social media platforms/ individuals are taught through education that there isn't always need for these hateful comments/ messages t...

Facebook and Twitter join coalition to improve social media newsgathering https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/sep/13/ facebook-twitter-social-media-newsgathering Summary: Many news organisations such as Telegraph, New York Times etc. have joined up with twitter and Facebook to improve the way that news is reported on social media platforms especially tackling the problem of fake news. These news organisations will then work with tech companies to improve newsgathering techniques and improve experiences of eye witnesses who are contacted by news companies. The partner network members will help to develop these guideline but these will be negotiable. Also First Drafts managing director Jenni Sargent talks about the company already working very closely to the social media platforms and news organisations that they should be in a good position to aid the challenges of journalists and audiences. My opinion: I think that the overall idea is good and it is a necessity to tac...