SOME FINAL THOUGHTS - REFLECTION

Understanding on a good design form has been fully applied on my weblog. I can clarify that blogging may be consider as a good form of communication for me. By sharing my thoughts, opinions, discuss and comment on some issue, series of action while writing this blog has directed me towards specific target. It is more to the research related issue. As I gather all the information needed to support my arguments on media and publishing issue, a good blogging skill has been obtained as i maintain this weblog. Neilsen (2005) claimed that 'a weblogs consider as a special genre of a website by which special characteristic and the usability manner must be fully considered'. I have put my concern in this usability matter to my reader by providing the useful links that they might be need to get more reading on what i've decide to write, as well as some useful navigation gadget like; comment box, and ABC news channel gadget. 

Looking at the ethical integrity, when we retrieve information from other sites or journal an appropriate citation, quotation should have be provide in order to avoid ethical issue such as ; copyright infringement, just like what King (2010) said, 'in order to prepare and submit a manuscript for a publication, a proper ethics procedures should be considered important in it. Washington (2005), discussed about C.O.B.E (Code of Blogging ethics), reflected some element of ethical blogging;

• Promote interactivity, be interesting, entertaining and relevant. 
• Promote free expression, by not restrict the access of my blog, comment box are essentially provided as well.
• strive for the factual, this is where we need to avoid deceiving others and be accountable on what i am going to post.
• Transparency, by providing the purpose of this blog and  the affiliations of the blog.
• Promote human element in blogging, minimize harm and responding to any comments given.  

References

King, C,R, 2010, Ethical Issues in writing ad publishing, Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, vol 5, No. 3 retrieved on June 16 2010.

Nielsen, J 2005, ‘Weblog usability: the top ten design mistakes’, Useit.com, viewed 13 June 2008, http://www.useit.com/alertbox/weblogs.html

Washington, M, 2005, C.O.B.E Revised: Form-Based Duties in Blog Ethics, retrieved on June 16 2010, from http://blogethics2004.blogspot.com/

FARMVILLE ICE-CREAM AND SLURPEES exclusive find @7-eleven stores

Farmville got its official ice-cream and Slurpees? Who Don’t know Farmville? It is a real-time farm stimulation Facebook game which I used to play before. This is one of attractive headline that I read from The Star Online Tech on May 2010, with its short heading ‘Farmville ice-cream, anyone?’ has personally attract me to read more on this familiar game. Now it is officially come out with its own ice cream plus slurpee that we can find in 7-eleven stores in Unite States. It stated that by buying that food product, the customer will be given a code that can be used to redeem an in-game object for the game.  Thus all this promotion will be publicize on the web, Tv, print ads to support it deal with 7-11. (The Star, tech central 2010).

source : http://kotaku.com

I just amazed of what they do with their Farmville brand. I did admit that the smart marketing mind of zynga (game developer) to promote their game through ‘junk food’ which is everybody like it! Especially children, it is cooperating with 7-eleven that has around 7000 stores around the nations. Farmville itself got 82, 4 million active users and 23,9 fans in Facebook application. It was just one year since Zynga launched Farmville on June 2009 last year and now they bring that game content to the real world. Takahashi (2010), he stated that Zynga is showing the maturity of social games there is where they start to reach the social market. Parents should start to worry about this, there will be bunches of new junk food being introduced by Zynga.

A thought for me to slot in that  This marketing intelligence will be continuing this is what we called as competitive market industry, there are thousands and millions of game industry out there competing for their popularity and fight for survival.They will try to promote their game with the power of 'advertising'. UC Davis a public health researcher found that children already saturated with television content and message about unhealthy food. Farmville vanilla icecream with it colourful packaging obviously will attract the children. Cassady (2010), a senior author author of the study of public health in UC Davis stated that their previous research that food advertising on television programming for children is dominated by high-fat quick-service food and high-sugar cereals and candy. Jayc4life (2010) give comment on this issue stated that But what will be next after this? Zynga does some sort of crazy deal with Starbucks to dole out Cafe World merchandise? Mafia Wars-branded air soft and paintball guns? 


However i believe that The consideration on developing guidelines for advertising their products to children must alway be maintain. Government should step in and set requirement for food companies that targeted to children in account of prevent the risk in having another generation of youngster at high risk of unhealthy eating. 

References

Health.am, 2010, Online games new marketing tool for unhealthy food, retrieved June 16 2020, fromm http://www.health.am/ab/more/online-games-new-marketing-tool-for-unhealthy-foods/

Takahashi, 2010, Zaynga, 7-Eleven to promote facebook game, retrieved June 16 2010, from http://games.venturebeat.com/2010/05/23/zynga-cuts-a-big-deal-with-7-eleven-to-promote-its-facebook-games-in-stores/

TechCentral.my, 2010, Farmville ice-cream, anyone? Retrieved June 16 2010, from http://techcentral.my/blogs/dllfiles/story.aspx?file=/2010/5/31/it_blog_dll_files/20100531121104&sec=it_blog_dll_files

WHEN THE GAMES START PLAYING YOU

I would like to share a case that happened recently in March 2010, a very bombing case that hit the worldwide headline. Have a brief summary about this case. I read this article in BBC News published on 5th March 2010 with headline “S  Korea child ‘starves as parents raise virtual baby’ too excited and were addicted to the internet, the couple neglected their infant by just fed the baby once a day. Police officer claimed that the husband has lost their will to live a normal life after losing their job and started to indulge themselves online. A popular role-playing game Prius Online which allow the player to nurturing a virtual girl called as Anima. – BBC.co.uk

Source : billmullins.files.wordpress.com

I would like to argue that this issue is strongly related to the real world escape way by joining the virtual world. This is all might be start from the pleasure that a person find by having an online identity. The addiction process is slowly shape through the enjoyment that they’ve obtained which at the end it will ruin a person real life by suffering mental health problem such as anxiety and depression. Suler (2002), stated that one of the interesting thing about internet is the opportunity provided to present themselves in a variety different way. You could alter yourself in terms of changing your age, personality, physical appearance, as well as gender. David SmallWood claimed that addiction treatment programme manager in London believed that the adolescents who gain their status through online expertise that they couldn’t get in real life and that’s the reason why they turned addictive on that particular game. (The Australian, 2010).

I would like to add in that Cyber addiction is just like the addiction for Cocaine. Refers back to the case above, the couple who get depressed after lost their job, spending most of their time in cyber world and neglected their baby for the sick of virtual baby is just the too irony. Steve Pope (2010), a therapist gives his opinion on the increasing numbers of youngster cyber addiction that most of them get themselves into situation whereby a game as an escape from the real world and they get hooked on the release of adrenaline it gives. In fact, spending two hours on game station is equal with a line of cocaine in the “high” it could produce.

To be concluded, this cyber addiction can be considered as the fastest growing addcition in the country. It is affected young people mentally and psychologically. Some people might criticize that the game company should take action and responsibility in this issue in consequence the game makers intentionally design their product with addictive quality.

References

BBC.co, 2010, S Korea child ‘starved as parents raised virtual baby’, retrieved June 15 2010, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8551122.stm

Parfitt, B, 2010, Gaming Likened to cocaine addiction, retrieved June 15 2010, from http://www.mcvuk.com/news/39153/Gaming-likened-to-cocaine-addiction

Lep.co.uk, 2010, Gaming addiction grips youngster, retrieved June 15 2010, from http://www.lep.co.uk/lifestyle/gaming_addiction_grips_youngsters_1_773488

Seib and Dayton, 2010, When games start playing you: cyber addicts, retrieved June 14 2010, from http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/when-games-start-playing-you-cyber-addicts/story-e6frg8y6-1225869381676

Suler, J.R (2002), 'Identity Management in Cyberspace', Reviewed on 13th June 2010:

http://www-usr.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/identitymanage.html

THE FUTURE OF UNREALISTIC WORLD - DIGITAL MANIPULATION

CAN YOU STILL BELIEVE ON WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THE MEDIA?

source : www.hemmy.net

I have read an interesting article on The Australian news (click open the article), that is written by Nicola Berkovic on October 2009 with the title “Realism in models to get tick of approval”. Mainly this article is talk about the encouragement that must be done for the industry to start using natural and realistic image for their publication. Editor of Cosmopolitan magazine, Mia Freedman and Sarah Murdoch, well-known the models and television producer has show their severe support on this issue. Murdoch did appear on the cover of week’s Woman’s Weekly Magazine with an untouched photograph. 

source : http://www.news.com.au

A serious respond showed from Kate Ellis, Federal Youth Minister on this “unhealthy epidemic” of negative body image issue.

“It’s a serious issue which is affecting the health, the confidence, the productivity of thousands of Australians” Ms Ellis said.

From my experience, looking every single stop of along the street there is no way we cant find  "advertisement billboard". especially clothing, fashion, beauty related ads, the models face  are perfectly shining like no one i ever met. the shape of their body, face are totally lovely. However i know that all of that are about PHOTOSHOPPED, ILLUSIONS!, their face and body are being manipulated perfectly including their shadow. Talking about the art of photo manipulation, It has been used for propaganda as early as 1930s, which has been existing long before digital era (studiopix, 2010). In Entertainment industry, to publish a un-retouch picture is so ‘uncommon and bizarre’. It can be argued most entertainment company (magazine, advertising, fashion, beauty, etc) has make use of some attractive models and celebrities, the use of computer-manipulated features imagery, edited on their skin-toned, Their hips, waists, tights and arms are shaved into inches are believed will make the subject seems to be more “appealing” and as desirable as possible (Lim, 2010).

My opinion regarding this issue, I am strongly agreed for the legalizing of the guidelines that will be a mandatory for all industry. Ethical consideration must be precedence in terms of their product publication, the use of image and the message that the industry try to deliver so that it would not harm society health.

A research also has been done regarding on the history of digital imagery technology that written in a book by William Mitchell (1992), which explanation on the technology that actually raise the misinformation and visual falsehood on the audiences. He labelled the very frequent digital retouching as a "change of physical appearance". (Messaris, 1997). There we around 90% of commercial were being retouched by digital effect. Research by Reaves, et al (2004), show that audiences do not often have opportunity to view image clearly as the results of digital manipulation. They also argued that Media has big impact on woman’s eating behaviours which had led to body dissatisfaction, and low self esteem. One of the most killing eating disorder disease is anorexia nervosa which resulting in death around 20% of its victims (Thomsen, McCoy & Williams, 2001).

For the conclusion on this issue, an interesting video below has actually received quiet a lot of good respond in the YouTube; it hits over 11 Millions views. The creative video was produced for Dove Self Esteem campaign with objective is change the perception of beauty from ultra-thin models with perfect features to making every girl and woman feel positive about her looks, no matter what they are. this might be consider as a good strategy for anti negative body image campaign.

source : YouTube.com

References

Berkovic, N, 2009, Realism in models to get tick of approval, retrieved June 15 2010, from

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/executive-lifestyle/realism-in-models-to-get-tick-of-approval/story-e6frg8k6-1225791914269

The Australian News, 2009, Model Sarah Murdoch in non-airbrushed image on Australian Women's Weekly, retrieved June 15 2010, from

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/model-sarah-murdoch-in-non-airbrushed-image-on-australian-womens-weekly/story-e6frfmqi-1225791726642

Lim, S.S, 2010, A Mysterious World – Fashion Photography,retrieved June 16 2010, from http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Mysterious-World---Fashion-Photography&id=4440100

Messaris, P, (1997), Visual Persuasion; The Role of Images in Advertising, Sage Publication, California.

Reaves, et al, (2009), If looks could kill: Digital Manipulation of Fashion Model, retrieved  June 16 2010, from http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t775653682

Studiopix, 2010, Photo Manipulation Was Around Long Before Photoshop, retrieved June 16 2010, from http://www.studiophix.com/blog/?p=1

Thomsen, S., McCoy, J., & Williams, M (2001). Internalizing the impossible:Anorexic outpatients’ experiences with women’s beauty and fashion magazines. Eating Disorders, 9, 49–64.

NETWORKING USE FOR NON-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS

A media report transcript retrieved from ABC Rational Radio with the title ‘Networking for good’, interview between Antony Funnell and Bill Strathmann to discuss about how the non-profit organization use the technology and social media technique in order to expand their donor-base and engage their supporter. Here is the summary, In 2008, "connecting up" conference has bring all non-profit organizations together in developing their technology capacity. Bill Strathmann, the CEO of 'Network for Good' believed that the use of new IT Technology and other Social Media tools will be more effective than the traditional non-profit organizations that are under-resourced. It served as low cost platform, it do help a lot in 'online fundraising'. Another good point of using web 2.0 technologies is the word "engagement" can be done easily with the audience that at the end will become non-profit supporter. The supporters will not just only donating their money, yet they will be supportive enough to lend their voice and passion to reach out their family and friends. Which at the end the supporter will be a powerful, authentic messenger for the organization. (ABC.net, 2008).

The relation between supporter and their supportive passion can be linked to "Participatory Culture" (Jenkins, 2005), stated that participatory culture is by when a member are free to contribute by which their contribution will be appropriately valued. It considers of sharing one's creation with others, contribution is a matter, some degree of social connection are shaped between the members.

source : www1.networkforgood.org

 

Above is the screenshot of Networkforgood website. Well-established with it simple and straightforward content, the website allow public to sign up as member. Effectiveness is created by provide them article regarding on ‘What is happening currently around the world’ such as; Wildlife welfare, disaster. Which different donating techniques are provided such as; Gift card for charity, Monthly giving, and charity Badge, a special online badge that customized for the supporter.

"IT IS ABOUT CONVERSATION, ASKING QUESTIONS AND LISTENING"

 Social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, blog are being effectively used in order to spread the workload in non-profit organization. Looking at Malaysia itself, non-profit organization like SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal) has showed it successful term in using IT technology. Effectiveness has showed from the feedback and action from the society to start adopting and Stop the cruelty towards the animal.

Source : http://www.spca.org.my/ 

 

SPCA websites are established in a good manner by providing useful links and information. 50% of the websites filled by the pictures of the homeless animal, volunteer service activist, which is believe to bring sympathy impact to the audience. Effectiveness of the websites also shows by providing Supporter with different methods in term of volunteering and donation e.g.; SPCA wishlist, Charity shop. Updating on the on-going campaign and can be gained from the website itself or the links SPCA Facebook and YouTube.

Win-Win situation has been obtained between both SPCA and Malaysian society. It shows from the archive of media coverage on SPCA activities, over 8,000 subscribers on SPCA Facebook, the increasing of volunteer service and the pet adoption amount. I believe that the existence of web 2.0 technology will able to help the development of non-profit organizations. Consider the technology as the "middle man” tool that confront 'giver' to the one that ‘needed’ from around the world.

References

ABC.net, 2008, Networking for Good, retrieved 4 June 2010, from http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2008/2269688.htm

investor.com, Non-profit Organisation Definition, retrieved 14 June 2010, from http://www.investorwords.com/3331/non_profit_organization.html

Cravens, J, 2010, Non-profit Organisations and Online Social Networking; Advice and commentary, retrieved 14 June 2010, from http://www.coyotecommunications.com/outreach/osn.html

Jenkins, H, et al, 2005, Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century, retrieved 14 June 2010, from http://www.newmedialiteracies.org/files/working/NMLWhitePaper.pdf

SPCA.org.my, 2010, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, retrieved 14 June 2010, from http://www.spca.org.my/v51/