Group items tagged

Is there a way of predicting if content will go viral? This article, published by Forbes magazine, written by Roger Wu, attributes the viral success of a certain types of media such as videos, images and sound clips into two categories: the "Roadblock Effect" or the "Stagger Effect." Wu explains that viral content can be divided into these two categories and can therefore be used to determine whether or not content will go viral.

Panel discussions are a great opportunity to derive a diverse wealth of information in a short amount of time. What differentiates a good panel discussion from a great one is an effective moderator. Much of the panel discussion's success is attributed to the panel moderator. Key takeaways: This article focuses on the effects of how a good moderator can impact a panel discussion. A good moderator is a person who is responsible, aware, organized and a strong speaker. It's important that moderators differentiate themselves from the panelists but at the same time, also make the effort to create a connection between the moderator, panelists and the audience.

This article talks about a new trend in Web design- Parallax- and how it became popular. It shows examples of what websites effectively used this trend, and others that have done the opposite. It ends off with how this trend effects designers and readers alike. 

This article will help teach how to identify appropriate audiences for products and brands, etc.  There is also a short video which demonstrates how the author helps others build effective online platforms.  Without an effective platform to reach the desired audience it can be difficult to branch out and meet the desired goals.  

This website contains very detailed information on colour theory. It defines and explains the 3 core principles of colour theory (complementation, contrast and vibrancy). It also advises the reader on structures of how to select good colour schemes (triadic, compound, and analogous). Furthermore, it includes advice on tools the reader can use to design colour schemes.

This article discusses the pros and cons of the current lifestyle we live in a social-mediated world. People are learning new ways to "speak" with shorter-slanged words, and more concisely; and even using photos to communicate with others (through photo sharing platforms). Users are also over sharing their private lives with the world on social platforms, not realizing that almost anyone can see and read what they are putting out there.

A commentary on the negative effects social media has on people. The article is saying that social media is hinders the way we communicate with others, instead of communicating with a person face to face we are more inclined to do it over other means. It also speaks about other problems social media might have like cyber bullying.

This article speaks to the effects of listening to the radio compared to watching TV, surfing the web, or doing none of the above. Radio, according to this survey, makes people happier and gives them more energy as they go about their lives everyday when compared to people that watch television, people that use the internet, and people that consume no media at all. Could this be because of how engaged it forced us to be? 

This article relates to the prior discussion of "blindness" experienced by radio listeners.  To elaborate, radio is a simple form of media which can thus produce a more intimate relationship between host and listener.  Radio hosts often seem to have more authentic personalities vs those on other forms of media, which makes content more friendly and familiar to listen to.  This article reflects upon positive emotions experienced by listeners vs those experienced by other media.  

This piece describes how genre is effective in reading and other forms of rhetoric. It can allow readers to get deeper into text, and understand the form of communication on paper. Similarly to genres in movies and TV, genre in written works allow a reader to get the sense of what is "going on". Reading more and more, a reader is able to understand and decipher which genre is which. They also enable readers to connect emotionally to a text, and experience feelings of the writer/characters.

This study on narrative in media informs us on how narrative is very evident in media today. Not only do we use the form in literary works, but narrative (hand in hand with genre) work in media. For example, in the news, it is presented in order of first: the credibility of news, then presenting the current issue at hand, and finally an explanation of the resolution or following matter. This is applied in all forms of media.

This article highlights 5 golden rules for effective web design. The article describes how to make typefaces work to your advantage, how to choose colour palettes, the advantages of correctly sized graphics, how to include space and headings, and the importance of consistency in design.

This is an article that I had to read for another one of my classes but I thought it also fit well here. This article speaks about how social media has impacted friendship, community, and social circles and how they have changed from their original meaning to what we know them as today. It touches on how, as a society, our understanding of intimacy has altered, our understanding of ourselves has changed and how our idea of 'knowing someone' has transformed all due to the impacts of social media.

Continuing the discussion on piracy, this article explains how piracy may not be as detrimental to the entertainment industry as it is described. Although piracy has allowed people to have free access to content they once had to pay for, the initial thought would be that Hollywood feels the effects, and loses money because of it. On the contrary, the article explains that last year was Hollywood's best theater attendance in history. Despite what is being said about piracy, it helped to spread "the word of mouth". As said by writer Julie Bush, "I believe torrents are the libraries of the future," Julie Bush says. "The more people who see and enjoy my work, the more opportunities I will have to be compensated." In addition, piracy may not be an option for those who are technologically inept. Thus the creation of Netflix, or HBO subscriptions has allowed access as easy as piracy, but on simpler and legal terms.

Scripting distorts what people actually want to say when they are preparing for a speech, presentation, or podcast. A contemporary assumption is that if it is written, it will sound better with bigger words and unnecessary embellishments. This article offers 5 scripting tips to make the process more effective. Key takeaways: Write the way you talk. Especially in the context of participatory media, content should be delivered to encourage conversation. Conversational scripting is what differentiates a good script from a great script.

"...your message is the magic that will motivate action!" I believe that the mention of "message" does not involve the surface level features of the message itself, that is the words, but the entire process. This brief article offers 10 quick tips to create more effective participatory audio or video content. Key takeaways: "Write for your audience and make a connection with your potential visitor." It's very important that throughout the entire process of writing, editing, all the way to post-production, the audience is kept top-of-mind. Throughout the piece of media, there should be a strong connection built with the listener/viewer in order to garner the desired level of engagement.

This article deals with website design and what to make note of when designing, as most first-time visitors will give you less than five seconds to "wow" them, making the aesthetics a vital part of reeling in customers. The website must be both visually appealing to your targeted demographic as well as communicate important things to know.

This article covers website aesthetics. Clara Teoh advises web designers to design their websites with: the preferences of their target demographic in mind, the right tone  to focus on designing the layout of the website to capture the attention of users by choosing appropriate colours and  correctly sized buttons. She also says to compare your site using other successful websites as benchmarks. She goes on to say that site aesthetics even affect variables like conversion rates and sales for businesses.  

Panel discussions are effective for exchanging view points among people in front of an audience. This article gives a brief description of what it is, who is involved and why a panel discussion is important.

This interesting article discusses the advantages in using social media to fight crime and solve cases. Whilst originally social media appeared more risky than helpful, police have discovered using social media is the fastest, most effective way to get warnings out and help find missing persons, and one of the best ways people can communicate with them without feeling threatened.

This article is useful for individuals looking to edit their videos effectively. The tips provided are to guide a video editor in making the best edits possible. Before editing a video, it is a good idea to look for some tips to help you start well before messing up. Those 10 simple tips will be a good read before you start your editing session. This topic goes back to our lecture on how to edit videos.