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blog 4: News and remediation

Posted on February 5, 2013 by | Comments Off on blog 4: News and remediation

@kylemcgee77

While reviewing a newscast from 1990 and then a newscast from 2008, there are definitely some changes I noticed in the way the news is presented. For example, in the 1990 newscast, whenever an anchor would talk about a subject, there wouldn’t be any distractions on the screen. All you see is the anchor talking or a video that relates to the subject. In the 2008 news, the anchor is surrounded by scrolling text, channel logos, and bold headlines.

Also, in the 1990 newscast, there is only one person talking a time on a subject. When they would switch over to someone else talking, it was a cut take. In the 2008 newscast, there could be multiple people on one screen talking to each other live. The news anchors would also have dialogue with one another instead of having separate segments. It makes the 1990 newscast seem a lot more scripted and has less improvisation. Also, while there is a video being shown in the 2008 news, a camera shot of an anchor could be played over the top.

Despite the differences in the ways the news is presented, there are many similarities in the format of both newscasts. This supports Bolter and Grusin’s claim that remediation is “the representation of one medium in another” (Remediation 78). The format of the 2008 newscast has many similarities to the 1990 newscast, but has added improvements that become the “new standard” in news casting. There is a more modern feel, but the news hasn’t changed completely.

#dtcv

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Remediation

Posted on February 5, 2013 by | Comments Off on Remediation

@CailinJohnson

The ABC news clip showed was very simple compared to the 2008 clip. The 1990 clip has some color that was in the titles. The text that was used for the headings and subtitles was very plain and simple. There were some video clips and some interviews that the story would go to. The entire time the clip was playing it was being narrated by the newscaster. The images on the screen were also very blurry. This newscast also dealt with a very serious global topic.

The Oprah news clip was more complex. There was text streaming across the bottom of the screen the entire time and there were multiple fonts. In this clip there were multiple interviews showed on the same screen and they were live interviews instead of just video clips. Also as they were conducting the interview they would go to video clips and show statistics on the screen. The topic that was discussed in this news clip is not as serious as the ABC clip.

Though these clips both show news they are very different in level of complexity because of advances in technology.

“Its point-and-click interface allows the developer to reorganize texts and images taken from books, magazines, film or television, but the reorganization does not call into question the character of a text or the status of an image.” (Pg. 79) While this is talking about a computer the same principle is shown in the clips. Even though the Oprah video clip was not a serious topic because it is news we do not question it or the images incorporated in the clip.

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Remediation

Posted on February 5, 2013 by | Comments Off on Remediation

@KylaPerrin

Between 1990 and 2008 the news has changed and stayed the same. There still remains a newscaster that is presenting the news, there is still video clips shown on the topics of the news, and there are still simple aspects that are the same such as the headlines for the newscast. However, in the 2008 video there are multiple people talking to each other on one screen, there is a news stream that goes along the bottom of the screen that provides additional news for people to see, and at the end there is a request for views to send emails or video mail. This change allows viewers to tell their opinions and to be involved in the news media. In Bolter and Grusin’s article they discuss the interface of a computer website like the one shown in Netscape. They said that “its interface is interacive in the sense that these layers of programming always return control to the user, who then initiates another automated reaction” (Pg. 72). Like most websites now, the user can click on whichever link they want to take them to the desired page. They also mention that remediation always operates under the current assumptions about immediacy and hypermediacy (Pg. 66). These things allow people to become involved in the news. Today there are now newspaper articles online where people can comment on the stories and interact with others who comment. There is also the ability to share articles, videos, and pictures to social media sites in order to discuss them with others.

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Mystery of the Congo in South Africa

Posted on January 29, 2013 by | Comments Off on Mystery of the Congo in South Africa

Chutes de la Lufuku a Kakobola, Congo, South Africa
Congo, South Africa

by Heather Marsh
In this image of the Chutes de la Lufuku in South Africa remind me of the issues on clean water going on in our world today. Given how abundant the Chutes seem to be flowing, the water must have at some point been cleaner. The image when this was taken shows evidence of more sediment content in the water and can’t be safe for the native locals to drink. This is what first came to mind when I saw this photo. It reminded me of both beauty and tragedy. Although the forest appears very beautiful, green, and abundant this image does not show the populations or possibly local tribes that live among these waters. Is there economy stable? Do they manage their natural resources to its full potential? Are they abundant in resources vs. income? These are some of the questions that come to mind in this mysterious photo. When you first look at it your impression is probably “oh wow how pretty the people who may live around here probably have plenty to live on…” Do they?
Instead of glancing at an image and moving on we all should really stop and take a moment to wonder about these conditions around the world. It is natural for humans to stay in a “safe” state of mind and way of thinking on a day to day basis. But knowing that this image was in Africa where scarcity of simple food, water, and shelter is not uncommon really grabbed my attention. Walter Benjamin best describes my point on these captured images all around the world when he states, “The situations into which the product of mechanical reproduction can be brought may not touch the actual work of art, yet the quality of its presence is always depreciated.” Instead of depreciated a what seems to be simple image, it may help our mentality to become more open and aware of what goes on in this planet that we share.

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La Trinidad

Posted on January 29, 2013 by | Comments Off on La Trinidad

Screen Shot 2013-01-28 at 11.20.17 PM

 

@TannerSturza

The picture that I have taken from google maps is of a dirt road in La Trinidad, Mexico. Walter Benjamin raises the question that because photography is a mechanical reproduction is it considered art? Walter Benjamin claims that even the best reproductions of art are lacking “its presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to be” (page 3). If someone wanted too they could go to google maps and reproduce the exact same picture that I have taken or they could even go to Mexico and take a similar picture. Then he brings up, “whether the very invention of photography had not transformed the entire nature of art” (page 6) and ”The concept of aura which was proposed above with reference to historical objects may usefully be illustrated with reference to the aura of natural ones. We define the aura of the latter as the unique phenomenon of a distance, however close it may be” (page 3). He claims that because a picture can be reproduced that it loses it aura. The fact that it can be reproduced means that it is not unique, but that does not mean that a picture is not art. The nature of my picture presents aura and illustrates details that are often over looked.

 

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We Can Only Wish

Posted on January 29, 2013 by | Comments Off on We Can Only Wish

Screenshot_2013-01-29-08-02-29

The picture that I captured is a view looking back on North Rodeo Drive. This street is located in LA and is the epicenter of all the “rich person businesses.” This street is lined with names like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and tons of other places that most people can only dream of shopping in. Walter Benjamin stated that “even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: time and space” (3). This outlook hits the nail on the head because, as I said before, most people wish they could go there. By looking at this photograph I can imagine I’m in that sunny weather, palm trees waving, dropping thousands of dollars on new clothes, but the reality begs to differ. It’s winter time, and I’m still here in Vancouver. As enticing as the photo looks, it can’t do anything to transport me to a different time or a different place.

 

Another point that Walter Benjamin makes is that “the unique existence of the work of art determined the history to which it was subject throughout the time of its existence. This includes…various changes in its ownership” (3). Even though I’m sure many of the stores on Rodeo Drive have changed owners, managers, and other employees through the years, it doesn’t change their reputation for offering quality (and expensive) personal effects. Part of the reason they do charge such high prices, though, is that they have been around for a long time and have built themselves a following. This could be classified as being “subject to history” in the sense that it validates the companies.

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Google Earth and the Work of Art

Posted on January 29, 2013 by | Comments Off on Google Earth and the Work of Art

GoogleEarth_Image

@KatieGullans

Walter Benjamin said that “photograph reproduction, with the aid of certain processes, such as enlargement or slow motion, can capture images which escape the natural vision.”(3) This  any other photograph would escape the natural vison because it’s frozen in time. No one can ever see the exact same image over and over again unless they take a picture. By this time, that red car would have been way past me. In three minutes, something disastrous could happen, be seeing what is happening before, one could try to figure out why the man got attacked by seagulls and the car crashed into the seafood restaurant. Escaping the natural vision by putting things in slow motion is very helpful in figuring out crimes, as people need to gather evidence. Through looking at images like that, they may find the answer. Images can show a whole story.

GoogleEarth_Image copyIn this next image, I am looking at a closer view. I probably couldn’t be standing here at this moment in real life because that red car would run over me or get really angry.

Walter Benjamin also talks about the cult of remembrance. Humans in the picture give value. One sees them at that moment in time, but will never again in real life. If that man in the picture was your friend and were to die one day later for some reason, you would see the last moments of his life frozen in time, possibly wondering if you could have done something. You may value this last picture, looking at it for hours in tears. It contains a special aura of a particular moment that you can look back and remember.

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Google Map Snapshot

Posted on January 29, 2013 by | Comments Off on Google Map Snapshot

MtStHelens

A snapshot is a single story of a moment in time and these snapshots can be anything from a stereotypical story about a place, archeological findings from an extinct era, art or film. In “The Work of Art in the Ages” Walter Benjamin makes an interesting statement about human perception:

“During long periods of history, the mode of human sense perception changes with humanity’s entire mode of existence.”

Today this mode of existence can be seen in the snapshots of life on earth that is being captured by Google Maps. Our change in perception has not exactly been for the best, as we have become accustomed to having our desires and the world before us at a single click. I find it interesting that Benjamin makes an accurate observation about this when he states:

“The manner in which human sense perception is organized, the medium in which it is accomplished, is determined not only by nature but by historical circumstances as well.”

Today the largest medium is the internet with Google Maps showing millions of captured moments from around the world.

At first the assignment seemed daunting because of the millions of miles of roads out there lastly after some thought I decided to start with my commute to work, even though there was some interesting pictures I decided to travel along the Gorge, Hawaiian beaches and finally to Mt. St. Helens. This moment of time captured the ‘aura’ of destruction still visible from 30 years ago along with the mountain taking a breath shown from the steam rising from the crater.

Audra Mann | @WSUVcollegeMom

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blog 3

Posted on January 29, 2013 by | Comments Off on blog 3

brazil

@samai14

I found this image in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is very unique and it has a beautiful view of the sunset/sunrise. With this image I can really imagine myself in this image. I can hear the traffic, the people talking, and the honks. I picture myself squint my eyes because the sun is bright and shinning. The sunrise in particular makes the image come to life, which is what Walter Benjamin was basically trying to say on the article. “Since the eye perceives more swiftly than the hand can draw, the process of pictorial reproduction was accelerated so enormously that it could keep pace with speech”.  (section 1, paragraph 2).

The sunset in this image is an example of what Walter talks about “If, while resting on a summer afternoon, you follow with your eyes a mountain range on the horizon or a branch which casts its shadow over you, you experience the aura of those mountains, of that branch.” (section 3, paragraph 2) Walter wants you to experience the image as if you were in that place in that moment, he wants you to enjoy and explore the details. Like I said before he wants you to bring the picture to life.

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Google Earth and Benjamin

Posted on January 29, 2013 by | Comments Off on Google Earth and Benjamin

GoogleEarth_Image

@RachaelS_dtc

Before  mechanical reproduction, such as photography, a historical object would have reverence because of its worth and uniqueness. Now, we have advanced technology that allows us to reproduce historical objects. In Walter Benjamin’s article, “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” he says that the aura of art is being destroyed through reproduction. The image above, from Google Earth, shows the street in front of Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom. Since this picture is a reproduction, Benjamin would say that it lacks one element: “its presence in time and space” (3). Having a unique existence would give this picture authenticity and history. Of course this image has neither of these because it is a replica of the actual object: Buckingham Palace. The aura of Buckingham Palace, or the reverence toward it, decays in this photo because it is not the actual object. Instead, the aura created is fake, or kitsch. Aura decays when the object is reproduced such as through a photo. Benjamin says this is true because “reproduction as offered by picture magazines and newsreels differs from the image seen by the unarmed eye” (4). Benjamin also says that the uniqueness of art is its aura. So, as an object is reproduced, it is no longer unique and the aura decays. Many pictures of Buckingham Palace can be recreated through mechanical reproduction, including the image above. Every photo created is a form of mechanical reproduction and is not authentic. Benjamin explains this with the example of photographic negatives, saying “to ask for the ‘authentic’ print makes no sense” (5). With mechanical reproduction, authenticity and the aura in art deteriorates.

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