New Media or Old Media? What is considered Newsworthy?

In week eight we were given insight into what is considered newsworthy by the old media and new media.

At the beginning of the lecture we were asked what form of media we mainly get our news from. Some raised their hands to say they read the newspaper and watch the television to keep updated in what’s happening nationally globally (Old media) – but the majority of the people within the lecture raised their hands to say they found their news through the internet for example social media links that lead to breaking news nationally and internationally. What was interesting with that survey in lecture was to find out that new media (finding news through social media, blogs, online newspapers, etc) is considered to be a more desirable way to watch and read about national and international news.

In the reading, ‘News Values: An Assessment of News Priorities Through a comparative Analysis of Arab Spring Anniversary Coverage’ Peter Lee-Wright explained that only particular news stories, that are international will make it into old media, newspapers and television news if it is a story that would ultimately effect readers, which in turn would therefore make them newsworthy. An example Lee-Wright mentioned was news about the US withdrawing from Iraq and the Philippine floods that was considered more news worthy to domestic television and newspapers than what was happening in Syria and in Egypt in 2011, saying:

“You would not have known it from the following day’s print Guardian, which did not run the piece, nor from other UK newspapers, none which marked the anniversary on any of their front page leads or subsidiary leads. Domestic TV News, BBC and ITN, did not feel the Anniversary newsworthy with the US withdrawal from Iraq and the Philippine floods taking precedence.” (Lee-Wright, P 2012, pp2-3)

In favour of new media Lee-Wright also revealed that Harlow and Johnson from the International Journal of Communication, 2011 special edition, proved that online news through citizen journalism blogs and Twitter feeds were more in-depth with their news on the Egyptian protests compared to the marginalised structure of a newspaper.

“They found that the new media were much more attuned to the character and complexity of the evolving protests, whereas the New York Times, representing old media, was reliant on a tired and inadequate ‘protest paradigm’.” (Lee-Wright, P 2012, p3)

So overall, what would you consider newsworthy, and do you believe that domestic television and newspapers should widen their spectrum in what they believe is newsworthy?

Reference:

Lee-Wright, P 2012, ‘News Values: An Assessment of News Priorities Through a Comparative Analysis of Arab Spring Anniversary Coverage’, JOMEC Journal, Goldsmith College, University of London.

Global Success of Television re-makes – Very Elementary BCM111

Elementary, 2012 – CBS

BBC’s Sherlock, 2010.

In lecture and tutorial week seven we learnt about television shows in a global context, about how comedy shows like Kath and Kim (Australia) and The Office (UK) have been remade in America. What was brought up was whether remaking these shows was successful or not, and that different countries have different tastes and opinions when it comes to comedy.

For this post today I’d like to step aside from the comedy and talk about other television shows that have been a success in one country, and also successfully remade in a different global context. Specifically I will be talking about the UK’s BBC, Sherlock, 2010, and the Americanised remake, Elementary, 2012.

With BBC’s Sherlock, Bennedict Cumberbatch plays Sherlock Holmes, and Martin Freeman portrays Watson. Sherlock is a modernised show that follows closely to Conan Doyle’s books on the well-loved detective. The modernised take of this show finds Holmes in the 21^st century, and Watson, still a doctor – who served in the Afghan War. (IMBD, 2010)

Writer Steven Moffat, who is also the writer for Doctor Who, describes Sherlock Holmes stories that relate to the show saying:

“Conan Doyle’s Stories were never about frock coats and gas light; they’re about brilliant detection, dreadful villains and blood-curdling crimes – and frankly, to hell with the crinoline. Other detectives have cases, Sherlock Holmes has adventures, and that’s what matters.” (Moffat, S 2013)

Now, in the remake of Sherlock, the US show Elementary, Holmes and other characters are perceived very differently. The adaptation of the show challenges the discourse of Conan Doyle’s stories, making the storyline very much Americanised. This is done by the setting taking place in New York, with Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) consultant (For NYPD) and recovering addict and Joan Watson (Lucy Lui) who is his sober companion and an ex surgeon. Together they help Captain Gregson/ NYPD solve crimes. (Ten, 2013) The cooler twist to this show is that Moriarty ends up being a female as well – Holmes’s missing girlfriend thought to be killed by Moriarty.

As you can see between the two successful shows, one keeping to the stories, the other Americanised – on a global context the US adaptation worked well as it fitted and was able to be well received globally with a fresh take on the famous Sherlock Holmes.

References:

BBC 2013, About: ‘Sherlock’, accessed, 15/9/13, http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018ttws/features/about

IMBD 2010, ‘Sherlock’, accessed 12/9/13, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1475582/plotsummary?ref_=tt_stry_pl

Ten, 2013, About: ‘Elementary’, accessed, 15/9/13, http://ten.com.au/tvshows/elementary-about.htm

BBC Sherlock

CBS Elementary

Hybridity of Martial Arts/ Wuxia International films

Bruce lee in Fists of Fury, (1971)

This week in lecture and tutorial transnational films and hybridity in global films were discussed.

In the tutorial what I found interesting was the idea of hybridity in films. How western influences can be found within an eastern film, also how eastern influences – especially through martial arts, is brought into many Hollywood films as well!

Having grown up watching awesome martial art films, such as Bruce Lee’s ‘Fists of Fury’, and ‘Enter the Dragon; also Jackie Chan in ‘Shanghai Noon’ and ‘Shanghai Knights’ these are just some of many hybrid films made for Eastern and Western Audiences.

In this weeks reading: ‘Problematizing Chindia’, Shaefer and Karan talk about the hybridity of martial art films saying:

“Much has been written about the potential of hybridized Asian contra-flows to positively impact the global film trade, particularly with respect to the East Asian film industries of Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan, which collectively have grossed hundreds of millions in the US through the films of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Ang lee, and Yimou Zhang.” (Shaefer, D & Karan, K 2010, p310)

They also went on to quote Curtin (2007: 287) revealing that East Asian filmmakers have been very successful in making movies with Wuxia storylines and Martial Arts sequences that have become very popular internationally.

Wuxia narrative films as mentioned above are really cool and definitely play a big part in the hybridity of martial art films.

Michallet Romero describes the term Wuxia as a story of a swords master, who travels on a journey, and is viewed as a hero. With superhuman strengths, kung fu and t’ai chi; these films are based on protagonists, where sometimes there is a second character who may end up being the protagonists mentor. (Romero Michallet, L 2003) Examples of Wuxia films are Bruce Lee’s “Fists of Fury’ and as brought up in lecture ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon’.

Romero also reveals that televisions show’s such as 90’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer is considered a hybridized western take on wuxia as well!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, (1997-2003)

As you can see these hybrid martial art films are pretty cool, they are also one of the reasons I studied martial arts when I was younger too!

Fists of Fury 1971, Golden Harvest Company, Hong Kong

References:

Romero, L 2003, ‘The Origin of the Hong Kong Martial Arts Movie Genres and it’s Influence on the American Television and Movie Industry’, Whoosh Online Edition, Issue No.84, accessed 5/9/13, http://whoosh.org/issue84/romero1.html

Schaefer D & Karan, K 2010, Problematizing Chindia: ‘Hybridity and Bollywoodization of popular Indian cinema in global film flows’, Global Media and Communication, Sage Publications.

Film Industry: Media Emergence between America and China

Iron Man 3, (Marvel 2013)
What does this film have to do with my post this week? Read on to find out!

In lecture this week we discovered the emergence of Hong Kong music and television, an example being Kantopop, which is also influenced by western music.

Doing further reading about Chinese popular culture, I found out more on the Chinese film industry as well.

In Michael Curtin’s, ‘Comparing Media Capitals: Hong Kong and Mumbai’, he talks about how strict the Chinese media is in what films they let people watch.

He explains this saying:

“Chinese media on the other hand is held close by a state apparatus that fears criticism, democracy, and populism, as well as a host of ‘cultural contaminants’ that include on-screen depictions of horror, violence and sexuality.” (Curtin, M 2010)

Though the above statement may be true, I would like to enlighten you all to how the film industry in Hollywood is becoming more integrated with the film industry in China.

After reading a pretty awesome article by Buzz Feed, I found it very interesting to find out that more movies were being filmed and produced by Chinese companies working along side America. (Hollywood) For example DMG Entertainment from China produced Iron Man 3.

Iron Man in China!
Photo from, imnotobsessed.com

Jordan Zakarin from Buzz Feed also revealed that though censorship is still strict, Hollywood are now shooting extra scenes for movies so they can be viewed in China, so some films now have an American cut and China cut for a movie.

“While American movie audiences won’t be seeing special cuts made for these movies made specifically for the Chinese audience, there’s a chance that the influence of censors will impact the initial plans for films. In a complex global environment, that could impact any number of genres and storylines.” (Zarkarin, J 2013, Buzz feed)

Going back to what was discussed in lecture, this therefore has significant proof that through globalisation both west and east media now have a great influence on each other.

This in my opinion is pretty cool, as two Countries come together to make the film industry even more awesome for the future!

References:

Curtin, M 2010, Comparing Media Capitals: ‘Hong Kong and Mumbai’, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA, accessed 30/8/13

Zarkarin, J 2013, Buzz Feed,  ‘How Hollywood’s Obsession with China May Change Movies Forever’, accessed 30/8/13, http://www.buzzfeed.com/jordanzakarin/how-hollywoods-obsession-with-china-may-change-movies-foreve

For Further interest, read the Buzz Feed article, and check out the international trailer of Iron Man 3 below, which reveals extra parts of the Chinese cut of the film!