My survey got some nice reponses, I am hoping to build on the opinions of everyone else now and hopefully create FACT. The amount of people who voted on each answer is marked next to it.
1) What sex are you?
- Male IIIIIIIIIIIIII
- Female IIIIIIIII
2) Do you or anyone you know carry a knife?
- Yes IIIIIIIIIIIIII
- No IIIIIIIII
3) If there were no laws against carrying a knife or stabbing anyone, would you carry one?
- Yes IIIIIIIIIIIII
- No IIIIIIIIII
4) If yes, then why?
- Protection IIIIIIII
- To look cool
- To stab anyone who does anything wrong II
- Because other people would be III
Other _________________________
5) Have you seen either Kidulthood or Adulthood?
- Yes IIIIIIIIIIII
- No IIIIIIIIIII
6) If yes, did you feel an attraction to carrying a knife after the film?
- Yes IIIIIIII
- No IIII
7) When reading or hearing about another knife crime victim, what would be your top reaction?
- "Poor soul" IIIIIIIIIII
- "The person probably deserved it" IIII
- "I'm scared it might happen to me" IIIIIIII
- "I'll carry a knife then as well"
I find it alarming that most of the people who took the survey and knew someone who carried a knife were male. Most of the people who answered that they would carry a knife if the laws weren't there were male too, possibly giving the knife epidemic a stereotype that it is mostly young males.
It was disturbing to find out that most of the time people would carry a knife just for protection, young people feeling they are not safe on the street is not what this country should have to put up with and it needs to be put to a stop. Most of the candidates that had seen the films 'Adulthood' and 'Kidulthood' did feel an attraction to carrying a knife due to the glamourisation of a knife in the films.
Monday 15 September 2008
Wednesday 10 September 2008
Put your hands up if you are blaming knife crime on the media?
Over the few years in which knife crime has increased within the young community, many people have commented on what they thought was the reason for the recent epidemic. With films, music and games being the most common.
Actor, Sir Richard Attenborough, believes it is the American gangster films that are to blame due to knives seeming normal making viewers desensitised to real life crime as the graphic images from on screen are so frequent. He added that modern cinema has created a culture where teenagers and young adults are no longer shocked by weapons. Thirty years ago, a weapon was pulled out during a film and the audience would gasp in a state of shock, nowadays, the audience wouldn't have any reaction as they see it as normal. This cinema experience reflects onto reality as knives aren't seen as a huge thing when teenagers carry them.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1038361/Violent-movies-blame-knife-crime-wave-blasts-Sir-Richard-Attenborough.html
London (awesome guy) Mayor Of London blames the video games that this generation of young people favour. His aim is to show young people that the characters in video games aren't their idols and to push positive idols onto them so their behaviour reflects their idol.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/30932/Violent-games-encourage-knife-crime-says-Boris-Johnson
Actor, Sir Richard Attenborough, believes it is the American gangster films that are to blame due to knives seeming normal making viewers desensitised to real life crime as the graphic images from on screen are so frequent. He added that modern cinema has created a culture where teenagers and young adults are no longer shocked by weapons. Thirty years ago, a weapon was pulled out during a film and the audience would gasp in a state of shock, nowadays, the audience wouldn't have any reaction as they see it as normal. This cinema experience reflects onto reality as knives aren't seen as a huge thing when teenagers carry them.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1038361/Violent-movies-blame-knife-crime-wave-blasts-Sir-Richard-Attenborough.html
London (awesome guy) Mayor Of London blames the video games that this generation of young people favour. His aim is to show young people that the characters in video games aren't their idols and to push positive idols onto them so their behaviour reflects their idol.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/30932/Violent-games-encourage-knife-crime-says-Boris-Johnson
Sunday 31 August 2008
HOLY JESUS! ANOTHER SURVEY!?
That's right.
I love the surveys.
I would probably leave my boyfriend and marry them if i could...but let's not get onto that subject.
I have devised yet another survey as i feel the one before was ...well....crap. This one will also have more reference to the films Kidulthood and Adulthood as now my hypothesis has been decided and they play a big part in my argument. So here we go....results shall be posted when i get a good mix of people taking it.
1) What sex are you?
- Male
- Female
2) Do you or anyone you know carry a knife?
- Yes
- No
3) If there were no laws against carrying a knife or stabbing anyone, would you carry one?
- Yes
- No
4) If yes, then why?
- Protection
- To look cool
- To stab anyone who does anything wrong
- Because other people would be
Other _________________________
5) Have you seen either Kidulthood or Adulthood?
- Yes
- No
6) If yes, did you feel an attraction to carrying a knife after the film?
- Yes
- No
7) When reading or hearing about another knife crime victim, what would be your top reaction?
- "Poor soul"
- "The person probably deserved it"
- "I'm scared it might happen to me"
- "I'll carry a knife then as well"
hopefully that is gooooood enough!
oh survey, i love you
I love the surveys.
I would probably leave my boyfriend and marry them if i could...but let's not get onto that subject.
I have devised yet another survey as i feel the one before was ...well....crap. This one will also have more reference to the films Kidulthood and Adulthood as now my hypothesis has been decided and they play a big part in my argument. So here we go....results shall be posted when i get a good mix of people taking it.
1) What sex are you?
- Male
- Female
2) Do you or anyone you know carry a knife?
- Yes
- No
3) If there were no laws against carrying a knife or stabbing anyone, would you carry one?
- Yes
- No
4) If yes, then why?
- Protection
- To look cool
- To stab anyone who does anything wrong
- Because other people would be
Other _________________________
5) Have you seen either Kidulthood or Adulthood?
- Yes
- No
6) If yes, did you feel an attraction to carrying a knife after the film?
- Yes
- No
7) When reading or hearing about another knife crime victim, what would be your top reaction?
- "Poor soul"
- "The person probably deserved it"
- "I'm scared it might happen to me"
- "I'll carry a knife then as well"
hopefully that is gooooood enough!
oh survey, i love you
From Kidulthood to Adulthood....
Adulthood and Kidulthood remain a favourite in the urban teenager's film collection. With it's gritty storylines and reflection on the realities of a teenager living in the modern urban world, it attracts young audiences to watch and idolise the fictional characters on the screen.
However, is it right for such young people to be looking up to the actions these characters are acting out?
After watching both films, I find it alarming and disturbing the violence and filth that is being shown to an audience who are as young as 15 (or possibly younger if they have managed to see the 15 certificate film).
The first film of the two remains to be the most distressing with violent bullying, prostitution, casual sex, drug dealing and most importantly knife crime.
Knives are produced throughout the film, with our first glimpse of one about 50 minutes into the film when one of the youths we follow throughout the film reveals it when him and his friends get into a brawl with two other youths they just happened to accidently bump into. And the worrying scene when 15 year old Trife's drug dealing uncle makes him carve into a man's face. Accompanying these attacks, there are also continuous reference to knives when one youth threatens another with the act of "shanking them up".
The sequel to Kidulthood, Adulthood, doesn't seem to pose any better. With the main character, Sam, being stabbed towards the beginning of the film telling it's audience that this film is going to be violent and troubling.
However, the teenagers and young adults watching both these films may not see it as a warning. They may see it as rebelious and attractive and strive to be like their idol in the film, copying what they do if they are confronted in a situation, or indeed create the situation themselves.
In the films, using a knife seems to be connotated as either a way out, revenge or just giving somebody what they believe they deserve. Knife use in the films are violent and show the gorey effects of it but never seize to show the reality of it. In Kidulthood, when Trife carves into the man's face, we never know what happens to the man in the end. Whilst it may seem that it isn't a fatal kind of knife attack, some situations can change that view and all knife attacks can prove to be fatal. In Adulthood, Sam get's stabbed in the shoulder towards the beginning of the film, however he still appears to have the strength to get up and kick his attacker onto the floor and then threaten him with the knife. The films may be applauded for reflecting the shabby facts of life for young people in urban ares, but it lacks the massive truth in the actions the characters are carrying out. That people can die from any stab wound.
This missing part of the truth causes a huge change in the behaviour of the youths around us as they are led to believe that a stab wound won't get them into big trouble and then they carry around a knife and use it when it pleases them.
I believe films and tv are the main culprits for the increase in knife crime amongst young people. These technologies are what are most popular in a teenager's life and when they are young and naive, they can be stupid and believe and copy anything they see and think may be 'wreckless fun'.
Films before Kidulthood and Adulthood involving knives and guns may have just been a gangster type film or action film but when these two British films arrived on the scene, it became a lot easier for young people to want to mirror what they see on the screen.
However, is it right for such young people to be looking up to the actions these characters are acting out?
After watching both films, I find it alarming and disturbing the violence and filth that is being shown to an audience who are as young as 15 (or possibly younger if they have managed to see the 15 certificate film).
The first film of the two remains to be the most distressing with violent bullying, prostitution, casual sex, drug dealing and most importantly knife crime.
Knives are produced throughout the film, with our first glimpse of one about 50 minutes into the film when one of the youths we follow throughout the film reveals it when him and his friends get into a brawl with two other youths they just happened to accidently bump into. And the worrying scene when 15 year old Trife's drug dealing uncle makes him carve into a man's face. Accompanying these attacks, there are also continuous reference to knives when one youth threatens another with the act of "shanking them up".
The sequel to Kidulthood, Adulthood, doesn't seem to pose any better. With the main character, Sam, being stabbed towards the beginning of the film telling it's audience that this film is going to be violent and troubling.
However, the teenagers and young adults watching both these films may not see it as a warning. They may see it as rebelious and attractive and strive to be like their idol in the film, copying what they do if they are confronted in a situation, or indeed create the situation themselves.
In the films, using a knife seems to be connotated as either a way out, revenge or just giving somebody what they believe they deserve. Knife use in the films are violent and show the gorey effects of it but never seize to show the reality of it. In Kidulthood, when Trife carves into the man's face, we never know what happens to the man in the end. Whilst it may seem that it isn't a fatal kind of knife attack, some situations can change that view and all knife attacks can prove to be fatal. In Adulthood, Sam get's stabbed in the shoulder towards the beginning of the film, however he still appears to have the strength to get up and kick his attacker onto the floor and then threaten him with the knife. The films may be applauded for reflecting the shabby facts of life for young people in urban ares, but it lacks the massive truth in the actions the characters are carrying out. That people can die from any stab wound.
This missing part of the truth causes a huge change in the behaviour of the youths around us as they are led to believe that a stab wound won't get them into big trouble and then they carry around a knife and use it when it pleases them.
I believe films and tv are the main culprits for the increase in knife crime amongst young people. These technologies are what are most popular in a teenager's life and when they are young and naive, they can be stupid and believe and copy anything they see and think may be 'wreckless fun'.
Films before Kidulthood and Adulthood involving knives and guns may have just been a gangster type film or action film but when these two British films arrived on the scene, it became a lot easier for young people to want to mirror what they see on the screen.
Thursday 14 August 2008
Back into the swing of things...
Right so, i haven't done any work recently and i figured i should do some just to get back into the habit of it.
I have decided to look at the films Adulthood and Kidulthood to see how the street violence (mainly the knife crime) in the films influence teenagers into following the film and being a copycat.
I am interested in finding teenagers that find they have to carry a knife themselves or carry out any act of street violence on others, whether they have been reading about the crimes in the newspapers or watching it on the tv or just simply watching films that are strong in teenage violence and glamourise it to the public.
Seeing knife crime constantly in the media can have three effects on people;
- Shock them into seeing the consequences and turning their backs on committing the crime.
- Make them fear it may just happen to them and therefore they feel the need to carry a knife themselves in 'defence'.
- Make them want to carry a knife because it seems that everyone else is and it can make them feel 'hard'.
Different types of media can have different effects on people, the news giving off more of a shock towards teenagers whereas films such as Kidulthood and Adulthood, which have a target audience of teenagers and young adults, will glamourise the use of knives and street crime as teenagers look to these films as enjoyment and entertainment and may want to copy their favourite characters in it.
With my hypothesis in place, i am ready to devise another survey to be carried out for deffinate in the next few days to gather the facts on whether teenagers feel the need to carry knives after seeing coverage on the news or the films that have made it into the mainstream.
I have decided to look at the films Adulthood and Kidulthood to see how the street violence (mainly the knife crime) in the films influence teenagers into following the film and being a copycat.
I am interested in finding teenagers that find they have to carry a knife themselves or carry out any act of street violence on others, whether they have been reading about the crimes in the newspapers or watching it on the tv or just simply watching films that are strong in teenage violence and glamourise it to the public.
Seeing knife crime constantly in the media can have three effects on people;
- Shock them into seeing the consequences and turning their backs on committing the crime.
- Make them fear it may just happen to them and therefore they feel the need to carry a knife themselves in 'defence'.
- Make them want to carry a knife because it seems that everyone else is and it can make them feel 'hard'.
Different types of media can have different effects on people, the news giving off more of a shock towards teenagers whereas films such as Kidulthood and Adulthood, which have a target audience of teenagers and young adults, will glamourise the use of knives and street crime as teenagers look to these films as enjoyment and entertainment and may want to copy their favourite characters in it.
With my hypothesis in place, i am ready to devise another survey to be carried out for deffinate in the next few days to gather the facts on whether teenagers feel the need to carry knives after seeing coverage on the news or the films that have made it into the mainstream.
Friday 18 July 2008
Kids, Knives, Broken Lives
The media has responded to the huge increase in the knife crime culture with reports and documentaries to attempt to get the facts out to the people causing it.
This particular youtube video has clips from the recent programme 'Kids, knives, broken lives' that was part of the Disarming Britain season on channel 4.
The video is quite interesting as it is teenagers commenting on the recent sour in knife crime and gaining their opinion through the media may just be enough to calm the public down.
This particular youtube video has clips from the recent programme 'Kids, knives, broken lives' that was part of the Disarming Britain season on channel 4.
The video is quite interesting as it is teenagers commenting on the recent sour in knife crime and gaining their opinion through the media may just be enough to calm the public down.
Thursday 17 July 2008
More detail into the Deviancy amplification spiral
I have already explained how deviancy amplification is the phrase for when the media creates a hype and moral panic with the public, usually involving a crime.
Examples of the media doing this may be;
- A shooting spree by an adolescent
- A gruesome murder involving cannibalism or mutation
- A shocking act of corporate fraud
The dramatic increase in knife crime can be questioned as to whether there is a real problem or if the problem is copycat behaviour. With others reading or watching coverage on the television, they may be tempted as they see the crime as desirable and an act of rebellion.
Examples of the media doing this may be;
- A shooting spree by an adolescent
- A gruesome murder involving cannibalism or mutation
- A shocking act of corporate fraud
The dramatic increase in knife crime can be questioned as to whether there is a real problem or if the problem is copycat behaviour. With others reading or watching coverage on the television, they may be tempted as they see the crime as desirable and an act of rebellion.
Wednesday 16 July 2008
Deviancy Amplification Spiral
Mr White recently directed me to this which is incredibly useful in my research.
This is a perfect explanation of exactly what is happening with the media hype in knife crime at this current moment.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deviancy_amplification_spiral
Deviancy amplification spiral (also simply called deviance amplification) is a media hype phenomenon defined by media critics as an increasing cycle of reporting on a category of antisocial behavior or other undesirable events.
This is a perfect explanation of exactly what is happening with the media hype in knife crime at this current moment.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deviancy_amplification_spiral
Tuesday 15 July 2008
My letter
I created a letter to be sent on to some newspapers today, I am hoping to gain a response from people to add to my critical research.
Can this count for primary research by the way??
Knife crime can be seen as a very common thing now creating moral panic amongst the public. But although it could be a number of reasons that teenagers feel the need to carry knives in public, could one of the reasons possibly be the media coverage it gets? Although we may not think it, but there are some people in the world who get a kick out of knowing their crime has made it into the national news, elsewhere other teenagers are worried that they may become a victim themselves and want to carry knives for 'protection'. With knife crime being everywhere, in films aimed at teenagers, newspapers and television, teenagers may feel the media is advertising knife crime so to speak causing the numbers to increase.
that ok?
Can this count for primary research by the way??
Knife crime can be seen as a very common thing now creating moral panic amongst the public. But although it could be a number of reasons that teenagers feel the need to carry knives in public, could one of the reasons possibly be the media coverage it gets? Although we may not think it, but there are some people in the world who get a kick out of knowing their crime has made it into the national news, elsewhere other teenagers are worried that they may become a victim themselves and want to carry knives for 'protection'. With knife crime being everywhere, in films aimed at teenagers, newspapers and television, teenagers may feel the media is advertising knife crime so to speak causing the numbers to increase.
that ok?
Friday 11 July 2008
www.ntk.org.uk
I found an interesting website on the Disarming Britain website that cries out for people to make a pledge to say No To Knives. I made a pledge myself, by making a 'tag'. Using your creative skills to spray paint online and write a message to be viewed by other people browsing the wall.
Hopefully 1million people will make this 'pledge' not to carry a knife and can be made into one big voice.
This website is just one of many that have been added to the internet to try to reduce knife crime or hopefully stop it.
To find my pledge, type in this code on the 'pledge wall' ntk5f1. It might take a day or two to be up on the wall though.
I mentioned Disarming Britain before.
This is a season on channel 4 that has so far been on for the past 2 weeks and features facts, acted out stories and much more to awaken Britain to what is happening and hopefully to get the public to put down their weapons.
I couldn't find anything on the knife crime yet on youtube, but here is an interesting trailer for the season using guns in it.
this video made me cry though :( NO GOOD!!!
I will be watching the rest of the season with much interest.
Hopefully 1million people will make this 'pledge' not to carry a knife and can be made into one big voice.
This website is just one of many that have been added to the internet to try to reduce knife crime or hopefully stop it.
To find my pledge, type in this code on the 'pledge wall' ntk5f1. It might take a day or two to be up on the wall though.
I mentioned Disarming Britain before.
This is a season on channel 4 that has so far been on for the past 2 weeks and features facts, acted out stories and much more to awaken Britain to what is happening and hopefully to get the public to put down their weapons.
I couldn't find anything on the knife crime yet on youtube, but here is an interesting trailer for the season using guns in it.
this video made me cry though :( NO GOOD!!!
I will be watching the rest of the season with much interest.
Finally got a hypothesis!!!!
After thinking (and worrying) for weeks and weeks that I haven't yet decided on a hypothesis, I spoke to Miss Ward about my research so far and she came up with the question 'Can we argue the media is glamourising knife crime?'
I feel this is a good hypothesis as I have said in previous posts that the media may be advertising the culture in some way to teenagers. With the recent increasing rise in knife crime and the coverage of it in the media, the question is one that can have many debates.
I feel I can discuss the way newspapers present their stories on knife crime and the fairly recent film 'Kidulthood' and the more recent 'Adulthood' which shows the brutality of London streets in a gang culture, featuring knife crime and possibly answering questions as to why the stabbings are increasing.
I feel this is a good hypothesis as I have said in previous posts that the media may be advertising the culture in some way to teenagers. With the recent increasing rise in knife crime and the coverage of it in the media, the question is one that can have many debates.
I feel I can discuss the way newspapers present their stories on knife crime and the fairly recent film 'Kidulthood' and the more recent 'Adulthood' which shows the brutality of London streets in a gang culture, featuring knife crime and possibly answering questions as to why the stabbings are increasing.
Thursday 10 July 2008
writing a letter...
After Mr White said i should write a letter to a newspaper to voice my opinion, i have decided to do so.
I will send the letter into a few newspapers consisting of different types of readers such as The Metro and The Times hopefully to gain different reactions from the public.
I will devise my letter of opinion tonight and it will include my voice of opinion about how the media presents knife crime.
I will send the letter into a few newspapers consisting of different types of readers such as The Metro and The Times hopefully to gain different reactions from the public.
I will devise my letter of opinion tonight and it will include my voice of opinion about how the media presents knife crime.
Tuesday 8 July 2008
What are the reasons behind the escalating knife crime figures?
After research into the figures of growing knife crime in teenagers, my mind has been going over and over why these figures have increased and what can be done about it.
Knife crime goes back quite a few years with gangs being active and stabbings between members happening every now and then, however the scenario has worsened as the streets are being ruled by gangs fueled by drugs and alcohol and a sharp weapon in their pocket to be used on someone who may look at them in the wrong way like 14 year old Martin Dinnegan or for simply trying to help break up a fight like 18 year old Rob Knox. The fast growing numbers of teenagers dying from stab wounds have created a moral panic in the public, causing parents to worry every time their children step out of the house and wondering if they will get a chilling phonecall or a knock on the door from police saying their precious child has had their life taken away by an evil person who decided to carry a knife.
It may seem that this culture is mostly present in males, however there have been a few cases where females have been stabbed to death like Sian Simpson or a female has infact been the person with the knife like Sian's killer Chelsea Bennett. No teenager in England can be seen as safe now whenever they leave their house and take to the streets for a night out with friends. I know for a fact my own mother worries so much about me now and is constantly texting me and calling me when I am out somewhere just to make sure I am alright and then staying up very late just so she can give me a lift home when I come home very late at night after being out with friends.
The constant involvement of stabbings in the media has caused a crisis in this country causing parents to worry, teenagers to be scared and then even more knife carrying teenagers for either self defence or to follow the 'trend'. One of the reasons behind the ever growing stabbings may be the press coverage that these stories have in the media, with it being talked about every day, teenagers may be tempted to carry a knife themselves to see what it is like. It can be similar to how violent video games may influence teenagers as the media may be seen as 'advertising' knife crime and teenagers may take it the wrong way.
Another reason behind it may be family life in the UK. The traditional family has been attacked and it has got to the point that the family where one parent is at home, and the other is working is the most taxed in this country. Yet it is with the nuclear family that most get the moral guidance from. In addition the rise of divorce has meant that the responsibility to each other that was also present in families no longer is and now generations exist who have not had this basic form of moral guidance. With the emptiness of that one parent that isn't there, teenagers are more likely to be more 'troubled' and the one parent that they do have may not be able to cope handling them or controlling them. Many teenagers may see carrying a knife as fun and it is just a game.
There have been many debates as to why knife crime in teenagers has increased over the last few years but how are we to know what is actually causing it?
Some people blame the video games teenagers are constantly playing such as Grand Theft Auto or Call Of Duty, some people blame the type of music they listen to like 50 Cent who glamourises killing other people and some people just blame the parents for not being responsible and taking control of their child.
Knife crime goes back quite a few years with gangs being active and stabbings between members happening every now and then, however the scenario has worsened as the streets are being ruled by gangs fueled by drugs and alcohol and a sharp weapon in their pocket to be used on someone who may look at them in the wrong way like 14 year old Martin Dinnegan or for simply trying to help break up a fight like 18 year old Rob Knox. The fast growing numbers of teenagers dying from stab wounds have created a moral panic in the public, causing parents to worry every time their children step out of the house and wondering if they will get a chilling phonecall or a knock on the door from police saying their precious child has had their life taken away by an evil person who decided to carry a knife.
It may seem that this culture is mostly present in males, however there have been a few cases where females have been stabbed to death like Sian Simpson or a female has infact been the person with the knife like Sian's killer Chelsea Bennett. No teenager in England can be seen as safe now whenever they leave their house and take to the streets for a night out with friends. I know for a fact my own mother worries so much about me now and is constantly texting me and calling me when I am out somewhere just to make sure I am alright and then staying up very late just so she can give me a lift home when I come home very late at night after being out with friends.
The constant involvement of stabbings in the media has caused a crisis in this country causing parents to worry, teenagers to be scared and then even more knife carrying teenagers for either self defence or to follow the 'trend'. One of the reasons behind the ever growing stabbings may be the press coverage that these stories have in the media, with it being talked about every day, teenagers may be tempted to carry a knife themselves to see what it is like. It can be similar to how violent video games may influence teenagers as the media may be seen as 'advertising' knife crime and teenagers may take it the wrong way.
Another reason behind it may be family life in the UK. The traditional family has been attacked and it has got to the point that the family where one parent is at home, and the other is working is the most taxed in this country. Yet it is with the nuclear family that most get the moral guidance from. In addition the rise of divorce has meant that the responsibility to each other that was also present in families no longer is and now generations exist who have not had this basic form of moral guidance. With the emptiness of that one parent that isn't there, teenagers are more likely to be more 'troubled' and the one parent that they do have may not be able to cope handling them or controlling them. Many teenagers may see carrying a knife as fun and it is just a game.
There have been many debates as to why knife crime in teenagers has increased over the last few years but how are we to know what is actually causing it?
Some people blame the video games teenagers are constantly playing such as Grand Theft Auto or Call Of Duty, some people blame the type of music they listen to like 50 Cent who glamourises killing other people and some people just blame the parents for not being responsible and taking control of their child.
Thursday 3 July 2008
Statistics prove that knife crime HAS increased
One of the questions i had asked at the beginning of this project was whether or not knife crime amongst young people had increased as the media had made it out to be, or infact it was worse in the past.
However, figures have revealed that knife crime has infact had a massive increase in the last few years, especially in young people.
Here are the figures:
With these figures being revealed very recently and the number of victims increasing every week, the media seems to always be busy with the issue of knife crime. Focussing on one victim for a few days until the next victim is announced.
It remains a huge and important subject in the media and has been for the last few months due to the massive increase.
However, figures have revealed that knife crime has infact had a massive increase in the last few years, especially in young people.
Here are the figures:
The number of under 16's admitted to hospital with knife wounds has grown 88 percent from 95 in 2002/2003 to 179 in 2006/2007
The number of 16-18 year olds admitted to hospital with knife wounds has grown 75 percent from 429 in 2002/2003 to 752 in 2006/2007
With these figures being revealed very recently and the number of victims increasing every week, the media seems to always be busy with the issue of knife crime. Focussing on one victim for a few days until the next victim is announced.
It remains a huge and important subject in the media and has been for the last few months due to the massive increase.
Wednesday 2 July 2008
Sir Ian Blair reveals Operation Blunt 2
As a result of the recent stabbing of 16 year old Ben Kinsella, London Mayor Boris Johnson and the head of the Metropolitan Police Sir Ian Blair, came together at City Hall to speak about their solutions on knife crime in the capital, especially amongst teenagers.
Operation Blunt would be only one area in which the authorities are working on to make London safer.
So why are the authorities only really gaining interest in what seems like a growing knife culture in what is supposed to be one of the most famous cities in the world that brings in tourists constantly?
Is it the "1,200 people that were arrested on suspicion of possessing weapons and other suspected knife-related crimes between 19th May and 29th June this year"?
Or possibly the "528 knives [that were] recovered as a result of 26,777 searches".
As Boris Johnson kept quite silent throughout the press call in City Hall, Sir Ian Blair finished it up by stating
As the authorities are still quite baffled as to what has caused this dramatic increase in knife crime in the capital, teenagers worry that if they step out of the house, will they be coming back?
Full article here.
Operation Blunt would be only one area in which the authorities are working on to make London safer.
So why are the authorities only really gaining interest in what seems like a growing knife culture in what is supposed to be one of the most famous cities in the world that brings in tourists constantly?
Is it the "1,200 people that were arrested on suspicion of possessing weapons and other suspected knife-related crimes between 19th May and 29th June this year"?
Or possibly the "528 knives [that were] recovered as a result of 26,777 searches".
As Boris Johnson kept quite silent throughout the press call in City Hall, Sir Ian Blair finished it up by stating
"Everybody is shocked by the level of violence we are seeing, particularly towards young people in London, and we must all work as hard as we can together to reverse this dreadful trend."
As the authorities are still quite baffled as to what has caused this dramatic increase in knife crime in the capital, teenagers worry that if they step out of the house, will they be coming back?
Full article here.
Tuesday 1 July 2008
the latest victim of knife crime
The 17th teenager to be stabbed to death in London has been named as Ben Kinsella, a 16 year old boy who had just finished his GCSEs and was chased by people outside a pub in Holloway in North London. The victim is the brother of actress Brooke Kinsella who used to play Kelly in Eastenders.
The metro newspaper seems to be more focused on the fact that the young victim was the sister of someone fairly famous rather than the fact that he is the 17th teenager to be stabbed in London 6 months into the year.
A similar incident to this one happened not long ago when 18 year old Rob Knox was fatally stabbed outside a club in South-East London and he was fairly famous for just playing a part in an upcoming Harry Potter film.
Now what we really have to ask is....are these teenagers getting what they deserve? Is it jealousy that causes these victims to be fatally assaulted? Or simply no respect for life?
The metro newspaper seems to be more focused on the fact that the young victim was the sister of someone fairly famous rather than the fact that he is the 17th teenager to be stabbed in London 6 months into the year.
A similar incident to this one happened not long ago when 18 year old Rob Knox was fatally stabbed outside a club in South-East London and he was fairly famous for just playing a part in an upcoming Harry Potter film.
Now what we really have to ask is....are these teenagers getting what they deserve? Is it jealousy that causes these victims to be fatally assaulted? Or simply no respect for life?
Thursday 26 June 2008
Knife crime isn't as common as you think...
The media today seems to be full of stories concerning knife crime in young people, however i found an article arguing that maybe it isn't as common as it used to be.
The British Crime Survey claims that overall violent crime has decreased by 41% since 1995. Knives are used in 8% of these crimes and that figure has remained about the same for the last decade.
However, it is hard to determine whether these statistics can still be considered as they don't include under 16's.
Knife crime seems to be a huge problem in young people and young adults and it affects many under 16's with lots of victims and criminals being that of a young age.
The British Crime Survey claims that overall violent crime has decreased by 41% since 1995. Knives are used in 8% of these crimes and that figure has remained about the same for the last decade.
However, it is hard to determine whether these statistics can still be considered as they don't include under 16's.
Knife crime seems to be a huge problem in young people and young adults and it affects many under 16's with lots of victims and criminals being that of a young age.
Thursday 19 June 2008
Does drilling the facts into these young people persuade them to drop the knives?
I read an interesting article on the BBC news website that discusses 'The Be Safe project' that is traveling around schools nationwide to tell young people and teenagers the many dangers in carrying a knife, for you, your friends, your family etc.
Here are some useful quotes from the website that i may be able to use in my notes for the exam;
Full article here.
I think this article does highlight that the government is trying to do something about knife crime in the younger generation, even though many people suggest that they aren't, and this seems to be a very good idea if it can grow and be able to visit schools quite regularly.
Here are some useful quotes from the website that i may be able to use in my notes for the exam;
"At the end of each Be Safe weapons awareness course, pupils are asked if they would like to hand in their blades, or leave knives under their seats.
Hundreds have been left behind at the courses which have been running mainly in London and surrounding counties since 1998. The Be Safe project also teaches people to run the courses, and there are now 330 trainers working nationally with young offenders and in schools."
"Be Safe organiser David Morris says: "If we are working in a school - an inner city school anywhere in the country - around a third of a class of 30 pupils will put up their hand and say they have carried a knife at some point."
But few grasp the implications of using one. Mr Morris, a former police officer, says young people tend not to think beyond putting the knife in their pocket or bag.
"Most say they are carrying it for self-defence, but [their] knife has never been used for this and never will be.""
"First up is there's no such thing as a "safe stabbing"."
Full article here.
I think this article does highlight that the government is trying to do something about knife crime in the younger generation, even though many people suggest that they aren't, and this seems to be a very good idea if it can grow and be able to visit schools quite regularly.
Wednesday 18 June 2008
Surveying it
I decided to devise a survey to be taken by some teenagers that range in age to get their thoughts on knife crime in the young people and to help me to think about what type of experiment i would have to do.
1. What sex are you?
Male Female
2. How old are you?
10-13 14-17 17-20 21+
3. Do you or anyone you know carry a knife?
Yes No
4. If yes, why do you/they carry a knife?
Protection Peer pressure To look 'hard' For respect Other, please state_______________
5. Do you think the media glamourises knife crime in young people?
Yes No
6. If yes, in what way?
Causes young people to feel the need to carry a knife for protection
'If others are carrying knives, then so should I'
Other, please state__________________
7. Do you think knife crime has increased or decreased in the past 5 years?
Increased Decreased
These are the questions i have thought up so far as a draft, i will possibly add more or work on them a bit
1. What sex are you?
Male Female
2. How old are you?
10-13 14-17 17-20 21+
3. Do you or anyone you know carry a knife?
Yes No
4. If yes, why do you/they carry a knife?
Protection Peer pressure To look 'hard' For respect Other, please state_______________
5. Do you think the media glamourises knife crime in young people?
Yes No
6. If yes, in what way?
Causes young people to feel the need to carry a knife for protection
'If others are carrying knives, then so should I'
Other, please state__________________
7. Do you think knife crime has increased or decreased in the past 5 years?
Increased Decreased
These are the questions i have thought up so far as a draft, i will possibly add more or work on them a bit
Friday 13 June 2008
Planning the hard work
As i have already stated in my first post dedicated to Critical Research, i am going to be looking at the topic of young people involved in knife crime under the heading of Crime And The Media.
For my research, i plan to look at many newspaper articles in both tabloid and broadsheet newspapers to see how they differ in reporting the news and how they may portray the victims and the criminals. When looking at the newspapers, i will also be looking out for how the victims are introduced with the statement 'the victims are always shown as innocent' fresh in my mind. Using the articles, i will try to either support or give evidence against this statement.
I still don't know what i can do for an experiment, however i will use my own research in the project to add debate and facts to it. I will devise a survey to be taken by a certain amount of teenagers and young people ranging in age regarding their thoughts on the issue, whether they know anyone who carries a knife or if they infact do carry one themself and what they think is causing the increase.
I will act on my experiment when the results for what the teenagers think the cause for the rise of knife crime may be.
Some drafted questions have been produced to consider within the project to answer such as;
- Does the media advertising the knife crime affect the increase in teenagers carrying and using knives?
- Has knife crime in young people really increased or is it just in the limelight now for the media to comment more on?
- What is causing young people to kill others out of no respect for their life?
For my research, i plan to look at many newspaper articles in both tabloid and broadsheet newspapers to see how they differ in reporting the news and how they may portray the victims and the criminals. When looking at the newspapers, i will also be looking out for how the victims are introduced with the statement 'the victims are always shown as innocent' fresh in my mind. Using the articles, i will try to either support or give evidence against this statement.
I still don't know what i can do for an experiment, however i will use my own research in the project to add debate and facts to it. I will devise a survey to be taken by a certain amount of teenagers and young people ranging in age regarding their thoughts on the issue, whether they know anyone who carries a knife or if they infact do carry one themself and what they think is causing the increase.
I will act on my experiment when the results for what the teenagers think the cause for the rise of knife crime may be.
Some drafted questions have been produced to consider within the project to answer such as;
- Does the media advertising the knife crime affect the increase in teenagers carrying and using knives?
- Has knife crime in young people really increased or is it just in the limelight now for the media to comment more on?
- What is causing young people to kill others out of no respect for their life?
Friday 6 June 2008
New Subject - Critical Research
The start of a new year means a new course in Media Studies.
So this course is about 'Critical Research'.
Out of the few topics given to the students to choose from, i have decided to make a go of starting with 'Crime And The Media'
With the news filling up with many negatives now, crime seems to be one of the main stories in a media product every day, whether it is in a newspaper or a broadcast.
My main area of focus still hasn't been decided yet as i am still to think of a hypothesis over the next few weeks, however i am thinking that it may be best to stick to teenagers or young adults and their connection with injuries or murder throughout the nation.
The point of discussion that made me consider this particular topic was the talk of Gordon Brown wanting to lower the age of prosecution of carrying a weapon from 18 to 16 years old as already there have been 34 teen murders throughout the nation, 16 of these being in London by knife.
I feel this area of debate is an open one and will be one to go on for a very long time as it dominates the media now and most likely will until something is actually done about it.
I would also like to explore whether the media change some facts or fiddle with the actual truth for a better news story, such as making out the victim to be totally innocent when they most likely weren't and involved in gang crime which brought their death upon them.
The type of media can have an effect on the audience as well with certain tabloids describing attacks such as being 'brutal' and other newspapers, like broadsheets, subtly commenting on the actual attack. This can also be mirrored in broadcasting as well as the news reader is a lot more 'posh' and well read so the information is given to the audience but descriptions of it are, again, subtly hinted.
So this course is about 'Critical Research'.
Out of the few topics given to the students to choose from, i have decided to make a go of starting with 'Crime And The Media'
With the news filling up with many negatives now, crime seems to be one of the main stories in a media product every day, whether it is in a newspaper or a broadcast.
My main area of focus still hasn't been decided yet as i am still to think of a hypothesis over the next few weeks, however i am thinking that it may be best to stick to teenagers or young adults and their connection with injuries or murder throughout the nation.
The point of discussion that made me consider this particular topic was the talk of Gordon Brown wanting to lower the age of prosecution of carrying a weapon from 18 to 16 years old as already there have been 34 teen murders throughout the nation, 16 of these being in London by knife.
I feel this area of debate is an open one and will be one to go on for a very long time as it dominates the media now and most likely will until something is actually done about it.
I would also like to explore whether the media change some facts or fiddle with the actual truth for a better news story, such as making out the victim to be totally innocent when they most likely weren't and involved in gang crime which brought their death upon them.
The type of media can have an effect on the audience as well with certain tabloids describing attacks such as being 'brutal' and other newspapers, like broadsheets, subtly commenting on the actual attack. This can also be mirrored in broadcasting as well as the news reader is a lot more 'posh' and well read so the information is given to the audience but descriptions of it are, again, subtly hinted.
Friday 2 May 2008
Britain's love for social networking
I found a small article in the metro newspaper (yay!) today about a recent poll showing that Britons top the European league when it comes to online social networking.
Almost 10million log on to sites, mainly Bebo, Myspace and Facebook, and the number is forcast to almost triple by 2012 to 27.1million.
The report put France in second place at 8.9million
DON'T LET THE FRENCH WIN
Almost 10million log on to sites, mainly Bebo, Myspace and Facebook, and the number is forcast to almost triple by 2012 to 27.1million.
The report put France in second place at 8.9million
DON'T LET THE FRENCH WIN
Wednesday 30 April 2008
Social Networking In Plain English
Found a simple and funny video that explains the basics of social networking and how it effects you.
yay!
yay!
Tuesday 29 April 2008
Social Networking sites grow to accomodate wider taste
So, when someone says 'social networking' the first website that pops to mind is Myspace.
If you were at a gig full of young people chatting to each other, i am certain you will hear the sentence "what's your myspace?" uttered more than once. Phone numbers seem to be the 'old' thing to give out nowadays.
But now even the social networking community is growing, as if Myspace isn't enough for one person; Bebo, accomodating to the younger teen generation, Facebook, being the website for all university students and adults to be signed up to and Youtube, being the difference in social networking due to videos being posted instead.
It seems that there are enough social networking websites out there to satisfy the tastes of the people all over the world. But what about 'man's best friend' having it's own online website to socialise. That is where Dogstar comes in. In 2007, this website was created as a 'photo, video, shring community for dogs.' And that isn't where it stops, there are now more social networking sites adapting to a wider audience such as the car owner community Boompa and even a website taking a leaf out of Facebook's book and creating a mock website called Pensionbook
the social network continues to grow and who knows, we may soon have websites dedicated just to our Action men later in life
oh my
If you were at a gig full of young people chatting to each other, i am certain you will hear the sentence "what's your myspace?" uttered more than once. Phone numbers seem to be the 'old' thing to give out nowadays.
But now even the social networking community is growing, as if Myspace isn't enough for one person; Bebo, accomodating to the younger teen generation, Facebook, being the website for all university students and adults to be signed up to and Youtube, being the difference in social networking due to videos being posted instead.
It seems that there are enough social networking websites out there to satisfy the tastes of the people all over the world. But what about 'man's best friend' having it's own online website to socialise. That is where Dogstar comes in. In 2007, this website was created as a 'photo, video, shring community for dogs.' And that isn't where it stops, there are now more social networking sites adapting to a wider audience such as the car owner community Boompa and even a website taking a leaf out of Facebook's book and creating a mock website called Pensionbook
the social network continues to grow and who knows, we may soon have websites dedicated just to our Action men later in life
oh my
Web 2.0 debates Internet's future
San Francisco's Web 2.0 Expo conference brought together thousands of people responsible for crafting the future direction of the internet, and the world of applications - or apps - was front and centre.
Everyone from Microsoft to Yahoo to MySpace was on a mission to woo developers to create exciting applications for their devices.
Jennifer Pahlka of Techweb, one of the conference's co-chairs, said the carrot these big Silicon Valley companies were dangling to entice developers to get involved was that of openness and allowing people to devise programmes without constraints.
"Yahoo was talking about opening up advertising platforms, Mozilla was talking about opening up the mobile web and John Zittrain from Oxford University was talking about openness to drive innovation and creativity so we don't go into this closed system where every application has to be approved by someone else," said Ms Pahlka.
"So I think open versus closed and who gets to define what is open and what isn't is a big theme that dominated the week at Web 2.0."
Throwing down the gauntlet
For Charlene Li, principal analyst at Forrester Research, this over-arching principle of openness was at the heart of two of the week's major announcements.
I think that Web 2.0 is at an intersection
Mitchell Baker
"I think the combination of Microsoft's Live Mesh and the Yahoo! Open Strategy are throwing down the gauntlet to everybody else to open up as well," he said.
Live Mesh aims to synchronise and unite a multiplicity of devices and applications online.
Yahoo! Open Strategy is about stitching together its online services under the social profile concept for ultimate access.
Ms Li told BBC News: "All this then says that whoever has the best experience, if I can make your connection to the web better than anyone else, you will be loyal to me."
Web 2.0 intersection
The point of delivery was a hot topic throughout the Web 2.0 conference and the focus was undoubtedly on the mobile web.
They are all start ups digging the earth right now and their pay-off will maybe come later
Dean Takahashi
Mozilla's chairwoman Mitchell Baker is banking on the Firefox browser as being one of the more important platforms for developers who are working on mobile devices.
"I think that Web 2.0 is at an intersection and the software on which it is based and the involvement of Mozilla demonstrates that by being open and allowing interoperability you get more innovative and better efforts," she said.
For the last six months, Firefox has been working on a browser that operates on mobiles and the organisation is already testing its prototype, she said.
To some degree, that takes care of the here and right now, but turning to the next stage in the world of the internet, at Web 2.0 chatter about Web 3.0 was bubbling under the surface.
While largely thought of as the semantic web - where machines understand what is being written - not everyone at this conference was ready to embrace Web 3.0.
Forrester analyst Josh Bernoff described it as "a load of baloney".
"It just shows people can count and it's some piece of marketing flim-flam dreamed up by companies pushing their products," he said.
Opening up
Dean Takahashi of Venture Beat said if you want to find out what the next big thing is, follow the big money.
I am just more interested in applications that connect me with other people than with a computer that says it can understand what I just wrote
Jennifer Pahlka
For the moment that is not happening in the so-called world of Web 3.0.
"The semantic web is a longer term play and so far I don't see highly valued companies popping up there," said Mr Takahashi.
"They are all start ups digging the earth right now and their pay-off will maybe come later."
For the moment, Mr Takahashi said the venture capital landscape is being dominated by the mobile world, social networks and applications.
With a plethora of companies embracing open social networks and the demand for applications increasing, this, he said, is where there real growth will be.
"Starting a plain old application company for something like Facebook, that's like a one or two person company," said Mr Takahashi.
"What you are going to see is other businesses acquiring those small app companies so that they can have a big collection of Facebook apps that will eventually be worth something.
"That's potentially where the money will be."
Get connected
For the moment, Jennifer Pahlka advised users to enjoy the ride that is Web 2.0.
"There is still a really long way to go with Web 2.0," she said.
People were still trying to find ways of "exploiting all those principles of collective intelligence", she added.
"The fundamental aspect of what is gong on just now is more personal and that resonates more with me than the semantic web," said Ms Pahlka.
"I am just more interested in applications that connect me with other people than with a computer that says it can understand what I just wrote."
Everyone from Microsoft to Yahoo to MySpace was on a mission to woo developers to create exciting applications for their devices.
Jennifer Pahlka of Techweb, one of the conference's co-chairs, said the carrot these big Silicon Valley companies were dangling to entice developers to get involved was that of openness and allowing people to devise programmes without constraints.
"Yahoo was talking about opening up advertising platforms, Mozilla was talking about opening up the mobile web and John Zittrain from Oxford University was talking about openness to drive innovation and creativity so we don't go into this closed system where every application has to be approved by someone else," said Ms Pahlka.
"So I think open versus closed and who gets to define what is open and what isn't is a big theme that dominated the week at Web 2.0."
Throwing down the gauntlet
For Charlene Li, principal analyst at Forrester Research, this over-arching principle of openness was at the heart of two of the week's major announcements.
I think that Web 2.0 is at an intersection
Mitchell Baker
"I think the combination of Microsoft's Live Mesh and the Yahoo! Open Strategy are throwing down the gauntlet to everybody else to open up as well," he said.
Live Mesh aims to synchronise and unite a multiplicity of devices and applications online.
Yahoo! Open Strategy is about stitching together its online services under the social profile concept for ultimate access.
Ms Li told BBC News: "All this then says that whoever has the best experience, if I can make your connection to the web better than anyone else, you will be loyal to me."
Web 2.0 intersection
The point of delivery was a hot topic throughout the Web 2.0 conference and the focus was undoubtedly on the mobile web.
They are all start ups digging the earth right now and their pay-off will maybe come later
Dean Takahashi
Mozilla's chairwoman Mitchell Baker is banking on the Firefox browser as being one of the more important platforms for developers who are working on mobile devices.
"I think that Web 2.0 is at an intersection and the software on which it is based and the involvement of Mozilla demonstrates that by being open and allowing interoperability you get more innovative and better efforts," she said.
For the last six months, Firefox has been working on a browser that operates on mobiles and the organisation is already testing its prototype, she said.
To some degree, that takes care of the here and right now, but turning to the next stage in the world of the internet, at Web 2.0 chatter about Web 3.0 was bubbling under the surface.
While largely thought of as the semantic web - where machines understand what is being written - not everyone at this conference was ready to embrace Web 3.0.
Forrester analyst Josh Bernoff described it as "a load of baloney".
"It just shows people can count and it's some piece of marketing flim-flam dreamed up by companies pushing their products," he said.
Opening up
Dean Takahashi of Venture Beat said if you want to find out what the next big thing is, follow the big money.
I am just more interested in applications that connect me with other people than with a computer that says it can understand what I just wrote
Jennifer Pahlka
For the moment that is not happening in the so-called world of Web 3.0.
"The semantic web is a longer term play and so far I don't see highly valued companies popping up there," said Mr Takahashi.
"They are all start ups digging the earth right now and their pay-off will maybe come later."
For the moment, Mr Takahashi said the venture capital landscape is being dominated by the mobile world, social networks and applications.
With a plethora of companies embracing open social networks and the demand for applications increasing, this, he said, is where there real growth will be.
"Starting a plain old application company for something like Facebook, that's like a one or two person company," said Mr Takahashi.
"What you are going to see is other businesses acquiring those small app companies so that they can have a big collection of Facebook apps that will eventually be worth something.
"That's potentially where the money will be."
Get connected
For the moment, Jennifer Pahlka advised users to enjoy the ride that is Web 2.0.
"There is still a really long way to go with Web 2.0," she said.
People were still trying to find ways of "exploiting all those principles of collective intelligence", she added.
"The fundamental aspect of what is gong on just now is more personal and that resonates more with me than the semantic web," said Ms Pahlka.
"I am just more interested in applications that connect me with other people than with a computer that says it can understand what I just wrote."
Friday 25 April 2008
The evolution of social networking
I found quite a nifty video that is quite recent of how social networking has evolved over the years since it was first introduced to the world and how popular it is now.
Click this link to see this video that helps meggggaaaaa
see you on the other side maggie
Click this link to see this video that helps meggggaaaaa
see you on the other side maggie
Web 2.0 set for spending boom
Web 2.0 is set to be embraced by Enterprise 2.0 as businesses prepare to spend nearly $5 billion by 2013 on social networking tools.
Over half of the companies in North America and Europe see Web 2.0 as a priority for next year, a report says.
The news comes as San Francisco plays host to the Web 2.0 conference on next generation of the web.
"This is where we see the future of the web," said conference co-chair Jennifer Pahlka.
"The companies making announcements here are building that future."
Forrester, the research company which carried out the Web 2.0 survey, believes the technologies being developed and unveiled over the coming days represent "a fundamentally new way" for businesses to communicate with employees and customers.
Priority
The report found that consumer giants such as General Motors, McDonald's, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance and Wells Fargo Bank will drive much of this growth and have already embraced tools like blogs, RSS feeds, podcasting and social networking.
Analyst Oliver Young estimates that another 56% of North American and European companies regard Web 2.0 to be a priority in 2008.
All Web 2.0 eyes are on San Francisco this week
"If I wanted to be anywhere in the Web 2.0 economy, I'd want to be on the enterprise side," says Mr Young.
Forrester analysed seven Web 2.0 categories: blogs, mashups, podcasting, RSS, social networking, widgets and wikis. Of these, social networks will attract the greatest levels of investment but even then that will be dwarfed by the multi million dollar revenues the software industry commands.
Mr Young says "Advertising revenue has been hard to come by with even sites such as Facebook finding it hard to monetise their high volumes of traffic.
"Companies are now looking over their shoulder to the business market where even revenues of $50 (£25) per user per month are looking increasingly appealing"
He also points out that there will come a saturation point and investment will start to slow down as Web 2.0 applications become increasingly prevalent and absorbed into collaborative software packages.
'Disneyland for web nerds'
In the meantime, the world of business will get to see what is on offer in the Web 2.0 world as vendors take the wraps off a raft of products, services and applications during this week's conference in San Francisco.
Everything from the latest in cloud computing to blogging software and from mobile technology to rich media applications will be on show.
With around 7,000 people expected to attend, some bloggers have already nicknamed the conference a "five-day retreat to the Disneyland for grown-up web nerds".
Also taking part is a Web Mission from the UK which consists of more than 20 entrepreneurs looking to forge useful business connections and showcase British internet companies.
The businesses, which were selected from over 100 applicants, were chosen because they have the potential to expand into the US.
Article here
Over half of the companies in North America and Europe see Web 2.0 as a priority for next year, a report says.
The news comes as San Francisco plays host to the Web 2.0 conference on next generation of the web.
"This is where we see the future of the web," said conference co-chair Jennifer Pahlka.
"The companies making announcements here are building that future."
Forrester, the research company which carried out the Web 2.0 survey, believes the technologies being developed and unveiled over the coming days represent "a fundamentally new way" for businesses to communicate with employees and customers.
Priority
The report found that consumer giants such as General Motors, McDonald's, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance and Wells Fargo Bank will drive much of this growth and have already embraced tools like blogs, RSS feeds, podcasting and social networking.
Analyst Oliver Young estimates that another 56% of North American and European companies regard Web 2.0 to be a priority in 2008.
All Web 2.0 eyes are on San Francisco this week
"If I wanted to be anywhere in the Web 2.0 economy, I'd want to be on the enterprise side," says Mr Young.
Forrester analysed seven Web 2.0 categories: blogs, mashups, podcasting, RSS, social networking, widgets and wikis. Of these, social networks will attract the greatest levels of investment but even then that will be dwarfed by the multi million dollar revenues the software industry commands.
Mr Young says "Advertising revenue has been hard to come by with even sites such as Facebook finding it hard to monetise their high volumes of traffic.
"Companies are now looking over their shoulder to the business market where even revenues of $50 (£25) per user per month are looking increasingly appealing"
He also points out that there will come a saturation point and investment will start to slow down as Web 2.0 applications become increasingly prevalent and absorbed into collaborative software packages.
'Disneyland for web nerds'
In the meantime, the world of business will get to see what is on offer in the Web 2.0 world as vendors take the wraps off a raft of products, services and applications during this week's conference in San Francisco.
Everything from the latest in cloud computing to blogging software and from mobile technology to rich media applications will be on show.
With around 7,000 people expected to attend, some bloggers have already nicknamed the conference a "five-day retreat to the Disneyland for grown-up web nerds".
Also taking part is a Web Mission from the UK which consists of more than 20 entrepreneurs looking to forge useful business connections and showcase British internet companies.
The businesses, which were selected from over 100 applicants, were chosen because they have the potential to expand into the US.
Article here
Saturday 5 April 2008
Social Networking - The stalker's website?
Social Networking has grown to be massive in the past few years, especially amongst the younger generation.
With websites like Facebook, Bebo and Myspace appealing different age groups and growing larger and larger every day, it's not wonder that more than a quarter of 8-11 year olds have a profile themselves.
It was created as a free and easy way to contact people, friends, family or maybe to talk to strangers who share your interests. However, now it has gotten out of control with the amount of information it can give away about a certain person. Your age, location, email address and avatar can be the starting point for a stalker, or a pedophile.
It is now getting a lot more dangerous with anyone who looks at your profile knowing a bit too much about you.
There are privacy settings, but most teenagers either don't know how to use them or want strangers to know what they are interested in.
Parents grow more and more worried as the figures of children meeting strangers, who turned out to be a 50 year old man and not '10 year old Billy who enjoys watching Pokemon too', grow and how did they meet them? Through a social networking website.
Stalkers and pedophiles have all the information to lure your children to them through their own profile - is social networking really for socialising or is it for tracking down a new victim?
What the parents say.
With websites like Facebook, Bebo and Myspace appealing different age groups and growing larger and larger every day, it's not wonder that more than a quarter of 8-11 year olds have a profile themselves.
It was created as a free and easy way to contact people, friends, family or maybe to talk to strangers who share your interests. However, now it has gotten out of control with the amount of information it can give away about a certain person. Your age, location, email address and avatar can be the starting point for a stalker, or a pedophile.
It is now getting a lot more dangerous with anyone who looks at your profile knowing a bit too much about you.
There are privacy settings, but most teenagers either don't know how to use them or want strangers to know what they are interested in.
Parents grow more and more worried as the figures of children meeting strangers, who turned out to be a 50 year old man and not '10 year old Billy who enjoys watching Pokemon too', grow and how did they meet them? Through a social networking website.
Stalkers and pedophiles have all the information to lure your children to them through their own profile - is social networking really for socialising or is it for tracking down a new victim?
What the parents say.
Tuesday 4 March 2008
My magazine production so far...
So far we have designed our front covers and double page spread so the audience can identify our magazine from the layout, even though they are going to be 3 different editions.
We decided on our target audience which is going to be 16-19 year old boys. Mainly because if you were to look at adverts in most film magazines these days, they are targeted at males.
The mode of address will be simple, laddish slang that everyone knows. However, i am finding this hard to do right now as i can't help writing in a sophisticated style!
I am doing the 50 best British films edition, the double page spread will be the number 1 British film, which will be Trainspotting.
So far, i'm in the middle of writing my article and i've taken most of my pictures. (thanks to Joshua - he stood out in the freezing cold in just a tank top and jeans with a cigarette and a bucket of water poured over him! And of course Michael and Tim)
The article will include a review, research, the awards the film won and the change it made in cinema amongst other key facts.
A short interview with a member of the public will be shown in a box at the side which agrees with the fact that Trainspotting is one of the best British films for this certain audience.
The mock ups for the double page spread and front cover have been done now and all i am left to do is write the article and start to properly put together my front cover and double page spread on the computer.
Still a lot to do.
We decided on our target audience which is going to be 16-19 year old boys. Mainly because if you were to look at adverts in most film magazines these days, they are targeted at males.
The mode of address will be simple, laddish slang that everyone knows. However, i am finding this hard to do right now as i can't help writing in a sophisticated style!
I am doing the 50 best British films edition, the double page spread will be the number 1 British film, which will be Trainspotting.
So far, i'm in the middle of writing my article and i've taken most of my pictures. (thanks to Joshua - he stood out in the freezing cold in just a tank top and jeans with a cigarette and a bucket of water poured over him! And of course Michael and Tim)
The article will include a review, research, the awards the film won and the change it made in cinema amongst other key facts.
A short interview with a member of the public will be shown in a box at the side which agrees with the fact that Trainspotting is one of the best British films for this certain audience.
The mock ups for the double page spread and front cover have been done now and all i am left to do is write the article and start to properly put together my front cover and double page spread on the computer.
Still a lot to do.
Tuesday 5 February 2008
IT'S BIGGER, IT'S BETTER...ANOTHER ONE ALREADY?
Out of the rumor mill comes the 16GB iPhone, now official. Ever since the 16GB iPod touch was announced in September, we all knew it was just a matter of time until Apple could bung the same NAND capacity into their chubbier iPhone. The surprise is a new 32GB iPod touch for the same $499. No other changes and certainly not 3G. Both are available immediately.
Update: We just spoke with Apple, who told us that by available immediately, that means US and international customers, both. They should start making their way to stores over the next couple of days, too, so call ahead to check stock if you're buying offline.
Woah.
Just shows how quick gadgets can get updated nowadays.
Friday 1 February 2008
REOW
1. How old are you?
16-17 18-19
* *
2. What type of magazines do you buy?
Lifestyle Music Hobbies Film TV
* * * * *
Other, please state _________________________
3. Why do you buy magazines?
Freebees Arcticles Images Appealing front cover Adverts
* * * * *
Other, please state _________________________
4. How much would you expect to spend on a magazine?
£1-£2 £2-£3 £3+
* * *
5. How often do you purchase magazines?
Daily Weekly Fortnightly Monthly
* * * *
Other, please state _________________________
6. Where do you buy your magazines?
Newsagents Retail shop Suscription Online
* * * *
Other, please state __________________________
6. Who do you prefer on the cover?
Woman Men Celebrities Don’t mind
* * * *
Other, please state __________________________
16-17 18-19
* *
2. What type of magazines do you buy?
Lifestyle Music Hobbies Film TV
* * * * *
Other, please state _________________________
3. Why do you buy magazines?
Freebees Arcticles Images Appealing front cover Adverts
* * * * *
Other, please state _________________________
4. How much would you expect to spend on a magazine?
£1-£2 £2-£3 £3+
* * *
5. How often do you purchase magazines?
Daily Weekly Fortnightly Monthly
* * * *
Other, please state _________________________
6. Where do you buy your magazines?
Newsagents Retail shop Suscription Online
* * * *
Other, please state __________________________
6. Who do you prefer on the cover?
Woman Men Celebrities Don’t mind
* * * *
Other, please state __________________________
Saturday 19 January 2008
Magazines - Are they falling to their death?
Magazines used to be a right popular thing.
Whether it was reading them to find out the latest gossip, for educational purposes or for digging deeper into your own interests.
However, the 21st century has seen the birth of a lot more of the public learning to use the internet, pushing through that barrier to get online and research all of features in magazines for free.
Would you rather pay about 2 pounds for a magazine? Waiting another few weeks for the next addition to come out to only find out that it features 'old' news?
Or would you rather surf online, whenever and wherever you like and find out whatever you want in a matter of seconds?
I would go for the second option.
Unfortunately this is the case for magazines these days. They are losing more and more readers to the claws of the internet. In February 2006, we saw the death of Smash Hits! magazine. A beloved music read for the younger generation out there. In 2007, we saw the Popworld Pulp released from the cage and then tumbling down a mountain soon after the first issue.
The gap in the market is getting smaller and smaller, institutions have to come up with better ideas to relate to that niche audience now or they will burn too.
Who knows what will happen in a year?
But i am sure i'll witness the rise and fall of a few more magazines.
Whether it was reading them to find out the latest gossip, for educational purposes or for digging deeper into your own interests.
However, the 21st century has seen the birth of a lot more of the public learning to use the internet, pushing through that barrier to get online and research all of features in magazines for free.
Would you rather pay about 2 pounds for a magazine? Waiting another few weeks for the next addition to come out to only find out that it features 'old' news?
Or would you rather surf online, whenever and wherever you like and find out whatever you want in a matter of seconds?
I would go for the second option.
Unfortunately this is the case for magazines these days. They are losing more and more readers to the claws of the internet. In February 2006, we saw the death of Smash Hits! magazine. A beloved music read for the younger generation out there. In 2007, we saw the Popworld Pulp released from the cage and then tumbling down a mountain soon after the first issue.
The gap in the market is getting smaller and smaller, institutions have to come up with better ideas to relate to that niche audience now or they will burn too.
Who knows what will happen in a year?
But i am sure i'll witness the rise and fall of a few more magazines.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)