1. Changing Media1 Children in the avant-garde of media development Discussion: Four dimensions –Technologies –Institutions –Texts –Audiences ‘Power’ of media –Interaction & Relationships between them (four above)

2. Changing Media2 Technologies Technologies do not produce social change Recent changes in media technology –Proliferation Broader range of media & means of delivery –Convergence Commercially driven & blurred distinctions between linear broadcast & interactive narrowcast –Access Reduced access & distribution cost; Boundary between production & consumption breaking down

3. Changing Media3 Implications Children & parents as significant markets Growing polarization: rich & poor –But still very few are exploiting the creative potential of digital media National centralized control undermined –From public to private –Internet: Anyone publishing anything –Production & consumption boundaries blurred

4. Changing Media4 Institutions Three institutional & economic changes –Privatization Free market, monopolization, commercialized –Integration Vertical & Horizontal –fragmentation Production: casual labor, outsourcing, independent Consumption: specialized, fragmented audiences Media production: amateur & professional

5. Changing Media5 Texts Changing characteristics of text The very status of texts is changing. Distinctions between video, games, movie… becoming irrelevant; Spin-offs of each other Intertextuality Interactivity Integrated phenomena: Text and related commodities packaged & marketed

6. Changing Media6 Audiences Empowered audience vs. Commercially exploited; Empowered vs. Surveillance Greater choice for consumers –Repeated vs. new Greater activity –Engaged & committed vs. Casual & distracted Children’s rights: kids-only (Nickelodeon) Not a zero-sum game: either Powerful or Powerless

7. Changing Media7 Back to the Boundaries Two forces at play in the changes –Centrifugal( 離心 ): fragmentation, differentiation –Centripetal( 向心 ): centralized control Relations between adults and children –Boundaries blurring; adult content for young audiences –“Youth” becoming an elastic category; becoming a lifestyle choice; trans-generation