1) Progress report - How many interviews did you do so far? And/or how many materials (i.e. media texts) did you research, and how did you research on the texts – textual analysis, genre study, etc.?
In my project, I am now starting the in-depth interview of my research and everything goes smoothly. I have already interview 5 teenagers (3 male and 3female) who use this network platform to express their wishes and aspirations. They are aged between 19-25 years old. I have totally asked for 10 questions which mainly about:
1. To what extend you would publish the online political speech?
2. To what extend you would publish the political comments in the online more than reality?
3. What are the reasons that Hong Kong teenagers are politically apathetic and not keen on political activities?
4. To what extent will encourage you participate in any political activities or actual parade?
In order to give them a more specific comments to make and inspire their thinking , I have given them some information and news about the actual political and participate in online. A preliminary textual analysis has already started, I have some of the concept and building up the framework of my research.
2) Preliminary findings – What do you discover up till now? (For example, what are the commonalities amongst the texts/interviews?) How do your findings help you answer your research question?
After the interview, I discovered that teenagers are inseparable from Facebook and Youtube and other social media. More popular social media, including blog, podcast, Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, forums etc. The rise of social media, the online speech started to affect public opinion. All respondents believe that social media can let everyone use their spare time to monitor the government, put forward their demands and organize action. Although there is often occur network public trial and cyberbullying phenomenon in the online world, all respondents agree that social media force to cohesion opinions, monitoring government policies which helps to promote social movements. It has a very significant effect.
Some of them view that publish the online political speech does not mean that will not participate in social movements. Social media facilitate meetings and activities of youth organizations, giving them another platform to express their views while receiving social and political information to gain insight into the process of political and social law. Since the network statement do not need to identify themselves, teenagers can publish their thoughts, the move both have advantages and disadvantages, immature young people are more vulnerable to herding effects and they often fail to fully understand the truth of the incident. I reversed myself on the view of teenagers are usually apathetic to politics. They are not politically apathetic, they are even more eager to participate in politics than adults. It is only the difference between younger and older people on expressing of political views.
Dear Grace, The report is fine and the progress seems well. Please be reminded that theoretical concepts need to be applied in the discussion in the final essay. You can make reference to "imagined communities" and "public sphere". The former has been covered in Media Culture 2 and the latter is not but is covered but is useful for your discussion. Another idea you can reference is "participatory culture"
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