Research the Ian Tomlinson case. What would the traditional, hegemonic view of the police be in a case like this? How did new and digital media create a different story? What does the police officer's subsequent acquittal suggest about the power of new and digital media?
Ian Tomlinson died in London after being struck by a police officer during the 2009 G-20 summit protests. Lewis 2009 statement described "attempts by police medics and an ambulance crew to save his life after he collapsed – efforts they said were marred by protesters throwing missiles as first aid was administered." However, the video that was captured by a New York lawyer revealed the real incidents and how the police force had been misleading audiences and essentially lying to them. The traditional hegemonic view of the police force would be that they are trusted as they have the power in societies, therefore there would not be much speculation around the incident if no other sources to challenge it would be found; however due to the impact of new and digital media, it has formulated a discussion around the idea of who is to trust and how valid is the news we receive. The fact that the police officer was acquitted due to the power of the video shows the effects of new and digital media and how this has a huge dominance in society and therefore bases power in the audiences hands and not only the professionals. It also reveals how audiences become powerful and therefore can challenge professionals and high-ruling professionals, such as the police force, it highlights how the citizen journalism can be used as evidence and can essentially bring about justice.
What does the author argue regarding whether hegemony is being challenged by Web 2.0?
Through the example of the Ian Tomlinson case, The Guardian posted the video on their website, which is user-generated content, emphasises how audiences can challenge the traditional media and therefore challenges the idea of hegemony. The internet has a liberating political function due to user-generated content because "Technology empowers the people, who, oppressed by years of authoritarian rule, will inevitably rebel, mobilizing themselves through text messages, Facebook, Twitter..." Morozov 2011. Although audiences have power to challenge governments and ruling forces, governments are able to exert a large amount control over the internet and an example of this is in countries such as China and Iran, whereby they have successfully controlled the general population's access to media and prevented the circulation of information so that the ruling classes, the government, are in control. Therefore the power of Web 2.0 alone cannot be successful when against the ruling government as they have the over ruling dominance and power as 'We Media' is not strong enough alone to allow 'people power' to succeed.
In your opinion, does new and digital media reinforce dominant hegemonic views or give the audience a platform to challenge them?
I think new and digital media allows audiences to challenge hegemonic views due to the idea of user generated content, however I also believe that above all else, the ruling classes hold the dominant power over societies and audiences. The new and digital media is essentially able to do both reinforce and challenge hegemonic views as organisations are able to voice their opinions online to then get challenged by an audience and go viral, to the point where a huge phenomenon would break through, challenging the ruling classes and institutions; however the power still belongs to the ruling class as they are able to make the final judgement and create the change, whilst the audience are unable to do so. The audience can only have so much say to the point where governments can exert their power and essentially flip this control almost instantly. So whilst new and digital media offer a platform to challenge dominant hegemonic views, there is also the counter argument to suggest that institutions are similarly able to reinforce dominant hegemonic views through new and digital media and the higher, ruling classes are the ones to hold the dominant control within a society, regardless of new and digital media and it's impact amongst a controlling government.
Do recent world events such as Brexit or Donald Trump's election in the US suggest dominant hegemonic ideologies are being challenged or reinforced? There are arguments for both sides here - explain your opinion and why.
Donald Trump's election is a great example of dominant hegemonic ideologies being challenged and how hegemony is essentially fading when it comes to the US and the UK, through Brexit. The rise of far-right, fascistic movements both in the US and across the EU reveals an anomaly in terms of the shift in global order. For example, Saudi Arabia invaded Yemen against the wishes of the US and therefore challenges a powerful and dominant country's forces and emphasises how hegemony is fading. In terms of the election and UK coverage of it, comedy broadcasting institutions such as 'South Park' spoofed the US elections, creating humour out of the event before taking place and therefore slating Trump, revealing a negative light on him already. In addition to this, Comedy Central also hosted The Roast of Donald Trump and therefore publicly announced the negative effects of him as a ruling power and his ideologies as being immoral and completely self-aggrandised. The fact that comedy broadcaster institutions exposed the coverage of the elections and highlighted the negatives of Trump reveals the true impact of institutions and how dominant hegemonic ideologies are being challenged. Through dominant media coverage being focused on the negatives of Trump, it puts into perspective the actual influence of new and digital media; through user-generated content and social networking sites like Twitter, discussions are able to be held about an individual's political ideologies, which simply causes a moral panic online rather than within society. Through these moral panics being exposed, through the media, it is interesting that Trump was still elected and therefore it reveals how the dominant hegemonic views are being challenged and moreover, how new and digital media has become something that may not be as influential as we all initially believed.
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