Assignment to Evaluate: Mediactive by Dan Gillmor (Essay Sample)

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Assignment to Evaluate: Mediactive by Dan Gillmor
As I read the book Mediactive by Dan Gillmor, I used various viewpoints to evaluate it. As a student, I wondered how this book can help me in my classroom. Mediactive tells us that we all are creators of media and discusses ways in which we do this. Gillmor’s main point is that we have to think critically when dealing with the media. Generally, the book is easy-to-read. Its style appeals to all. Gillmor holds that in journalism, transparency is very important. Therefore, what he seems to be bragging about at first turns out to be transparency in his practice.
Mediactive is not only a book but also a forum and a website. This is what makes one to also visit the website besides reading the book to appreciate Gillmor’s work and vision. The most impressive thing book about this book is that it is easy to use. Gillmor conveys the complicated subject of media as it is in this century in a straightforward manner. Although he focuses on changing journalism because of the new age, even people who are not journalists can use the book.
Gillmor argues that as we go into the hyperactive age of media due to the new mobile world and the internet, we must strive to be engaged into the new forum actively. This is both for us and the future generations because we cannot be considered literate if we only consume and never create. The form taken by the creation is complex, and Gillmor tries to break it down. He gives the examples of social networks, blogging, and photography, and hyperlinks each to a site that can help the person reading as they form their own digital world. This is one of the things I find quite valuable about Mediactive, the ability it has to give the reader a place to start, a future, and a middle ground. In addition, it is constantly changing and adapting, giving the reader lots of groundwork. It is, however, worth noting that the focus of Gillmor is not on education but on journalism and schools of journalism.
The first chapter gives the history of the problem that the media faces today. Gillmor himself summarizes the second chapter by saying, “we can no longer afford to be passive users” (Gillmor, 16). Gillmor urges that we have to follow some key principles to become active. There are to be judgmental, be skeptical, be open-minded, be inquisitive, and know media technics. The chapter is, therefore, the beginning of one’s journey into media foray. Chapter three has two important sections which are “detecting accuracy” and “checking out a website.” These are all easily understandable. Although the trust meter is a bit complicated. Gillmor explains it in a simple and informative manner.
Gillmor, in chapter four asks what journalism is. The chapter is a starting point for one to learn how they can become mediactive. Chapter five goes on to show the bedrock on which the principles of the creation of media rest, which are accuracy, independence, thoroughness, transparency, and fairness. This section is greatly informative to all that read this book. Chapter six shows the various types of media that people are taking part in every day. These include the social networks, discussion groups, mail lists, blogging, visual date, micro-blogging, and podcasts. Gillmor adds tagging, content-management systems, and APIs for people who are advanced in media technology.
The seventh chapter is imperative and is fit not only for journalists and students of journalism, but also for all the people who read the book. One may not want to be perceived the way they appear on the internet. It is good to understand how people show themselves and how they want others to interpret them. Therefore, Gillmor discusses the various aspects of this in respect to branding, future complications regarding public personas. Photos, and home pages. He goes on to give useful hyperlinks that can help the reader a great deal. Students in the future may be able to create and share more that we can imagine at the current age. For this reason, Gillmor, in chapter 8, discusses the start-up culture and experimentation. This is a guide for every person who wishes to take that step.
Chapter 10 is both interesting and frustrating. I agree with the thoughts of Gillmor that it is important to help our young people to become mediactive people who think critically. However, this is not simple. Pedagogy changes constantly, and pedagogy requires us to keep on adjusting to the changes. Dedicated teachers, however, require the tools, money, and time to educate their students so that they can grow into critical thinkers. What I feel is important is not blaming the schools and teachers for this situation, we should instead look beyond, and Gillmor does not do this. Including Hobbs’ discussion on what media lite...