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Friday Jun 01, 2007
Essay 2: Tisha Buelto- Blogging for Darfur
Tisha BueltoEssay 2
1 June 2007
According to comScore Network's World Metrix Service, the Internet reaches nearly 747 million of the estimated 6.6 billion people worldwide (2007). These numbers hardly constitute universal access. Furthermore, Hudson notes in her article that universal access does not guarantee universal service, meaning that these Internet penetration estimations could potentially be even few (2006). And yet, a number of human rights blogging sites call upon the world to take action. This presents somewhat of a contradiction, as only the world's elite has access to the Internet. One cannot call upon a worldwide audience that does not exist.
GlobeforDarfur.org, a cross-posted blog, between itself and SaveDarfur.org, stands as a prime example of human rights blogging sites that contradictorily call upon the world to take action. Blogging in eight different languages, the audience that GlobeforDarfur.org targets, is an imaginary worldwide audience. McChesney discusses the notion that ?dominant media firms increasingly view themselves as global entities? (2001). Put another way, Herman discusses ?dominant players treating the media market as a single global market? (1997). These concepts can be applied to larger human rights blogging sites as well. By viewing themselves as ?global entities,? they are able blindly target imaginary Internet audiences.
The problem with targeting a non-existent worldwide audience is that one loses focus on what is really there. By targeting a real audience that can really make a difference, a human rights organization such as SaveDarfur.org or GlobeforDarfur.org is better able to set and meet its organizations goals.
References:
Herman,
Edward S., and Robert W. McChesney. (1997a).
?The Global Media in the Late
1990s.? Chapter 2 (pp. 41-69)
in Herman and McChesney, The Global Media: The New
Missionaries of
Corporate Capitalism. London and Washington:
Cassell.
http://social.chass.ncsu.edu/~wiley/courses/447/HermanMcChesney1997a.pdf
Hudson,
H. (2006b). Toward universal access: Strategies for bridging digital
divides.
Chapter
6 in H. Hudson, From rural village to
global village: Telecommunications for
development in the
information age, pp. 83-99.
Electronic
reserve: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/eresdocs/files2/b7029.pdf.
McChesney,
Robert W., Global Media, Neoliberalism, and Imperialism.
(2001, March).
Retrieved
May 31, 2007 from http://www.monthlyreview.org/301rwm.htm
Worldwide Internet audience has
grown 10 percent in last year, according to comScore
Networks.
(2007, March 6). Retrieved June 1, 2007 from
http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=1242
Posted at 12:24PM Jun 01, 2007 by BUELTO, TISHA in General | Comments[3]
I think your topic brings up some very interesting points. It is somewhat inappropriate to reach out for global aid via the internet when, relatively, so few people in the world have access. However, are the elite, or those people capable of obtaining internet access not the people who are also capable of starting campaigns and programs to supply that aid? I think that there is a global target audience for that website, but it is true that the audience is only a fraction of the world's population. I think its interesting and sometimes helpful to explore topics from different angles and perspectives, like what marketing strategies may be at work there, and who exactly is the "global" target audience for that website.
Posted by K Cox on June 01, 2007 at 01:08 PM EDT #
You make a good point in calling out the false belief that the internet reaches the entire world. Of course on the positive side at least a message is getting out there to some people. Are they still able to get the information dispersed to others by proxy, in other words could they still disperse their message through those who read their sites. With something like darfur it is a difficult topic so some people are naturally a little extreme about their message or how many people their own message reaches.
Posted by David Speidel on June 01, 2007 at 02:43 PM EDT #
Tisha, we really LOVE this! THETA NU!
Posted by Ari and Jamila on March 26, 2008 at 09:45 PM EDT #