I agree with Elisabeth - on both points. So yes, congrats Yemisi, thanks so much Ian and hello to everyone.
And yes, facebook has significant limitations and its intra-network targeted advertising is pretty gross, but I would prefer to stick to this platform for two reasons.
First, I suspect that many of us are on it anyway (although have no idea if this is true?) and personally, I have no interest in joining yet another social networking site or service in addition to the ones I am already a part of. Plus, I like it, particularly the ways facebook mixes professional and social networks.
Second, I find the whole active audience tradition pretty convincing, and I trust that we can all be critically aware of the advertising strategies that facebook employs. As such, I think there is a certain appropriateness to having a facebook group for a media scholars network.
Anyway, just my two cents. I will support whatever the group decides but I may be a little reluctant to join yet another site.
Best wishes,
Zoe
-----Original Message-----
From: MeCCSA - Postgraduate Network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Onyeche Agbiti
Sent: 08 September 2008 11:23
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Facebook
I want to say congrats to Yemisi and thanks to Iai
Hello Everyone
I want to say congrats to Yemisi and thanks to Iain and Salvatore for all the useful info they have provided us so far. I personally have found the emails useful and relevant.
With regards to this discussion about Facebook, I am not exactly sure what the problem is. We are predominantly media students here and aware of the shortcomings of new media. However, for now, this is the best we have. We want to have our our forum, communicate and be able to network and Facebook like many other online social network allows us to do this. Sure, there is marketing and it requires personal info, but so do our email service providers.
Unless anyone is saying that they are unable to access Facebook for whatever reason, I say we shelf this discussion and get on with the business of communicating. If it poses any real problems, we could always change the channel we use later.
While it was nice to see that we generally stay in an academic frame of mind, we are basically postgrad students trying to keep in touch and have our own space and intellectualising this doesn't bring solutions.
I am not sure if anyone else agrees with me, but that's my two cents.
Regards
Elisabeth Douglas
Ph.D Student/ Research Student Representative
Department of Media and Communication
incorporating the Centre for Media and Communication Research
University of Leicester
----- Original Message ----
From: Salvatore Scifo <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sunday, 7 September, 2008 16:56:49
Subject: Facebook
Dear Gerard,
many thanks for the information about Facebook.
As this list has among its members Media, Communications, Cultural and
Film Studies, and Media Practice, PhD Students and young researchers do
you really think that no one of us is aware of Facebook's business model
and its structure?
Moreover, if you are so concerned why you have a public profile on
Facebook itself? (http://www.facebook.com/people/Gerard_Choo/631595703,
apologies in advance if I used Google, another 'privately held business
that makes profit for its shareholdrs by selling ads linked to
information on its users' to search this...)
I am sorry to use such a tone, but your message seems a bit too harsh in
replying to someone presenting herself and informing the members about
current and new communication tools.(no 'Dear xxxx, or
signature....again Google tells me you are a Senior Lecturer in Public
Relations at LeedsMet, I wonder if you are postgrad student at all...).
Yemisi, as Iain and myself before them were/are giving our time
voluntarily to facilitate communications among postgrad students and
young researchers in our area of study. The website, the mailing list,
the facebook group and any other public/privately owned tool are used
for this aim.
If Facebook is not something you like, be propositive and suggest to the
list other solutions and their pros and cons. If a consistent number of
the members would like the PGN to communicate also with another channel
then I guess that this can be easily done. Let's bear in mind that the
Facebook group as already 70 members (including myself) and I am quite
happy (and aware) to use Facebook.
If the discussion of this matter is felt not relevant to the list I am
quite happy to discuss it privately (or on Facebook) with other
interested members of this list.
Best Wishes,
Salvatore Scifo
Ph.D candidate
Communication and Media Research Institute
University of Westminster
Profile: http://www.wmin.ac.uk/mad/page-1457
Former Communications Officer and Member of the MeCCSA PGN Executive
Committee (2005-2008)
Yemisi Ogunleye wrote:
> Hi Gerard,
> Thank you for this interesting comment. Would you like to make any suggestions?
>
> Yemisi
>
> On Sun, Sep 7, 2008 at 1:45 PM, Choo, Gerard <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> Facebook calls itself a 'social utility' but it is a privately held business that makes profit for its shareholdrs by selling ads linked to information on its users - what it calls 'integrated advertising'.
>> http://www.facebook.com/business/
>> http://www.facebook.com/ads/
>>
>> Microsoft bought a stake in Facebook precisely to drive its 'integrated advertising' business.
>>
>> Let's use a social utility that isnt commercially owned, and doesnt sell nor ask for personal data of its users.
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: MeCCSA - Postgraduate Network on behalf of Yemisi Ogunleye
>> Sent: Sun 9/7/2008 1:29 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: New Communications Officer - MeCCSA-PGN
>>
>> Dear All,
>> I would like to introduce myself YEMISI OGUNLEYE, as your new
>> Commincations Officer for MeCCSA PGN. Iain Smith handed over to me
>> this weekend, and as a result of our discussion, it was decided that
>> the following features should be added to the communication you
>> receive from MeCCSA PGN:
>>
>> - Facebook: I hope you have all joined the Facebook group for MeCCSA
>> PGN. In order to make the group more interactive, I will be sending
>> all weekly updates to your facebook inbox as well as to your emails.
>> This is primarily to encourage discussions and feedback through the
>> application;
>>
>> - Job listings: These were previously sent as individual emails to
>> your addresses, however, as some people have complained about this, I
>> would like to encourage those that would like to received these emails
>> as one bulk email to change their mailing settings in Jiscmail. This
>> can be found under the 'join or leave MeCCSA PGN' link;
>>
>> - Circulation: I would be happy to circulate any information that
>> members would like help circulating. This could be anything from
>> information on events, request for accommodation or availability of
>> accomodation, help with circulating questionnaires for your research,
>> and any other general information you would like me to pass on to
>> other members.
>>
>> These are just three changes I hope would benefit all our members. I
>> encourage you all to send me any other suggestions, and perhaps to use
>> the facebook group to submit your suggestions and create discussions.
>>
>> I look forward to hearing from you all.
>>
>> Thank you.
>>
>> Kind Regards.
>>
>> Yemisi Ogunleye (Miss)
>> PhD Student
>> Birmingham City University
>>
>>
>>
>> To view the terms under which this email is distributed, please go to http://disclaimer.leedsmet.ac.uk/email.htm
>>
>>
>
>
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