Mainstream, Alternative, and Community Media

When the printed newspaper is dead, the mainstream news is read only by subscribers–mostly subscribing organisations. The mainstream online media is for everyone for free. However, news reports are highly commoditised and they are an addition to the information glut. Online media like the age.com.au or news.com.au, for example, flashes reports of crimes, celebrities, sports, and petty government scandals. In a multicultural society like Australia, it is doubtful if readers ever know who these people in the spotlight are. News of general interests are hardly found. There are tonnes of alternative media (as Saba El-Ghul noted), but who read and listen to them? All these segregate the society even further. Each community and individual has its own media to look into. This shows the lack of cohesion that eludes a sense of unified nationalism. It’s like living in one territory without knowing each other.

Well, the Victorian Multicultural Commission has sponsored the event, “Walk in Harmony” months ago. Can anyone sponsor a drive like “Talk in Harmony” where a mainstream media can be a venue where all voices are heard?

Walt Disney knows better:

In Harmony, harmony!
You’re you I’m me,
together we should sing in Harmony!

But then again, power play and media enterprise define the mediascape.

What is a Thesis?

I can’t believe that the greatest shock I could ever have in Australia takes place in the academe.

Monash Uni, for instance, with its financial resources, cannot even hire a webmaster to update its webpages to provide accurate information. In the era of information and technology, the website is the major tool to disseminate information which can be updated at any time. Further, students rely on the official handbook to follow rules and procedures to guide them throughout the course. It’s true that there is an orientation at the beginning of the course, but oral instructions can be forgotten. Also, not all students can attend to these orientations and the info gap should be provided by other tools like the website.

Postgraduate students are categorised into coursework and research. As such, information for each type of student should be distinctly provided.

Completion of a master’s degree at Monash requires a student to undertake a research work. For coursework students, an Industry Research Paper is required. For research students, a Research Dissertation is taken. The Monash University Handbook 2010, however, does not give distinct instructions addressed to each type of student. Instead, it provides a general guide that offers flexible options. Obviously, the handbook is sending a message to a coursework student, for instance, a flexible option to become a research candidate.

But what is a thesis? And what is its purpose? The term itself is quite ambiguous.

In most US universities, a master’s thesis is an optional requirement taken by research candidates to cap the course. It is a token of completion beyond the coursework. The same system is adopted in Korea and the Philippines. At Monash, a thesis called Research Dissertation, is an option only to be taken by students who are prospective PhD candidates. There’s no other reason to take the thesis but an intention to pursue PhD.

Clear enough. Each university has its own systems and requirements. What is flawed here is the information system to better inform candidates.

The Immigration Museum: An Interpretation Audit

The following article is a partial component of my final essay in Cultural Interpretation Audit:

The name of the site speaks for itself—immigration. Any visitor, therefore, expects to see the stories of immigrant communities in Australia. The 2006 Census of the Australian Bureau of Statistics identified more than 270 ancestries of Australia’s population (ABS 2008). Ancestries are indicative of the various ethno-linguistic groups that comprise the multicultural communities of Victoria in particular and Australia in general.

The museum has been able to take advantage of digital technology and multimedia in the Leaving Home — the opening theme hall that welcomes visitors. Entering a dimly-lit area, there are wall photos with brief story lines, specimens with labels, video embedded with a high definition multi-sound system, and an electronic rotating globe, among others. The first storyline on the wall inscribes: “People have migrated to Australia for many different reasons, from many different places.” Reasons include freedom, a better life, war and conflict, family, and disaster. Then, the museum engages the visitor with a question: Why did you or your family come to Australia? The interpretation aptly conforms to what Tilden (1977, p. 75) prescribes for an effective interpretation: ‘A few words that tell a full and moving story.’

The same brief storyline and snapshots are captured in the audio-visual presentation. A power-driven rotating globe under the heading: Crossing the Globe is attention-grabbing. Directional arrow signs digitally appear and point to where immigrants come from—mostly from war-torn countries such as Europe and Asia. People displaced by war and other reasons have moved to Australia. The still and moving multimedia mix amplified by lights and sounds provide visitors with a ‘high-tech museum experience’ veering away from the boring traditional devices.

After a dramatic welcome, a visitor encounters a highly politicised history of a nation in two theme halls— the Timeline and Immigrant Stories and Getting-In: Immigration Policy Past and Present. The information panels and storyboards give brief account of each era—from pre- 1840 to the present time. Racial tensions between white and non-white immigrants dominate the historical context. Random and quick facts include convict past, gold rushes, genocide and decimation of indigenous people, stolen generation, anti-Asian and non-white/non-Briton immigration policies, refusal to admit refugees, and end of White Australian Policy, etc. The storyboards do not contain citations and references, except for the photos. Howard (2003, p. 247) raises the question in reading labels such as “Whose views are these?” Hollinshead (1999 in Smith 2003)) suggests that tourism is “a means of production whereby the themes and sites viewed are cleverly constructed narratives of past events which can manipulate tourists to become involved in configurations of political power.” In reading the labels and storyboards, Tilden (1977, p. 14) notes that a receptive visitor sees things “through his own eyes, not those of the interpreter, and he is forever and finally translating the words as best he can into whatever he can refer to his own intimate knowledge and experience.” Tilden (1977, p.14) also contends that the purpose of interpretation is not instruction but provocation. Wight and Lennon (2007), however, suggest that interpretation at heritage sites are addressed to ‘non-captive audience’ and their engagement can become selective and syncretic. They claim that audience can freely choose to attend or ignore communication content. While these exhibits represent a highly politicised history of Australia, they are intended for audience who are seeking for education or ‘provocation’ (Tilden 1977)— not entertainment.

Families and children are suitable to visit The Journey of a Lifetime hall where a 17-metre replica ship is displayed. Urry (1990 in Smith 2003) calls it ‘edutainment’ when an asset representation combines learning and fun. Uzzell (1989, p. 3 in Smith 2003) states that ‘interpretation has been regarded as a novel way of pepping up tired tourist attractions and giving them a value-added component.” The replica ship shows specimens of those who have sailed in search for a better life. A sound effect captures the voice of the captain, along with the sound of waves and blowing horns. Outside the ship is an area for a story-telling session.

The intention of the museum to involve children and families should be admired. However, the scale and scope of the exhibits are limited. The management needs to invest in more interactive programs and activities that cater to children if it is keen in providing ‘edutainment’.

There are random interpretative tools representing various types of immigrants in the hall, including touch screens, photos, labels, and storyboards, among others. Information is provided by individuals and communities to indicate their ownership and involvement in the museum.

Not all the communities representing 270 ancestries are represented in the exhibits. A visitor, therefore, should not miss to read the ‘Community Connections’ program written in the official website or from the information panel at the entrance of the Community Gallery—otherwise a visit to the Immigration Museum results into disappointment. The Community Gallery exhibits community assets. Communities are required to submit an application to be reviewed and approved by the museum management. This underlines that community participation is vital to the sustainability of the exhibits.

The rest of the exhibits on the second floor can only draw interest from specific interest groups as they are community-based, except for the Station Pier. They are temporary exhibits to promote the museum and to boost visitations.

Verdict:

The expectation in visiting the Immigration Museum is education— a cognitive experience which is related to the aspect of relevance. The interpretative devices that convey the relevance of the assets presented have met this expectation. However, the museum needs further collaboration with various communities, local governments, councils, and other stakeholders to come up with more diverse tourism products that show the diversity and multiculturalism of Australia.

Writer’s Block

Writing my final essay on Interpretation Audit for two heritage assets has taken me so long to complete. Tomorrow is supposed to be the due date, but an extension up to the 23rd has been given. What are the best practices in heritage interpretation? Books have piled up on the floor for my references. I have to get rid of this writer’s block, so that flow of thought would come in and I’ll be able to get things done. Perhaps, I need some meditation…

Revisiting A Hollywood Chick Flick

Noah’s last ditch effort to win her back–before the pouring rain. It’s the loveliest of all scenes.

Can you bring back the moments long gone?
There was a gap in time— spent in grief and loneliness
and somehow you have managed to move on.
You can’t go back in time, can you?
No matter how beautiful the new promises are…..

Moments lost are moments gone…

But Allie and Noah are back into each other’s arms–for good. Can it be real?

This is Hollywood!

I’m back to DVD viewing. Notebook (2004) is a beautifully made film. Excellent actors– Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling. Superb cinematography.

But quite romanticised, like a dream….

Salvador Dali- Liquid Desire

Whoa! It takes a genius like Salvador Dali to come to Melbourne so that an art ignorant like me will be able to grasp what art is all about. I have seen the works of Picasso, but those abstract and cubism arts he created did not move me at all. Those exhibits of Van Gogh had baffled me as well. I wondered why his art pieces are considered as masterpieces.

Dali’s works captivate awe and admiration from any sensitive viewer– through his colours, contours/ lines, brush strokes, balance, measurement and precision–creating depth and distinct aesthetic expressions. I didn’t finish viewing his collections as I was running out of time….I had to get back to the seminar room and listen to Melbourne and Victoria’s tourism strategic planners as they presented their marketing plans to position the city and the state as a top visitors’ destination.

I want to go back to the exhibits and take a a more inquisitive look at those fabulous art works–I hope I can…

Website metrics – What makes a good website?

A good website can convert a visitor into a customer or a patron. The following are the 13 Best Practices Criteria which I listed based on four categories: web features, life cycle, quality characteristics, and marketability. The conceptual framework of this categorisation is derived from a research undertaken by Coral Calero, Julian Ruiz, et.al. (2005) on web metrics using the web quality model.

1. Presentation – Personality and visible attributes such as overall graphic user interface design, layout, template, font, colour, and contents. How these components come together in balance, harmony, and organisation can enhance readability, ease and convenience of users, and a pleasant aesthetic view. Presentation is what grabs a visitor’s attention as soon as the browser displays the site.

2. Content – Quantitative and qualitative components that send the message supportive to the goals and objectives of the website, including texts, audio, video, multimedia, forum, blog, RSS feeds, syndication, widgets, social and bookmarking tools, etc. The bottom line is: Do visitors get what they are looking for? Can visitors bookmark this site for future reference or refer it to others? Ultimately, it results to customers’ engagement and conversion.

3. Navigation – A compass that guides and walks a visitor through the web pages. When a navigation menu bar is pressed, the visitor is directed to the right page Visitors get through the web pages without being stuck in a labyrinth or maze.

4. Originality – Copyrighted. The contents are original creation of the owner, not plagiarised from other public sites nor rehashed.

5. Development – Architecture of the website may be made up of the following options:

a. In-house—A developer may choose from any of the software. Example HTML and JavaScript, Dreamweaver with various web applications (this is a powerful tool compare with other software/tools), or FrontPage. This requires in-house expertise.

b. Outsource—This is the easiest way to put up a website. With the break-neck market competition, most web hosting companies are offering a one-stop-shop that gives customers handy packages— from domain registration to web design and web hosting that comes with a pre-installed site or a Content Management System (CMS) to manage data flows. This option is excellent for non-tech savvy customers.

c. Open Source- Joomla and DotNetNuke are major examples of open source with CMS that offer a wide array of web functionalities including news and RSS feeds, photo gallery, forum, Php databases, and a lot more. This is excellent for PC experts.

There are other sources of software for web development that determine the life cycle and sustainability of the website.

6. Technology – What are the technologies and applications used in web development? Are they all working together to come up with an efficient and functional website? Is the software compatible with various kinds of browsers like Explorer, Mozilla, or Netscape?

7. Maintenance – Is the technology or contents updated and the market environment regularly monitored to keep the website and business competitive? A regular facelift keeps the website look fresh and innovative which reflects business operation and performance. Avoid orphaned links.
Quality Characterestics

8. Efficiency – With millions of websites competing for a visitor’s attention, speed and browser compatibility are of topmost important to grab a visitor’s interest. Avoid software that slows down loading the site. Ensure that enquiry submission forms or credit card payment transactions are working.

9. Reliability – Uninterrupted, available, and functioning whenever a client needs it. Service interruption can cost the business by losing prospective customers.

10. Security – Software has the capability to prevent unauthorized access, whether accidental or deliberate, to programs or data. Hacked-proof. Encryption for credit cards and other personal information..
Marketability

11. SEO – Search engines can pick the URL and displays the site on the front page. A new media writer should write content-rich copy using current industry terms. Website site must have a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) tool.

12. URL – Short and easy to remember. Suitable to the type of organisation. Dot com dot au for example, suits Australian businesses.

13. Commendations – Awards, membership, and recommendations can elicit an impression of credibility, legality, and reliability of the business.

References:

Inan, H 2002, Measuring the Success of your Website, Prentice Hall, Pearson Education, Australia

Calero C, Ruiz J et al 2005, ‘Classifying web metrics using the web quality model’, in Online Information Review, Vol. 29 No. 3, pp. 227-248, Emerald Group Publishing Limited: Spain, viewed on 8 August 2009,

Facebook– The Book With a Face

You are the book and your cover has a face– yes, you are on Facebook!

Indeed, this tool serves more than a social networking amenity. It’s a tool to put up an image online. You are your own public relations and marketing manager– to promote or sell yourself to your list of “friends” or contacts or networks–whatever you may wish to call those people in your long list.

Each facebooker has his/her own reason why he/she signed up. Among them include: to connect with family members, to find old friends and classmates, peer pressure (inbox bugged by FB invites), or to simply establish online presence for networking or marketing, among many other reasons.

I signed up last year for the purpose of connecting with old and new friends, as well as to add future connections. Facebook, at this point, I believe, is a good online address book or an online contact database.

Whatever the reason why you signed up, anything you post reflects your personality. Frequent status updates indicate a call for attention, so as frequent posting of photos. Buddy, you can be as super-egoist as you wish to be. Grab people’s attention–and you think you’re a star.

Ignore such nonsense observation if you’re doing a serious business, anyway. Facebook is the right place to promote your business.

Age determines the activity of a user. Younger ones are more extrovert and you bet–they are noisier. They post just anything–from games to quizzes and any photos taken during an ordinary day. These are the people who have all the time doing social networking almost 7/24.

There are users who are quiet– more mature? No time to waste playing around? You don’t notice whether they are still in your list or not. They shun themselves to appear from the RSS or news feeds. They don’t need attention. Don’t tag them either if you happen to post a photo that inlcudes them. If you want to get in touch, get into their page right away and say hello.

Technology is just amazing. With Facebook, you can build whatever image you may want to be. You’re a creator, not just a consumer and you’re a star–if your ego tells you so.

Trafficking of Women in Film

There hasn’t been a film that sent me to tears, I mean real tears than this– Lilya 4-Ever, a 2002 Russian film produced by Swedish Director Lukas Moodysson.

Russian girls have been stigmatised with the stereotype of prostitutes, but this film is an eye-opener. Loathing at Russian “whores” (a very denigrating label) comes from utter ignorance. Lilya (Oksana Akinshina), a 16-year-old Russian girl abandoned by her mother to live in excruciating poverty, can open your heart and soul to commisserate and to beg for justice. She epitomises the debacle faced by many young vulnerable women caught in the sex slave trade and women trafficking. Innocence sparks in her eyes. She does believe in God and guardian angels, but she’s also capable of being disillusioned from her pure faith when she realises she’s betrayed.

She has only one friend, an 11-year-old boy named Volodya (Artyom Bogucharsky). They have nothing but their friendship. Unloved and abandoned by their own families, they share a life amid the most inhuman condition of severe poverty in a dreary town “somewhere in Russia.” But Volodya ended his own life when Lilya was duped by her “boyfriend” to leave Russia for Sweden with the promise of finding a better life. What else is left when the only one he’s got is gone.

The racket is all-too-familiar. As soon as she arrived in Sweden, the trafficker demanded to hand in her passport to guarantee she couldn’t flee. She became a commodity for sex trade–pumped by several men day in and day out. These men are ugly, dirty, and old.

Volodya visited her quite often in her dreams and hallucinations–foreshadowing she would soon join him. She’s got the chance to finally flee when her trafficker forgot to lock the door. She escaped, ran amok along the unfamiliar streets–just anywhere, then jumped from a bridge into her tragic death.

The film did not show the ramification of justice and redemption for Lilya which undelines the bleakness and hopelessness in addressing the issue of women’s trafficking in Russia.

A Commoditised Education

Last year, Professor Richard Larkins of Monash University admitted in his speech at the Melbourne Press Club that one of Australia’s major tourism products includes international education. Universities, not to mention English institutes, have been drawing a significant number of students mostly from Asian countries.

Today, news reports note that the international education industry contributes about $14 billion to the national economy. This report came amid controversies involving Indian students who use education as an “immigration racket” to Australia. Out of 500,000 international students, 20 percent are Indians, the report says.

Interesting. Once again, education is not a right of every citizen of the earth, but a privilege given to fortunate people who can efford it. Those students sitting in the classrooms of Australia’s educational institutions are the privileged groups coming from their respective countries, and they will go back home to outshine their local competitors in the job market who can never afford an overseas education.

The same commoditised and commercialised education is happening in other so-called “top-notched” universities, including those in the Philippines and South Korea where I previously lived and worked.

Education is accessible to and for the people who can afford it. (Scholarship is beside the point.) This then puts into question the quality of education and more importantly the capability of future leaders–both in the government, non-government, and private sectors.

If masters and PhD degrees from overseas institutions are the major qualifying factors to get a job, what kind of society can we expect to build?

We’re instituting the gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots.”

Some food for thought:

Finley Peter Dunne:

Ye can lead a man up to the university, but you can’t make him think.

George Bernard Shaw:

A fool’s brain digests philosophy into folly, science into superstition, and art into pedantry. Hence University education.

John F. Kennedy:

Remember that our nation’s first great leaders were also our first great scholars. (Unfortunately, most postgrads are not great scholars. sic)

Here’s the Yahoo!News:

Thousands of Indians are being enrolled in “dodgy” courses in Australia, while others are paying up to $20,000 for a good result in the International English Language Test System exam, an investigation into the overseas student industry has found.

Following a recent spate of attacks on Indian students in Australia, The Australian reports the nation’s $14-billion international education sector has turned into a recognised immigration racket.

Last week, police arrested three people in Punjab, the main feeder community for Indian students in Australia, for impersonation and forgery after they were caught sitting the IELTS exam for aspiring foreign students.

Other scams have involved operators across the Punjab arranging “contract marriages” for aspiring migrants to partners who have passed the mandatory English test for a student visa.

For an additional fee, agents have arranged bank documents and loans to satisfy Australian immigration law that demands students have the means to support themselves for the duration of their course, the newspaper says.

There are 500,000 international students living in Australia. Of these, 20 per cent are Indian.

Universities on average rely on international students for 15 per cent of their revenue.