Going Viral the use of online (social) media for the spread of information, propaganda and current trends.
by
lilyidehen (student)
MED4101_Studying the Media and Communications
Portfolio Part One: Media Interests
‘Going Viral’
– the use of online (social) media for the spread of information, propaganda and current trends.
The Internet is a prime gateway for the media to connect with its audience. It is a tool that enables virtually instant access to and sharing of information; commonly referred to as the ‘information superhighway’ it is just that, a platform that processes and interchanges data on a rapid, mass scale. The use of the term ‘viral’ reflects the speed and scope of media text distribution to audiences/consumers. This has a variety of applications such as social networking, news, marketing etc. it is a redefinition of how mass media operates.
The ‘Kony 2012’ campaign is a significant example of viral marketing; it revealed the potential social media has to reach a global audience quickly and more efficiently than traditional methods. The 28-minute documentary style campaign video averaged 16.5 million views daily over the first week, (visiblemeasures.com, 2012). Although there is controversy surrounding the ethics and legitimacy of this media campaign, this event is a testament to the true power of the Internet and an interesting study in active consumption whereby audiences are accessing media texts, appraising and then forwarding them amongst peers.
