Exploring Key Debates in Copyright, Environmental Impact of Media Technologies, Concentration of Own

Copyright and Key Debates

1. Copyright has become one of the key battlegrounds in the struggle over media, communication, and culture. Through a specific case study, explore how copyright works and what the key debates are. Does this case suggest that current copyright laws limit or enhance forms of expression? Are there alternative models that might work better? The case study may draw on a specific court case like the ones we looked at in lecture, but should consider the larger contexts of the medium under discussion (ie. music, TV, movies, radio, software, etc.). Alternatively, the case study can focus on copyright legislation in a specific country (Canada, India, etc.), or look more deeply at alternative models (Creative Commons, Free Software, etc.).

2. There is growing concern about the environmental impact of media technologies in terms of the often-toxic waste produced, the energy consumed by digital infrastructures, and the role of media content in driving environmental problems. Develop a specific case study of a particular technology or industry. First, assess what the environmental impacts of those technologies or industries are, and what potential policy changes or political interventions might address those problems. Second, consider how media may have contributed to these problems, in particular in driving advertising and consumer cultures. Can media also serve as a platform to challenge these dangerous environmental practices? NOTE: This topic is a large one. Depending on the case study you choose, you may focus on some of these questions more than others. Case studies may include specific technologies (ie. cell phones, server farms, etc.) or particular industries (ie. social media).

3. The concentration of ownership is often cited as a key political economic problem. Outline the problems stemming from concentration of ownership in Canada or another country by exploring a specific case study. What are the impacts of concentration on the democratic role of media and communication? What policy or other interventions might be useful to address the negative impacts of media concentration? The focus can be on legacy media (newspapers, TV, radio, film) and/or digital media platforms, and in any country. A consideration of the role of advertising and the commercial, advertising-driven, and consumer-oriented nature of media industries may be relevant here as well.

4. Historically and today, what role does the CBC and Public Service Broadcasting played in the Canadian broadcasting system? With the proliferation of communications technology, and what some claim to be ever expanding choice in media products, is there a future for the CBC and public broadcasting? Discuss with reference to the policy debates outlined in the course.

5. At various points in the course we have looked at developments in media from an Indigenous perspective. Focusing on a concrete case study related to infrastructure, content, and/or policy, develop an analysis of Indigenous media and culture. What are the challenges faced by Indigenous people and communities when it comes to media? How have Indigenous people used media in developing social, political, and/or cultural projects? What might it mean to Indigenize media systems in Canada or elsewhere?

6. What is “media imperialism” (also called “cultural imperialism”)? Focusing your research on a country or region other than Canada, and on a specific case study, discuss how media imperialism manifests itself in that context. What are the ways in which that country or region has responded to this perceived threat, and to what extent have they been successful? Are there limits to the concept of ‘media imperialism’ in understanding the global media landscape?

7. Increasingly, our social relationships are mediated by automated systems that can often encode biases or forms of discrimination. These systems gather huge quantities of data, process them using algorithms, and then use the results for specific purposes. Through the examination of a specific case study, examine how surveillance and/or the gathering of data works, and what kinds of social and political issues arise in that particular case. Examples of case studies may include: search engines; social media sites; policing or security; political surveillance; etc. Examining the role of advertising and consumer culture in these developments may be useful.

8. With written permission from your T.A. you may write on a topic of your choice that is relevant to the themes, issues, and ideas covered in this course. Write up a brief (one paragraph) proposal that your TA will approve and sign; you MUST then attach that proposal to your submitted essay.