Singaporeans will be going to the polls in about six day’s time. This time, the elections have taken on a multi-dimensional approach as new media has come to the fore. During each rally each night, thousands of images, tweets and Youtube videos would be uploaded, shared, and commented on.
From Facebook fan pages for various political parties and specific politicians and activists, to YouTube videos, to live streaming of political rallies, to multiple blogs and viral images, there is no doubt that the power of new media is a force to be reckoned with.
I’ve listed below some of the many links that will help you get a handle on the politics of new media and the new media of politics!
Christmas may be over, but then there are 12 days of Christmas, and it’s never too late to look at this interesting video!
Actually, I see it more as a Christmas story for Digital Natives! While the format has been updated with new media, the traditional values and message still remain and are important.
Have a blessed Christmas and happy new year, everyone!
The thing is that Charice Pempengco was relatively unknown and shot to fame because of Youtube. I have written many previous posts on how Youtube and other new media sites have helped to launch the careers of many artistes and Charice is yet another one.
Since gaining her Youtube fame, she has gone on to be invited to talk shows with hosts such as Oprah and Ellen, which has undoubtedly catapulted her to greater heights!
How she got to be on GLEE is quite a strange story. Apparently, she heard rumours that she was going to be on GLEE and after hearing them, decided to audition for the show and promptly got the part.
And how did we learn about her new role – from her use of new media of course. She announced it on Twitter.
Before the age of new media, it was not uncommon for one to hear the declaration “Everything I learnt, I learnt from TV.”
Now, it’s more like “Everything I learnt, I learnt it from the Internet” or more specifically, from Youtube!
I’ve written in a previous post about how I learnt chi running from Youtube. You can learn practically anything fom Youtube – Maths, English, communication skills, sports, you name it, it’s on Youtube!
And you can find a plethora of videos on music! I’ve heard people mentioning about how they learnt to play the guitar and even the drums from Youtube videos. I’ve just taken up playing the ukelele at the Ukelele School, so naturally, I’ve also turned to Youtube for inspiration and added instruction and I found an exciting range of videos to keep me going.
For detailed instructions, you can count on Ukelele Mike’sfree subscription channel on Youtube.
And I came across the cutest little ukelele player – not very coherent but so cute!
Here’s the little cute guy again!
Next is a not so little but equally cute Japanese guy, Jake Shimabukur, in an amazing display of how the ukelele could work as an effective communication and presentation tool! Watch and learn.
Finally, I found my dream Ukelele online! It’s the cutest little thing, don’t you agree.
Now, all that is left is for me to actually pick up the instrument and start learning the chords and strumming! Hm..if i’m good enough, I may just post my own Ukelele video on Youtube!
Now, a 24-year old Taiwanese male is set to follow her example. Lin Chu Yun, also known as ‘Taiwan’s Susan Boyle’ has wowed audiences with his amazing rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I will always love you”. I’m sure Whitney would have been moved to tears!
His singing of the song at the talent show, Super Star Avenue, on Youtube, has garnered more than 3 million hits to date, and still counting.
Again, just like in Boyle’s case, what has surprised judges and audiences is that his voice and his outlook doesn’t gel. If you didn’t look at him, you would have thought that it was Boyle, or even Whitney singing!
Well, Youtube has proven to be a good avenue to be known and to be heard by the world. Way to go!
Talk about your life being an open (face)book and how you could be tweeting your life away…I came across this wedding video on Youtube where just after the couple have exchanged their vows and are married, they both whip out their mobile devices to update their status on their social networking sites!
I don’t know if that’s cute or sad…
One wonders what their friends will hear of next…what they did on their honeymoon, their first quarrel, what they feel about the in-laws, etc, etc…Talk about how one can be so intimately entwined with new media!
Some people must be wondering why they should continue with their subscription to Time magazine, or any other print publication when you can get informed and connected in so many other ways!
Here’s a Youtube reporting on test-driving the new Beatles rock band!
Traditional print media is increasingly supplemented by new media. That seems the way to go, as publications embark on new media ways to connect with their ‘digital native’ audiences.
Will I soon be ending my subscription to the print version? No, I don’t think so. At least not yet.
A one-minute video clip by Evian has been making waves on the Internet.
How so? It’s the new Evian ad that has been launched on Youtube. Of course that in itself is not new. Nor will it always make for a successful viral marketing campaign.
Add the cutest babies doing sleek and smooth rollerblading stunts, and you have a sure winner on hand!
The cute, chubby and charismatic babies dazzle with their cool moves! The producers hired about 800 bloggers to launch the ad campaign online and this advertising campaign using social media has proven to be a great success! The ad is also one of the most watched videos on Youtube.
There’s even a video that shows the ‘making of’ the ad as well! It acts like a certain part 2 of the campaign.
There are two versions of the Evain ad: the International version that starts with Let’s observe the effect of Evian on your body and the US version that starts with How does drinking Evian make you feel? This is followed to a series of shots showing the babies breakdancing, moonwalking and all to the Rapper’s Delight.
Well, I like Evian but does anyone actually think that Evian is the elixir of youth? Do the producers think that anyone would fall for that line?
Of course not, but then, when you have such cute and bubbly babies that lift your spirits, who cares!
Now, a lady in her 40s who took part in Britain’s Got Talent is on her way to phenomenal Youtube success and also real-life success. An Internet clip of her audition has garnered 85.2 million hits!
That’s definitely one for the history books! She’s even got her own Susan Boyle wikipedia entry, and she’s not even won the competition yet.
In a way, it’s not hard to understand the appeal of Susan Boyle. She looks as un-singer/pop star as can be, and therein lies the appeal. When she sings, people listen, and jaws drop (view the video clip if you don’t believe me.) Even the usually caustic Simon Cowell is speechless, and he’s already considering signing her on and planning her album!
So, even if doesn’t win the the competition, she’s won already.
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