Two years ago I took part in a great Israeli initiative named Undigitize.me. We experiment our control in our own use of media, in this case- by leaving the smartphones behind for 24 hours. Funnily the project was driven by bloggers, which are most likely the biggest media consumers of all. Those who took part enjoyed communication in real-life, outdoors activities, and even some discounts in local bars who collaborated with the project.
The media nowadays are so central in our lives. According to ZenithOptimedia’s last research in 2015, the average hours per person using media (of any kind), is over 8 hours a day. But should we really fight it, or we should just let the media its part in our lives?
As I am typing these words on my blog, I am also listening to online Radio, getting notifications on Facebook, and texting my friends abroad on WhatsApp. I am living in London and sharing my life almost equally with my friends and family which are back home, in Israel. I am sharing my ideas, getting feedbacks back, I am always updated- locally and globally.
The media are indeed so central in our lives, as well as for my own life. Answering on needs as entertainment, knowledge and communication. Clearly, the media holds so many benefits- but only if we use it right.
According to Roger Silverstone’s book, ‘why study the media’– the media is the filter and the frame for our reality today. However, I will have to disagree with his say, trusting the intelligence of human beings- to be their own filter, to choose their own frame. As an example: Twitter. Twitter could answer the need of our fast, or perhaps flat entertainment. However, Twitter can be as well a great tool for being updated with news in real-time, for learning the public opinion on any current affair- whether it’s gossip or if the war in Syria for an instant.
As a journalist, with main interest of politics and the Middle East, I would like to explain myself more through an example of 5 people who worth following on Twitter, that can benefit your media consumption. Start with Jeremy Bowen, the main editor of the Middle East desk of the BBC since 2005. He is based wherever the news are, currently based in Damascus, Syria. Second, Claire Fox, leader of “Institute of Ideas”, fighting for the freedom of speech. Well, you don’t have to agree with her, but she have definitely always something interesting to say. Third, Russell Brand. Far away from politics, but he is an activist who is followed by a big crowd of young people. Forth, Roger Waters. Similar to Brand, Waters using his stage as an artist to lead many after his opinion. If you ask me, his protest is nothing but toxic propaganda against Israel. And the last, Micky Rosenfeld, the Israeli police foreign press spokesman, where you can read actual fact, and to lay your opinion on reality.
Adi Cohen 