CS 400U Digital Media and New Aural Cultures Fall 2024

 So the other day, my friend got tickets to Tyler the Creator's tour, Chromakopia. The concert is being held at, arguably, the most popular concert venue, Scotiabank Arena. Since I have been there enough that times that they should name a section after me, my friend reached out for some tips and tricks for attending a concert. I thought I would share them here for anyone also attending Tyler's concert or any other concert for that matter.  TIP 1: PRE GAME HARD BUT NOT TOO HARD Drinks at concert venues are always ridiculously expensive. I'm talking about like $20 for a single can of beer ridiculous. My favourite spot to drink before a show at Scotiabank Arena is Jack Astors. They have fishbowls, cheap appetizers, and it's a 5 minute walk away. You can't go wrong. But be warned: if you are sloppy drunk, they WILL deny you entry into the show. So drink responsibly!  TIP 2: NEVER SHOW UP BEFORE DOORS OPEN One misconception people have about concerts is that you NEED to ...

As a universal language, music  has the ability to  greatly impact our mental health. It can make you feel many types of  emotions, including  happiness, sadness, nostalgia, and excitement. Music stimulates the brain's reward centres and activates specific regions associated with memory and emotion. For example, music can alleviate stress, reduce anxiety, and improve cognitive function. Listening to calming music  can lower  cortisol levels, the stress hormone. It can also slow down heart rate and blood pressure,  resulting in  a state of relaxation. On the other hand, upbeat music can stimulate  the release of dopamine,  a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This can lead to improved  moods  and increased motivation. Additionally, music can strengthen social bonds and  reduce feelings of loneliness.   When it comes to music taste, we can find common ground with others around us,   strengthening...

There are a lot of complex things that come with "noise" and sound". In the reading "Silence and Noise" by Richard Rath, we read about a man name John Cade who discovered that could hear hear his own heartbeat and nervous in a room that is completely silent. Another artist named Raven Chacon, decided to record silence in places that are quiet. This was to show that different places have their own unique sound that shows that silence does have noise. Noise is something we hear but it can also be sounds that do't have meaning, sounds that are unwanted, or sounds that help feel calmness. Noise can often to be used to make "silence", an example of this is noise-cancelling headphones. Depending on social views, what someone's perspective of noise may be someone's music. Noise can be whatever society considers it to be at anytime or anywhere so silence may not actually exist.  Noise and silence are not truly opposites. No matter how hard you try...

  Blog Post #3 - The Importance of Background Music Recently in class we have been talking about silence and noise within our everyday lives. We look at understanding sound and how it's always around us, one noise that goes unnoticed is background music. I think most of us fail to realize how often we are exposed to music, without it being our primary focus. Stores, restaurants, sporting events, and in virtual spaces.  Background music isn't just there for no reason, it serves a purpose “ rather than musical styles or genres signals a functionalist perspective that regards music as both accompaniment and actant: that is, background to our everyday routines, amplifier for experiences and enabler of moods” (Prey, 2019).  The music chosen to be played in many different stores and restaurants have meaning, they don't just play the most popular music but choose music with very special criteria, things like speed, rhythm and volume affects the customers pace within the store se...

Podcasts: Is listening dead? Transformation from Radio to Podcasts Podcasts have become very popular today because they offer a more personalized and flexible alternative to traditional radio. While radio follows set schedules and is limited by ads and programming rules, podcasts let listeners pick what they want to hear, whenever and wherever they want. This shift is important in the context of Susan Douglas's argument in "Is Listening Dead?" In her work, she talks about how digital media has changed the way we listen. She believes that, while traditional radio’s shared listening experience may be disappearing, podcasts have brought back a more personal and active way of listening (Douglas 1999). Podcasts allow listeners to explore specific topics or follow their favorite creators. The podcasts make the experience more interactive and diverse compared to radio. To answer Douglas' questions is lietning dead? It isn't dead, just changing. Podcasts offer a more flex...

Throughout the semester so far we have explored many artists who paint stories with their music, for example, Zach Bryan and Taylor Swift. Music serves as a unique medium for imagination and how different musical elements or genres shape people's mental visuals and emotional experiences. Looking at how music can expand people’s imagination is a topic I find extremely interesting, as well as relevant to our class. When you use music as a creative tool instead of just background noise, it can stimulate mental storytelling, create emotional and visual experiences, and even expand your creative horizons. Susan Douglas’ “Listening In” can help us to further understand this concept. As explained by Douglas, radio fostered creativity by making listeners rely solely on auditory signals to fill in visual information (Douglas, 2004). In order to develop a special, intimate bond with the stories and voices, listeners would visualize the settings, people, and events being told (Douglas, 2004)....

I believe that one crucial step toward reclaiming silence and meaning in our lives is to establish digital boundaries. I have looked into some articles, and I have found two that are particularly interesting on this topic.  Firstly, by setting designated times to engage with electronic devices, and silencing non-essential notifications, we can be more in-the-moment with the people we care about. Constant digital interruptions have been linked to increased stress and impaired concentration, often preventing individuals from reaching deep thought states (Gazzaley & Rosen, 2016). By creating intentional periods of “digital detox,” we can promote moments of mental stillness that enable reflection, reduce anxiety, and foster richer, more meaningful connections. For example, taking device-free mornings or tech-free evenings can restore control over our attention and allow space for personal insights to emerge without the relentless pull of notifications. Additionally, mindful practic...

 Music radio once served as the ultimate gatekeeper to new sounds, genres, and cultural trends, especially for young audiences. Today, however, the industry faces a major shift as digital platforms capture youth attention, leaving radio struggling to retain relevance. With the rise of playlist culture, the pull of YouTube, and music’s constant availability through connected devices, radio's monopoly on musical discovery has fractured. Can music radio reconnect with audiences in a digital world, or will it fade into the background of the music industry? For decades, radio was indispensable for music discovery, connecting listeners with emerging subcultures and regional sounds. Now, however, broadcasters are “giving up on younger listeners,” (Gallego 2022, p. 434), focusing instead on consolidating mature audiences who are also showing signs of migrating to digital platforms. As further expressed by Gallego (2022), "the playlist culture, the power of YouTube, the hyper connectio...

   We are facing the issue of the  absence of silence in our lives, are we afraid to sit in silence.  Much like my inability to stay in my kitchen for long periods of time without engaging with Alexa. The same is true when I am driving, playing something entertaining on my phone then automatically connecting to my headphones when I leave my car.  Whether I'm grocery shopping, walking to class, on a jog, or studying, there's always noise.  Weiss (2023) emphasizes how our attachment to electronic tools and constant notifications has wiped out peaceful times from our schedules. This lack of quiet not only increases anxiety and distraction but also impairs our ability to reflect and form deep connections. We risk losing the ability to listen to ourselves and each other as there is a constant sound that fills the silence, whether from scrolling on social media or the hum of AI-generated playlists (Weiss, 2023). The dominant issue is that noise, without a moment ...

 Harold Innis' understanding of orality and speech is that it's primarily time-biased, meaning it is durable, heavy, and can transcend through time. It is a form of storytelling and the use of words that's able to bring about a sense of community, togetherness, and collaboration.  Now to contrast that to Grant Mazzy's and DJ. Dave Mickie's way of speaking through the radio.  Grant Mazzy's radio dialogue, I believe, aligns with the community and collaboration that comes with storytelling and dialogue. Grant Mazzy's strategy of spreading the message of the missing cat is by repetition and connecting words with each other so people can have the information at the back of their minds, constantly repeating in their heads which then makes it easier for someone listening to know where to look if they wanted to help or are in the surrounding area. For example, he first states that the bridge's name is Ponte de Flaque. Then he translates the meaning of the woman ...

I In class we learn about Harold's Innis’ concepts of time and space biased media. We look to explore this in the film we watched in class Pontypool, a sort of zombie apocalypse film that explores the spread of infection through language and communication. In the Pontypool movie Innis concept of space biased media is what I notice to be present. Innis' concept in Pontypool explores vectors of infection of the English language as an example of space bias and the power and limitations of language in creating and shaping human experiences during these intense situations. Pontypool also gives a great example of a media form space bias being used. As the movie takes place in a radio station many interactions with the outside world are from the receiving and sending of information. This media form is able to extend the transmission of information, leading to the spread of the infection to become more rapid because they are able to extend their communication across the whole town.  Th...

 Question 3: According to McLuhan, a medium is any extension of human senses. The tele-technologies of the modern electronic media environment, which ranges from radio and television to telegraphy, are only extensions of sight and hearing. The key idea about media as an extensions of the human senses is that its growth will change what McLuhan refers to at the "ratio's" between senses. This means that a medium that benefits the eye, will cause the ratios to be changed to benefit the visual sense, which creates an understanding of the world. The balance between all our senses is changed when a technology is introduced. A TV makes us use our eyes more which means it changes the ratio between our senses. Not only do our ears and other senses change, but so do our feelings.  In Pontypool, language is more than a form of communication but also something that can affect our senses.  McLuhan's idea about media as an extension of the human senses shows how speech can start th...

 2.  For this weeks blog post I have decided to focus on question #2, discussing the plague of Pontypool in relation to Harold Innis' analysis of ancient empires and media forms. The language virus in Pontypool is a perfect example of a form of media that is rapidly transmitted and evolves, mirroring the characteristics of space bias as discussed by Innis. This is because of the fact that the virus in the film spreads quickly through spoken language, which is an easy method of transmission.  This aligns with the concept of space bias, the wide distribution of information within a short period of time. In the context of Pontypool, radio, telephone, and electronic amplification serve as contemporary forms of orality. Modern aural culture, including social media platforms, podcasts, and music streaming, can also disseminate information and influence public opinion at a rapid pace, just like the language virus is spreading in Pontypool.

 In Pontypool , Grant Mazzy’s opening monologue reflects Harold Innis' understanding of orality by emphasizing the power of speech to engage and shape a community. Innis believed speech is time-bound, existing in the present moment and fostering a direct, communal connection. Mazzy’s cryptic wordplay—where a simple announcement about a missing cat spirals into absurdity—draws listeners into a shared space of thought, turning local news into a strange, performative experience. His voice binds the town together in real-time, creating a sense of immediacy. This contrasts with DJ Dave Mickie’s high-energy performance, discussed by Marshall McLuhan. Mickie’s rhythmic, playful style brings an almost musical quality to his speech, using energetic banter and catchphrases to pull listeners into a shared cultural experience. Both Mazzy and Mickie leverage the intimacy of radio, but while Mickie’s upbeat delivery reinforces a sense of fun and connection, Mazzy’s performance subverts expectat...

  2. The film Pontypool provides an interesting explanation of Harold Innis’ theory of time-bias and space-bias. Time-bias refers to a quality of some media that prioritizes longevity and continuity over the capacity to disseminate information rapidly over large distances. In contrast, space-bias is the propensity of some communication technology to give quick, widespread information dissemination precedence over long-term preservation. Since the virus in Pontypool has infected physical words, space-bias is most present , especially due to the use of radio, telephone and amplification technologies.  The employment of radio, telephone and amplification devices demonstrates the space-biased theory. These media forms increase the virus's reach and foster a culture in which communication isolates individuals due to infection rather than uniting them through common understanding. These technologies enable a more expansive and quicker spread, a characteristic of space-biased media. ...

 2) The language in Pontypool created an interesting perception of Harold Innis' analysis of time-biased and space-biased media. Time-biased media is considered long-lasting and durable but can't travel or move. It would be like a t radition or a continuity, like the example of the pyramids. On the other hand, space-biased media c an travel and move but is not long-lasting and durable. An example of this would be the virus from Pontypool. The virus was able to move rapidly infecting new people and moving invisibly through the English language. This is a prime example of space bias because the infection spreads through space to other people while growing in size through each new infection. The virus moved rapidly through the understanding of English words and was able to infect others not just through face-to-face communication but also through broadcast radio. Since radio, telephone, and electronic amplification can convey speech, thoughts, and information over space and time,...

 For this blog post, I’ll be discussing the plague of Pontypool in terms of Harold Innis’ analysis of ancient empires and media forms and explaining whether the virus is an example of time-bias or space-bias.  The plague of Pontypool can be related to Harold Innis’ concept of time-bias and space-bias media. Time-bias media encompasses oral traditions or religious text and is durable. Whereas, space-bias media, such as print and broadcast, are ephemeral but allow for a larger reach of communication across wide distances.  In the film Pontypool, the language virus infects individuals through speech and meaning, which aligns it with space-bias media. How the virus spreads, through oral communication and telecommunications shows that the virus can travel across distances, rather than being endured over time. Furthermore, the virus spread very fast through the radio station, which played a key role in disseminating the virus. The use of the radio station supports Innis’ concep...

  2.   In Pontypool , the "language virus" presents an interesting case when analyzed through Harold Innis' framework of time-biased and space-biased media. Innis distinguishes between time-biased media, which emphasize the preservation of culture and knowledge over long periods, and space-biased media, which facilitate the rapid dissemination of information over distances. In the film, the virus spreads not through physical contact, but through the understanding of specific words. Language plays a crucial role in how the virus transmits, and this transmission is amplified by modern media forms such as radio, telephones, and electronic amplification. These media, especially radio, allow the virus to spread quickly across a large area, infecting individuals who hear and understand the infected language.      The virus in Pontypool is an example of space bias, as the primary concern is not the preservation of knowledge over time but rather the rapid spread of info...

 Question 3: Marshall McLuhan's theory of the human sensorium emphasizes how humans experience the world through their five senses, sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. According to McLuhan, every medium is an extension of our senses, more specifically, he emphasizes how tele-technolgoies, such as telephones, and teveisions extense our senses of sight and hearing changing the ways we experience the world. One of McLuhan's key points is that when a new technology enters a culture, it doesn't have to do something physically notecable to change us, but it insteadshifts how we percieve and interact with the world.  From McLuhan's framework, the auditory and oral pradictions are vulnerable to distortion, as we saw through Pontypool. The language virus that spread through spoken words. In the movie Pontypool, a virus spread through spolen work, connecting to McLuhan's idea that speech is an extension of our auditory senses. Since speech trasncepts through time so quickly...

Question #3      McLuhan’s medium theory, especially his thoughts on the human sensorium, offers a sharp perspective for analyzing the "Language virus" in Pontypool . McLuhan suggests that media technologies alter our sensory priorities, highlighting some senses over others. In oral communication, hearing takes the lead, creating an immersive, shared experience. Speech becomes more than just language it’s a sensory medium that binds people together, involving not only words but also emotions and cultural settings.      In Pontypool , the virus spreads through spoken language, suggesting that speech functions as both a carrier of meaning and a virus. McLuhan’s idea that "the medium is the message" means that it’s not just what language conveys, but the medium of language itself, that shapes our experiences. In this case, spoken language doesn’t simply deliver ideas it twists and corrupts them, turning speech into a virus. The ear, normally an organ for recei...

Question 2: Harold Innis’ framework of time-biased and space-biased media highlights the importance of longevity in communication and the spread of information over wide distances. In terms of the Pontypool “language virus”, it is transmitted through spoken language which would make it time-biased due to the communication people would have in order to contract the virus. However, the media forms that are used to amplify and sustain the virus– radio and telephone– serve as space-biased technology. Technology allowed the virus to spread to local communities and caused it to rapidly spread. We even saw that the information made it all the way to the UK when the BBC news reporter called in. While the language virus has elements of time-bias, its spread is facilitated by space-bias media.  Radio and telephone can be viewed as extensions of oral communication, much like ancient forms of speech but more amplified. These technologies are capable of providing real-time spoken word communica...

  Question #2: The vector of infection of the language virus in Pontypool is an example of space bias media. As the virus lives through the English language, the transmission of information via speech is instantaneous. It quickly intensifies through radio, telephones, and electronic amplification as people use these media forms to communicate with and be communicated to. Grant Mazzy's radio broadcast acts as a vehicle for transmission and increases the reach and ability to disseminate information rapidly to a potentially large audience. Thus, the virus expands its space and listening range through radio dissemination but collapses time as its goal is to spread information quickly and keep the audience updated on new developments as they become available, as opposed to being preserved in time. Furthermore, radio, telephone, and electronic amplification sustain and strengthen the virus by giving it more potential for transmission through oral communication. Without these mediums, the...

 Question 2:  I think the vector of infection of the language virus in Pontypool is an example of space bias. In the film, the radio station receives news and updates from different sources across the town. The employees at the radio station never leave the building but know what is happening outside due to information being relayed to them through telecommunication immediately as events are unfolding in the town. Information in the film mostly stays within a small local range, but when news of the virus travels furthers, they get a call from BBC all the way in Europe. This exemplifies the idea of space bias as it shows how information travels across various distances and shows the immediacy of the dissemination of information. The radio, telephone and electronic amplification are forms of contemporary orality. They still use spoken language to communicate information. In the film, they use the electronic amplification system to get their message out fast to try and help sav...

Question: Using McLuhan's medium theory, particularly his concept of the human sensorium, we can argue that the unique characteristics of speech and orality as communicative practices in "Pontypool" create the conditions for the "language virus" that afflicts Anglophones.  In class we discussed McLuhan's theory of the human sensorium. The example of how reading print media, a sight-biased medium, shifts one's ratios towards the visual sense.Therefore, those who often read print media are wired to live visually oriented lives. This theory applied to the characters in "Pontypool" because they often received their news through the radio, which is a sound-biased medium, causing them to live very auditory-based lives when it came to receiving information. This is taken one step further in the film when oral communication becomes a corrupted, uncontrollable force; what we, as viewers, know as the "language virus." The virus spreads through ...

 In this blog post, I will be responding to the second prompt. In Pontypool, the language virus can be understood through Harold Innis' concepts of time-biased and space-biased media. Time-biased media prioritize the preservation of culture and ideas across generations, often rooted in tradition and rituals, while space-biased media focus on rapid dissemination across distances. The spoken word in Pontypool, which serves as the vector of infection, is an example of space-biased media. The virus spreads quickly through oral communication, facilitated by modern technology like radio, telephone, and public address systems, emphasizing the virus’s ability to travel across distances rather than enduring over time. The role of media like radio and telephones in the film highlights their connection to secondary orality, a form of spoken communication mediated by technology. While these tools allow for the real-time transmission of speech, similar to oral traditions, they also amplify and ...

  Blog post #2 will be due by Monday, October 7 by 6 PM, and your comments on TWO of your classmates' posts by Friday, October 11 by 6 PM. However, if you need a few extra days to complete your post and/or comments, that would be OK.