Class dates 4/18 and 4/20

Hi everybody! This week we deepened our understanding of Spreadable Media by Jenkins et al. In class, we tried to understand the distinction between spreadable and sticky media. When I think of spreadable media, I think of sites that does not provide content itself, but instead is generated by the users themselves. This leads to the users becoming the consumers and producers of popular culture. I think that Twitter is the embodiments of spreadable media because it does not generate much of the content that keeps users on the site and it allows for easy communication/"copying"/retweeting. I also think that it is very democratic because it allows for honest public discourse on a very influential and media friendly platform. I think that Reddit and its frequently discussed hivemind compared to Instagram is a good example of the importance of the demographic that uses the social media (male vs female demographics and differing values/interests). It is important to note that these platforms are not purely democratic and moderators have admitted to manipulating the visibility of certain opinions (see this article about Reddit's CEO meddling with Trump supporters' posts) Sticky websites, on the other hand, rely upon their own content to maintain their user/consumer base.

This picture exhibits the interconnected nature of spreadability and sticky content. This sticky content developed by Buzzfeed is being spread through highly spreadable media (Twitter)

I envision Buzzfeed to be an embodiment of a sticky website because they develop material specific to their demographic and user content (only in the form of comments on posts) is barely visible. Buzzfeed certainly follows the sticky business model built upon demographic data, as seen in this picture (as of 4/23/2017):

This picture discusses a specific television show that would be nostalgic for millennials and a list of memes. It also contains lite news articles that contain simplified news stories.


Thank you! Have a great day :)