Final essay

Hisae Miyashita
Professor Christianson
ARW Section: BD
11 November 2011
Final Draft

Alternative Media on the Internet: An Effective Tool to Avoid Media Control

Research Question
How should Japanese use alternative media to avoid media control?

Thesis Statement
In order to avoid media control and get sufficient and reasonable information, Japanese society should utilize the Internet as alternative media. Although there does exist dangers of fully relying on the Internet, benefits are more crucial and without changing the concept toward the Internet, Japanese no longer live as independent citizens.


Ⅰ. Introduction
A. (Hook) Facts about earthquake in Tohoku were concealed
B. (Background) Current situation of the Internet and media
C. Thesis statement

Ⅱ. Advantage of using the Internet as an alternative media
A. Enables people to share ideas and develop knowledge more easily
1. Every where
2. Every time
B. Enables people to look at both side of the news or issues whenever they want
1. Diversity of the information

Ⅲ. Disadvantage of using the Internet as an alternative media
A. Power of majority may overwhelmingly attack people and cause a panic.
B. It hard to detect which sources are more factual.

Ⅴ. Solutions
A. Be aware of disadvantages
B. Be a critical thinker

Ⅵ. Conclusion
A. Repeat thesis and main points








Hisae Miyashita
Professor Christianson
ARW Section: BD
11 November 2011
Final Draft

Alternative Media on the Internet: An Effective Tool to Avoid Media Control

Fig.1. TEPCO is reporting that the level of a nuclear plant incident in Hukushima was 7 as the same to Chernobyl. Photo By Takahasi, Yudai; asahi.com; 12 April. 2011; Web.

“There is no danger because the fuel rods are stable and being cooled.” this is the phrase that Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and the media in Japan used and uses again and again when accidents about nuclear plants are reported (“Radiation”). However, it is completely doubtful. People did hear this phrase when the media reported that there was no meltdown. However, after that, it turned out that meltdown was partially under way (“Radiation”). Even after this fact was announced, the media used the same phrase: there was no danger (“Radiation”). Actually the meltdown was not partial but its incident level was 7, the same to Chernobyl (Katori, Takeishi and Kobori). What on earth could the media use the phrase which is not based on the reality? What is more, the media in Japan is still reporting that there is no risk to human health. Yet, the media in abroad is reporting completely different an outlook. According to CBS News, recorded on YouTube, Japanese government is telling residents in Fukushima that there is no risk but many international experts do not support this outlook. They say that the risk still exist, especially for children (Pejorativeglut,Kaigai Ha). ABC News, recorded on YouTube, also criticized Japanese government that they force unnecessary risks to children (Pejorativeglut, Kaigai No).
99,182,000 and 78.4%: this is the latest data of the number of the Internet users in Japan and the penetration based on Japanese population according to Internet world Stats, which is an international website that shows world Internet usage from 233 countries. When people look at the situation in the world, there are 2,095,006,005 users on March 31, 2011 (Internet). Can you imagine that huge number of the people is using the Internet, which is created just decades ago? On the other hand, in Japan, mass media still occupy majority, and general citizens do not have the opportunity and never come to mind to express their idea to public by themselves (Waltz 4).
However, as seen in the incident in Fukushima, Japanese society has to take an action to make it clear what is the truth. It is difficult for Japanese to find various opinions on the TV or newspapers because the media avoid reporting the news which endangers existence of the nuclear plant. What people can do so far, in order to have access to reasonable sources, is try to get the information through alternative media on the Internet. In order to avoid media control and get sufficient and reasonable information, Japanese society should more effectively utilize alternative media on the Internet. It is true that there exist dangers of fully relying on the Internet, but benefits are more crucial. Without changing the concept toward the Internet that the Internet has powerful advantages to promote citizens’ social activities, people could no longer live as independent citizens because they cannot handle the factual information.


Two Advantages of Using Alternative Media on the Internet
Using alternative media on the Internet provides two advantages. First, it enables people to share ideas and develop knowledge more easily. It means that the Internet can widen their experience and cause argumentative debate online. This facility is supported by two factors provided by the characteristics of the Internet. One is that the Internet is free of restriction of place and the other is that the Internet is free of restriction of time. Thanks to this characteristic, people can get any information wherever they live and whenever they want. For instance, YouTube is one of the examples of a tool of showing opinion or actual situation freely. According to Ungerleider, who is a reporter for Fast Company specializing in international news and emerging technologies, during the revolution in Egypt, YouTube was used to disperse videos what was going on. It shows that the YouTube can encourage citizens’ social activity in that it creates or increases a trend towards a new action. By using tools like YouTube, people can share ideas and have access to factual information.
Second, it enables people to look at both sides of the news or issues whenever they want. It means that because of the diversity of the information on the internet, people can look at the issue from various perspectives. A web site, named If Americans knew, is one of the examples to show that alternative media on the internet can help people to look at issues from various perspectives. This web site argues real situations about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by providing data they surveyed. According to If Americans Knew, since September 29, 2000, 1,084 Israelis and at least 6,430 Palestinians have been killed. However, U.S. military’s aid is opposite. During 2011, the U.S. gave at least $8.2 million per day to Israel but Palestinians got $0. This fact provides the opportunity to doubt the U.S. military’s purpose of the aid. This example indicates that the mass media may not be always reporting the truth and alternative media can make people to notice this fact.


Two disadvantages of Using Alternative Media on the Internet.
Unfortunately, however, there exist two disadvantages. First, one disadvantage is possibility to attack certain people or groups overwhelmingly, or to cause a panic in public. For example, Board on the web is discussed because of its danger of attacking unknown people. It is caused by one of the faculties of the internet: anonymity. According to Newitz, Andrew Keen, who published a book named Cult of the Amateur which shows the horrors of anonymity on the web, says that people who need not to write their names when they post their opinions on the web, do not feel responsible for their words. This causes possibility to attack certain people or group overwhelmingly and may cause a panic because of lies.
Second disadvantage is that it is hard to detect which sources are more factual. According to Netcraft, there were 504,082,040 sites on the Internet on October 2011. It shows that how large numbers of websites are used and it also shows difficulties to find suitable sources from that huge number of the sources.


Possible Solutions for Using Alternative Media on the Internet More Effectively.

In order to get and keep an efficient use of alternative media on the Internet, both people and society always have to have two things in their mind: 1) Be aware of disadvantages and 2) Be a critical thinker.
As stated above, Alternative media on the Internet have two disadvantages and these advantages can put people in a fearful situation so people should be aware of these advantages when they use alternative media on the Internet. However, these advantages can be reduced by the effort of the people to be a critical thinker. What is necessary for people is always to try to ask themselves to whether sources they find is reasonable or not and whether opinion they find is persuasive or not by searching for information from another perspectives. People cannot rely on only one source but need to gather a lot of sources and choose reasonable sources.

Conclusion
As shown above, Alternative media on the Internet do have the power to change the situation in Japan that it is difficult to access factual and reasonable information. It is true that alternative media on the Internet have disadvantages but the advantages of using alternative media on the internet could cover this problem; Taking benefits is more crucial than caring about disadvantages. Without shifting to this thinking, Japanese can no longer live as independent citizens. People can also reduce disadvantages by paying attention to disadvantages and making effort to be a critical thinker. Therefore, In order to avoid media control and get sufficient and reasonable information, Japanese society should utilize alternative media on the Internet.
 


Works Cited

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Miyashita 7
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Takahashi, Yudai. “TEPCO is Reporting That the Level of a Nuclear Plant Incident in
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Waltz, Mitzi. Altenativemedia: Hennkaku No Tame No Shimin Media Nyuumonn [Alternative Media: Introduction to Citizens’ Media to Revolution]. Trans by Zinbo, tetsuo. Ohotsuki Shoten, 2008. Print.