The document discusses the shift from hierarchical to networked societies as a result of increased digital communication technologies and social networks. It summarizes the key points made by Manuel Castells about the relationship between power, media, and communication in the network society. Specifically, it argues that (1) the media has become the social space where power is decided, (2) there has been a rise of mass self-communication through social media and blogs, and (3) mass media and communication networks are converging.

1. Internet and
networked society
Jonathan Lee and Stephen Wildsmith

2. PEOPLE
+ THINGS
+ INTERACTIVITY
+ BIG IDEAS
= NETWORKED SOCIETY

3. Wellman B (2002) Designing the internet for a networked society
communications of the acm vol.45 no. 5, pp91-96
- Shift from relationships being hierarchical,
homogenous, dense and bounded
- Becoming so physically dispersed, that individuals
within them do not know one another first hand.
- Networked societies are affected by social, political,
cultural and economic changes caused by the spread of
social networks, digital information and communication
technologies

5. Communication among networked
societies
- Bought concerns that face-to-face conversation would be
outdated
- However, it has encouraged communication and the
introduction and utilization of networked societies
- “As email use increases, in-person, telephone and postal
contact with others neither decreases not increases”
- Friends used email most with each other to communicate
(118 days a year), distant friends (85),distant family (72)
and close family (52)

6. - In 2002, when Wellman wrote the article, the telephone was the
most frequently used system of communication.
- “In the past you adapted to the network. In the future, social
networks adapt to you”

7. Communication, Power and
Counter-power in the Network
Society
Manuel Castells

8. Hypotheses
• Argues:
• “the media have become the social space where power is
•
decided”
“rise of a new form of communication, mass self-
communication”
• “As a result of these processes, mass media and horizontal
communication networks are
converging.”

9. Power and Communication
• Power and communication (through media) are now closely
linked
• Political Battle for public support is now fought
through communication media
• Power Relations are shaped through
communication media

10. Media & personality politics
• Politics is now about
image projection
create
• Goal is to
a trust worthy message and persona
(Obama weekly address)
• Scandal politics is formed as people compete with
political legitimacy (Romney and dog)

11. Mass Self-communication &
Counter power
• Free and accessible social media and blogs are forms of Mass
Self-communication
• Communicate to the masses about one
self
• Acts as a medium for Counter power to establish where the
public actively
challenge views on virtual forums

12. The Grand Convergence
• “Societies exist as societies by constructing a public space in
which private interests and projects can be negotiated to
reach an always unstable point of shared decision making
toward a common good, within a historically given social
boundary”
• Power and mass media now work closer than ever
political candidates and business
competitors stalk each other virtually and the public
• Where
question what is said on a more varied connected, visual,
audio and text medium

13. Hypotheses (again)
• Argues:
• “the media have become the social space where power is
•
decided”
“rise of a new form of communication, mass self-
communication”
• “As a result of these processes, mass media and horizontal
communication networks are
converging.”

14. References
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5Pxenw7UFA
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-dataresearch/market-data/communications-marketreports/cmr12/market-context/UK-1.15
Wellman, B (2002) ‘Designing the internet for a
networked society’, Communications of the ACM
vol.45 no. 5, pp91-96

15. References
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW0YCOAygCc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j3QRmc7fKw
Manuel Castells (2007) Communication, Power and
Counter-power in the Network Society. International
Journal of Communication 1 (2007), 238-266