This document outlines the layers of controversy surrounding the representation of the Iraq War in mass media through interactive digital media. It discusses how 1) the raw data is mass media that is re-presented through digital movies, 2) the interactive media environment blurs roles between media consumers and authors, and 3) this directly relates to the Iraq War coverage and mass media while also controversially putting "users" in active roles of analysis, writing and discussion. It then provides strategies for developing this representation, including seeding basic initial categories and structures, tracking user activity and footsteps, and allowing for self-sustaining new structures and conversations to emerge based on collaborative user intent.

1. L AY E R S O F C O N T ROVERSY
1. What (Data)
• The data itself is mass media
• But it presented (or re-presented) in form of new media
– digital movie data. (copy, paste, link)
2. How (Environment)
• Interactive media as the environment.
• Roles of the “users” is changed so that the lines between
consumer of media and author of media are blurred.
3. Why (Controversy) Iraq War
• The direct subject is the ongoing Iraq war
• The indirect subject is the mass media coverage of the
iraq war. Mass Media
• Also controversial is the stance we put the “user” in. We
Interactive Media
put them in the position of active analysis, writing,
(Archive 1)
thinking, conversations about the “content”.
Controversy created by
“Active” users
Archive of Controversy
(Archive 2)

2. S T R AT E G Y
Phase 1(Seeding: Basic Initial Structure)
• Seeds, the base content is like a “seed” for the plant to grow: provide the basic structure to perceive the data
• Everything we know about the video clips: (database design)
• Possible basic (initial) categories: movie name, date, network, title, Dow Jones data
M T W Th F Sa Su
CNN
Fox
PBS
MSNBC
Title
Whole Map Weekly View Single Movie

3. S T R AT E G Y
Phase 2 (Footsteps; Users’ Activity)
• The users use it, and we grab their flow, path, and comments.
• The system look at their footsteps and reflects them.
M T W Th F Sa Su
CNN
Fox
PBS
Comment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam
nonummy nibh euismod
MSNBC
Link: http://etuer/adipiscing.htm
Single movie: Add comments Weekly View: Path detected Whole Map: Frequency detected

4. S T R AT E G Y
Phase 3 (Self-Sustaining: Reflective New Structure)
• New data emerges. Links, new categories, copies from other sources.
• Conversations: a space for an ongoing conversation, arguments to take form.
• Newspaper section: new comments in the database also appear in a blog like newspaper form.
• The structure and form of the website is changed by users’ collaborative intent.
r
n am tion gry eve
G ree Sadd Elec Hun Bush Red Blue ellow hite lack hat
Y W B W
Recommend this log
Lorem ipsum
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit,
sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet
Whole Map: Reflecting frequency Weekly View: With added movies dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat.
Re: Lorem ipsum Recommend this log
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Lorem ipsum velit • Accumsan et
tion ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea
Lorem ipsum Esse molestie con- commodo consequat.
dolor sit amet, sequat, vel illum • Justo odio
consectetuer dolore eu feugiat
• Dignissim qui
Re: Re: Lorem ipsum Recommend this log
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Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in
nibh euismod idunt vero eros et. • Luptatum vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum
ut laoreet dolore
• Ezril dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et.
Laoreet Ut wisi enim • Delenit
Recommend this log
Dolore magna Dd minim veniam,
• aAgue duis
Accumsan et iusto
aliquam erat quis nostrud exerci
volutpat. tation ullamcorper Accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent
• Dlore te
luptatum zzril delenit augue duis dolore te feugait nulla
Duis autem vel Tation • Feugait
Eum iriure do- Ullamcorper
facilisi.
lor in hendrerit suscipit lobortis • Nlla facilisi.
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Whole Map: Reflecting path Weekly View: Based on comments Single Movie: Debates by comments

5. REPRESENTING IRAQ WAR IN MASS-MEDIA IN THE INTERNET
Timeline
Comments
Network
Introduction
Search

6. REPRESENTING IRAQ WAR IN MASS-MEDIA IN THE INTERNET
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Network
Timeline
Introduction
Comments
Search

7. REPRESENTING IRAQ WAR IN MASS-MEDIA IN THE INTERNET
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Timeline
Introduction
Comments
Network
Monday Tuesday Wednsday Thursday Friday
CNBC
CNN
CSPAN
Search

8. REPRESENTING IRAQ WAR IN MASS-MEDIA IN THE INTERNET
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Network
Timeline
Introduction
Comments
January
1
Commnet:
Search

9. F U R T H E R WORK
Design problem.
• How do we show them which info is important, still maintaining their freedom of choice?
• How do we make initial suggestion. Is it a suggestion?
Tech problem.
• It is also a (producion-consumption) feedback loop. How do we engineer this feedback mechanism.