Produsage

Within the present generation the media industry has changed the way consumers operate. Nowadays people aren’t only creating content and producing  it but are planting ideas with other groups and individuals collaboratively; This leading to further development for news and knowledge.  Social media has developed new ways of producing information, by manipulating content thats already been developed. A  Media nnamed Axel Burns calls this  Produsage which is the ‘’collaborative and continuous building and extending of existing content in pursuit of further improvement’’.  (Jenkins H , 2008).  We have all contributed, shared and connected within networks through photo-sharing  , blogging , tweeting and making of videos this allowing anyone to being a producer., a distributor and consumer of content.

Axel argues that the concept of produsage harnesses the collected, collective intelligence of all particpants, where YouTube, MySpace and Facebook are environments where people come together. This ties in with Henry Jenkins theory of participary culture where ‘’fans and other consumers actively participate in the creation and circulation of new content…involving audience engagement that are shaping cultural and social protocols’’.  (Fuchs C 2011 p.266)  YouTube founded in 2005 allows people to share, watch and discover videos from all over the globe being a prime example of produsage. Consumers can watch a video but then change it to get a point or purpose across. 

 

 Also people using the internet today are changing and controlling the way certain things are viewed. Axel burns point on ‘’collaborative engagement’’ describes how participants come together through discussion to further extend and implement existing material. (Snurblog 2005).   A fine example of this is seen through the computer networked game Sims. A player creates  a character with specific features and enters a world where they can interact with other players. The section of the game has a place called ‘’The Exchange’’ , this  is a place where players can create new items, hairstyles, artworks, and share it amongst other players. (Muse of Destiny 2011).   This being another prime example of how people having the ability to conitrbute, change and share content.  In my opinion the future for Produage is a product that will keep on expanding and evolving as consumers continue to improve on content already made.

References :

Jenkins H 2008,  From Production to Produsage: Interview with Axel Bruns (Part One), Confessions of an Aca-Fan- The Official Weblog of Henry Jenkins, accessed on 2^nd Feb 2013 < http://henryjenkins.org/2008/05/interview_with_axel_bruns.html>

Fuchs C 2011, Foundations of Critical media and Information Studies, Christian Fuchs, New York.

Snurblog 2005, ‘Some Exploratory Notes on Produsers and Produsage’, Snurblog, accessed on 2^nd Feb 2013, < http://snurb.info/node/329>

Muse of Destiny 2011, The Sims-Produsage at its Finest, Wordpress, accessed on 2^nd Feb 2013 <http://museofdestiny.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/the-sims-produsage-at-its-finest/>