Jason Paul Grant

Artistic debate

What is art? From classical aesthetic terms, the idea of art was held in relation to the acquired tastes and cultural understandings of the high elites in society. During its progression throughout history, the meaning of art has changed very little, in terms of allowing large proportions of the public access to cultural forms and enlightenment. The art world of today has given everyday people a chance to experience what was once only the right of a selected few. The need to understand the workings of the art world and to dismantle it, like when studying the media is essentially the task of this essay.

Alternative Radio Broadcasting

Ever since an Italian named Guglielmo Marconi first invented the wireless telegraphy system, the power of communication has been fiercely fought over by the authorities and ordinary people. O. J. Hurcombe describes how Marconi himself was the first ever recorded pirate to broadcast without state permission in 1896; and even he was subjected to the regulation at that time (iii:1997). Radio provides the arena for this analytical investigation into how regulation and resistance are locked into a constant struggle against each other.

Alternative Media

The idea that the media only creates dupes, uncritical masses who sit down and consume the information that is spoon fed to them by the media stems from the Frankfurt School of thought. In particular Adorno and Horkeimeir have argued their case in the culture industry, as to the overwhelming power of the media when the processes become standardised, and production is solely aligned to turning over profits along with audience ratings. One of the problems with this argument is the fact that the above mentioned theorists underestimated the power of new technology in allowing people to become their own media makers.