by
Lee McGuigan
(editor)
106
[...] Despite the fact that huge amounts of money (much more than programming) are spent on producing attractive commercials, people do all they can to avoid them. [...]
These findings have not been lost on the advertising or television industries, who have increasingly recognized that the traditional concept of a ratings point may no longer be valid. Ratings measure program watching rather than commercial watching. Indeed, it seems that there is much disparity between the two, and advertisers are starting to voice their discontent at having to pay for viewers who may not be watching their ads at all. [...]
AD BLOCKING!! so much to say on this. think about the war between FB and adblockers, and cus FB (etc) has much greater resources, it'll always win. try to find sources claiming that adblockers either sell data or collude?
also: find the bit in Chaos Monkeys where he talks about adblocking as being theft, lmao
[...] Despite the fact that huge amounts of money (much more than programming) are spent on producing attractive commercials, people do all they can to avoid them. [...]
These findings have not been lost on the advertising or television industries, who have increasingly recognized that the traditional concept of a ratings point may no longer be valid. Ratings measure program watching rather than commercial watching. Indeed, it seems that there is much disparity between the two, and advertisers are starting to voice their discontent at having to pay for viewers who may not be watching their ads at all. [...]
AD BLOCKING!! so much to say on this. think about the war between FB and adblockers, and cus FB (etc) has much greater resources, it'll always win. try to find sources claiming that adblockers either sell data or collude?
also: find the bit in Chaos Monkeys where he talks about adblocking as being theft, lmao
107
Up until now, we have made a rather strict distinction between programming and advertising. In the historical development of the commercial media system, however, the boundaries between the two were very often blurred. The function of programming is much more than merely capturing the watching activity of a specific demographic group of the market. Programming also has to provide the right environment for the advertising that will be inserted within it. Advertisers seek compatible programming vehicles that stress the lifestyles of consumption. [...] At a more explicit level, advertisers sought to have their products placed within the program itself. In all of these ways, we can see a blurring between the message content of the commercials and the message content of the programming.
ahhhh influencer marketing! and also native advertising?
Up until now, we have made a rather strict distinction between programming and advertising. In the historical development of the commercial media system, however, the boundaries between the two were very often blurred. The function of programming is much more than merely capturing the watching activity of a specific demographic group of the market. Programming also has to provide the right environment for the advertising that will be inserted within it. Advertisers seek compatible programming vehicles that stress the lifestyles of consumption. [...] At a more explicit level, advertisers sought to have their products placed within the program itself. In all of these ways, we can see a blurring between the message content of the commercials and the message content of the programming.
ahhhh influencer marketing! and also native advertising?
110
As with other objects used by capital, no expense is spared in producing the best possible good. Also like capital goods, commercials are tax deductible. During programming time (consumption watching-time), audiences create meaning for themselves. During commercial time (labour watching-time), audiences create meaning for capital. [...]
nothing super novel, just worth reflecting on more (i like the meaning for capital vs themselves dichotomy)
As with other objects used by capital, no expense is spared in producing the best possible good. Also like capital goods, commercials are tax deductible. During programming time (consumption watching-time), audiences create meaning for themselves. During commercial time (labour watching-time), audiences create meaning for capital. [...]
nothing super novel, just worth reflecting on more (i like the meaning for capital vs themselves dichotomy)
137
We purposely describe these practices as surveillance, as this highlights the focused and sustained collection of personal information (Lyon 2001). Our discussions are also intended to further the conception that the use of social media constitutes a form of participatory (Albrechstlund 2008) or collaborative (Pridmore 2013) surveillance. Of course this connects with what has been described as a political economy of personal information (Gandy 1993; cf. Gandy 2009) or the personal information economy (Elmer 2004; Pridmore 2013). In addition, the use of social media for marketing purposes can also be seen as aligned with the study of audience labor (Smythe 1981) and political economic concerns in the age of new media (Dyer-Witheford 1999).
good way of framing it, possibly useful as references
We purposely describe these practices as surveillance, as this highlights the focused and sustained collection of personal information (Lyon 2001). Our discussions are also intended to further the conception that the use of social media constitutes a form of participatory (Albrechstlund 2008) or collaborative (Pridmore 2013) surveillance. Of course this connects with what has been described as a political economy of personal information (Gandy 1993; cf. Gandy 2009) or the personal information economy (Elmer 2004; Pridmore 2013). In addition, the use of social media for marketing purposes can also be seen as aligned with the study of audience labor (Smythe 1981) and political economic concerns in the age of new media (Dyer-Witheford 1999).
good way of framing it, possibly useful as references
141
[...] businesses "listen" to social media in order to: find out how consumers interpret their brands; obtain a high-resolution and constantly updated understanding of the market; invest less capital for better feedback; identify key influencers in social media; effectively identify and manage public relations crises; and generate new product and marketing ideas [...]
nothing new here but good summary that nicely illustrates how morally bankrupt and useless marketing has become (as an institution). just so systemically detached from the purpose of actually producing useful goods that people need (shear, gap, slippage)
[...] businesses "listen" to social media in order to: find out how consumers interpret their brands; obtain a high-resolution and constantly updated understanding of the market; invest less capital for better feedback; identify key influencers in social media; effectively identify and manage public relations crises; and generate new product and marketing ideas [...]
nothing new here but good summary that nicely illustrates how morally bankrupt and useless marketing has become (as an institution). just so systemically detached from the purpose of actually producing useful goods that people need (shear, gap, slippage)
176
[...] Both stories seem to reinforce that Brin and Page, like many America inventors, deserve their great fortune because they have something useful and unique to offer. In popular thinking, because of the raw talent and grand vision of these inventors, their companies should not be criticized. Instead, their inventions should be viewed as technology that positively impacts society, and as knowledge that leads humankind one step away from darkness. [...]
stories: Google's name being a misspelling, and not being incorporated when they received a 100k check
[...] Both stories seem to reinforce that Brin and Page, like many America inventors, deserve their great fortune because they have something useful and unique to offer. In popular thinking, because of the raw talent and grand vision of these inventors, their companies should not be criticized. Instead, their inventions should be viewed as technology that positively impacts society, and as knowledge that leads humankind one step away from darkness. [...]
stories: Google's name being a misspelling, and not being incorporated when they received a 100k check
176
The political economic approach to communication conceptualizes technology as a commodity produced by corporations. The goal of corporations is to maximize profit. Political economist study the process of capital accumulation and examine the evolution and renewal of capitalism. [...]
aw man this is fire
The political economic approach to communication conceptualizes technology as a commodity produced by corporations. The goal of corporations is to maximize profit. Political economist study the process of capital accumulation and examine the evolution and renewal of capitalism. [...]
aw man this is fire
177
[...] By rewarding advertisers who can successfully predict the keywords that users type in and by punishing those who cannot, Google hopes that AdWords can be relevant and useful to online search.
Nevertheless, AdWords is only profitable because it is a vertically integrated system in which Google controls every step of the process by providing search results to users, by selling "keywords" to advertisers, and by providing statistics to marketers. [...]
Despite Google's claims, a vertically integrated advertising system may not be that objective because it is difficult to determine what the exchange value of keywords is. [...] Internet search creates unlimited time because millions of searches take place at any given moment even though only a small number of users see the same ads. In addition, keywords are not exclusive; a number of advertisers can bid for the same keywords. Because of the non-exclusivity and non-scarcity of keywords, their exchange value should be very low, if not close to zero. This is clearly not the case for Google ads [...]
The concept of the audience commodity is crucial to understanding why Google is able to charge advertisers for keywords even though they are neither exhaustive nor exclusive. [...] the exchange value of the audience commodity is imaginary.
[...] By rewarding advertisers who can successfully predict the keywords that users type in and by punishing those who cannot, Google hopes that AdWords can be relevant and useful to online search.
Nevertheless, AdWords is only profitable because it is a vertically integrated system in which Google controls every step of the process by providing search results to users, by selling "keywords" to advertisers, and by providing statistics to marketers. [...]
Despite Google's claims, a vertically integrated advertising system may not be that objective because it is difficult to determine what the exchange value of keywords is. [...] Internet search creates unlimited time because millions of searches take place at any given moment even though only a small number of users see the same ads. In addition, keywords are not exclusive; a number of advertisers can bid for the same keywords. Because of the non-exclusivity and non-scarcity of keywords, their exchange value should be very low, if not close to zero. This is clearly not the case for Google ads [...]
The concept of the audience commodity is crucial to understanding why Google is able to charge advertisers for keywords even though they are neither exhaustive nor exclusive. [...] the exchange value of the audience commodity is imaginary.
178
Since 2009, a number of critical studies of Google have been published. The focus tends to be more on prosumers and on the free labor performed by Google users rather than on the advertising system and the audience commodity. Here I argue that the key to the political economy of Google as a search engine is not the free labor performed by the prosumers, but how the advertising system works. [...]
[...]
Other studies that also discuss the political economy of Google include Kang and McAllister (2011) and Pasquinelli (2009b) [...] suggests that the political economy of Google is the political economy of PageRank. Value accumulation comes from the economies of attetion--which depends on the attention capital of the whole network--and of cognition--which depends on Google being a "rentier" of the Internet. To Caraway (2011), "the media owner rents the use of the medium to the industrial capitalist who is interested in gaining access to an audience" (701). Pasquinelli (2009b) has overlooked that technology only increases productivity, but it does not create surplus value. Fuchs (2012b) has effectively shown that it is erroneous to assume that PageRank produces profits. [...]
useful to cite on the whole audience labour debate
he describes Fuchs' 2011 pub "A contribution to the political economy of Google
as "a significant contribution to the understanding of Google's capital accumulation process", but (like me) finds his "notion of prosumers providing free labor is problematic"
Since 2009, a number of critical studies of Google have been published. The focus tends to be more on prosumers and on the free labor performed by Google users rather than on the advertising system and the audience commodity. Here I argue that the key to the political economy of Google as a search engine is not the free labor performed by the prosumers, but how the advertising system works. [...]
[...]
Other studies that also discuss the political economy of Google include Kang and McAllister (2011) and Pasquinelli (2009b) [...] suggests that the political economy of Google is the political economy of PageRank. Value accumulation comes from the economies of attetion--which depends on the attention capital of the whole network--and of cognition--which depends on Google being a "rentier" of the Internet. To Caraway (2011), "the media owner rents the use of the medium to the industrial capitalist who is interested in gaining access to an audience" (701). Pasquinelli (2009b) has overlooked that technology only increases productivity, but it does not create surplus value. Fuchs (2012b) has effectively shown that it is erroneous to assume that PageRank produces profits. [...]
useful to cite on the whole audience labour debate
he describes Fuchs' 2011 pub "A contribution to the political economy of Google
as "a significant contribution to the understanding of Google's capital accumulation process", but (like me) finds his "notion of prosumers providing free labor is problematic"
184
Scholars are often so blinded by the "newness" of technology-enabled media that even critical scholars have lost sight in situating the apparently new phenomenon in the continuity and transformation of capitalism. A Marxist approach is necessarily historical materialist. Therefore political economists aim to "[examine] the dynamic forces in capitalism responsible for its growth and change. The object is to identify both cyclical patterns of short-term expansion and contraction as well as long-term transformation patterns that signal fundamental change in the system" (Mosco 2009, 26). Political economists ought to examine the inherent contradictions in capitalism and how capitalism evolves and renews even though--or especially because--it is not a sustainable political economic system. It is thus imperative to examine how corporations seek new capital once they encounter an over-accumulation of capital.
Scholars are often so blinded by the "newness" of technology-enabled media that even critical scholars have lost sight in situating the apparently new phenomenon in the continuity and transformation of capitalism. A Marxist approach is necessarily historical materialist. Therefore political economists aim to "[examine] the dynamic forces in capitalism responsible for its growth and change. The object is to identify both cyclical patterns of short-term expansion and contraction as well as long-term transformation patterns that signal fundamental change in the system" (Mosco 2009, 26). Political economists ought to examine the inherent contradictions in capitalism and how capitalism evolves and renews even though--or especially because--it is not a sustainable political economic system. It is thus imperative to examine how corporations seek new capital once they encounter an over-accumulation of capital.