Analysing Media & Culture Essay

Analysing Media & Culture

How useful are Bennett’s five usages of ‘Popular Culture’ in an analysis of the content and use of the World Wide Web.

Introduction
Tony Bennett gave five common usages of the term popular culture. Culture that is ‘well liked by many people’. Not ‘high culture’ for example classical music, opera or ballet, culture which you would associate with upper classes. ‘Mass culture’ mass produced culture for the masses. ‘Folk culture’ produced by the people for the people. Also culture that is exchanged between the dominant and subordinate classes in society.
Therefore, I will analyse whether the World Wide Web and certain contents can be categorised under the definition above.

‘Well like by many people?’
According to Netcraft the number of websites has doubled within the last two years.[1] And according to internet statistics the number of internet users in the UK since the year 2000 has increased by 171.5%, and 305.5% worldwide.[2] With such a large increase in website and people using the internet it is clear that the popularity of the World Wide Web has grown, and is well liked by a very large number of people.

‘High Culture?’
The Internet cannot be categorised simple as or not high culture. Commonly high culture is seen as a very small group, associated with well educated and older population. Therefore it could be noted that the internet represents high culture rather well, as there is no limitations that say ‘high culture’ has no place on the internet, and has adequate content that measures well against the numbers of these small cultures.
However according to F. R Leavis[3] in the past ‘Life was not then a series of frivolous stimuli as it is now for the suburban dweller, and there was time for the less immediate pleasures. The temptations to accept the cheap and easy pleasures offered by the cinema, the circulating library,...’ and now the internet ‘... is almost too much for everyone.’[4]
There is a quote from Matthew Arnold saying that having culture meant to ‘know the best that has been said and thought in the world.’ If not so now, but in the near future, we will mostly likely have a composition of all literacy on the Internet, even those classed as ‘high culture’. As of now there is no limitation of buying such great work, classified as great by elitists and critiques in their fields.

‘Folk culture or Mass Culture?’
“Folk art grew from below... expression of the people, shaped by themselves... Mass culture is imposed from above. It is fabricated by technicians hired by business men; its audiences are passive consumers, their participation limited to the choice between buying and not buying...”[5]
Popular culture over time has always been about choice, from radio to TV and now to the internet. These mediums for culture have always expanded giving the population more choice. Therefore it can be argued that mass culture is on its way out as people are given more ways to access their niche hobbies, interests and cultures. If ‘mass culture’ is classed as products mass produced for a very large group, as defined by Tony Bennett, then the internet and the World Wide Web is working against the promotion of mass culture.
So what is the internet, Folk or Mass culture? The website Facebook, a personal networking site where users create a profile, enabling them to communicate with other people was launched on 4th February 2004. Therefore when looking at this specific content, the internet could be viewed as ‘folk culture.’
Facebook was created by a student at Harvard, and membership was limited to people at Harvard University but has expanded and now and has more than 175 million active users.[6] There profile pages are created by the members, with the ability to upload their own content. Facebook is created by the people and is enjoyed by the people.

Culture exchange
Bennett’s final usage of popular culture is that ideology and culture is exchanged at times between the dominant and subordinated people within classes. The internet differs from conventional communication mediums, as it can be totally anonymous, people who communicate can only have a shared interest without feeling limited due to their other social groups. For example, age between people is not a factor if you do not reveal it. Such instances include forums where people discuss their interests without social pressures that may make them act differently were it a lingual communication.

Conclusion
Without analysis people would most likely categorise the World Wide Web as a form of ‘Popular Culture.’ Something that is popular with people, is intrinsic in our daily lives, and a very common application. However using Tony Bennett’s classification and what I think to have analysed with his definition, I believe it is not. I am still uncertain. The more I think about what is written above I start to think that I can see how the Internet and the World Wide Web is a type of Popular culture. It can be explained by Tony Bennett’s usages. However I feel this definition does no justice to explaining what the Internet is, and I believe that the Internet is much more than a popular culture, it is becoming ‘the culture’. A social apparatus for which it is becoming harder and harder to find ways in which we do not use in our daily lives. I do not believe that there is a conflict between High, Folk and Mass culture. The World Wide Web brings all of these to its users on a very successful platform.

Word Count: 994

Bibliography
Dominic Strinati (1995) An introduction to theories of popular culture, London, Routledge
http://www.internetworldstats.com/top20.htm
http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics
[1] Statistics on website numbers. http://news.netcraft.com/
[2]Statistics on world and top 20 countries internet user growth. http://www.internetworldstats.com/top20.htm
[3] F.R. Leavis (1932; pp. 224-225)
[4] Quote from F.R. Leavis: 1932 - Dominic Strinati (1995) An introduction to theories of popular culture, London, Routledge. Page 17
[5]Quote from MacDonald: 1957 - Dominic Strinati (1995) An introduction to theories of popular culture, London, Routledge. Page 10
[6] Statistics on the website Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics