Writing

In 2003, I decided to go back to university to finish my communications degree, which I completed in October 2007. So, for the past four years, I've been balancing my work with Crux, with my work for school. Over the course of my student career, I've written extensively on various aspects of media and I've posted some of my favourites here.

SMS: What's in a Message? - 31/10/2007
In the language of McLuhan, this paper is my attempt to interpret the message of the SMS (text-message) medium. The discussion centres around the argument that SMS marks a reassertion of individual primacy in the communications process, which stands as the antithesis to the homogenous and oligarchic character of traditional broadcast era mass media.

Polarization and the Internet - 8/14/2007
This paper examines the idea that, as we move from being browsers of generalized media, to being selectors of highly specific media streams, a social polarization will occur, where individuals will retreat from the public sphere and immerse themselves in web-based ideological enclaves.

William Stephenson's Play Theory Applied Online - 7/12/07
Using play theory to interpret our web browsing habits.

Concentration of Media Ownership in Latin America - 5/31/2007
Media concentration in Latin America and the influential role that foreign involvement and elite control have played in shaping the region's media system.

Case Study: The Evolution of MTV and MuchMusic - 4/30/2007
Why did MTV and MuchMusic stop playing videos? Because there is more money in reality shows and reruns of The O.C.

Is it Still Possible or Desirable for Canada to Sustain Policies of Cultural Protectionism and Nationalism? - 3/31/2007
Nationalism good, protectionism bad!

A Case Study of the Special Senate Committee on Mass Media & the Royal Commission on Newspapers - 3/14/2007
A look at our long-running fear of media ownership concentration, with a special look at the Canadian newspaper industry.

A Discussion on The Sopranos - 2/23/2007
How The Sopranos affected the nature of television.

An Analysis of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - 1/24/2007
Studio 60's criticisms of television and politics were refreshing. Too bad the show's first episode, an homage to Network (one of my favourite movies), was its best.

The Influence of Television as a Social Force- 11/28/2006
It's nice to blame things on TV , but it only communicates the values of those who produce what we see on screen.

Case Study: Google in China - 9/18/2006
Although it could be argued that Google’s move into China has had a positive effect on the people of China, the shareholders of the company, and the corporation itself, in order to operate in China, Google has adhered to CPC policy and censored its content. Subsequently, Google has both knowingly contributed to Party efforts to limit its people’s freedoms and indirectly helped to facilitate the CPC’s human rights abuses. With these facts in mind, what is Google’s most morally acceptable course of action regarding its business in China?

An Examination of Change as a Recurring Theme in Horror Films - 8/8/2005
Part of what interests me about all forms of communication are the mechanics behind creating emotion. What's goes into a great speech? How does one write a funny joke? In this case, I look at horror films.

The Mysterious & Supernatural in Jack Spicer's Poetry - 4/10/2006
Jack Spicer’s poetic aim was to explore and to articulate what he termed ‘the real’. In meeting this poetic end, Spicer often turned to images and themes mysterious and supernatural in nature. This paper explores these themes in detail.

Malevich's Development of Suprematism - 4/5/2006
A look at the paintings of Malevich and the development of suprematism.

Understanding Nadar - 11/24/2005
Self-promotion and celebrity a century before Warhol, the French photographer Nadar (1820-1910).

A Comparison of Little Caesar, On the Waterfront, and Scarface - 5/25/2005
Who hasn't had a bad day and wished they could solve things by channeling a little Tony Montana?

Bridging the Various Sections of Cambodia, A book for people who find television too slow - 4/4/2005
In Cambodia, a book that was way ahead of its time, Brian Fawcett suggests that the control exerted on society through the mass media is simply the latest manifestation of an imperial spirit that has followed humanity throughout history.