Produsers of course!
The traditional model of production went something like this: producer produces content, producer distributes content, consumer consumes content, and the whole process was repeated maybe with some changes made to the content by the producer. Control over every aspect of content in the traditional model rested solely with the producer - "they decide on the very nature of the content itself" (Bruns, 2008a).
But then we began to network, we began to coordinate and collaborate and 'production' was no longer an accurate way to describe the "creative, collaborative and ad hoc engagement" we had with user-led content (Bruns 2008b, 1).
Production and consumption are no longer separate, they are happening simultaneously. As Axel Bruns defines, "the role of ‘consumer’ and even that of ‘end user’ have long disappeared, and the distinctions between producers and users of content have faded into comparative insignificance" (Bruns 2008b, 2).
We are both producers and consumers - we are 'produsers' and we are involved in a process called produsage. Bruns (2008a) describes produsage as having four key characteristics:
- A broader-based, distributed generation of content by a wide community of participants.
- Fluid movement of produsers between roles as leaders, participants, and users of content – such produsers may have backgrounds ranging from professional to amateur.
- Artefacts generated are always unfinished, and continually under development.
- Produsage is based on permissive regimes of engagement which are based on merit more than ownership: they frequently employ copyright systems which acknowledge authorship and prohibit unauthorised commercial use, yet enable continuing collaboration on further content improvement.
If you have access to the Internet, chances are you are a produser. If you were to read this blog then write an entry on your own blog or comment on this one, you would be a produser because you are consuming the content I have written and then using that to produce something of your own.
Wikipedia is an obvious example of produsage - regardless of language, geography or even qualifications people are collaborating and creating; producing new entries while consuming and developing existing ones.
Whereas the production of content was previously solely for academics, the fact is you and I now have the means, the skills and the confidence to do it too.
When Time magazine named You their Person of the Year in 2006, Editor Lev Grossman (2006) says it was "for seizing the reins of the global media, for founding and framing the new digital democracy, for working for nothing and beating the pros at their own game". By simply contributing anything, even if it was read only by your friends, you have helped shift the power away from a select few and towards the mass of produsers out there.
The produser is certainly a driver in the present and no doubt the future will be produser-driven too. But part of being a produser is not just wresting power away from a few and sharing with the masses, it is what we so with it. It is embracing "an opportunity to build a new kind of international understanding ... citizen to citizen, person to person" (Grossman, 2006).
So next time you consume content, think of what you can produce to give back and continue the produsage cycle. Produsage is about breaking down barriers and building a collaborative global community that has never been able to be done before. So jump in and give it a shot - every contribution is contributing something.
References
Bruns, A (2008a) The Future is User-Led: The Path Towards Widespread Produsage. Fibreculture Journal, 11.
Retrieved 26 April, 2008 from, http://journal.fibreculture.org/issue11/issue11_bruns.html
Brun, A (2008b) Blogs, Wikipedia, Second Life, and Beyond: From Production to Produsage. New York: Peter Lang
Grossman, L (2006) Time's Person of the Year: You.
Retrieved 26 April, 2008 from, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1569514,00.html
1 comment:
You have expressed thoughtfully and academically the notion of the ‘produser’ and what it means to society. I support the outcomes you come to throughout your post and believe you spot on when you quote Bruns statement - "the role of ‘consumer’ and even that of ‘end user’ have long disappeared, and the distinctions between producers and users of content have faded into comparative insignificance". Your descriptions are accurate; however you fail to provide any negative aspects to the phenomenon.
With this new found power for the consumer, should come responsibility, but unfortunately there are no gatekeepers to prove as a watchdog over inaccurate information and virus infected content creation. We currently rely on other produsers’ to maintain a certain level of accountability, but this can only prove to be a false sense of security as these users have no ‘real’ power. The concept of ‘produsage’ is the key to the future in my opinion, but we are a long way of in finding a secure method for produsers to work in complete freedom. Can you see any ways to overcome this? Do you find this as big a problem as I do? Until this happens I believe society should remain sceptical to information they view on the internet.
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