sam@SCL.CWRU.Edu (Sam Chan) (04/06/91)
Dear Moderator,
I'm very new to the this area of the net, a two-day-old
reader (I usually lurk around the fruit stands ;-) ) so please
forgive me if I am not follow the correct protocol. This is
basically a call for quick help, so boy, am I glad to find this
group!! Please post this and ask the people of sci.virtual-worlds
to Email me and I will attempt to summarize after my paper is
revised. Also can you please give me your insights? I need it
quick. Thank you very, very much.
Sam Chan
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Hello Netland...
The person behind this message is Sam Chan, a senior
photojournalism major with a minor in computer science and a
concentration in graphic design (yes, its been seven years, but
I'm graduating!!!). Boy! am I glad there is a group on VR!
About a five weeks ago my media ethics class was discussing
the dangers of digital photo manipulation in the field of
journalism and the news media. Most of the class went glassy-eye
and when I spoke of the next revolution in the communications
field, Virtual Reality, everyone went glassy-eye.
My professor said me after class the impact of VR would
be a great topic for the 15 page term paper. Needless to say, I
found tons of information on the technology but nothing on the
impact to society and the media. My first paper was rejected
yesterday (4/4) because she said it was not an ethics paper
(and I agree, it wasn't) and she give me one more week to revise it.
So here is my dilemma, I desperately need your insights but
I need them by Tuesday, 4/9 (I plan to pull an all-nighter and
rewrite on 4/10, its due 10 a.m. EST 4/11). I know everyone is
busy and this is a lot to ask. Thank you very much in advance!
Below is my basic premise. I may be wrong on the time
assumption but the paper is not on the technology but on effect it
may have on ethical principles.
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In about 20 years, personal computer technology will be
advanced enough to allow the wide spread of "desktop VR" (similar
to the current spread of digital darkrooms). The media will be
able to recreate (or for the unscrupulous journalist, create) news
events without great expense. News will become "at the accident
scene" entertainment and 2-D movies will become obsolete due to the
"experience boutiques" (refer: Jaron Lanier's interview, U.S. News
and World Report, Jan. 28, 91). Advertisments will have a new
meaning. Escapism will become a vice.
What are your concerns, ethics, judgements or ideas on the
impact to the morals of society and to the media? Please expand on
any other ideas concerning this field except for the
hardware/software aspect.
-----
Please email your replies to any of the address below. Thank
you very much in advance!! I will summarize and post a week after
my paper is revised. Include your full name, occupation and a day
phone number where I can call you if you wish. Thank you again!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++ Sammie Chung Yu Chan +++++
+++++ ...{decvax,uunet,sun}!usenet!skybridge!sam +++++
+++++ sam@olympus.scl.cwru.edu +++++
+++++ JOURC350@ksuvxa.kent.edu +++++
+++++ The Daily Kent Stater -- "We do it daily..." +++++
+++++ 100 Taylor Hall/ Kent State University/ Kent, OH 44242 +++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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