According to Jenkins Quentin Tarantino’s Star Wars, MacCracken argues that companies that loosen the grip on their copyright control may attract more fans than those who maintain an iron grab on this field. I personally understand the intention behind MacCracken words with content being so accessible nowadays due to digitalization. For instance in the recording industry artists sample pieces each others to music to make new compositions of their own. If you don’t believe me listen closely to hip hop tracks in the last 10 to 20 years and you will see many artists sampled or referenced from Classic Rock to Funk, R&B and Soul genres. Artists like James Brown, Parliament, Santana among others have been heavily ripped and sampled to make new compositions. In a way pop music these days can be said is fan driven too. The lines of interaction between artist and fans the have blurred because fans can engage also in artistic activities. Therefore stepping out of the interactive and into the participatory. The difference between these to terms also appeared on Jenkins reading he said “Interactive means technologically driven, design premeditated and pre-structured”. To enhance the subject more the technology for example the ability to edit music has been greatly enhanced due to the visualization of the waveform in digital sample editors and music production software. So not only the medium but the tools have grown so far creating various degrees of affinities across different media venues not only music. 

On a high level media relies in brand marketing strategies more than ever before, nothing is stand alone anymore most content coming from big companies have been thoughtfully designed to create some sort of response to trigger sales and lure existing and new customers with their charm. Everything is being polished, packaged and marketed. Even non profit venues that relied on media in the past are now using the sales pitch approach to convey their message to enhance brand recognition and awareness. Most ads appeal to the emotions of the individual whether sexy, funny, dramatic, even action packed. Each individuals sensibility varies because of the factors that surround the subject (social, phycological, personal) but it is fair to say that if a media interest in particular manage to tickle the emotions and interest of the subject, the subject will follow the brand with loyalty until his/her interest shift. Therefore when designing media we have to take into account our targeted audience interests and try to make a profile to best suit their needs. Segmenting and narrowing audiences is the best way to deliver media this days. 

On the other hand I found the ARK reading very interesting because as a case study it nailed down the facts of how people react to new technology on an specific level “interfaces strongly based on a well-known metaphor require very little explanation to users.” this struck me because of the implications new technology poses and the challenges it inflicts on users. I can just start to imagine the way baby boomers felt when they were launched into technologies such as the iphone, youtube. This reading also described the way I felt with SL for the first time. I understood somewhat the program because I understood the metaphors it enclosed but I couldn’t immerse on the virtual world as Bolter’s Selection for Remediation states jagged graphics bland lightning and system crashes can rupture the experience as it happened to me.  

To conclude I think the core idea regarding this weeks readings was media consumer empowerment. The readings analyzed the relationships between the end user and the product in question. It is a fact that end users are stressed by participatory or interactive situations and environments regarding content and the relationship between the media forces and interests that serve as gate keepers for it.