1. Papacharissi suggests that the Internet facilitates a kind of public sphere, depending on how you look at it. Hesmondalgh, Turow, and others tell us a bit about the real business arrangements that - at least for the major media platforms, search engines and social networks - shape how they provide public discourse, professional and amateur, to users. Do these particular private entities and their chosen business models help facilitate the public sphere she sees emerging? Do they undercut a real and effective public sphere? Or is the emergence of a virtual public sphere independent of their actions? Use specific arguments from both Papacharissi and other course readings to support your argument.

2. Axel Bruns argues that 'produsage' is emerging as an important and widespread element of our public discourse. In the chapter you read, he points to four 'key principles' of produsage (pp. 23-30), each of which he suggests makes amateur forms of production consequential. Choose one of these 'key principles' and explain why this aspect of amateur production is potentially consequential for media and cultural discourse. Then draw on the other course readings to identify and explain either (2a) the key obstacle that's in the way of this principle of produsage having some important social benefit, or (2b) the flip-side risk of this principle of produsage being an increasingly prevalent aspect of our public information environment.  

Your paper must be no more than 5 pages (double-spaced, reasonable font, etc). So the challenge here is to say something specific, thoughtful, and incisive in an efficient way. I'm looking for a cogent and well-written argument; clarity, organization, and style matter. Most importantly, I expect you to support your argument using the readings. This is an opportunity to demonstrate that you are grappling with the readings, taking them apart to better understand them, challenging the arguments they offer, and synthesizing them into a deeper understanding of the ideas in the course.

Your paper is due before class on Thursday, March 18th, using the DropBox tool in our Blackboard course site - hard copies will not be accepted. Please submit your paper in Word format (.doc or .docx), with the filename "lastname_firstname_paper1.doc". Remember that submitting a paper through DropBox is a two step process: you 'add' the file, then you 'send' it to us. Be sure to do both. Late papers without a legitimate excuse will be docked a full letter grade every day missed.