Masters of Media http://mastersofmedia.hum.uva.nl/ The Masters of Media (MofM) blog is a collaborative initiative from the New Media Master students of the University of Amsterdam (NL). The blog was set up in September 2006 as part of the new media practices course, given by Geert Lovink. MofM strives to become a recognized authority on what’s going on in the wide world of the web. We observe, review, criticize and co-create on multiple levels in new media. The New Media M.A. is one of the masters of the Media and Culture study, which is part of the Faculty of Humanity. The programme is divided into two different formats, i.e. a one year programme and a two year research variant. First topics discussed were pro-ana sites, experiences with Writely (as we speak taken over by Google), defining 'shockblogs', what is commonism, free cooperation, Wikipedia debates and so on. The masterclass is a course in how media, particularly new media, address people, culture and society with a special focus on diverse forms of engagement. Course participants develop an understanding for this and have an opportunity to examine new media developments and how they can be placed in a cultural context. Exploring theories and practices in new media not only help us develop a broader understanding of advancements in technology, it also provides an in-depth perspective of shifts in our culture. The first students to build and use Masters of Media are Twan Eikelenboom, Eva Kol, Heleen van der Klink, Anne Helmond, Pepijn Uitterhoeve, Roman Tol, Tom Roes and Jeffrey van Schie. Courses of Jan Simons and Richard Rogers are also using the blog. One of the new media matters we study is the occurring rise of the blogging phenomenon. The way we use the web is shifting in a fundamental way. Instead of being passive consumers of information, more and more internet users are becoming active participants. This is why blogging and other forms of unfettered expression on the web are often referred to as the rise of the participant economy. Besides providing academic insight, this blog aims to be a testing ground for commercializing itself. Our objective is to reach a wide international audience and by doing so generating financial gain. By the end of this academic year (July 2007) we expect to have accumulated enough capital to pay for a three course dinner at one of Amsterdam’s hotspots. By checking this blog regularly, you will learn from our gains and mistakes in the process of commercializing our site. In return we provide a critical view of the global conversation of the web, helping you to tune into what’s interesting, topical, entertaining, and just plain fun. For questions, comments and everything else you can reach us at these adresses Email mastersofmedia at gmail.com Snailmail Masters of Media Lokaal 0.13 Turfdraagsterpad 9 1012 XT Amsterdam The Netherlands