‘THIS IS CITIZEN JOURNALISM AT ITS FINEST’: YOUTUBE AND THE PUBLIC SPHERE IN THE OSCAR GRANT SHOOTING INCIDENTBY: MARY GRACE ANTONY & RYAN J. THOMAS

P R E S E N TAT I O N BY: L LU V I A G A M E Z

Public Sphere +

Guard-dog Theory

Agenda Setting +

OSCAR GRANT SHOOTING

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/09/oscar-grant-oakland-police-shooting

METHODOLOGY• Four YouTube video’s

• 89 comments in total (following Orbe and Kinefuchi’s critical thematic analysis) to examine the response by the public.

RESULTS• Disapproval

• Having such low quality footage used as evidence to show murder;

• the apparent passivity of those who witnessed the alleged crime.

• Approval• expressed praise for the bravery of the witnesses;• articulated the importance of more video vigilance in order

to uncover the oppressiveness of law enforcement and media;

• the public cautiously praised the video because it worked within the legal structures, etc. in order to bring about justice.

“ As a democratic forum for otherwise oppressed voices, YouTube has afforded individuals who are victim to repressive state and federal authorities the opportunity to broadcast their strife and turmoil for the world to see”-Antony & Thomas (2010, p. 1281)

RODNEY KING

IAN TOMLINSON

ACTIVITY Look up:

Alexandra Wallace’s anti-Asian rant at UCLA (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/us/16ucla.html?_r=0)

The shooting of Manuel Diaz in Anaheim, California (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/28/anaheim-riots-police-shootings_n_1712105.html)

QUESTIONS TO KEEP IN MIND:• Does this incident follow Donahue’s guard-dog theory?

Why? Why not? (Try to make a connection with the Agenda-Setting theory, if possible).

• Do these incidents support Thomas and Antony’s concept that YouTube is a place for those who are oppressed to express their hardship? Or do you think it is just another forum, which can be manipulated by the powerful and wealthy, to make those oppressed feel as if they have a voice?

• Can YouTube be used as a way to control, instead of providing freedom?

• How did the incident make you feel in general?

• Do you think the reaction from the public was justified? Why? Why not?