Hello, I am Gemma. I did my BA in Media Studies a few years ago and am now a part-time distance learner for this MA. I work full time, currently as a Features Writer at The Argus newspaper in Brighton.

After looking at the websites and videos on this week’s reading list, this sounds like a very interesting module and is a new area of study for me. What I like about this course is that it encourages you to look deeper into the media that we often take for granted in our daily lives.

I think Week Three: Locative and Mobile Sound will have some interesting links to the Sonic Media module I have just completed. Week Nine: Drones also sounds fascinating, unpacking the current popularity of drones and how they can bring internet access to the developing world.

I am very interested in the way that digital technologies have changed journalism, in urban areas in particular. For example, the rise of citizen journalism has been enabled by digital technologies. During catastrophes and life-threatening events, it is now common place for people to take photographs and film the events unfolding on their smartphones. These pictures and videos are constantly used in the press, from international to local. This is also the case for CCTV images.

The websites for this week’s reading have a positive view of digital cities and technologies, with a focus on community, building and innovation. I am looking to forward to delving into the module further and learning how others view digital cities.