Pinpointing The Hub's Witness Project Analysis

In the world of today, mediums and channels are the main factors that allow us to receive information from around the globe. When it comes to simply picking a new car to purchase, or accepting a new job offer, our information and knowledge for these decisions are built upon the way we received that information. One main medium that affects individuals around the world is the media. The media is an international output for information collected from several international sources and are presented to all citizens. This allows for everyone to receive data from places other than their home. Moreover, because of their wide range of outputs across the globe, the media can easily large numbers of people, creating a more well-rounded and aware society.

Nelson delves into the concept of negative mediums throughout his essay, particularly pinpointing the Hub’s Witness Project. Nelson analyzes the purpose of the Hub, “one to give people cameras and train them to videotape atrocities… presumably as a prelude to taking a form of action after viewing” (Nelson 303). However, though this may seem successful, the Hub is acting as a negative medium because it is an “extremely poor means” of conveying heartfelt messages to the viewers. Moreover, because the Hub is online, it does not necessarily carry the overall message to be conveyed to the viewer. Viewers are able to gaze through the site, clicking video after videos, acting as if they are casually browsing through the internet. This act itself does not allow for the message itself to necessarily be relayed because after watching the video, the viewer may simply forget and will not truly understand how the atrocities act affect the individual affected. Overall, because the message in unable to be conveyed, no understanding occurs, and these same vile atrocities occur. These negative mediums also exist in Wyoming ever since the killing of Matt Shepard. Loffreda explores this theory and how media has the potential to affect groups in a particular way. For instance, Loffreda discusses how the media portrays Wyoming saying, “Hate: it’s a common word in Wyoming” (Loffreda 242). The media is clearly playing a negative role because the citizens know that Wyoming is anything but hate. Since Wyoming lost a young student to hate brutality, the media appears and delivers information to the citizens of Wyoming and the nation that Wyoming is full of hate, almost as if these kinds of acts occur frequently. Moreover, this falsified information is allowing the nation to believe that Wyoming is not a safe place and that an area like this cannot be saved.