CCT300+LAB+2

Lab #2 Genre and its conflicts today

Webster online dictionary describes Genre as "a category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterized by a particular style, form, or content" (webster); this definition of genre becomes less relevant every day to 'digital genres'. The reason being the way that technology helps evolve the genres and the mediums through which they are conveyed. Genres are said to be characterized by a particular style, form or content, however such characteristics cannot be stablished for longer than1 month; the mediums would have created a new characteristic to it. This means not everyone can create a single style or for the genre to have one type of content or form.

Using the Iphone as an example, the content of television used to belong to cable companies and then they would be transmitted through a single television and thats it. The Iphone not only provides the service of a phone it also streams live television. the characteristics of the Iphone cannot be stopped from evolution as it is always changing, therefore no genre can be attached to 'no label as to what it really is'. One important use of the iphone was that of a campaigning tool by former President Barack Obama (Shiels). This use is a great example of the reasons why using 'genre' to define digital genres is controversial; the evolution is too quick in a short period of time combining all mediums in one device with many styles of content and form, that are also always changing. Therefore they don't fit into any one genre!

Works Cited

"Genre - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary." Merriam-Webster Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. .

Shiels, Maggie. "BBC NEWS | Technology | Obama uses iPhone to win support." BBC News - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. .