College Life

SUNY Oswego’s Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit returned to Waterman Theatre to talk about a trending issue in society today.

With the help of moderator Sean McAllister the costar for entertainment news program “MORE” the concern of how technology is impacting their workplace.

The audience was directed to use their phones during the summit, to interact with it. Live Tweeting and Instagramming was encouraged, in light of the topic at hand. Following the social media outlets for the Media Summit was also encouraged.

McAllister asked the question "How do all professions intersect?" Maya, a theater actress, explained the benefits of social media in her career. "It allowed us to present ourselves to the world and develop as artists," she said. "They can brand themselves, they can get their names out there and give themselves opportunities." Maya also described the importance of having a 'clean' page. This refers to having positive posts and avoiding anything that would represent you poorly. Artists use social media to show their skills and create a network where they have opportunities. It is important that they show who they are in a positive way, and not negatively.

This was a theme throughout the media summit. Each question reflected back on this idea, that the internet and technology like social media, can help build communities and larger networks. It helps bring all sectors together, to give everyone greater opportunities.

The harmful effects were also highlighted. It is a tough time in the music industry, because of live streaming and people illegally downloading music. It is an adjustment they have had to make to stay successful, but it is necessary because this is the future.