Digital Media and New Aural Cultures

In the movie Pontypool the vector of infection of language is an example of space bias. This is because Harold Innis states that all media have either a time or space bias. He states that time bias is media that lasts a long time and can be classified as durable, heavy, and not easily transported. He describes space biased media to be light and can travel over vast distances. The virus is an example of a space bias since it was spread through speech which can travel at vast distances and is not physical. Throughout the film, we can see that the virus can spread through a variety of mediums such as radio, telephone and electric amplification. These mediums were able to spread the virus as well as attract people through the form of orality who were already affected through great distances which makes it space biased. 

  Harold Innis’ discusses the time and space biases of communication. He defines a time bias as something that is not transportable, something that is very durable and heavy. In turn, he describes space bias as something which is light and easily transportable. When looking at the plague of Pontypool , the vector of infection of the language would be an example of space bias. This is due to the fact that the virus did not occupy any physical space but instead was transportable through speech, covering a large area with no physical space being occupied. Mediums such as the Radio, telephone, and other electronic amplifications played a major role in the sustainment of the virus. All of these mediums are contemporary forms of orality, this is due to the amplification of sound that is being transmitted to all of these media, they allow for the voice of  Grant Mazzy to be amplified all over leading to the immediate spread of the virus. For example, in the film, the radio was the me...

Thinking about the plague of Pontypool in terms of Harold Innis’ analysis of ancient empires and media forms, I found that it was an example of space bias. As discussed by Innis time bias is something that has been solidified and durable but is not easily transported. As discussed in class a good example of this would be the pyramids because although they are incredibly strong you can’t easily move them from one place to another. However, space bias is something that is light and very easily transported across far distances. In the case of the Pontypool virus, I found that it was a good example of space bias as it was spread through the spoken word that can easily travel from person to person. Within the film we can see the virus spread through multiple forms of communication, the radio being a big one. The sender of the message or in this case the infected word did not have to physically be there to share the message which made it easy to spread and led me to believe that this is an ...

The movie Pontypool tells the story of a virus that is spread through language – more specifically, the virus is transmitted when one says English words that have been contaminated. The importance of this movie to CS400 is its depiction of language as a virus. Once someone gets infected by the virus, they repeat the (infected) word many times. Think about it, have you ever said a word so many times that the word lost its meaning? In Pontypool, that is what happens to people once infected – words lose their meanings and people start repeating these words over and over again, damaging their meaning more each time.    Harold Innis argues about mediums of communication, particularly, time bias versus space bias of media forms. Here, one may say that the vector of infection of the language virus in Pontypool is an example of space bias. That is because language/communication can be easily transported through time and space. In this movie, the main characters interact with people th...

According to Innis’ analysis of ancient empires and media forms, and from the definitions of time bias and space bias media, I would consider the spreading of the Pontypool virus to be an example of space bias. As we learned, space-bias media favours/affords a more rapid and widespread mode of dissemination. This is similar to the vector of the Pontypool virus, as it is seen quickly spreading throughout the town. That said, there could be an argument made in favour of the virus being, at its core, an example of the concept of time bias, as it has now permeated the English language, thus potentially becoming a long-lasting, time-bias virus in that language or oral culture.  In addition, radio, telephone, and electronic amplification as media could be considered, in the case of Pontypool , contemporary forms of orality. This is because they act as the transmitters of culture and its messages. The knowledge of the virus and situation is being orally reported via these mediums in ord...

  Second question/issue: think about the plague of  Pontypool  in terms of Harold Innis' analysis of ancient empires and media forms. Is the vector of infection of the language virus in  Pontypool  an example of time bias or space bias? Radio, telephone, and electronic amplification play an important part in sustaining the virus. How are these media forms and their sociotechnical affordances contemporary forms of orality?     Through the first few weeks of this course, sound and the way we experience and absorb it have been some of the main focuses. Harold Innis provided us with descriptions of Time Bias which is described as things that are durable but also not easily transported or are not transported at all. He also provided descriptions of Space Bias which is described as things that are light and easily transported over distances at a quicker pace. In terms of the vector of infection of the language virus in Pontypool, it would be an example...

The virus in Pontypool is transmitted in unique way as opposed to other movies about zombie outbreaks. This disease is transmitted through language. In this movie, there are certain words that when said and understood, transmit the disease and ultimately turns the speaker into a type of zombie.  When comparing this film to Harold Innis’ concept of time and space bias, it is easy to see how this is mainly a space bias medium. Innis explains that time bias forms of communication are steady, and hard to move or break. They are usually immobile, and hard to transport. Therefore it is difficult for time bias forms of communication to be used over large distances. In contrast, space bias media opposes time bias because it is light, easy to move and utilize over distances, and usually not as permanent as time bias is.  Within the movie Pontypool, almost the entirety of the movie is filmed within a radio station. While the virus is spread using speech (a media that Innis argues is a t...