Flipped Expectations – the Value of DIY Media

In this blog, I want to focus on the concept and implications of DIY (Do-It-Yourself) media. I will explore the creative practices of individuals producing and sharing their own digital media content instead of relying on traditional media outlets. The post discusses the expansive and creative practices of digital literacy, the use of affordable digital tools for content production and distribution, and the empowerment of individuals and communities as active producers and distributors of digital content.

It highlights the advantages such as cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and skill development, while also addressing disadvantages like lower quality and lack of professional strategy. I also contrast DIY media with professional media production, examining their differences in quality, efficiency, and strategic alignment. Additionally, I want to present DIY media as an antidote to conventional, uncritical professional media practices by promoting accessibility, democratisation, participatory culture, authenticity, and personalisation.

DIY (Do-It-Yourself) media embodies the creative practices of everyday individuals who choose to produce and share their own digital media content, stepping away from exclusive reliance on traditional media outlets and publishers. This shift highlights a growing trend where people take control of media narratives and distribution, leveraging digital tools to craft and disseminate content directly to their audiences.

The key characteristics of DIY media include:

• Expansive and creative practices of digital literacy that are increasingly influential and popular outside of school settings, but whose educational potential is not yet being fully tapped in classrooms.
• Engaging in do-it-yourself digitally mediated meaning-making practices, such as creating YouTube videos, making podcasts, digital photography, community radio programmes, newsletters and sines.
• Leveraging affordable digital tools and online platforms to produce, distribute, and support the social gain and community development aims of a civic society group through self-published content, rather than going through traditional media channels.
• Representing a shift towards everyday people taking an active role in creating and sharing their own digital media, rather than just consuming content produced by large media companies.

Active Producers

DIY media empowers individuals and communities to become active producers and distributors of digital content, rather than just passive consumers. It reflects the democratisation of media creation and distribution enabled by new technologies.  The key benefits of DIY (Do-It-Yourself) media include:

• Cost-Effectiveness: DIY media allows businesses and individuals to save on agency fees and expensive marketing costs by handling marketing tasks in-house using free or low-cost tools.
• Flexibility and Adaptability: DIY media gives businesses the ability to make quick decisions, test new strategies, and adjust campaigns based on real-time data without lengthy approval processes.
• Personalised Communication: By taking control of their identity, community organisations can create more meaningful and authentic branding, including a stronger public identity, unique voice, and improved civic engagement.
• Skill Development: Engaging in DIY media allows community groups to develop valuable digital communication skills such as social media management, content creation, graphic design, and data analysis.
• Networking Opportunities: Managing one’s own communications efforts can lead to building professional relationships, collaborating with other civic society groups, businesses, and gaining referrals and testimonials that enhance the reputation of those involved based on what they deliver as a public good.

The key benefits of DIY media, then, are cost savings, flexibility, personalised communications, skill development, and networking opportunities – empowering community groups and individuals to take control of their media creation and distribution.

Perceived Disadvantages

One notable disadvantage of DIY media is the persistent perception barrier that tends to categorise professional media as inherently superior, while painting DIY and self-produced media as amateurish and substandard. This stereotype can undermine the credibility and reception of DIY content, despite its potential for innovation and genuine engagement. Such perceptions can discourage creators and skew public and commercial support towards traditional media channels, overlooking the unique value and fresh perspectives that DIY media offers. Some alleged disadvantages of DIY media include:

• Lower Quality: Without professional equipment, experience, and expertise, DIY media content is assumed to be lower quality compared to content produced by professionals.
• Lack of Strategy: Many organisations struggle to develop a coherent strategy when creating DIY media, often feeling lost on where to start. This can lead to ineffective and disjointed content, and points to a lack of coherent understanding of the purposes of the group or organisation.
• Time-Consuming: Producing high-quality DIY media content requires a significant investment of time, which can distract from running the core business. Typically, this is due to either a lack of core media skills, or a lack of permission and empowerment of the people involved in the media production process.
• Potential for Higher Costs: While DIY media can initially seem cost-effective, it is assumed that a poorly executed DIY campaign can end up costing more in the long run, without delivering results or ROI. DIY media therefore requires a different set of evaluation metrics that can demonstrate the purposefulness of the content that is made and shared, separate from the standard media metrics of reach and share.
• Inconsistent Execution: It is usually assumed that without the experience and expertise of professionals, DIY media efforts can lack consistency in branding, messaging, and execution, which can undermine their effectiveness. The question this raises, however, is what is the purpose of the activity that is being promoted, and are mass media techniques any more meaningful or focussed than a DIY media activity might achieve?
• Competitive Disadvantage: Following the herd and the expectations of competitors is a powerful influence on expectations about the value of DIY media. Working with professional marketing agencies may have an advantage in terms of strategy, production quality, and campaign optimisation, that put DIY approaches at a disadvantage, but they have to be seen in the context of the wider purpose of community-focussed communications with their social value and public purpose aims.

The key disadvantages of DIY media are often claimed to be: lower quality, lack of strategic direction, high time investment, potential for higher costs, inconsistent execution, and competitive disadvantage compared to professionally produced media. DIY media advocates face the challenge of overturning entrenched expectations regarding the capability of independent and self-produced media to deliver significant social gain and value.

To address this, they must highlight how the principles and values of the organisations, groups, and individuals creating and sharing content directly influence the impact and relevance of the media produced. By demonstrating that DIY media can embody and amplify community-centric values, advocates can reshape perceptions to recognise the profound social benefits that such media can offer, fostering a more inclusive and participatory media landscape.

DIY vs. Professional Media

The distinction between DIY media and professional media largely revolves around subjective expectations of ‘quality’ and ‘professionalism’, which are often defined by market advantages rather than by the needs of civic society and public sphere operators. Professional media is typically lauded for its high production values and strategic polish, advantages that have been cultivated to appeal to and dominate market interests.

In contrast, DIY media, with its more accessible and community-oriented approach, challenges these norms by prioritising content that addresses the specific, often overlooked needs of civic engagement and public discourse. This shift suggests that traditional metrics of quality and professionalism may not fully encompass the diverse and pragmatic requirements of a healthy, functioning public sphere.

Some key differences in expectation and perception between DIY media and professional forms of media include:

Quality

• Professional media production typically results in higher quality content in terms of video/audio fidelity, production value, and overall polish.
• DIY media often has a more amateur, raw, and unpolished aesthetic, which can be seen as either a benefit or drawback depending on the context.

Efficiency

• Professional media production companies can create content more efficiently and quickly compared to DIY efforts.
• DIY media production can be more time-consuming for businesses and individuals without the right skills and equipment.

Expertise

• Professional media producers have specialised skills, experience, and equipment that allow them to create more strategically effective and technically superior content.
• DIY media relies on the limited expertise of the individual or small team creating it.

Reputation

• Professional media production can help protect and enhance a business’s reputation, while poor DIY media can potentially damage it.
• DIY media may be more suitable for informal, casual, or niche contexts where production quality is less of a concern.

Professional media is said to offer higher quality, greater efficiency, and more expertise, but at a higher cost. While DIY media is more accessible and flexible, but often lacks the polish and strategic impact of professional production. The choice depends on the specific needs and context of the media being created. When planning communications strategies, a pivotal choice arises between adhering to professional media norms, which often presume to represent and serve communities, and adopting a DIY approach that fundamentally seeks to empower communities to communicate for themselves and about their own experiences.

This decision requires a deliberate shift in perspective—from viewing communities as passive recipients of media produced by professionals to recognising them as active participants with the agency to shape their own narratives. Embracing a DIY approach not only challenges the traditional expectations held by professional media producers but also reinforces the principle that true community engagement and empowerment stem from self-representation and ownership of the media process.

Flipping Expectations of Quality

Flipping expectations of quality in community-focused communications is essential for realising the cultural capital and social value inherent within communities themselves. This process involves valuing and utilising the assets, resources, networks, and interconnections that exist within communities, which are often overlooked or underestimated by traditional media paradigms. DIY media plays a crucial role in this context, as it aligns its expectations with the actual capacities and dynamics of the community members engaged in creating content.

By doing so, DIY media validates and amplifies the unique contributions of these communities, demonstrating that their internal resources, though perceived as unconventional or challenging by mainstream standards, are indeed valuable and effective for fostering meaningful engagement and communication.

The key differences in how ‘quality’ is understood in DIY (Do-It-Yourself) media compared to professional forms of media are:

Production Value

Professional media is typically assumed to encompass higher production values in terms of video/audio fidelity, cinematography, editing, and overall polish. Many independent media producers imitate and copy the aesthetics of the professionalised media, because this leads to greater acceptance within the narrow circuit of producers who gain influence during periods of visual and aesthetic fashion. The number of YouTubers with drones in their videos has risen significantly in recent years, though it is arguable that the topics that they cover are any more interesting, incisive, or relevant.

DIY media often has a more amateur, raw, and unpolished aesthetic, which can be seen as either a benefit or drawback depending on the context. DIY producers must make a conscious choice to reject or reduce the influence of professionalised forms of media aesthetic. This is not easy to achieve, because the media production process itself can be exciting, as new technologies and techniques change the capabilities of producers and designers to make different types of content. The DIY approach is often associated with alternative and independent political movements, who see the rejection of mainstream media aesthetics as a virtue that their communities find inspiring.

Technical Expertise

Professional media producers, equipped with specialised skills, experience, and access to high-end equipment, are often able to create technically superior content. However, there is a risk that these professionals can become overly focused on the pursuit and application of these skills and technologies for their own sake, potentially losing sight of what is truly meaningful and resonant for their audience.

This preoccupation with technical excellence and innovative techniques can sometimes overshadow the core purpose of media: to connect with and provide value to viewers and listeners. As such, it is crucial for media professionals to continually align their creative processes with the interests and needs of their audiences, ensuring that technical prowess enhances rather than detracts from the message and its impact.

DIY media often relies on the limited technical expertise of the individual or small team behind its creation, which may lead to a perception of lower quality when compared to professionally produced content. However, DIY media fulfils a different set of expectations that hold significant value. This includes fostering independent thinking, empowering minority voices, and enabling self-representation of groups in a manner that expresses their true character rather than a projected identity.

By doing so, DIY media challenges traditional notions of quality and professionalism, emphasising authenticity, relevance, and community engagement over technical perfection. This shift not only broadens the scope of what media can accomplish but also redefines the very metrics by which media quality should be assessed.

Strategic Alignment

Professionalised media typically operates with an ‘audience’ model of engagement, focusing on viewers and listeners as largely passive recipients of content. This contrasts with the ‘community’ model of engagement that DIY media assumes, which sees participants as active contributors to the media creation process. The audience model prioritises reach and viewership metrics, often leading to content that is broad and generalised to appeal to the widest possible group.

Conversely, the community model is more intimate and interactive, aiming to involve community members directly in the production and narrative processes. This involvement fosters media that is deeply reflective of specific community interests, challenges, and values. The difference in focus is also manifested in the production techniques used: professionalised media may employ sophisticated technology and high production values, while DIY media often utilises more accessible tools and methods that encourage participation and authenticity. This distinction highlights a fundamental shift in how relationships with the receiver of the media are conceptualised and valued.

Consistency

‘Branding’ and market consistency are often heralded as virtues in the mass media marketplace, yet these attributes do not necessarily align with the dynamic nature of communities, the specific contexts from which they emerge, or the eras in which they are active. While consistency helps in building a recognisable brand identity, it can also act as an inhibitor to creativity by enforcing a uniform standard that may stifle the natural evolution of community expressions and needs.

Furthermore, the corporate expectations that drive these media practices can often diverge significantly from those of the communities being targeted, who may resent the dulling effects of cultural uniformity. This narrowing of cultural options not only diminishes the vibrancy and diversity of community voices but also limits their sense of cultural democracy, thereby restricting the rich tapestry of narratives and perspectives that truly reflect the community’s identity and aspirations.

The distinction between professionalised forms of media engagement and DIY forms of engagement is crucial for fostering civic diversity and enhancing democratic engagement. Professionalised media, often driven by monocultural and mass-market expectations, prioritises efficiency, control, and ownership, which can homogenise content and stifle diverse perspectives. In contrast, DIY media champions personal insight, empowerment, and the expression of multiple viewpoints and experiences.

This approach not only nurtures alternative worldviews but also catalyses creative change within the cultural and media ecosystem. By valuing the voices and stories of individuals and communities, DIY media contributes significantly to the social democratic functioning of modern democracies. It ensures a broader, more inclusive dialogue that is essential for the health and vibrancy of any democratic society, encouraging a media landscape where diverse narratives coexist and influence societal progress. 

Antidote to Bullshit 

DIY media can be aptly considered as an antidote to bullshit, where substandard, exploitative, and manipulative media products are actively challenged and rejected by citizens who take their communication needs into their own hands. This grassroots approach empowers individuals and communities to produce their own content, bypassing traditional media avenues that often prioritise sensationalism or commercial interests over genuine engagement and authenticity.

By embracing DIY media, people assert control over their narratives, ensuring that the content they consume, and share reflects their values and realities, rather than being shaped by external agendas. This shift represents a significant move towards more authentic, responsible, and community-focused media production, where the power to define and distribute media is reclaimed by the very communities it serves. 

Accessibility and Democratisation

• DIY media empowers everyday people to become active producers and distributors of digital content, rather than just passive consumers.
• This represents a shift towards the democratisation of media creation and distribution enabled by new technologies.

Creative Practices and Digital Literacy

• DIY media involves expansive and creative practices of digital literacy that are increasingly influential and popular outside of school settings and are embedded in wider community settings.
• These DIY media practices, such as creating sines, newsletters, community radio programmes, digital photography, have educational potential that is not yet being fully tapped as a community asset.

Participatory Culture

• DIY media reflects a “Web 2.0 ethos” that values and promotes participation, collaboration, and distribution among ordinary people who otherwise have no intention of applying for work in the professional media marketplace.
• This allows for unprecedented participation in media production, beyond just consumption.

Authenticity and Personalisation

• DIY media can lead to more personalised and authentic community-focussed communication, including a stronger sense of representation and character, expressing the unique voices that are often overlooked, compared to professionally produced content.
• This can improve customer engagement and connection, moving away from overly polished and impersonal professional media.

DIY media serves as a crucial force in democratising media production, fostering creative digital literacy practices, and enabling a participatory culture. By empowering individuals and communities to create and share their own content, DIY media challenges the conventional, often uncritical professional media paradigms. This approach allows for more authentic and personalised content that reflects the diverse voices and perspectives of its creators, rather than adhering to the homogeneous standards set by traditional media industries. In doing so, DIY media acts as an antidote to the over-reliance on habitual professional expectations, promoting a more engaged, informed, and creative public discourse.