Welcome to the Annenberg Program on Online Communities

USC's pioneering Charles Annenberg Weingarten Program on Online Communities (APOC) recognizes that online communities are the future of our economic, political, and social lives. They are the most successful application of “Web 2.0” concepts, and are increasingly popular as well as critical to the success of a wide array of industries. According to Alexa rankings, more than half of the top ten most frequently visited websites revolve around social networking or media sharing. The hottest sites include YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, Hi5, and Orkut. Additionally, many traditional mass media, such as newspapers and television, are incorporating new media and social networking features as part of media convergence. Online communities also hold the promise of new forms of social communication, increased political involvement, better support networks, cutting-edge advertising, and new economic models for news, video, and music. The components of the program include a 1-year M.A. degree, close ties with industry, and ongoing research into how online communities are integrated with individuals, organizations, and technologies.