1. New Media, Old Media

1.    

New Media, Old Media

Media plays an essential role in Western society. It is how we find out news of local and global events, it is what we use for entertainment; it is part of our daily lives, it has been a part of society generations before my generation began and media will be around for generations after my generation has passed away. The traditional and well established media organisations such as cinema, printing press and broadcasting, are considered the old as they have been a fixture of Western society for a long time. They are familiar, often taken for granted and thus, they have become the ordinary and of the mundane. New media offers the excitement of newness that holds the connotation of advancement and improvement we humans strive for. New Media is a name this is inclusive and is used for a range of technologies. To me, new media means new technology, such as the internet, and new technological means of communication. The key differences between old media and new media and the impact new media has had on society will be discussed.

A key difference between old media and new media is digitality Old media is analogous which follows a set pattern and can only be converted into physical analogous forms. Digital converts data into separate bits of abstract symbols and numbers. It improves the quality of the data and can be easily accessed at fast speeds and manipulated. Interactivity is a key difference between the old and new media. With new technology the audience has more power and control. The audience of old media were often perceived as passive audiences with little control on the media they consumed but with new media, the media consumers can also be the producers as well – they can change and manipulate the media through computer editing or the choices they make in a video game. The participation levels are high; consumers not only interact with the media but can also interact with other users of the media at the same time. Lievrouw & Livingstone (2006) affirm “The most important characteristics seem to be interactive features, perceived interactivity, and interactive exchange.” (P. 207).  

Media plays a central role in our lives. The old and new media continues to shape who we are and impact our lives in every way. It has broken down the barrier between producer and consumer; it has given us a D.I.Y status through domestic software such as editing programs for video and photography. It connects us to the world by deepening our knowledge and providing new ways of connecting with others– by web cams, by social websites and programs such as skype. Most of all technological changes have increased the production and consumption of media texts.  It impacts us at home just as it does as work. The way people work has changed, more jobs have been created, skill levels have increased and have become more accessible. People are expected to know to use technology at work, such as PowerPoint. New media has entered into our education system, as tools to learn, and as subjects to be taught. New technology has decentralised traditional media by placing more control in the consumers’ hands. Lister (2003) asserts “...It is certainly the case that distance between the elite process of media production and everyday life is smaller now than at any time in the age of mass media.” (P.33). Consequently, traditional newspapers are now under threat; their physical form risks becoming obsolesce. New media has taken over, claimed us and now affects us in every way.       

References

Lievrouw, A, L., & Livingstone, S. (Eds)., (2006). Handbook of New Media Social Shaping and Social Consequences of ICTs. London: Sage Publications.

Lister, M., et al. (2003). New Media and New Technologies. New Media: A Critical Introduction. London: Routledge.