6. the new media (m) Flashcards
what is the ‘new media’?
-refers to screen based, digital technology involving the integration of images, text and sound, and to the technology used for the distribution and consumption of the new digitised media content
-include computers, tablets, smartphones & the internet, ebooks, CDs, DVDs, etc
what is cultural convergence?
-Jenkins (2008), this refers to the way new media users engage with range of media content delivered in variety of ways, & ways they seek out, share, and make connections between this content, & make sense of it
-come from process of technological convergence, where multiple media’s brought together on same device
what are the four defining features of new media?
-digitality- using computers to distribute screen-based products
-hypertextuality- link which forms web of connections to other bits of info
-interactivity- consumers can engage or interact in same way. Jenkins suggests this led to participatory culture and collective intelligence
-dispersal- refers to way new media has become less centralised, more adapted to individual choices
who uses the new media?
-users of new media aren’t homogenous group, sharing the same social characteristics
-media users can be differentiated by social class, gender, age and location
-Jones (2010) suggests patterns in internet access and use tend to reflect & amplify existing inequalities
-Dutton & Blank (2011) found that people with higher education were more likely to be users of the internet
age differences in new media
-Boyle (2007) points out that younger gens have grown up with new media, more media savvy than older gens
-more likely to consume media through variety of formats
-those aged 16-24 10x more likely to go on internet via mobile than those 55+
-Jones (2010) points out class still has impact, around 10% of 16-24 yr olds from most disadvantaged social background are still infrequent users of internet
class differences in new media
-Jones believes within younger gen, social class also has impact on new media use
-broadly, m/c and u/c are biggest users of new media, as they can easily afford it
-65% of those who aren’t online are in bottom two social classes
-evidence of digital media divide between those who don’t have access to media and those who do
gender differences in media
-significant differences between men and women & way they use + relate to new media. OFCOM found (2011,12,14):
•fixed game consoles & tablets are more popular among males
•e-readers were more popular among women
•men spend 3 times as much time as women watching videos online
-more females than males reported ‘high audience’ to their mobile phones
location differences in new media
-most significant digital divide in terms of location is between info- rich and the info- poor countries
-is existence of global digital underclass
-new media, & particularly the interest, are used more heavily and by largest proportion of ppl in western world
-many of those living in poorest countries lack access due to poverty
how has growth of new media impacted traditional media?
-shifts in traditional news flow cycles- rise of citizen journalism, where members of public are involved in collecting, reporting & spreading of news stories
-heightened accountability- citizen journalism has made traditional media & media organisations more accountable to public, as reports are scrutinised by public
-evolving news values- some important news values influencing what to report and what not to. include importance, interest, entertainment, proximity.
the reduced power of ownership
-McNair (2006)- new media meant that elite groups have less power to influence news agendas. too down control by media owners, etc is replaced by ‘cultural chaos’- more anarchy, dissent, openness and diversity
-balance of power of media control is shifting, as citizen journalists have growing power to influence news that’s reported.
-rise of new media means that there’s rising capacity to shape traditional news agendas
changing relationships with media audiences
-new media forced traditional media to be more accountable & responsive to audience, allowed more interactive comment, feedback & complaints
-traditional media become more responsive in way content is delivered, such as through multiple delivery devices
-new media tech increasingly becoming preferred choice of readers and viewers to consume news
-traditional media increasingly turning into infotainment
the significance of new media in contemporary society
-Curran & Seaton (2010) suggest there are two general views on new media significance in contemporary society
1. cultural optimist view- sees new media as playing positive role in society. held by neophiliacs, those who like, rapidly embrace and adapt to new tech
1.cultural pessimist view- has a more negative view of the impact of new media in society
