New Media: Content 1

Question 1

New Media: Summary

Answer 1

1. Defining New Media
2. Digital Revolution and Convergence
3. Compression
4. Interactivity

Question 2

1.1 Defining New Media

Answer 2

• Refers to two trends over the last 30 years
  1. Evolution of existing media delivery systems
• E.g. most people had pictures from analogue TV sets with only 4 channels (now digital with hundreds)
  2. Emergence of New Delivery technologies
• Cheap personal computers / mobile phones offer new forms of communication

Question 3

1.2 Digital Revolution and Convergence

Answer 3

• Growth of Digital Tech in 90s led to changes in the way information is stored / transmitted
• Digitilaziation: translation of all information into universal computer language. (resulted in Convergence)
• Convergence: different types of information could be combined into a single delivery system
• Boyle: digitalization allows information to be delivered across a range of media platforms. This ‘blurs the lines about how we use technologies’ (Possible to watch TV on mobile phone)

Digital Convergence has caused Economic Convergence

• Media and Telecom companies now work together
• Jenkins: mobile companies don’t make single function
• Conford and Robins: digital convergence would see the emergence of the ‘holy grail’ of the information age.
• Jenkins: disputes this as there will never be a black box that does everything

Question 4

1.3 Compression

Answer 4

• Digital Technologies enables compression of signals
• many signals can be sent through the same cable which has resulted in narrowcasting…
• The broadcast of media content to niche consumers.
• Boyle: focus of media companies is creating a personalized experience

Question 5

1.4 Interactivity

Answer 5

• New Media is interactive and is responsive in ‘real time’ to user input.
• Internet lets users select the stories they want to watch and the order they want to watch them.
• Jenkins: argues interactivity has led to participatory culture where producers and consumers now interact
• Internet is the main means through which people can interact with each other in a participatory culture and build collective intelligence
• Jenkins: fans of TV programmes have become influential because of the internet. (Views taken into consideration)
• Boyle: we have evolved from a supply-led TV (available to all) to a demand-led TV (viewers decide what they want to watch)
• Freeview is a good example of this