On previous few blogs, I have been writing about how traditional media theory has been affected by the digital media, especially the new media. For today’s blog, I will be briefly introducing new factors that are added with new media’s rise.
<Interactivity>
The first and most obvious change is the interactivity. Before new media, the traditional media only allowed one-way communication. However, the new media brought two-way communication, which led to greater participation of audiences in mass communication.
<Diversity>
Since new media lets audiences to participate much more through easy access (which is enabled by the internet), the amount of contents and viewpoints offered are much diverse.
<Audience Selectivity and Control>
With the convergence of fore mentioned factors (interactivity and diversity), audiences are now able to select which content they want to be exposed and able to perform control over media. This is mainly because they have the ability to filter, produce, and disseminate information.
<Personalisation>
With new media, we move on to ‘narrow-casting’ from ‘broad-casting.’ Instead of exposing audiences with one message (general message), now, the media industry tries to make special-appeal that suits a particular interest. This is enabled because new media has the ability to collect big data.
<Media Convergence>
Boundaries of media technology (such as distinction between television and radio) are diminishing. There are many reasons behind this, including digitization, video compression, broadband, and much more.
<Global Reach>
New media has liberated contents from time and space with efficacy and low cost. Therefore, media market has expanded globally, not limiting contents within the borders. This phenomenon often becomes a hot debate topic because of cultural imperialism.
<Media Portability>
In line with global reach, the advanced technologies, such as wireless technologies, allowed media contents to be consumed where ever and whenever an audience desire to.
<Social Connectivity>
Digitalmedia has a networked connection, which allows audiences to connect with eachother socially without any distance or time limitations.
As we can see, due to the rise of digital media, there are more factors to consider when studying media effects. This list of factors are only a few representations. There are more factors that exist now, and that will appear soon. As a media studies student, I believe that it is important to keep an eye on them.
Reference: The Convergence Phenomenon in Media and Communications. 169-185 by Petros(2011)
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