The new media

• The new media: Types of media which use modern digital technology. E.G. Social media, the use of the internet. Despite the fact that CD's/DVD's use digital date they are still considered old media, these are considered old fashioned. New media is constantly changing.
• Examples of the new media:

  • Social media
  • The streaming of video and audio files
  • Digital/smart TV
  • Computer games
  • Mobile apps
• New media includes social networks:

  • These are forms of software that allow people and groups to connect.
  • This includes virtual communities, they may share similar interests or goals.
• Old media: Some old media exists in new media formats, for example newspapers can now be read online, TV's are smart, etc..
• Key features of new media?

  Convergence, interactivity, audience power and accessibility
• Convergence: It is increasingly the case that one device can be used to access a wide variety of media. E.G. phones can be used for calls, social media, pictures, film, TV, etc...
• Interactivity: The audience is now able to engage with media, e.g. being able to call or text a live TV show.
• Audience power: Interactivity gives more power to the audience. They can use catch-up to watch older TV programmes and they can influence what type of shows are more commonly wanted.
• Accessibility: The new media is free media. They are able to get instant access to most media content much of which is free.
• Sociologists are not all in agreement about the extent to which the move towards new media is really a very significant or revolutionary change.
• Evaluation of the idea new media is revolutionary:

  • Cornford and Robins (1999) argued new media is evolutionary rather than revolutionary.
  • They argue that interactivity was present in older media forms.
  • They argue that new technology was built on old technology rather than being revolutionary.
• Evaluation of the idea new media is revolutionary:

  • Boyle and Haynes (2004) argued new media has added onto what old media could already do. The main change is the speed.
  • However new media has continued to develop rapidly.
• Evaluation of the new media:

  • The significance of the new media may be overstated as it isn't as accessible to all.
  • For example it creates a digital underclass as older generations cant understand technology.
• Attitudes to the new media: Neophiliacs and cultural pessimists
• Neophiliacs: These are people who are positive about the influence and benefits of new media. They have increased consumer choice, and it increases engagement with other aspects of society. For example the Arab Spring was partly sparked by interactions through the new media.
• Cultural pessimists: These are people who are critical about the new media. Believe it has led to an increased state of surveillance.
• Who controls the new media?

  • For Neophiliacs, the media is democratic, the public control it.
  • A negative take is that no one is really in control of it.
  • Keen (2007) argues that the new media's democracy makes it.
• Who controls the new media?

  Some would argue corporations such as google have the most control, they can censor content. Even user based sites such as Youtube are still controlled by these corporations.
• Jenkins argues that the process of technological convergence brings about the process of cultural convergence, whereby consumers are encouraged to seek out and share new information and make connections between dispersed contents from a range of media, and contribute to a participatory culture.
• Users of the media:

  • Helsper argues that healthy, young, well-educated people with higher incomes and professionals are more likely to be frequent users of the new media.
  •  There is a digital divide between the information-rich digital haves, and the poor-digital have-nots. 
  • Boyle argues that younger people have grown up with the latest developments in the new media and are therefore predisposed to it. 
  • Li and Kirkup argue that men are more likely to have a positive attitude towards the internet, spend more time on it and were more confident on how to use to extensively.
• The new media is good for society:

  • More informed consumers
  • Greater democracy
  • More access to all kinds of information
  • The world as a global village
  • Social life/interaction is enhanced
• The new media is bad for society:

  • Lack of valid information
  • Cultural and media imperialism
  • Threat to democracy
  • Lack of regulation
  • Commercialisation and lack of consumer choice
  • Increased surveillance
  • The undermining of human relationships and communications.
• McNair argues that information, is power. The internet is accessible to anyone, therefore there are greater opportunities to report, criticise and publish. Democracy is improved if people are better informed in who and what they are voting for.
• Postmodernists see the new media as enhancing social diversity and enabling people to share their cultures and shape their identity. Social media has enhanced the global village because people can stay in touch via social networking sites.
• The new media has led to the imposition of western technology and cultural values on non-western cultures, undermining their features and independence.
• MacKinnon writes about sovereign cyberspace, which referes to multinational corporations such as Apple now have the power that only the government had once obtained. Therefore, these companies have effectively become part of our political system, but they are neither elected or accountable to the public like democratic governments are. MacKinnon also argues that some repressive regimes (Eg. North Korea) legitimate their repression by having censorship and control of media output, which undermines democracy and the freedom of expression.
• Participatory culture: The public do not act as consumers only but also as contributors and producers of the media content. this new culture as it relates to the internet has been described as web 2.0
• Hypertextuality - links between different media texts that form a web of connections.
• Dispersal - the new media has become less centralised and has adapted to individual choices
• Livingstone and Wang (2011) suggest that peoples progress in acquiring digital skills has not improved, those from lower social classes particularly at risk.
• Effects of changes on traditional media:

  • Shifts in traditional news flow cycle- Anyone can share news taking away the power of big media organizations.
  • Heightened accountability- News reports can be criticised by the public
  • Evolving news values- easier for news to be live and less 'professional'