5th Article
5th article
Flew, T. 2002. “ What’s New about New Media?” New Media: An Introduction, (pp. 9-29). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Yue, A. 2006. “ The Internet”. Lecture.
Objective Summary
New Media is defined through three characteristics: computing and information technology, communication networks and digitised media and information content. The article also discusses a very important concept; that is convergence. It also discusses about the concept of globalisation. Hence, the article is about what factors makes new media new.
Subjective Summary
The topic of new media is one that everyone recognises. The Internet, for example, is a part of new media. The frequent use of the Internet is our daily lives places new media with importance, especially since we live in an increasingly modern society, which places emphasis on technology. I think this article explains the debate of the ‘newness’ of new media well. However, some of the ideas could be explained in simpler terms in order for the reader to have a better understanding.
Five Quotes/Points and Their Subjective Analysis
1. “ The Internet constitutes the electronic network of networks that link people and information through computers, and increasingly through other digital media technologies, and allow for both interpersonal communication and information retrieval.” (DiMaggio et al. 2001) (pg 12)
The Internet has been a useful source for information. The point states that the Internet, which is a form of new media, is a network structure that helps people connect to the information that they need through computers, palm tops and mobile phones. The World Wide Web is a major component of the Internet. It is made up of many websites that are collected in the Internet. Although the Internet is a good source of information, its credibility is of a certain doubt. The reason being that many people can easily post opinions and comments on the Internet, hence it is difficult to differentiate which ones have the most credibility and is factual.
2. “ Ryder and Wilson (1995), in an early study of the implications of ‘virtual learning’, understood the Internet in terms of a series of affordances it presented for users, or the range of potential uses that a person saw for that item. They also noted that affordances could also be constraints, as the awareness of new possibilities arising from a new media technology also draws attention to practical limitations in achieving these gains.” (pg 15)
The point argues that the public views the Internet as a point of learning, entertainment and information. The term ‘affordances’ means the requirements or limits that a person could have to access the Internet. One important aspect of the point made by Ryder and Wilson is that they admit that these ‘affordances’ are also constraints, limitations. These limitations arise because they may come from sources that are not credible and these sources may not help achieve the purposes that the person accessing the Internet desires.
3. “Convergent products and services are forms of media and information content that take advantage of a networked broadband infrastructure, the capabilities provided by digitisation, and the scope for interactivity and user customisation of services.” (pg 20)
These products and services originate from the merging of multinational companies. This merger is very significant, as it allows new technological products to merge with the older products. For example, the Internet can now be accessed in mobile phones and even play station games. Multinational companies also benefit from these mergers, gaining a higher income and profit. In 2000, America On-line (AOL) merged with Time Warner becoming one of the biggest media conglomerate in the world. I agree that convergent products and services provide more capabilities and areas for digitisation, which benefits contemporary society.
see more on digitisation: http://wiki.media-culture.org.au/index.php/Global_Communication
4. “ The World Wide Web, as an electronic database of text, images, sound, video, and voice communication, is the exemplar of interactivity in new media technologies, where each pattern of use leads the user down a distinctive ‘pathway’, creating what is termed a hypertext, or a text made up of other texts.” (pg 21)
It is important to know the existence of hypertext, as it is an important feature of the Internet. In order to go to a certain link or website, one must first undergo through a hypertext. According to Nelson (1981, cited in Lecture 22 2006), the hypertext is a non-sequential writing that allows the choices of the reader to be presented and engaged in an interactive medium. The hypertext thus transforms the readers into authors, engaging and challenging them to create their own information and text.
see more on hypertext and its importance: http://www.cyberartsweb.org/cpace/ht/greco2.html
5. “ Critics argue that such developments mark the latest and most insidious phase of cultural imperialism, where technologies developed by and for the economically dominant powers are used to exercise new forms of ‘soft power’, defined by Joseph S. Nye jun., Assistant Secretary for International Affairs in the Clinton Administration, as: ‘the ability to achieve desired outcomes in international affairs through attraction rather than coercion. It works by convincing others to follow, or getting them to agree to, norms and institutions that produce the desired behaviour. Soft power can rest upon the appeal of one’s ideas or the ability to set the agenda in ways that shape the preferences of others’ (quoted in Thussu 1998, pp. 66-7).” (pg 28)
Cultural imperialism is defined as a country’s culture and ideologies integrated and forced upon another country’s culture. One such example is McDonald’s. McDonald’s is an established fast-food chain of restaurants that have at least one outlet in almost every country in the world. This is an example of the effect of cultural imperialism. McLuhan and Fiore (1967, cited in Flew 2002: 28), further support this argument by stating that global villages have started to emerge, enabling technologies to communicate without the presence of cultural and geographical boundaries, in order to promote culture awareness. I personally think that cultural imperialism is bad, as it causes a loss of traditional culture.
Question
Is new media a good thing or a bad thing? Will new media affect the ‘dumbing down’ of society?
This question is highly significant, as I would like to know whether within the next 10 years, and the upcoming new technology, would technology overcome the cultural meanings and backgrounds of our countries as well as the social and moral values of our households?
Flew, T. 2002. “ What’s New about New Media?” New Media: An Introduction, (pp. 9-29). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Yue, A. 2006. “ The Internet”. Lecture.
Objective Summary
New Media is defined through three characteristics: computing and information technology, communication networks and digitised media and information content. The article also discusses a very important concept; that is convergence. It also discusses about the concept of globalisation. Hence, the article is about what factors makes new media new.
Subjective Summary
The topic of new media is one that everyone recognises. The Internet, for example, is a part of new media. The frequent use of the Internet is our daily lives places new media with importance, especially since we live in an increasingly modern society, which places emphasis on technology. I think this article explains the debate of the ‘newness’ of new media well. However, some of the ideas could be explained in simpler terms in order for the reader to have a better understanding.
Five Quotes/Points and Their Subjective Analysis
1. “ The Internet constitutes the electronic network of networks that link people and information through computers, and increasingly through other digital media technologies, and allow for both interpersonal communication and information retrieval.” (DiMaggio et al. 2001) (pg 12)
The Internet has been a useful source for information. The point states that the Internet, which is a form of new media, is a network structure that helps people connect to the information that they need through computers, palm tops and mobile phones. The World Wide Web is a major component of the Internet. It is made up of many websites that are collected in the Internet. Although the Internet is a good source of information, its credibility is of a certain doubt. The reason being that many people can easily post opinions and comments on the Internet, hence it is difficult to differentiate which ones have the most credibility and is factual.
2. “ Ryder and Wilson (1995), in an early study of the implications of ‘virtual learning’, understood the Internet in terms of a series of affordances it presented for users, or the range of potential uses that a person saw for that item. They also noted that affordances could also be constraints, as the awareness of new possibilities arising from a new media technology also draws attention to practical limitations in achieving these gains.” (pg 15)
The point argues that the public views the Internet as a point of learning, entertainment and information. The term ‘affordances’ means the requirements or limits that a person could have to access the Internet. One important aspect of the point made by Ryder and Wilson is that they admit that these ‘affordances’ are also constraints, limitations. These limitations arise because they may come from sources that are not credible and these sources may not help achieve the purposes that the person accessing the Internet desires.
3. “Convergent products and services are forms of media and information content that take advantage of a networked broadband infrastructure, the capabilities provided by digitisation, and the scope for interactivity and user customisation of services.” (pg 20)
These products and services originate from the merging of multinational companies. This merger is very significant, as it allows new technological products to merge with the older products. For example, the Internet can now be accessed in mobile phones and even play station games. Multinational companies also benefit from these mergers, gaining a higher income and profit. In 2000, America On-line (AOL) merged with Time Warner becoming one of the biggest media conglomerate in the world. I agree that convergent products and services provide more capabilities and areas for digitisation, which benefits contemporary society.
see more on digitisation: http://wiki.media-culture.org.au/index.php/Global_Communication
4. “ The World Wide Web, as an electronic database of text, images, sound, video, and voice communication, is the exemplar of interactivity in new media technologies, where each pattern of use leads the user down a distinctive ‘pathway’, creating what is termed a hypertext, or a text made up of other texts.” (pg 21)
It is important to know the existence of hypertext, as it is an important feature of the Internet. In order to go to a certain link or website, one must first undergo through a hypertext. According to Nelson (1981, cited in Lecture 22 2006), the hypertext is a non-sequential writing that allows the choices of the reader to be presented and engaged in an interactive medium. The hypertext thus transforms the readers into authors, engaging and challenging them to create their own information and text.
see more on hypertext and its importance: http://www.cyberartsweb.org/cpace/ht/greco2.html
5. “ Critics argue that such developments mark the latest and most insidious phase of cultural imperialism, where technologies developed by and for the economically dominant powers are used to exercise new forms of ‘soft power’, defined by Joseph S. Nye jun., Assistant Secretary for International Affairs in the Clinton Administration, as: ‘the ability to achieve desired outcomes in international affairs through attraction rather than coercion. It works by convincing others to follow, or getting them to agree to, norms and institutions that produce the desired behaviour. Soft power can rest upon the appeal of one’s ideas or the ability to set the agenda in ways that shape the preferences of others’ (quoted in Thussu 1998, pp. 66-7).” (pg 28)
Cultural imperialism is defined as a country’s culture and ideologies integrated and forced upon another country’s culture. One such example is McDonald’s. McDonald’s is an established fast-food chain of restaurants that have at least one outlet in almost every country in the world. This is an example of the effect of cultural imperialism. McLuhan and Fiore (1967, cited in Flew 2002: 28), further support this argument by stating that global villages have started to emerge, enabling technologies to communicate without the presence of cultural and geographical boundaries, in order to promote culture awareness. I personally think that cultural imperialism is bad, as it causes a loss of traditional culture.
Question
Is new media a good thing or a bad thing? Will new media affect the ‘dumbing down’ of society?
This question is highly significant, as I would like to know whether within the next 10 years, and the upcoming new technology, would technology overcome the cultural meanings and backgrounds of our countries as well as the social and moral values of our households?
posted by jolene at 1:17 am
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