New Media

What is new media? Wow, this question is almost philosophical. Sort of like the question 'what is time?' Some people think time is an invention and others believe time is--wait where was I? Oh, new media. I am sure there is a simple answer out there but as I searched my brain I had difficulty finding one. So I checked out wikipedia (a product of new media) and found a decent definition of new media. Wikipedia states, "New media is a term meant to encompass the emergence of digital, computerized, or networked information and communication technologies in the later part of the 20th century." Pretty good definition, I wish I thought of it first.

New Media by Bella Buchanan
In the last 20 years we have witnessed vast developments in technology. New media is the term used to describe the products, services and ideas that sprung out of these developments. New media is the digital world around us. Every area of our lives uses new media in its daily operation. Whether it be news, entertainment, education, law, etc. New media is the new web 2.0. The Internet moves faster than ever before. The development of user friendly social networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace, Twitter are products of new media. People are now able to communicate on a global scale without difficulty. Education has been transformed by new media. Within the last 10 years we have witnessed an emergence of accredited online college institutions. A person can get a degree without leaving their house. They can buy textbooks and download them to their computer. New media has also impacted politics. In the recent presidential debate, websites posted polls, retrieved data, and presented their conclusions to the public at lighting speed. Facebook teamed up with CNN and brought coverage of the inauguration to our computers. This created a platform for friends, colleagues and family to watch and share comments in one place. We have also witnessed a new trend of news channels using comments on Facebook to share public opinion. New media is everything around us. It connects people, places, events and ideas. Communication mediums have changed. Cellphones are no longer simply cellphones. Take the iPhone for example, it is an MP3 Player, organizer, web browser, and messenger. It has an endless list of applications and capabilities. New media is the offspring of unprecedented technology and new ideas. New media is the future.

Take that Wikipedia!

Sources:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_media#Concept_and_definitions