School of Media and Communication Studies

Course Code : BAJC2021 Course Name: Basics of New Media

Basics of New Media

Name of the Faculty: Mrs. Suruchi Agrawal Program Name: BA(Journalism and Mass Communication)
 School of Media and Communication Studies
Course Code : BAJC2021 Course Name: Basics of New Media

Topics Covered
• Introduction to subject
• Digital Media,
• New media,
• Convergence,
• Online media.

Name of the Faculty: Mrs. Suruchi Agrawal Program Name: BA(Journalism and Mass Communication)
 Introduction to the subject:

• The world seems to be shrinking by the moment and increasingly becoming a

‘global village’ in the modern era, thanks to the rapid technological advancements in
the field of communication. The term ‘Global village’, propagated and popularized
by Marshall McLuhan, in his books, The Gutenberg Galaxy: The Making of
Typographic Man (1962) and Understanding Media (1964), is probably a mundane
reality at the present times. McLuhan firmly believed that the globe could be
contracted into a village by electric technology and the instantaneous movement of
information from every quarter to every point at the same time.
• The changes in technology are occurring at a much faster pace now than ever before
and have incredible effects on the communication between humans and their societal
life. The escalation in the modernization of communication technologies and
computerization has resulted in decreased cost and simultaneously increased the
availability of instantaneous communication facilities as well as opened up new
avenues and spheres for discussion and exploration.
 What are the “New Media?”

• The term “new media” will in general refer to those digital media, which
are interactive, incorporate two-way communication and involve some
form of computing as opposed to “old media” such as the telephone,
radio and TV. These older media, which in their original incarnation did
not require computer technology, now in their present configuration
make use of computer technology.
 McLuhan on New Media

• The term “new media” is a relative term. One hundred years from now
the media that we label “new media” will be considered “old media” and
others will be wrestling with the new media emerging in their time. For
that reason some of the remarks McLuhan made about the “new media”
of his day over 40 years ago are useful for understanding our “new
media.” The quotes speak for themselves and are presented without
comment but as the reader progresses through this book and encounters
our discussion of today’s “new media” they will see how prescient these
remarks of McLuhan were that were made between 1955 and 1969.
 McLuhan on New Media

• The term “new media” is a relative term. One hundred years from now
the media that we label “new media” will be considered “old media” and
others will be wrestling with the new media emerging in their time. For
that reason some of the remarks McLuhan made about the “new media”
of his day over 40 years ago are useful for understanding our “new
media.” The quotes speak for themselves and are presented without
comment but as the reader progresses through this book and encounters
our discussion of today’s “new media” they will see how prescient these
remarks of McLuhan were that were made between 1955 and 1969.
 Digital media
• Digital media include all the forms texts, images, audio, video, etc.
which are transmitted through computer mediated communication
technologies. In other words, contents in digital media are machine-
readable unlike the printed media. This process is the digitisation of
information which are disseminated through different mode of digital
media platforms such digital media include digital image, online games,
websites, social networking sites, e-books, etc. Digital media have been
creating a new Information age in which information are digitalised
influencing on the society and culture. This unit will give you an idea
about different concepts related to digital information age including the
concept of information society, ICTs, media convergence, etc.
 Media Convergence
• Before understanding the concept of media convergence you need to know the
concept of convergence. The word convergence means integration of two or
more ideas and creating a new whole with similar characteristics. For
example, in media convergence, old media such as television, newspaper,
radio, etc. converge with the new media using digital technologies. So, the
term media convergence can be defined as the connection of computer
technology, media houses, media content and internet for communicating
media messages in terms of digital products. In other words, media
convergence is possible through convergence of different technologies such as
World Wide Web, smartphones, tablet computers, smart televisions, and other
digital devices. In media convergence, three key elements are converged
including computing, communication and content.
 Media Convergence
• The two basic characteristics of media convergence are given below:-

A strategy of
Merge of
economy formed
traditional media
by digitisation and
technology and
networks of
digitised media
computer by the
technology and
communication
computer network.
houses.
 Media Convergence
• Convergence of media through digitisation and internet has facilitated global
exchange of information. Technology convergence made things easier. The
production process of media has become much easier. Cost saving has enhanced.
Electronic transaction of required data has become easier than physically transacting
the data. The gap between the producers and consumers has been diminishing and
the consumers of media can become the producers of the content through media
convergence. Media channels merge together as technology advances with time.

• Media convergence emerged from 2000 with Web 2.0 sites. Web 2.0 facilities user-
generated content and interactivity for participation in content development. It has
helped the users to produce the content, consume the content and also to participate
and change the content of media in the internet. Media convergence and the social
media have led to a content created by users which in turn becomes participators
instead of being mere audiences.
 Online Media
• Social media has become a most preferred form of communication medium
for sharing views and opinions of the users. Interactivity which is a key
feature of social media has changed the communication scenario in present
time. Social media functions create virtual communities in the online
platforms. You have already understood the term user generated content in the
previous chapter, and social media is an example of using user generated
contents. Sharing photos, videos, piece of art, etc. with the world has become
easy with the emergence of social media. Examples of different social media
platforms are blogs, YouTube, Facebook, Wikies, Twitter, Instagram etc.

• It has also become a popular marketing strategy nowadays as handling social

media platforms for promoting products and services can reach large number
of potential customers without solely depending on the conventional mass
media such as television, radio, newspaper, etc.
Features of Online Media

1
Online media uses Web 2.0 applications of the internet. Web 2.0 refers to the second generation of the World
Wide Web which allows people to interact with each other. Web 2.0 has changed the one way communication
approach of internet and made possible of multi-way communication among the users.

2
• Online media is based on user generated content which means the users themselves develop the content on the
social media platforms. For instance, social media users can post any update in Facebook, upload video in
YouTube and also create your own blogs. Therefore, it allows more participation and freedom of expression for
the users in comparison to the conventional mass media such as television, radio, newspaper, etc. It is because;
in social media your content is not filtered by any gatekeepers unlike the other forms of media.
Features of Online Media
3
The most useful feature of online media is that it connects people worldwide and facilitates integration
among them. Exchanging and sharing information in social media creates collaboration among the
users.

4
• Information exchange in online media is asynchronous which implies users can access to the
information at their own convenient time and space. For example, accessing to social media account
like Facebook, Twitter, etc. depends on your convenience.

5
• Multimedia communication is another key feature of online media. It means you can share
information in all forms such as video, audio, still photographs, etc. It integrates all media functions
such as news, games, video sharing, photo sharing and e-commerce etc. which results in
convergence of information.
References
• Reference Books

• New Media: Theories and Practices of Digitextuality, Ed.Anna Evert, John Caldwell, Routlege
• The Information: A History, A Theory, A Flood, James Gleick, Fourth Estate
• SARAI Reader o1: The Public Domain Pub: CSDS
• New Information Tecnnology by Tom Forrester (ED).
• http://digitallearning.macfound.org/site/c.enJLKQNlFiG/b.2029199/k.94AC/Latest_News.htmhttp://digitalle
arning.macfound.org/site/c.enJLKQNlFiG/b.2029199/k.94AC/Latest_News.htm
• http://lighthouseinsights.in/best-indian-social-media-campaigns-2012.html