CHAPTER THREE: FUNDAMENTALS OF DIGITAL MEDIA

Digital media – Digital stands for the “representation of a signal by a set of discrete numerical
values…commonly represented on a computer in binary form.” Digital media refers to media –
video, audio, images, etc. – that are stored in binary form. Digital media objects can be digitaly
stored and distributed without changing their form. Digital media can be created, managed, and
distributed using information technology (IT) systems.

DIGITAL MEDIA EVOLUTION

The evolution of digital media is a story of rapid technological advancements that have redefined
the way we communicate, share information, and connect with the world around us.

The early conceptualization: Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace

From the conceptual recollections of early pioneers like Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace to
the dynamic growth of social media platforms, mobile apps, and online gaming, digital media
has undergone a dramatic transformation.

Before the internet, social media, and even personal computers, the seeds of digital media were
planted by visionary thinkers like Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace. Babbage, an English
mathematician and inventor, is often referred to as the “father of the computer” due to his design
of the Analytical Engine in the 1830s. This mechanical device was the first concept of a
programmable computer, though it was never fully built during his lifetime.

Ada Lovelace, a mathematician and writer, is credited with writing the first algorithm intended
for implementation on the Analytical Engine. She realized that the machine could do much more
than mere calculation, and in her notes, she imagined a future where machines could process

symbols and carry out complex tasks. This early understanding of what we now know as
computing laid the groundwork for the evolution of digital media.

The concept of digital information and programmable systems would eventually lead to the
creation of the computers and networks that power the digital media landscape.

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The birth of the internet: ARPANET and the dawn of connectivity

Fast forward to the late 1960s, and the idea of a global network of interconnected computers
began to take shape. The United States Department of Defense launched ARPANET (Advanced
Research Projects Agency Network) in 1969 as a way to connect computers across different
universities and research centers.

ARPANET used packet-switching technology, which allowed data to be broken down into
smaller packets and sent across the network in different directions, then reassembled at the
destination. This innovation made communication faster, more efficient, and more resilient. By
the 1980s, ARPANET expanded to include academic and government institutions, laying the
foundation for the modern internet.

The commercialization of the internet began in the early 1990s, with the introduction of the
World Wide Web (WWW) by Tim Berners-Lee in 1991. The WWW made the internet
accessible to the general public, enabling the creation of websites and digital content that could
be shared globally. This opened up new possibilities for communication, business, entertainment,
and social interaction, setting the stage for the explosion of digital media platforms that would
follow.

The rise of personal computing and the digital revolution

The 1980s and 1990s saw a dramatic shift in how people interacted with technology. Personal
computers, such as the Apple Macintosh and IBM PCs, became more affordable and accessible,
allowing individuals to create and consume digital content at home. These early personal
computers were the gateway for many people into the digital world, providing access to word
processing, digital photography, music, and early forms of digital entertainment.

Alongside the rise of personal computers came the development of digital communication tools
such as email and instant messaging. These tools made it easier for people to communicate in
real time across distances, revolutionizing the way we interacted with one another. By the mid-

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1990s, the internet was becoming a hub for news, information, and entertainment, with platforms
like AOL, Yahoo!, and Netscape leading the way.

The social media explosion

The early 2000s marked the beginning of the social media revolution. Platforms like MySpace,
Friendster, and LinkedIn allowed people to create online profiles, connect with friends, and share
content. However, it was Facebook, launched in 2004, that truly transformed the digital media
landscape. Facebook’s simple interface, powerful networking features, and ability to share
photos, videos, and updates made it an instant hit, quickly becoming the dominant social media
platform in the world.

Following Facebook’s success, other platforms like Twitter (2006), YouTube (2005), and
Instagram (2010) emerged, each offering new ways for users to interact with digital content.
These platforms allowed individuals and brands to reach audiences in unprecedented ways,
creating new opportunities for marketing, entertainment, and even political activism.

The rise of social media has also had a profound impact on journalism and news dissemination.
Traditional news outlets have had to adapt to the new digital-first environment, with many
shifting their focus to online platforms and social media channels to reach audiences. This shift
has also given rise to new forms of journalism, such as citizen journalism, where individuals can
report news events in real time using smartphones and social media platforms.

The mobile revolution: Smartphones and apps

As the 2010s rolled around, smartphones began to dominate the digital media landscape. The
launch of the iPhone in 2007 marked the beginning of the mobile revolution, with smartphones
becoming increasingly powerful and versatile. These devices allowed users to access the internet,
use social media, play games, and consume entertainment on the go.

Along with smartphones came the explosion of mobile apps, which enabled users to personalize
their digital experiences and access content in new ways. From gaming apps like Angry Birds to
productivity tools like Google Docs, apps have become a crucial part of daily life, shaping the

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way we interact with digital media. The rise of mobile apps also led to the development of
mobile advertising, which has become a major revenue stream for companies like Google and
Facebook.

The success of mobile apps has had a profound impact on other areas of digital media. For
example, mobile gaming has become a multi-billion-dollar industry, with games like Fortnite,
PUBG, and Candy Crush attracting millions of players worldwide. This shift in entertainment
consumption has led to the rise of mobile-first content creators, such as YouTubers, streamers,
and influencers, who have found success by creating content that is optimized for mobile
devices.

The rise of online gaming

While mobile gaming has exploded in popularity, the development of online gaming has also
played a key role in the evolution of digital media. Online multiplayer games like World of
Warcraft, Call of Duty, and League of Legends have transformed gaming into a social activity,
allowing players to connect with others around the world in real time.

Online gaming has also become a significant cultural force, with eSports tournaments attracting
massive audiences and players becoming celebrities in their own right. Platforms like Twitch and
YouTube Gaming have provided gamers with new ways to stream their gameplay, interact with
fans, and even monetize their content. The growth of online gaming has also led to the
development of virtual economies, where in-game items and currencies can be bought and sold,
further blurring the lines between digital media and the real world.

The future of digital media

As we look to the future, digital media is likely to continue evolving at a rapid pace. Emerging
technologies like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI) are
already starting to shape the digital media landscape, offering new ways for users to interact with
content and one another.

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For example, VR and AR have the potential to revolutionize the way we experience
entertainment, from gaming to live events. AI is already being used to create personalized
content recommendations, streamline digital advertising, and improve user experiences across
platforms. As these technologies continue to develop, we can expect even more dramatic shifts in
how digital media is consumed and shared.

The rise of the metaverse, a virtual universe where users can interact with one another and digital
environments in real time, is another exciting development on the horizon. While still in its
infancy, the metaverse has the potential to change the way we socialize, work, and entertain
ourselves online, further blurring the lines between the physical and digital worlds.

EFFECTS OF DIGITAL MEDIA

i. Cybercrime and Security Although, the advent of digital media has revolutionised the media
playfield along with altering our personal and professional lives considerably, yet it 42 New
Media and Society has also let loose a set of crimes related to the digital forum, such as
cyberattacks, identity theft, cyber theft, online scam, etc., affecting personal security of
individuals as well as the national security of various nations.

While online scams, identity theft, and cyber theft pose a significant threat to individuals while
trading identities on social media sites and e-commerce platforms, cyber warfare and national-
level cyber-attacks have affected governance at a greater level. Cyber intrusions and attacks have
increased dramatically over the last decade, exposing sensitive personal and business
information, disrupting critical operations, and imposing high costs on the economy.

ii. Privacy and Surveillance According to 2019, Forrester Global Map of Privacy Rights and
Regulations: “Regulations that allow governments to access personal data of citizens are still
undermining the overall privacy protections that certain countries offer their citizens.” India has
been named as a country with minimal restrictions in terms of data privacy and protection where
government surveillance is a matter of caution alongside countries with high-level government
surveillance, such as China. According to industry experts, lack of constitutional provisions that

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enable monitoring of government activity could be one of the primary reasons for the high level
of government surveillance.

iii. Online Hate The umbrella term of online hate encompasses cyberbullying hate speech, and
online sexual harassment, which are highly dominant amongst adolescents and teenagers across
the world. Cyberbullying is a kind of harassment that uses electronic forms of contact. Bullying
can include posting rumours about a person, threats, sexual comments, disclosing victim’s
personal information, or hate speech. Victims of cyberbullying show lower levels of self-esteem,
increased suicidal tendencies, retaliation, and emotional breakdowns, and are also more prone to
being frustrated, angry, or depressed. Many studies have shown that cyberbullying can be as
harmful as traditional forms of bullying.

Anonymous chat rooms are popular among teenagers to make new friends and talk to different
kinds of people. However, this modern twist to penpals comes with grave risks. Bullies hide
behind the anonymity clause of websites to often target kids, either to make sexual and lewd
comments or even send inappropriate content without their knowledge. A need to combat online
hate needs to be kept in mind by all the stakeholders involved, including the government,
teenagers and parents, and appropriate steps taken towards the same.

Disinformation and Misinformation The problems of disinformation, misinformation, and mal-

● Disinformation: Information that is false and deliberately created to harm a person, social group,
organisation, or country

● Misinformation: Information that is false but not created to cause harm

● Mal-information: Information that is based on reality, used to inflict harm on a person, social group,
organisation, or country.

Digital media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Google, and Twitter are further fuelling
the spread of disinformation and misinformation, thus, creating chaos and raising the issues of
reliability and validity of the information. Social media and messaging apps are at the heart of
the disinformation problems that Kenya faces.

iv. Characteristics of Millennials Millennials, or Generation Y (born in the 1980s and 1990s) and
Generation Z (born in the 2000s) were the first generations to grow up with computers, the

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Internet, and smartphones as integral parts of their everyday lives. These “digital natives” spend
an average of more than seven hours a day online, on their smartphones, or multiple devices at
the same time (PC, laptop, tablet, and wearables).

The emerging digital media users are more active. While traditional media is consumed
passively, consumers now have enhanced opportunities to share content, engage with content
creators, participate in content, or even facilitate or sponsor content creation. The millennial
customer journey is highly influenced by technology, more so than any other generation.
Millennials rely on having digital experiences with their banks than personal ones. Compared to
older generations, millennials are most likely to use online- and mobile-banking channels due to
easy-to-use websites and great apps. Technology equals convenience for millennials.

Traditional advertising tactics do not influence millennials. There is a new method of operation
in response to millennials’ distaste for advertising as well as their increased social-media use and
thirst for new technology. This powerful triad compels brands to keep pace with the latest trends
in digital marketing.

DIGITAL MEDIA TERMINOLOGY

Audio – Sound or the reproduction of sound. Audio frequency is a frequency capable of being
perceived by the human ear.

Attributes – Sometimes called metadata, are used to describe and index “assets” within a content
management system.

Bandwidth - The transmission capacity of a communications line, expressed in bits per second
(bps) for digital transmission of Hertz (cycles per second) for analog signals. The greater the
bandwidth, the greater the information-carrying capacity.

Bandwidth on Demand - A class of communications service whereby a user can request

BIT - A single binary digit, the smallest unit of information a computer can process with two
possible states, 0 or 1.

Bit rate – a measure of bandwidth, expressed as the number of bits transmitted per second.

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Buffering - The temporary storage that occurs when a streaming media player is saving small
portions of a streaming media file to local storage for playback. It is used when the available
bandwidth does not match the presentation’s required bandwidth and attempts to smooth video
display.

Burn - The process of writing information, such as a music file, onto a CD. Byte - A group of 8
bits.

Check-in/Checkout - The capability and practice of moving digital content from one system or
process to another, for instance from a computer to a portable device (checking-out), and then
returning it (checkingin).

Compression - The process of reducing the size of a data file by removing redundant information
so that the file requires less storage and bandwidth. Since compression requires discarding of
data, some quality is lost. The compression ratio is the comparison of uncompressed and
compressed files.

Frame - One still image among the many that make up a video.

Frame grabber – A device that converts a screen’s worth of analog video signal into a digital
form.

Frame rate - The number of frames per second (fps) of a video, film or animation. Video and
film are taken at 30 fps and 24 fps respectively.

Frame relay - A variable length packet-based transmission technology that organizes data into
units called “frames” instead of providing dedicated channels and may be used to transmit data at
speeds up to 2 Mbps.

Frequency - The number of identical cycles per second, measured in Hertz of period oscillation
or waves.

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