Monday, September 8, 2008
What is New Media
To realize what New Media is, the definition of what “old” media, or rather standard media, must be settled. Standard media can be defined as any media that relies on an analogue, humanly manipulated form of semiosis. New media, in contrast, must then be a form of semiosis that is reliant on digitization of old modes, and the incorporation of multimodality and modularity into its conceptualization, design, and productions. Additionally, new media requires the use of multiliteracy requisite knowledge by the end user, someone who is capable of reading the artifact, but not necessarily able to produce such an artifact on their own. Lastly, new media must have translation ability, what Manovich calls variability. This principle feature allows designers to move semiosis from one mode to another, and between modes. This component enables to producer of new media to situate meaning in a variable, arguably pastiche-like artifact.
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2 comments:
You pack a lot into this short definition, but you hit on three key points. First, the idea that old media is "humanly manipulated" touches on Manovich's concept of automation and that new media is often driven by technologically-based interaction. Second, you point to the idea in Kress and van Leeuwen that communication in any medium requires a double articulation, or the fact that it must be both produced and consumed in order for communication to have taken place. Finally, the point about the variability being an essential component in new media is an important one. This really opens the possibilities for how the "same" information can be presented/communicated differently in different media and contexts.
I appreciate your defining "old" media first. This isn't something that I thought of doing, but it makes it easier -- or course -- to define new media. While I agree with you that consumers of new media don't have to be multiliterate, do you think that new medias are most attractive to those who are at least somewhat multiliterate? Does the consumption of new media require a basic understanding of the backend, so to speak?
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