New Media Studies 24/01/2013

Web 2.0 - How has online media developed? How is consumer behavior and audience response transformed by online media in relation to the past?


Change acceleration -
'A media landscaped defined  by horizontal connection rather than vertical delivery' - this basically means media isn't being forced or pushed to us as the consumers, we are pushing it to other people (recommendation)

Video games - Two games that have become popular through word of mouth include popular titles such as Angry Birds by Rovio or Draw Something - in general the app store by Apple allows prosumers to push their own apps into the market instead of the apps being pushed to them. Independent games on Xbox market place or Steam are very popular.

Film - Film went from being viewed a lot in the cinema, to online alternatives such as YouTube, Netflix  and LoveFilm which allow the consumers to watch films from their computers and create films of their own to be pushed out to other people. The online films can easily be shared to social networking websites after they have been watched.

A popular channel on YouTube at the moment is for distribution of independent short films that are being screened at the Sundance Film Festival. A selection of 12 short films are available to watch, to give people a taster of what is to at the film festival. View 'The Screening Room' youtube channel by clicking here.

Convergence - What has been the impact of the internet on media production? To what extent has convergence transformed the media?

Prosumers - 'now, it's not so easy to see where one media ends and another begins, or where the producers end and the consumers begin' - this basically means the line between producers and consumers has become very small, which is why they are known as prosumers, which means they are consuming the media whilst at the same time producing it by themselves for other consume.

The convergence between the internet and the industries show how people can become producers by using the internet.

Videogames - LittleBigPlanet allows you to create your own content and share it online to other users.

Films - Youtube allows you to share your own films from cameras because of the easy access of high quality filming equipment and sharing methods. You can then comment on other films on YouTube to continue your involvement so that the independent film community can see your work.

Technological Determinism - How is consumer behavior and audience response transformed by online media in relation to the past?

Is basically technological change as the main reason for historical or social changes. Everyone now searches on Google which creates the term 'I'll just Google it' which changes our social outlook on things. Whereas previously we would go to books such as an encyclopedia or dictionary.

Videogames - More people play online with other people, and talk to other people rather than just playing single player campaign modes on your own. This shows that videogames have become much more sociable as you are talking to other people. The rise of Xbox Live party chat allows you to create a virtual chat with many people whilst either playing the same game or even different games. It's now become a natural social action to create a party chat with others instead of just playing on your own. This also happens with Steam chat.

Film - Before the internet there was a book with every film inside it, with a short synopsis of each film, the year it was made and the director, all in alphabetical order within the book. The online age has changed this because now people will use the Internet Movie Database IMDB to research films and their reviews, trailers and ratings.


Herbert Mercuse