BLOG POST: OLD VS. NEW

There are several ways in which we can distinguish old media from new media. One of the easiest ways is to apply the 5 C’s rule. We can look at different forms of mediums and see if they satisfy one of the five C characteristics. For example, if a medium is communication intensive, that is not just one-way, then there is a good chance that that medium is a part of new media.

Communication is the most important of the 5 C’s. In old media, there has for the most part, been only been one way communication. Examples of this include television, newspapers, magazines,
Community is also an integral part of new media. In old media, community either meant meeting in person, or mass mailings. However, with the technology of new media, people that are part of communities that share similar interest can now meet in online forums or social networking websites.
Collaboration over projects has increased dramatically with the introduction of new media. In the past, people have had to meet in person in order to collaborate on projects. However, this was could happen to be very difficult depending on the physical location of the people needed to collaborate on the project. For example, if two people needed to collaborate were half-way around the world from each other, then they might have to work together on the phone, which is much less efficient than working in person. Due to the increasingly new technologies of new media, people can collaborate on wikis, or in virtual worlds.
Creativity has been an emerging theme in new media. In the forms of old media, communication was almost entirely one-way based. People presented their content to you, and that was it. However, because in new media, people have the ability to respond and criticize, new ideas can be generated, leading to more creativity.
Convergence has also been an emerging theme in new media. As journalism evolves, journalistic corporations have realized that newspapers and magazines are just not enough. They must expand to the internet and write blogs in order to attract more readers, because that is what is popular nowadays. Television stations have also realized the same thing. By using the internet and showing episodes on the web, they can enhance, improve, and expand their firm. Basically, convergence is when old media and new media combine in order to improve the whole.

In order to differentiate between old media and new media, we must look at what technological advances there have been. Old media has historically been a one-way presentation of information and knowledge, while new media tends to be a more immersive experience for everyone. The past has been characterized by just seeing, but in the modern day, people are doing more than seeing. They are interacting, and participating, leading to the exchange of new and innovative ideas. That is what separates old media from new media.