What is Media?
To understand new media, it helps to start with the term “media.” A simple Google search defines media as the main forms of mass communication, like broadcasting, publishing, and the internet. In 2024, the range of media we use has expanded tremendously, allowing us to reach large and diverse audiences. Defining “new media,” however, has been challenging for scholars because media is constantly evolving. In the past, people relied mainly on newspapers for information. Then came television, followed by the internet, which has grown to become one of the most transformative platforms, taking media to places we couldn’t have imagined before.
Because of this evolution, we often think of new media as inherently digital. In his article Defining and Locating Digital Rhetoric, Doug Eyman references several scholars, including Cynthia Selfe (2004) who defines new media as “texts created primarily in digital environments, composed in multiple media (e.g., film, video, audio), and designed for presentation and exchange in digital venues.” This digital component distinguishes new media from traditional forms and supports dynamic, interactive exchanges.
Bolter and Grusin take a slightly different approach, focusing not so much on defining new media as on how it reshapes and reconfigures “old” media. They highlight the interconnected relationship between new and old media, where new media builds on previous forms, adapting them to modern contexts.
Manovich’s Five Principles of New Media
Lev Manovich also provides a unique perspective with his five principles of new media:
- Numerical Representation – New media consists of digital code that can be programmed.
- Modularity – New media is made up of independent parts that can be combined in larger forms.
- Automation – The combination of coding and modularity allows for automation in media creation.
- Variability – New media is flexible and not fixed, meaning it can exist in multiple versions.
- Transcoding – New media blends cultural and computer logic.
These principles are invaluable to anyone looking to build a successful online platform as they enable communication that is both effective and engaging.
Packer and Jordan (2001) contribute a complementary list of observable features that shape new media:
- Integration
- Interactivity
- Hypermedia
- Immersion
- Narrativity
Why Understanding New Media Matters
Together, these definitions and characteristics help us understand new media as a dynamic, digital space where communication and technology intersect. By knowing the elements that define it, we can better appreciate how new media allows us to share ideas in ways that are interactive, diverse, and constantly evolving—qualities that make it essential in our world today. For anyone, especially those of us who care about meaningful communication and connection, new media offers tools that amplify our voices and ideas, reaching across digital landscapes that are as boundless as our creativity.
Read my latest blog post: Shifting Perspectives: New Media and Old Media
Leave a Reply