So let me get this straight, Mr. Doug Eyman- “new media” isn’t really all that “new,” huh? After reading Doug Eyman’s section on New Media in “Digital Rhetoric: Theory, Method, Practice,” I realized that the term is quite misleading. It seems like even all the scholars Eyman referenced also had a bit of a tough time explaining the concept. So, to get us comfortable with the idea of new media, I’m writing this blog. And if you’re still confused after this blog, do not fear! Another blog of mine also talks about this topic!
Traditional? New? Digital?
It seems as though digital media and new media go hand-in-hand with each other but are entirely different concepts. Digital media encompasses a wide range of platforms that rely on digital technologies for their interaction- it’s just another form of it. The same goes for new media; it’s simply another branch of it. As Manovic explained, new media has five key principles: numerical representation, modularity, automation, variability, and transcoding (pp. 53-54). These five points are just the criteria for a form of media to be considered “new media.” The same goes for “digital media” and “traditional media” with each new form requiring its own set of guidelines.
Nothing New Going On Over Here!
You see, media doesn’t always mean digital, just as new doesn’t always mean the latest. I think the term “new media” is so tough for us to grasp because adding the word “new” is a bit misleading. Media as a whole is a newer concept, but new media is just another form of media- it’s still media, just a special variation of it.
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