New Technology, New Media: More Opportunity

Starting as a text based tool and evolving into the World Wide Web with a mass user base leveraging the social platform it has become, the Internet is one technological innovation that has grown into a necessity.

The Internet was developed to safeguard military knowledge; nobody could have predicted the technological development that the Internet would go through. From a tool funded by the US Department of Defence to a technology used worldwide, the creation of the web and the amount it has advanced is dumbfounding. Since the Internet is a relatively new technology, which has not even been fully explored it is amazing to think of the further advancements it will undergo. Rather than focusing on the media itself, I would like to focus on the issues new technologies raise or don’t raise.

The Internet has changed our culture, our relationships, and our communities affecting the way we interact and socialize. With such a drastic effects on our lives, this technology poses threats but must be looked at optimistically.

With our privacy becoming less and less important, and a culture that fiends for social interaction the changes that this new technology has implemented is becoming more and more apparent. It is said that these changes lead to anxiety. On a side note, I believe any form of change leads to anxiety be it technological advancements, change in government or even something as simple as moving. In researching change management it becomes obvious that people don’t adapt well to change. To say the least, I strongly feel if anything our society is adapting quite well, its proved by the millions of social networks being accessed everyday and a population now willing to tell the entire world just about anything.

I feel that social interaction on the Internet is not such a bad thing; though huge corporations are uneasy at the fact the today’s youth could be considered pirates adding and taking from the web jeopardizing revenue. Social interaction is simply a new gateway for companies to better target their audience. As said before with a culture whose less concerned with sharing private information this is a huge opportunity for companies take advantage of the technology and target specific markets on specific platforms.

Though new technologies come with new issues and new boundaries, I strongly feel people must embrace the change. By embracing change we are able to see the huge advantages that these technologies have to corporations, individuals and intellectuals.

The Remix

Old school meets new school with the remix. Remixing is about taking something that already exists and adding your personal touch to make it your own. The remix started in the music industry and evolved into a movement throughout our culture today.  

This video is a perfect example of how taking something old and something new and meshing them together can create something that seems to just fit. Our youth can take past trends and mash them with new trends creating the hottest fads, products and sub-cultures.

In a fast passed world that is rapidly changing, the remix is more than mashing two songs together; it is a way for companies to reinvent products, images, songs, ideas and brands. Rather than a company taking risks on investing in new products and new brands companies can reinvent, repackage and remind audiences of a product by making simple changes. By taking original ideas and repositioning and reinventing them, companies are able to sell old products as new products and make a quick buck.

Today we are surrounded by remixed culture, from the styles we wear to the music we listen to. Our culture is taking old ideas and rejuvenating them so they fit in society again. This concept is very exciting, the remix gives us the opportunity to take what we have seen in the past and do what we want with it. We are able to reinterpret ideas and find a place where they fit in our world today. The Internet enables us to write messages for the world to see. Today we are able to remix anything and find a specific audience to target. The future of technology and the current era of Web 2.0 enable our youth culture to pick and choose what we see, hear and speak about.

The Relationship Between Media and Culture

We are social beings and in a world of advancing technology we must have a solid understanding of the effects these technologies have on us and be observant in how these technologies influence us as persons and intellectuals so we do not become consumed by these technologies.


Four theories of media culture to be considered:
• No effect: media and culture are not related
• Mirrored effect: media reflects our culture
• Determinist effect: media determine and shape our culture
• Mutual influence effect: our media and our culture shape each other


These four theories give us a direction in forming our own opinions on advancing technologies. When considering these four ideas we gain a better understanding of the topic and can form our own opinions based on what theories we feel are better representation of the effects these technologies have on us.


Bayms uses four frames of thinking to make sense of how we look at new media and concepts to help us analyse and take a perspective on the topic. The four frames of thinking are as follows:
• Technological determinism: new technology changes us and their active forces that humans do not have the power to resist
• Social construction of technology: people are the source of change in society and in technology
• Social shaping of technology: influence comes from both directions (technology, people and institutions all drive change)
• Domestication of technology: technology is taken for granted and no longer influences change

I believe that our media and our culture shape each other. Based on our current economics I believe that in order for media to shape our culture it must reflect our culture and in turn both have equal effect on each other. Media has to appeal to its audience in order to get into the audiences head to sell and promote images and products. The social shaping of technologies is prevalent in today’s society.

The Tales of Technology

Each invention of a new technology increases the speed in which information is communicated and the number of people a message reaches; it makes communication easier and leads to an increase in the knowledge and information spread among a greater number of people. Eventually the new technology surpasses and replaces the old one as it becomes more efficient.

Throughout the history of media new technologies have cultural implications directly impacting our social history. In examining media history, theory and new technology emerge historical patterns. A new technology does the same thing as the technology it follows in an enhanced way. This pattern seen throughout history is often accompanied by myths and sceptics by individuals set in their ways. Vincent Mosco says, “...history is filled with myth making about technology.” When new technologies come around, so do myths about the new technology.

When a new technology invades the homes of people world wide, the technology is analysed under the public eye and talked about from every angel being it positive of negative. Comsumers discuss the user interfaces, capabilities, and functionality of new technolgies as well as the threats new technologies may pose on society. Stories and experiences travel via word of mouth as well as from news sources. This creates myths and preconceived notions of a technology.

As users we must interpret the messages we receive and make decisions based on experience not “myths” and “tales” we hear. New media isn’t ruining us nor saving us so we must keep an open mind to new technologies and be optimistic about the future and where technology is heading. Technology is reinventing the way we work; opening the door for new opportunity and efficient work methods.

Web 2.0

Web 2.0 is a term that describes the new ways in which we use the Internet. The concept of Web 2.0 focuses on how the web is bringing people together creatively and the recent blur between producer and consumer. The Internet has come a long way and as it advances becomes more and more of a social tool.

Blogs, e-mail and social networks have become a norm in today’s society. Internet users who do not participate in these online communities are viewed as old fashioned, not technologically savvy and out of date on the popular uses of the Internet.

Today’s youth take advantage of the accessibility of the Internet and the ease of finding information and adding information to social forums. User generate content has made paved the way for society to access information on pretty much anything the mind can think of as well as adding content at the click of a button. Internet users now have the ability to add information, voice opinions and learn from online resources. People are joining together and making use of every capability the Internet has to offer in innovative ways.  

The concept of Web 2.0 is relatively new. As Internet users, given the capabilities of the Internet, we are given a voice. The online world has blurred the lines between the messenger and the receiver. Anyone who owns a computer can post, poke, like, tag and write anything they feel the world should hear; now we can all be journalists.