The new media revolution

A Web definition for the concept of revolution is "a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving." The same source defines 'new media' as "artworks that use multimedia, computers or communication technologies in creative expression." The New Webster's Dictionary defines a revolution as "a fundamental social change."

Looking at the latter definition within the context of new media is a whole different ball-game however. It can be deduced from the definition that a severe and and dramatic change has taken place in the information transmitting technologies that are currently used by the media for effective propaganda. Without a doubt, there has been significant improvements in the efficiency of the devices and the potency in their information transmitting capabilities.

We have come very far in the media where technological avancements are concerned. Time has seen the media evolving from simple transistor radios, to the more complex computers. Information is transmitted at greater speeds and with a greater degree of accuracy than was previosly experienced by communicators. However, to classify this change as a revolution is probably 'jumping the gun' a little too far.

These events force us to ask a very poignant question. Is there anything that can be truly clearly and accurately defined as 'new media? Carolyn Marvin has argued that "what is now called 'old media' was once 'new media." Another question arises then. This calls for the obvious deduction that, what we now know as 'new media' may very well be the old media, but in very different and contemporary forms.

I agree with Carolyn Marvyn that what is now termed as 'new media' is probably just the 'application of electricity to communication." The use of electricity has allowed communicators unlimited opportunity to enhance the presentation of information into ways that are almost revolutionary; but when taken into consideration are merely the end results of experimentation with the 'old media'.

I hereby conclude with the agreement that some form of change has indeed taken place but this change is only the brainchild of mankinds neverending search for truth and the ultimate reality. I believe that this change was inevitable and that the 'new media revolution' is a revolution only in name.