New Media Technologies: Communication Theories COM 300 – Week 2 Evolution of Digital Communication Kathy E. Gill 12 Jan 2009

Agenda Communication Theories More “New Media” Discussion Multi-Media: telegraph

New media (recapped) Some definitions focus on computer technology, others focus on interactivity Differences: Audiences not heterogeneous Control shifts from communicator to audience

Communication A process in which participants create and share information with one another in order to reach mutual understanding (Rogers, 1995).

Mediated communication What is it? d. mediated. (adj) acting or brought about through an intervening agent; (v) to be in the middle Why would we study it? We live in an ever-increasingly mediated world

Part one : medium A go-between/intermediary in the communication binding the sender and receive Considers symbolic and cognitive theories of the psychology of representation Considers theories of meaning in signs and symbols (semiotics)

Part two : mass media (1/2) Mass communication characteristics: Directed towards a large, heterogeneous audience Messages are transmitted publicly, are transient in nature, and are timed to reach all simultaneously Communicator works for an organization Charles Wright, 1959, from Communication Theories: Origins, Methods and Uses in the Mass Media, 1988, p7

Part two : mass media (2/2) Mass media communication traditionally encompasses these channels Newspapers, magazines (print technologies) TV, radio (electronic technologies) Note: “news” v “ads”

Channel The physical/technical transmission as well as any device needed for encoding/decoding May encompass advertising channels (direct mail) or news (TV) One-to-many, one-way channel is typical

So, what is new? Your thoughts, based on readings? Technologically? Socially? Your thoughts, based on readings? Three BIG things:

Concept of scarcity Gone! Bits can be shared; atoms cannot Implications? How does this relate to Bush’s musings about Memex? Does it make it easier or harder to “remediate”? Why?

Constraint of time Gone! Time-shifting (Tivo, podcasting, 24x7 tech support via the web … what else?) How do you think that the speed in which we now communicate (e-mail, mobile phones, etc.) has affected our communication?

Constraint of space Geographical barriers: Gone! Internet technology lets us “space shift” like we “time shift” – (almost) seamlessly There are environmental benefits from the advancement of technology, specifically from computers. If in the future, all of academia (from grade school & beyond) required only computer-based work, what would your response be to the change? Why?

New channels WWW E-mail Videoconferencing MP3 Electronic publishing Mobile telephony What do they have in common?

Computer Mediated Communication (1/2) Desktop computers used as tools to influence human cognition and convey messages among people (focuses on the technology, older definition) Any form of communication between two or more individuals who interact and/or influence each other using social software on separate computers linked by a network (focuses on the people)

CMC (2/2) CMC software has two categories: asynchronous and synchronous (Smith, 1994). http://www.edb.utexas.edu/csclstudent/kim/text/ASCmC.html

Synchronous Two or more group members have real-time (simultaneous) communication Instant Messenging can be synchronous Face-to-face meetings; video conference; other?

Asynchronous Allows group members to work individually and “alone” Provides time/space flexibility E-mail, BBs Example: virtual teams

Virtual Teams Types Forms of Interaction Context Temporary (no common history or future) Permanent (common history and future) Forms of Interaction Face-to-face (meetings, formal or informal) Electronically-mediated (phone, CMC, videoconference) Context Culture and geography may be similar or different

CMC/Web Characteristics (1/2) Hardware independent Software independent IM Not Here Yet, But Close (Google) Open standards Information sharing “Give back” (contribute) to the community

CMC/Web Characteristics (2/2) A blend of characteristics from “old” media Print Radio Film TV

Print Characteristics Abstract Fixed Linear Primarily verbal Reader controls pace Abstract = not live, not in motion before your eyes, interpreting symbols in your imagination Linear = goes from point A to point B (not necessarily in the story, which may skip around in time; book itself starts at the beginning and ends at the end) Reader controls pace -- fast, slow, all in one sitting, over a month Primarily verbal -- text Captive audience -- using that term loosely; audience has committed as far as buying or checking out the book Fixed -- doesn’t change the next time you pick it up

Radio Characteristics Auditory Creator controls pace Dynamic Linear “Live” — happening in real time Transient audience

TV Characteristics Animated Creator controls pace Dynamic Linear “Live” — may be happening now Primarily visual Transient audience Now television -- which shares some but not all the characteristics of film. Transient audience = not committed; click the remote Dynamic = content always changing

Film Characteristics Animated Captive Audience Creator Controls Pace Fixed Linear Primarily Visual

Web Characteristics Dynamic (not fixed) content “Live” (maybe) Multi-media (visual, auditory) Transient audience Typically nonlinear User controls pace and direction Web shares some of all these characteristics. In many ways, Web has taken bits and pieces from all the other media to form a new hybrid Text Images Animation User controls pace and direction = unique relationship between content-creators and content-consumers Visual aspect = important but combined with old-fashioned text reading Transient audience = one click and they’re gone “Live” = sometimes live and sometimes not Dynamic = always changing; less predictable even than TV

Mass audience no longer From broadcast to narrowcast Time-shifting Accelerates a move foreshadowed by niche publishing

Summary Mediated Communication is … Two types are … Three characteristics of new media and their impacts …

Resources Effects of Four CMC Channels on Trust Glossary of Internet Terms JCMC

Reading Discussion Break into your discussion groups There are four questions (seven groups) Discussion – reach as much consensus as possible “Report out” and group discussion