Is new media the only media?
Seeing as to how our new generation flips a webpage faster than an actual newspaper page, it might seem a valid argument.
Still, how valid is it really? After all, newspapers and CNN have been around a lot longer than TheStarOnline hasn't it?
Well, according to Jason Shultz of
Marketing, Interactive , more and more companies are spending on ads or internet videos. In addition, many sites provide interactive services. Spending on these sites will grow 389 percent, to $12.2 billion, in the next three years.(Shultz,2008)
With the internet being so easily accessed now, this isn't surprising. At the touch of a finger, smart phones are connected to the internet, wherever you are. Provided of course, you have a connection.
Twitter, is another phenomenon, a series of short messages called "tweets" are sent back and forth like a conversation. Just like in Facebook you can tag your friends using the "@".
This diagram is a perfect example of how we are influenced by social media.
Personally, I do find this to be true. No matter where I go, I'm surrounded by social networking.
Foursquare, Facebook, Blogger, Emails and Twitter are right in my hand.
So, is new media taking over? Definitely.
Will it replace traditional media? Don't think so.
Now, we know for sure new media is taking over. Or at least, making a big splash right now. McNair states that journalists, journalism and traditional media will not experience any form of death, because they are needed on so many social, political and cultural levels worldwide. (McNair, 2009)
According to Adam Ostrow, old media still triumphs over new media, in 2008, the highest rated media outlet was ABC news network. The survey was run over a 3 year period. With that said, media consumption habits are quickly changing. New media is however performing better than other.(Ostrow, 2009)
- Blogs are now used by 24% of Internet users, up from 13% in 2006
- Social networks are now used by 26% of Internet users, up from 17% in 2006
- Videocasts are now used by 11% of Internet users, up from 6% in 2006
Slower growers include:
- Business news sites: flat at 8%
- RSS feeds: growing from 5-7%
- Podcast: growing from 5-7%
The above chart shows the decline and rise of media usage in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Now in my opinion, I believe that even with the rapid progress shown by new media, I believe that it has actually caused traditional media to improve and progress even further, as with sites like
TheStarOnline,
ABC,
CNN, and
Al-Jazeera, all have stepped it up and created websites with breaking news. Shorter than the actual news pieces but every bit as informative. Besides that some traditional media outlets have even created app's for smart phones and you can access the sites quicker. Some even have tweets you can subscribe to, thus creating a immediate response from the receiver of the tweet. Instant and at your fingertips.
On the side of bloggers, we can definitely agree that they have an upper hand when it comes to speed. They can publish an article much quicker than a news publication. According to findings by the Project for Excellence in Journalism, barely 12 % of Internet users find blogs a trustworthy news source. (Walden, 2007). To make sure they keep up, bloggers have started to adopt a higher standard of journalism.
At this point in time, it does seem that new media is taking over the world. And I for one am pleased at the speed we can get information today. We live in a fast paced world and we do have a demand to meet. With that said, I do feel that somehow, traditional media won't be phased out just yet. We all enjoy flipping a page and reading news off a paper. Plus it doesn't hurt the eyes.
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REFERENCES.
Is New Media Taking Over?. 2011. Is New Media Taking Over?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://videos.webpronews.com/2007/10/17/is-new-media-taking-over/. [Accessed 26 April 2011].
Stats: Old Media’s Decline, New Media’s Ascent. 2011. Stats: Old Media’s Decline, New Media’s Ascent. [ONLINE] Available at: http://mashable.com/2009/01/29/stats-old-media-decline/. [Accessed 26 April 2011]
Is New Media Taking Over?. 2011. Is New Media Taking Over?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://videos.webpronews.com/2007/10/17/is-new-media-taking-over/. [Accessed 26 April 2011].
Traditional Media vs. New Media – Times they are a changin’…quickly - Blog Center - Share - Versant . 2011. Traditional Media vs. New Media – Times they are a changin’…quickly - Blog Center - Share - Versant . [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.versantsolutions.com/share/blogs/?id=2147483820. [Accessed 26 April 2011].
MediaShift . Distinction Between Bloggers, Journalists Blurring More Than Ever | PBS. 2011. MediaShift . Distinction Between Bloggers, Journalists Blurring More Than Ever | PBS. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2008/02/distinction-between-bloggers-journalists-blurring-more-than-ever059.html. [Accessed 26 April 2011].
McNair, B 2009, ‘Journalism in the 21st century: evolution, not extinction,’ Journalism, Vol. 10, No. 3, pp. 347-349.
Glaser, M 2008, ‘Distinction Between Bloggers, Journalists Blurring More Than Ever,’ online, retrieved 26 April 2011, from http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2008/02/distinction-between-bloggers-journalists-blurring-more-than-ever059.html
Walden, R 2007, ‘The Blogger as Journalist: Codes of Ethics in the World of Blogging,’ online, retrieved 26 April 2011, from http://web-journalism.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_blogger_as_journalist
