The Growth of New Media

The growth of new media has been sustained and impressive. By new media, I mean media that easily allows anybody with Internet access to add content to the Web: blogs, citizen journalism, social networks, YouTube, Flickr, etc. A recent series of articles in the Economist has an excellent overview on this growth. The link here provides access to the first article in the series and further links to the other stories.  You can also download a PDF of the whole series for $5. The Economist has done a nice job of putting this growth in historical context.

Another interesting take on this growth comes from Darren Rowse, a professional blogger from Down Under. Darren gives us a quick heads up why new media is growing so rapidly. Darren is a prolific writer and this is an interesting post. It is well worth the longer read, but here is the nutshell version:

1) People want participation. This is similar to my recent Blurring-The-Lines post. New media and the Internet allow people to participate in the news and communications on a global scale.
2) Suspicion of institution. People don’t always trust their government or big companies. The Internet, and the communication it enables, provides a check valve for information.
3) Playfulness. New media allows for a natural “playfulness” where the serious can co-exist with irreverence and humor.
4) Relationality (Darren’s word). The Web allows for a more natural order of things because people can engage in conversations about topics.
5) Holism. Social networks, blogs and other new media tools can help us integrate our interests and share that integration with others.
6) Juxtaposition. New media helps us recognize and interact with multiple points of view in real time. This helps contribute to the holistic outlook mentioned above.
7) Do-It-Yourself (DIY). New media is helping many people get started in new careers without the obstacles of the past. Activities and professions such as writing, publishing, creating music, developing ads, and even creating films is now easier with the help of the Web.
8) Immediacy. The Web compresses space and time. Old news is now older a lot quicker.

Darren is making a great living as a participant in the new media phenomenon, so his point of view is certainly a relevant one.

The new media growth appears to be continuing at a rapid pace. A review of the Economist series and Darren’s post gives us a closer look behind this communication evolution.