What is the role of media?
Posted on Nov 14th, 2007
by 
Ryan
Ryan
This is in Response to the Questions and Reflections for November 14, 2007:
The answer to this question might depend on which type of media you're talking about. I divide media broadly into two types: traditonal/big media and new/niche media. Media is being transformed as we speak and so will the role of media overall.
Media, I think, is actually quite devoid of meaning: it is a technical term, the plural of "medium", and all the various forms that media takes are just vehicles, or mediums, for communication. Media includes so much, good and bad, meaningless and profound. To talk about media in general terms simply misses the point. A better question might be, in what ways can we use media to transform the world?
I understand that it is common for people to mean "news sources" to mean "media", but I'm hereby reclaiming that word:) If we can bring it to its broadest meaning we can begin to see all of the possibilities that media offers us. There were always be media for entertainment and media that appeals to the shallow parts of our minds and souls. So, what? I'm interested in how I can use the different media platforms as vehicles for goodness and transformation. With that in mind, we have moved into a new period in media where new media has arisen in the Long Tail and can have a significant impact on the world. Technology is allowing us to take advantage of media in lightening quick ways that big media can't do, and therefore we can act more quickly in response to the opportunities and problems that we are presented with each day. I plan on writing a more in depth post on this over at Falling Fruit, so stay tuned there and I'd love to hear your thoughts on all of this:)
Media, I think, is actually quite devoid of meaning: it is a technical term, the plural of "medium", and all the various forms that media takes are just vehicles, or mediums, for communication. Media includes so much, good and bad, meaningless and profound. To talk about media in general terms simply misses the point. A better question might be, in what ways can we use media to transform the world?
I understand that it is common for people to mean "news sources" to mean "media", but I'm hereby reclaiming that word:) If we can bring it to its broadest meaning we can begin to see all of the possibilities that media offers us. There were always be media for entertainment and media that appeals to the shallow parts of our minds and souls. So, what? I'm interested in how I can use the different media platforms as vehicles for goodness and transformation. With that in mind, we have moved into a new period in media where new media has arisen in the Long Tail and can have a significant impact on the world. Technology is allowing us to take advantage of media in lightening quick ways that big media can't do, and therefore we can act more quickly in response to the opportunities and problems that we are presented with each day. I plan on writing a more in depth post on this over at Falling Fruit, so stay tuned there and I'd love to hear your thoughts on all of this:)
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falling fruit
July 2008 