Post on 20-Dec-2015
New Media Technologies: Communication Theories
COM 300
Kathy E. Gill3 April 2007
Agenda
Review Reading Assignment Questions Missing! Posts Missing!
Communication Theories More “New Media” Discussion Multi-Media: phones
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?
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?
End Point - Tuesday
We’ll pick up here on Thursday Multi-media: phones Lab:
Configure time (-8 GMT) Configure comments (require only e-mail
address, name) Create com300 “page”
New channels WWW E-mail Videoconferencing MP3 Electronic publishing Mobile telephony
What do they have in common?
Computer Mediated Communication (1/2)
1. Desktop computers used as tools to influence human cognition and convey messages among people (focuses on the technology, older definition)
2. 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
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 Captive audience Fixed Linear Primarily verbal Reader controls pace
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
Film Characteristics
Animated Captive audience Creator controls pace Fixed Linear Primarily visual
Web Characteristics
Dynamic “Live” (maybe) Multi-media (visual, auditory) Transient audience Typically nonlinear User controls pace and direction
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