INTRODUCTION TO NEW MEDIA. "INTERNET"

SUMMARY OF “INTRODUCTION TO NEW MEDIA” Print media came about around 1450 when Guttenberg invented the printing press. Although it first narrowed its preferences at first, later it became wide, cheap and available to all. Print media all basically includes newspapers, newsletters, booklets, magazines and the likes. The print timeline dates as far back as 615 to 906 when T’ang dynasty, the printing is done in China using ink on carved wooden blocks-through to 1967. Then came broadcast, although we can’t pinpoint when she came into the picture; she seems to have raisen to the limelight in the 20th century with the advent of radio and TV, she swiftly became popular and appealing to all. Towards a definition, broadcast means to send out, transmit or communicate especially by radio/television. Broadcast, despite her unclear emergence was first seen in 1906 through the invention of wireless telephony as a means for radio waves to carry signals a significant distance down to 2000 when reality TV hit the world. At the establishment of all this, new media comes with a new, cool and dynamic approach. This is as a result of Tim Berner-lee’s brainchild “www” software for the web in 1989 and from this sprouted “new media”. As at 2008, Nigeria topped the chart of Africa top 10 internet countries at 18.9 and Zimbabwe was the least at 1.4. New media includes all forms of electronic communication, the likes of online news, CD and DVD media, telephone and digital data integration, online communities etc. New media has come in handy for journalists through blogging, social networking etc. Examples of New media are Flickr (photo sharing site), Facebook (social network), StumbleUpon, YouTube, Oh My News (a “citizen journalism” site) Reporter.co.zaetc. The convergence of digital media has led to the development of new forms of media technologies. Information is readily available and easy to access, like the open content available on Wikipedia that allow copying and modification by anyone and not limited to an organization/individual. Web 2.0 concepts have led to the evolution of web-based communities and enhancement of creativity, information, functionality and sharing of the web. Google comes from such concept and it has evolved since March 1995 bringing with it Froogle, Ad sense, Gmail and by 2004 it has been established as one of the largest search engine on the web.