What significance does the continuing development of digital media technology have for media institutions and audiences?
In decades past, the landscape of media development and consumption was much simpler than it is now. To stay up to date on current information and events, the consumer of yesterday had little options outside of watching or reading the content put out by a select few major media institutions. Generally speaking, this consisted of cable tv shows, or traditional print media like newspapers or magazines. For their entertainment, they could either watch a movie or tv show on cable, or pick one of the films put out, once again, by just a select few major media institutions. This allowed for a relationship to form in which these mass media producers held most of the power, as they knew audiences had little options besides their own. While this dynamic may have sufficed in the past, this is the 21st century. The continuing development and rise of digital media technology during this century has had a significant impact in shifting this dynamic dramatically, putting media institutions and audiences on much more equal footing, all while blurring the lines between the two. As previously mentioned, in the past audiences had very few options regarding what information and entertainment based content they consumed. This allowed the mass media institutions who produced this content to hold a lot of leverage over their audiences, as there were very few, if any alternative options to consume the media they were looking for elsewhere. However nowadays, with the rise of digital media technology like streaming services and social media, audiences have an almost overwhelming amount of options. For example, the rise of streaming services has not only given consumers more entertainment options than they know what to do with, but many of them personally tailor their content towards that consumer’s specific interests. This is because the streaming service market has become extremely over-saturated, with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, and Disney+ being just a few of the big ones. In an effort to attract audiences, these services have provided incentives like a plethora of personalized content, which is something traditional media institutions like cable tv simply can’t compete with. Continuing with that, easy access to social media has allowed audiences more ways to receive their news and information than ever, which has in many ways made traditional media institutions obsolete. Nowadays, there is no reason for the average consumer to tune into their local news station or buy a newspaper when they can simply check something like twitter to get caught up on world affairs, which is usually easier and cheaper than the prior options. Long gone are the days where traditional media institutions have an almost monopolistic control over audiences who wish to stay informed, and as a result, audiences have shifted away from traditional media institutions and towards digital ones more than ever. Both media institutions and audiences have realized this, causing audiences to have more control than ever over both the media they consume, and the media that is produced. Another significant impact the development of digital media has had on audiences and media institutions is that it has seemingly blurred the lines between the two. This is because nowadays, with technology like smartphones being readily available to virtually all consumers, as well as the rise of social media, anyone and everyone can be a part of the media world. Not only that, but smaller independent media creators can often side-step a lot of the difficulties large media institutions have to go through to produce content. Independent creators don’t have to wait for their every action to be approved by a board of directors like mass media does, they can simply create at their own will and desire. Sure, mass media institutions have the personnel and resources to produce much more large-scale content than small independent creators do, but with people’s attention spans being so short nowadays it is likely that smaller scale content is what they prefer. Also, independent creators have the benefit of coming across as much more relatable and likable than mass media companies, because an individual is easier for the average consumer to relate to than a giant corporation is. In summation, the once simple and one-sided relationship between media institutions and audiences has eroded because of the continued development of digital media, and in its place a much more complex dynamic has arisen that gives the audience more power than ever thought possible. This is because digital media has not only given audiences a plethora of new options, many of which are superior/more convenient than traditional media, but has also allowed them to enter the world of media production themselves. In a fairly short amount of time, digital media has significantly impacted the world of media institutions, so we can only imagine where it will go in the future.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
April 2021
Categories |