Old vs. New Media

How do we distinguish “new media” from “old” media? 

To distinguish new media from old media there are many ways to establish that. First, if we look at the digitalization of things like the internet newspaper website versus the regular paper printed newspaper format, the difference is evident. With the regular newspaper, all information is already set in stone, if one wants to continue to read it they would have to carry it around all day, and they are only allotted the news discovered from the day before or some sort of tip off about what is to come. For the internet website, it is easily viewed on a phone, one can sort through categories of what interests them through the click of a categorized tab, and the news can be instantaneous in terms of updates to that same article. Many times CNN and New York Times update their articles with new information as their reporters and editors learn it from tips and sources that same day. There is also portability but thats the way to distinguish for other forms of media.

Portability of items such as cellular phones, iPads, iPods, portable dvd players and handheld game systems can also help distinguish from old media things like landline phones, walkman portable cd players, television, earlier VCR and dvd players. For cellular phones, they are cordless, their broadband range has cell towers in most places across the world so one can make a phone call virtually almost anywhere (except underground where there is no signal), one can use applications such as calendars, to do lists, and use applications for their own livelihood. Regular phones one has to physically push buttons and wait for a response while this phone could only make and receive calls without any extra additions. For iPads and iPods, they represent the idea of applications like on a cell phone, one can use the internet, use the calendar, play games, watch videos such as Netflix, and have lifestyle applications like Mint, where they could keep a track of their finances. Without these advances, people would have to go to the bank, call their bank, use their television, buy a physical calendar, or find a computer to use all of these functions. Not to mention these devices also replaced the need for portable cd players because one can listen to music and download it instantly to their devices. No need to buy cds just for a certain song and one can save money in a sense. Another big one is the portable dvd player, if one wanted to see a movie, they wouldn't have to stay home and pop it into the dvd player just to watch it, they could carry it in this player that would be with them and watch and pause the film at anytime. This factors into convenience.

Lastly, if we look at convenience, we can see how the diversity of content such as news, online encyclopedias, and wikis are available at one's own time and needs that new media brings and old media lags behind in comparison. A person is now able to utilize the internet to reach a plethora of information for school assignments, entertainment, business news, and economics through the wikis, encyclopedias, and online websites for popular magazines that itemize them online readily available to read anywhere.

If we really look at new media versus old, it has become more personable in a sense and easier to use for anyone.