a discussion of new media

The uniqueness of new media to journalism is that it is a fast past medium that is highly accessible and has the ability to include a variety of media. New media can be roughly defined as the “synthesis of tradition and innovation”. (Kawamoto 2003:4) This means that new media takes traditional journalistic philosophies and practices and combines it with new technology. Also “this definition captures the historical and important function of journalism in a democracy, which is to inform and enlighten the public, and also acknowledges the evolving tools of the trade and literacy skills of the audience.” (Kawamoto 2003:4) Journalism needs to evolve as an industry and the technology which it uses. New media is the next phase in which journalism can evolve its technology. New technology doesn’t change the practice and values of journalism instead “new technologies take forward existing practices that particular social groups already see as important or necessary.” (Lister [et al] 2002: 81)
New media according to Anthony Mitchell has the ability to do a number of things that have social and political implications, including:

· It can encourage changes in attitudes and definitions of socially accepted behaviour.
· It can connect people with resources and information more efficiently and cheaply than old media.
· It can encourage people to take better care of themselves and to engage in less risky or destructive behaviour
· It can harness peer pressure through peer generated content.

New media, according to Abdul Waheed Khan, also has the ability to “[hold] a hitherto
unseen potential to empower the individual by providing greater freedom of information that can lead to innovation courses of practical action.”

However new media is by no means over taking or replacing traditional old media, nor is new media just “old wine in new wineskins”. New media and old media work on correlation with each other. “The traditional media and digital media are increasingly working in tandem these days, cross-fertilizing (or cross promoting) each other by driving audience members back and forth between them” (Kawamoto 2003:11) Journalism in a democracy serves the same function whether it uses new technology or the traditional older format. That function is to inform the public of news of social, political, cultural or economic importance. Mitchell emphasises that “[the] need for public service messages has not disappeared, but has yet to be transformed by the capabilities for precise targeting, distribution and innovative content creation that old media offers.”

A criticism or praise, which ever way you look at it, about new media is that it enables anybody to essentially become a journalist. The advent of blogs has allowed ordinary citizens to view their thoughts on particular issues or report on something. “Whether amateur reporting, commentary, and blogs qualify as digital journalism is open to debate.” ( Kawamoto 2003: 14)

New media is a primary phase of its existence and it so far it cannot be completely defined. What we can say new media is, is that it involves an incorporation of digital media. It is accessible and interactive. It is also the new wave of journalism that extends the concepts and values of old, traditional media into a new era of technological change. But it’s function is not to stamp out traditional media but instead work in conjunction with, and compliment it.