Where Old and New Media Collide
Human culture has often grown through word of mouth, legends, and through interaction with other civilizations and cultures. The convergence of the bygone eras has long since given way to the current modes of media that are used to mainstream information to much larger and more diverse populations. These populations are now able to absorb and process mass amounts of information at an alarming rate that begs for a continual flow of information so as to appease the masses. In order to placate the growing number of viewers and users that seek to access this information the media of the previous generations must be forwarded through the use of new and continually updated methods. The media of the previous eras is used to determine how often and by what manner the media of today is considered relevant.
As civilization changes and transcends from its more humble beginnings, it often seeks to
unite the old ways with the new, the convergence that is spoken of by Henry Jenkins (2008) in
his widely lauded book, Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. Within the
many case studies found in this enticing piece of literature it is well noted that Jenkins pulls from
the older, more influential aspects of society in order to drive home the point of how convergence works. His ideas display how several different media icons help society to change
the methods by which they uncover desired and necessary information. Through this filter of
understanding it is seen in a clearer light how the convergence between older and newer media
helps to broaden the horizons of society and empowers them to further the flow of information.
As information grows more diverse and the demand for such knowledge increases it is typical to see the use of semiotics begin to grow and expand through necessity. According to David Glen Mick, semiotics is the doctrine (196-213) that involves the use of symbols and signs to which meaning and purpose are assigned. In the world of new media this can be used as a type of shorthand by which to quickly convey information that might otherwise take an inordinate amount of time to convey to the masses. In truth signs and symbols are a type of gateway through which the old media can translate into new media.
Semiotics can be used for a number of different purposes, the most prevalent being that of consumer research. According to Maasik and Solomon (2015) semiotics is a relatively effective method by which to gauge how symbolism works. Despite its prototypical status however it is swiftly becoming popular in gauging how consumers interact with the commodities that are afforded by both old and new media. Semiotics affixes meaning to the manner by which the producers of said commodities present the material and how the consumers interact with what is given.
Much of what Jenkins says in his book is quite valuable as well as brilliant, but the point
of the matter becomes lost at times in the academic nuances that surround the subject. The
convergence of the new and old media is a vast network through which new and more efficient
methods are needed to create the needed convergence. While semiotics affixes meaning to the
influx of information for those consumers who seek to utilize both types of media, the
convergence happening between the two enables consumers to choose from several different
types of media platforms by which to access said information. Much of what is said to explain
away the otherwise simple process of the new seeking to meld with the old can be lost in the
language that is used.
A very interesting concept within the text is how Jenkins introduces older media in a manner that allows them to shape and create interesting and innovative options when it comes to looking at new media. What this means is that by using old media platforms that have come before consumers are able to operate from a well-defined base of ideas that allows for further and more diversified conjecture. Utilizing hidden worlds that have been created by the consumer to garner further information upon cultural icons and ideas has enabled a new method of transferring and gathering data that is seen as pertinent by both the producers and consumers. This thereby creates the demand for continued interactions that continue open new venues and points of convergence where the old media and the new intersect, creating a unified path that stretches in multiple directions according to the desires of the consumer.
Not only will the opening of so many new channels and virtual pathways facilitate better relations between the new and old media, but it will seek to increase revenue and broaden the many targeted markets as well. By creating a decentralized system of media it is possible for consumers to go where they will, enabling a continual back and forth struggle that serves a means of give and take between corporate and grass roots movements. Consumers are thus free to choose which route they will take to obtain the information they need. Through liberation of untold media channels and the subsequent creation of untold platforms from which to view the ever-widening worlds that are continually created, consumers are finally free to pursue their interests without any undue interference.
The manner in which information is provided has become a manner of competition
between sources in this era, a struggle between what is considered relevant and what is
inconsequential. While consumers are more free in this era to choose which path by which they
can obtain any needed information, they are also easily swayed by the enticements that various platforms offer. Producers in this new age are capable of making promises that only in the most ideal situations are ever delivered on. Many methods of seeking information, free and liberated as they are, still remain coveted by those who would seek to follow their own agenda and by doing so influence the masses.
Through the convergence of old and new media however consumers are more readily prepared to sort and sift through the variable platforms to find the information they seek. In this current age it is easier for a consumer to find the secrets behind the media than it is for the producers to present the material. From leaked spoilers concerning film, music, and other media to news concerning local and national pop culture the consumer is capable of divining a large amount of information without the necessity of having to go directly through a producer any longer. The merger of the new and old media and its various platforms has created such a plentitude of differing platforms and directions in which to seek out information that the producer is essentially lost in the mix once the idea is formed.
Through the use of semiotics it can be seen how such a convergence has affected consumers, and how it continues to shape the world in general. From the meanings that are taken from each and every aspect of human life and culture to the divinations that are granted from the environment and how people respond it is possible to take note of how change in the media has affected change in society. On all sides the consumer is beset with choices, pathways that lead them from one decision to another, and then another, until finally they have made the transition from the old to the new. Even those rooted in the ways of the old media have made the jump as an adaptation to the world around them, and have taken to embracing the new media even as they keep the old media relevant.
There is no one right answer as to which media platform is correct for society. This is what makes the convergence between the two so important. The old must give way to the new, as that is the way of things in this world. But in order to advance, the new media must still recognize the usefulness and inherent need for the old media. Without the old there is no new, as there would be no set platform for the new media to rise from.
Before the convergence of the old and new media there was the very real danger of stagnation when it came to information and how it was processed and shared. The methods used in those days were far simpler, much slower, and far more specialized in some regards. The consumer was typically seeking a specific piece of information and was less concerned with the level of access they were given as they were more accepting of what was available. In the current era the passage of information is quicker, far more complex, and in many cases mass produced as more and more consumers can be reached through the convergence of old and new media. What was once believed to be beyond reach is now at the fingertips of consumers.
As producers began to embrace the idea of utilizing new and more effective methods of applying more advanced media to their brands the convergence began. With this new innovation producers could reach a much broader, more general audience rather than the few local and perhaps regional customers that were interested in their products. In adhering to the use of new media producers began to see a rise in profits and a change in society that was a result of their brands reaching a much larger base than ever before. Eventually through the use of semiotics, which in those days was a very new idea, producers began to affect a greater chance in culture and how people thought, acted, and even continued to change the world around them.
The methods used by producers have changed a great deal in the past few decades and as
a result have changed the way media is presented to the consumer. Through research, careful
studies and based on the reactions of the average consumer, producers have learned how best to fashion their products and what media base is best to operate from for each particular brand and product that is passed along to the consumer. Semiotics have enabled producers to better target key points and messages that affect the consumer in the most profound manner. Through both reaction and lack thereof the producers have learned how best to keep control of a system where the consumer is free like never before to access information and make their own decisions regarding the use of and impact of the media.
While producers are looking for the better, more efficient way to influence how consumers access information and therefore become aware of their products, consumers are seeking a more liberated method of information gathering. As much as producers wish to see their efforts come to fruition they are in a sense giving the consumers exactly what they want in a manner that is not entirely conducive to their designs. It is a Pandora’s box in a way in that the information that is produced and handed out to the masses has become so diffuse that it is easier to access than producers might like. Consumers have found their way around the multitude of media platforms and have deduced how to find what it is they seek in ways that the producers have not yet thought about.
The media convergence that has taken place in the last few decades has revolutionized how producers and consumers view and use the different media platforms through which information is gathered. Drawing upon old media, new media is allowed to first accept and then change the direction of each source of information to the desire of the consumer. The relevancy for this information lies within the changing cultures that continue to alter the various media platforms. There are an untold number of connections between old and new media that offer mutual benefits for both producers and consumers, and just as many that keep them apart.
Works Cited
Jenkins, Henry. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. New York: NYU
Press, 2008. Print.
Maasik, Sonia & Solomon, Jack. Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for
Mick, David Glen. “Consumer Research and Semiotics: Exploring the Morphology of Signs,
Symbols, and Significance.” Journal of Consumer Research 13.2 (1986): 196-213. Web.
