Media and the Digital Age - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Media and the Digital Age

• Digital media encompasses any electronic or digital media presented for consumer entertainment and convenience. This includes audio (sound) and video (visual) content.
• Digital media utilizes digital signals to convey content. Watching a TV show, reading an online article, or talking on a cell phone all utilize digital media.
• Examples of digital media products include music files (MP3, Midi, WMA), video feeds on websites, animated Flash files, and graphic design files. Interactive websites and games are also considered digital media.

Industry Overview

• Digital media has impacted numerous industries, including advertising, which utilizes digital platforms to reach customers. Movie production (filmmaking) has also integrated digital technology for animation and editing.
• Examples of new or expanding digital media types include interactive web pages, video games, music players (MP3), ebooks, and digital television.

Important Facts About the Digital Media Industry

• The job outlook for multimedia artists and animators from 2016-2026 is projected to grow by 8%.
• The median salary for multimedia artists and animators in May 2018 was $72,520.
• The typical work environment for multimedia artists is an office setting.
• Key skills needed for success include artistic creativity, visual ability, attention to detail, concentration, and interpersonal communication.

Career Opportunities

• Digital media is integral to the art and entertainment industries, impacting graphic design, fine art, photography, and special effects used in movies, animation, and game development.
• Careers encompassing digital media include graphic/web designers, animators, digital videographers, and video/sound editors.
• Opportunities for research and development, installation and implementation of digital media technologies are also available (examples include software engineers, programmers, network engineers).

1.2 Types of Digital Media (Products)

• Desktop Publishing (DTP) is a method for creating newspapers, magazines, fliers, and brochures using software on computers to easily add text and graphics.

Newspapers

• Newspapers, a digital media product, contain news and current affairs from across the globe.
• Renowned newspapers are published by large organizations worldwide and distributed both physically and digitally over the internet.

Graphic Design

• Graphic design involves manipulating images and combining them with other elements (e.g., text) to create products conveying clear messages to specific audiences.
• Graphic design utilizes two types of formats: bitmap and vector.
• Bitmaps are comprised of pixels (tiny squares each representing a color) and are ideal for high-quality images with complex details like photographs.
• Vector graphics utilize objects (shapes, lines) instead of pixels, defined by mathematical properties, allowing detailed scaling without loss of quality. Vector is well-suited for diagrams.

Audio Sequences

• Audio sequences (sound) are captured using microphones and consist of physical characteristics: amplitude (height of the wave), wavelength (size of the wave), and frequency (vibration rate).
• Modifying these physical characteristics is crucial in audio editing. Analog audio must be converted to digital form.

Music Compositions

• Music is a series of combined sounds that are enjoyable to listen to. Composers create musical compositions.
• Modern musical instruments often include electronic components and interface with computers through MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)
• Up to 16 devices can send audio signals simultaneously through MIDI. The quality of the sound depends on the instruments.
• MIDI allows music from various instruments to be combined with vocals for compositions.

Animation Sequences

• Animation is creating the appearance of movement by rapidly displaying a series of images.
• Animation is frequently used for cartoons where characters move and interact with their environments. Animation is also used in video games, movies, and educational videos.
• Tweening is a technique to ease the animation process.

Video Production

• Video production involves combining scenes shot using video cameras and using software to create a story.
• Video cameras record scenes, then the individual scenes are edited on computers.
• Adding special effects, sounds, and making cuts adds to the finished product. Videos are combined in a specific storyline.

1.3 Differences Between Traditional and New Media

• Traditional media (e.g., TV, radio, direct mail) employs a "push" strategy, transmitting the message from the business to the customer in a one-way format. This approach is usually faster and more impacting, though may be more expensive. Results are measured in the short-term.
• New media (e.g., social media, blogs) employs a "pull" strategy, involving a more conversational and interactive relationship between the consumer and business. Results are gauged in the long-term and are generally less expensive to execute campaigns.

Other Concepts

• Learning new software and computer skills requires flexibility. An open mind, initiative, accurate listening, and the pursuit of new knowledge and skills are also essential.

• Digital media projects may include image, text, audio, and video files. Methods to name and save files should use standard conventions.

• Backups of projects should occur regularly to prevent data loss from hardware failure or cyberattacks. Online, hard drive, physical drive storage are avenues to consider for backup.

• Cyber predators use the Internet to target individuals, identity theft involves stealing information from people for financial gain, social engineering scams exploit people to yield information, and keyloggers track keyboard use to gather information.

• Malware (malicious software) damages or steals information from a computer. Virus, worm, spyware, Trojan horse, adware, and rootkits are common examples.

• Encryption converts text into unreadable numbers and letters to protect information. Digital encryption utilizes software to scramble and unscramble data. Hackers find electronic methods to access computers illegally.

• Strong passwords must meet criteria to protect information. Phishing scams use fake websites or emails to trick people into divulging private information and/or passwords.

• Maintaining physical security of devices (computers, laptops, phones) is essential. Users are responsible for device security in all environments.

• Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs). These describe acceptable and inappropriate behavior on the computer system that users must agree to. Examples may include password rules, software usage and network etiquette considerations.

• Ergonomics, the science of workspace design, promotes safety and productivity through good postures, proper workstation arrangement, and other physical workplace ergonomics. These guidelines mitigate occupational injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome.

• To avoid repetitive stress injuries (RSI), follow proper keyboarding and mouse techniques, taking breaks.

• Ethical considerations are applied to photo editing, such as appropriately altering images without changing the subject's true appearance or removing people from photos without permission.

• Ethical decision-making involves considering harm to others, theft prevention, encouraging positive interactions, and refraining from supporting illegal actions.