Writing for New Media - Module 1 Lesson 1 - PDF

TRADITIONAL AND NEW MEDIA Traditional Media is typically used to describe mass media tools like television, radio, billboards and print (newspaper or magazine). In contrast, New Media typically refers to newer channels e.g. search, e-mail marketing, social media, etc.  WHAT IS TRADITIONAL MEDIA...

TRADITIONAL AND NEW MEDIA Traditional Media is typically used to describe mass media tools like television, radio, billboards and print (newspaper or magazine). In contrast, New Media typically refers to newer channels e.g. search, e-mail marketing, social media, etc.  WHAT IS TRADITIONAL MEDIA Traditional media, or old media, is mostly non-digital advertising and marketing methods. These are marketing methods that businesses have relied on for years. TRADITIONAL MEDIA EXAMPLES 1. TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENT 2. RADIO ADS 3. DIRECT MAIL ADS 4. BILLBOARD AND OFF-SITE SIGNS 5. BANNER ADS WHAT IS NEW MEDIA? New media, also called digital media, consists of methods that are mostly online or involve the Internet in some sense. It usually involves digital channels that gained popularity in the last decade or so. NEW MEDIA EXAMPLES 1. SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION 2. PAY-PER-CLICK (PPC) ADVERTISING 3. CONTENT MARKETING 4. SOCIAL MEDIA 5. EMAIL MARKETING TRADITIONAL MEDIA VS. NEW MEDIA 1. Distribution and access New and traditional media differ in how companies and individuals distribute and access them. Traditional media is usually distributed and accessed through channels like television, radio, or print. On the other hand, new media is distributed and accessed through digital channels, like social media, search engines like Google, or email. 2. Cost New media is known for its cost-effective marketing methods. Many digital media advertisements cost less than traditional methods. Not only will you pay less for your advertisements through digital media channels, but you’ll also pay less to acquire new leads and customers. 3. Audience interaction and communication With traditional media methods, it’s challenging to understand how your audience interacts with your ads and message since your ads will run on their TV or in their newspaper. However, new media channels make it extremely easy for your audience to interact and communicate with your brand. 4. Results tracking Tracking the results of your advertising and marketing campaigns also differs between new media vs. traditional media. Traditional media methods are difficult to track and see which ads and messages drive the most leads, sales, and revenue for your company since they use a non-digital channel, like print or radio. On the other hand, new media methods are incredibly easy to track the results of your campaigns. You can view detailed information like how many people clicked on or viewed your ad, bought one of your products after viewing your ad, or called your company after receiving your email. 5. Targeting capabilities One of the biggest benefits of using online media channels is that you take advantage of powerful audience-targeting features. When it comes to traditional media, it’s much harder to target your ads to your intended audience. FEATURES OF NEW MEDIA FEATURES OF NEW MEDIA Social Media Networks are examples of New Media which are Digital, interactive, hyper-textual, globally networked, virtual and sometimes based on simulation. Digital With the growth of digital technology in the 1990s, the vast majority of information is now converted, stored and transmitted as binary code (a series of 1s and 0s.). Qualitative information has today become ‘digitalised’. Digitalization what allows so much information to be stored in compact hard disks or micro memory cards and it is also what allows for the near instantaneous transmission of information via cable and satellite. Analogue is the opposite of digital. It is stored in physical form and examples include print newspapers, records, and old films and T.V. programs stored on tape. Interactivity ‘Old media’ tended to be very much a ‘one way’ affair, with audiences on the receiving end of broadcasts, for the most part able to do little else that just passively watch media content. Increased interactivity can be seen in simple acts such as liking a Facebook post or commenting on news piece or blog. However some users get much more involved and create their own blogs and videos and actively upload their own content as ‘prosumers’. New Media seem to have fostered a more participatory culture, with more people involved and the roles between consumer and producer of media content becoming ever more blurred! Hypertextual Hypertext, or ‘links’ are a common feature of new media, which allows users more freedom of choice over how they navigate the different sources of information available to them. Global Networks Digital Media has also facilitated cultural globalisation – we now interact much more globally and via virtual networks of people rather than locally. These networks allow for ‘collective intelligence’ to increase – they allow us to pool our resources much more easily and to draw on a wider range of talents and sources of information (depending on our needs) than ever before. Virtual Worlds New Media presents to us a very different reality from face to face to ‘lived reality’ – for most of us this means a very fast paced flow of information with numerous products and people screaming for our attention. However, this situation has only existed since the mid 2000s, and it must be remembered that New Media reality is virtual reality. Simulation Simulation goes a step beyond the ‘virtual’ nature of New Media as usual. Simulation is most obviously experienced computer games which provide an immersive experience for users into a “virtual life” that is simulated through digital technology. EVOLUTION OF COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY Pony Express In the mid-19th century, the Pony Express emerged as a revolutionary means of communication in the United States. Riders on horseback traversed vast distances, delivering mail and messages with unprecedented speed. Telegraph The invention of the telegraph further revolutionized communication by enabling real-time transmission of messages over long distances through electrical signals. Developed in the early 19th century, the telegraph facilitated rapid communication between distant locations, playing a crucial role in industries such as journalism, finance, and transportation. Telephone Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone in 1876 marked a watershed moment in communication technology. The telephone revolutionized interpersonal communication, allowing individuals to converse in real-time across great distances. Radio The advent of radio broadcasting in the early 20th century brought mass communication to the airwaves. From the fireside chats of President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the emergence of rock 'n' roll, radio played a pivotal role in shaping American culture and identity. Television Television emerged as the dominant medium of communication in the mid-20th century, offering both audiovisual entertainment and news programming to millions of households across the country. The rise of television transformed not only entertainment but also political campaigns, advertising, and societal norms.  What are the Current Trends of the Communication Technology Evolved Today? And How Does the Future Look Like? Internet The advent of the internet in the late 20th century heralded a new era of communication, connectivity, and information exchange. Originally developed for military and academic purposes, the internet rapidly expanded into a global network that revolutionized how we access, share, and create content. Mobile Phones The proliferation of mobile phones in the late 20th and early 21st centuries ushered in an era of unprecedented mobility and connectivity. Mobile phones transformed communication by making it portable, allowing individuals to stay connected while on the go. The rise of smartphones further accelerated this trend, turning mobile devices into multifunctional tools for communication, productivity, and entertainment. Social Media The rise of social media platforms in the 21st century revolutionized how we interact, share information, and form communities online. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have become integral parts of daily life for billions of people worldwide, enabling instant communication, content sharing, and social networking on a massive scale. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) Advancements in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology are reshaping how we experience and interact with digital content. VR immerses users in virtual environments, while AR overlays digital information onto the real world. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) Artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are driving the next wave of innovation in communication technology. AI- powered chatbots, virtual assistants, and recommendation systems are enhancing personalized communication experiences, while IoT devices are connecting everyday objects to the internet, enabling seamless communication and data exchange between devices. 5G Networks and the Metaverse The rollout of 5G networks promises to further accelerate the pace of communication technology evolution, offering faster speeds, lower latency, and greater connectivity. These advancements will fuel the development of the Metaverse, a collective virtual shared space that blurs the lines between physical and digital reality. ONLINE JOURNALISM WHAT IS ONLINE JOURNALISM? Online journalism refers to news reporting that is published on digital platforms, whether websites, social media, blogs, or other online outlets. Unlike traditional forms of journalism, which often have physical constraints such as newspaper layouts or broadcast time slots, online journalism offers flexibility, speed, and immediacy. News can be published in real-time, updated continuously, and is often presented in a more interactive and multimedia-rich format. Digital journalism, also known as netizen journalism or online journalism, is a contemporary form of journalism where editorial content is distributed via the Internet, as opposed to publishing via print or broadcast. What constitutes digital journalism is debated by scholars; however, the primary product of journalism, which is news and features on current affairs, is presented solely or in combination as text, audio, video, or some interactive forms like storytelling stories or news games, and disseminated through digital media technology KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF ONLINE JOURNALISM 1. Immediacy: Online journalism thrives on the ability to publish stories instantly. 2. Accessibility: With the internet being accessible globally, online journalism reaches a much wider audience than traditional formats. 3. Interactivity: Readers can engage with online news in ways that traditional media can’t offer. 4. Searchability: One of the major advantages of online journalism is that stories are archived and easily searchable.  FEATURES OF ONLINE JOURNALISM Features of Online Journalism: Online Journalism, the same as conventional journalism, has its unique characteristics. The main distinction of online journalism is being immediate and interactive, yet there are other features: 1- Immediacy: Online News is always immediate as events occur. 2- Interactivity: Online readers can interact with online content by commenting, reacting, or even sharing the content. 3- Hyper textuality: Online journalists could add hyperlinks that relate their content to other contexts. 4- Multimediality: Online journalists could attach images, videos, and data visualization to enrich their produced content. 5- Shifted time: Online content is always available. Even if the content is archived, readers can still access them at any time. 6- Real-time: Online news could be published in real time, and journalists could provide updated breaking news and events as they happen.  PRINCIPLES OF ONLINE JOURNALISM Principles of Online Journalism: As online journalism has unique features that differentiate it from conventional one, it also has its own game rules which online journalists must follow to attract their target audience. Among these practices are: 1. Interactivity: A compelling online story must leave a space for readers to take control over time and space for content consumption. That is, to make the reader determine when and where to consume the content. E.g. Facebook, Instagram, Youtube. Additionally, Online journalism must allow audiences to engage with the content either by commenting, reacting, or exchanging it. 2. Scanability: People online don't read. They scan. So, to succeed in catching the online reader's attention and make them stop by to read your piece of content, published articles must use specific techniques. Unambiguous headlines Sub-headings Bullets or number lists Hyperlinks Highlighted words 3. Brevity: Since online audiences get bored quickly, and many are addicted to infinite scrolling, the soul of influential online journalism is brevity. And among brevity techniques are Writing Concise articles. Focusing on a single point in each paragraph. ONLINE JOURNALISM IN COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY Technology given added value to online journalism and made it interactive. It also enabled online journalism to use various types of media content, E.g., texts, videos, images, audio, and data visualizations, not to mention that each media type has its typical usage and impact. 1. Text stories Analyzing complicated topics. Clarifying figures and facts that are difficult to understand. Provides background information and history of a subject from various perspectives. 2. Photos A well-captured moment photograph is a gateway to delivering human emotions, E.g., Fear and triumph. Convey ideas faster and easier. 3. Videos Stories involving action. Allow audiences to establish more connection with the story hero. Research has shown that people prefer video content over other media types. 4. Data visualization Sorting complex topics and figures using visuals and conveying them into catchy informative content. Make audiences easily extract valuable insights. Combines the effectiveness of engagement of photos, videos, and the detailed facts of texts to produce informative content. Allow decision-maker audiences to make fast, informed decisions. 5. Multimedia story package - It basically means many media (text, graphics, animation, video and sound) working together to present information to the learner via the computer. One important feature of multimedia package is its human interactivity.