Digital Cultures: Theorizing New Media.

New media, according to Creeber has such a 'complex' and 'diverse' field that it is almost impossible to conclude it with a single definition. (Creeber & Martin, 2009, p.11).

Attempting to explain New Media, Creeber talks about Modernism and Postmodernism. Modernism is the "umbrella term" which refers to how the humans "responded to the changes that took place during the industrial revolution". (Ibid, p.11).

From Creeber's book, we learn that the modernism's reaction towards modernity was contradictory - a celebratory reaction, 'Fordism'- Henry Ford's T-ford "successes in the automobile industry" and then there was the 'pessimistic' reaction, The Frankfurt School. (Ibid, p12)

  

Ford used mass production techniques, allowing cars to become 'more accessible' and 'cheaper' while being produced more rapidly. Consequently, this mass-production resulted in all his T-Fords being identical. This is where the pessimistic theorists of The Frankfurt School start their dispute -- claiming

Ford's philosophy "evident in all aspects of mass culture", meaning the production of new products are no different to the previous products. (Ibid, p12)

The Marxist theory of The Frankfurt School expresses their detestation towards the 'industrialised' products, claiming they only offer a substitute to the needs of what the mass actually needs, for example, Theodor Adorno's theory on popular music. John Reith, first director General of the BBC generally disapproves with the Marxist theory of the Frankfurt School but actually supports their claim on mass culture, he states : 

"It is ocassionally indicated to us that we are apparently setting out to give the public what we think they need -- and not what they want -- but few know what they want and very few know what they need" (cited by Briggs 1961:238)

(Creeber and martin, 2009, p13)

In contrast with modernism, Postmodernism is the phase following the industrial revolution. A post-industrial (post-fordist) economy is an "economic transition" which took place "from a manufacturing based economy to a service-based economy" which eventually lead to the "decline of heavy industry." (Ibid, p. 15)

This shift in ideology from the pessimistic view of The Frankfurt School was essentially detected by the work of Marshall McLuhan.

Creeber mentions the argument developed by critics about the "landscape of postmodernism and New Media are turning citizens of democracies into apolitical consumers,  no longer able to distinguish between the stimulated illusions of media and the harsh realities of capitalist society.." (Ibid, p20), which creates a platform for McLuhan's famous argument of 'The Medium is The Message', which is something we can clearly identify with in today's society. McLuhan's theory promotes the idea that the audiences are more influenced with how the information is presented instead of what is actually presented. Also, these critics argue that "postmodern obsessions with images over depth produces a superficial and artificial environment" where consequently, "little is taken seriously". (Ibid, p20)

REFERENCES:

• Creeber, G & Martin, R (2009) DIGITAL THEORY: Theorizing New Media