Digital Cultures

To study and understand new media we need to look at the series of events, technologies and cultural conditions which gave rise to it. Creeber, in his work 'Digital Cultures' discusses modernism and post-modernism in relation to old and new media. Modernism refers to 'the way that human society responded to the changes that took place during the industrial revolution.'(Creeber, 2009, P.11)

Industrialisation was not perceived well with many modernists as they seen it 'as the enemy of free thought and individuality, producing an essentially cold and soulless universe.' (Creeber, 2009, P12) Industrialisation benefited Henry Ford who invented the assembly line which enabled the quick and easy mass-production of his car models. The famous Frankfurt School were a group of German Marxists who 'were struck how American mass culture shared many similarities of mass production.. they liked to perceive the media as a standardised product of industrialisation.' (Creeber, 2009, P12) The Frankfurt School linked Henry Ford's idea of cheap and speedy mass-production of  cars to the media, as television shows, radio programmes and magazines, like Ford's cars, were all identical. 'Instead of stimulating audiences, these media 'products' were designed to keep the masses deluded in their oppression by offering a form of ... standardised culture.' (Creeber, 2009, P.13)

This mass-produced media lead to audiences being passive, taking in everything the media was serving to them and not thinking or acting for themselves. Reith famously wrote, '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.' (Creeber, 2009, P.13) This theory can be identified as the Hypodermic Needle Model. This is the idea that audiences are 'injected' with ideologies and beliefs from the media and they do not think for themselves.

After modernism came post-modernism which looks at the changes that took place after the industrial revolution. 'A post-industrial economy is one in which an economic transition has taken place from a manufacturing-based economy to a service-based economy.' (Creeber, 2009, P13) Marshall McLuhan's work looks at 'the power of new media to enhance an audience's interactivity with electronic information as a whole.' (Creeber, 2009, P15) So now instead of just watching television, audience members can actively participate and get involved. This is new media and interactivity. McLuhan highlights that through interactivity audience members transform from 'voyeurs to participants.' (Creeber, 2009, P.15) If we think of shows such as X-Factor, on the live shows Tweets are read out from audience members giving their opinion of the contestants. Afterwards on 'The X-tra Factor' audiences can get even more involved by ringing in and asking questions to their favourite acts.

BOOKS:
Creeber. G. (2009) 'Digital Theory: Theorising New Media' & Cubitt. D. (2009) 'Case Study, Digital Aesthetics' in Ed. Creeder. G. & Royston. M. (2009) 'Digital Cultures: Understanding New Media' Maidenstone, Open University Press