Creeber puts forward that New Media is so complex and diverse that any approach to identify any sort of "Digital Theory" couldn't be viewed as definitive. (Creeber, 2009, p.11). Rather than completely replacing old theoretical approaches Creeber states that this is "inevitably a development and reaction to the way media has been understood and theorized in the past" (Creeber, 2009, p. 11). To gain a better understanding of New Media we must first look at it in relation to Modernism.
"Modernism tended to challenge the theocratic and God-centered notion of the world that helped define human society in the past" (Creeber, 2009, p. 11). The advent of Modernism in the pre-industrial world changed people's perceptions of religion, as many aspects of Modernism gave birth to ideas which attempted to explain the Universe in Scientific ways.
Modernism drew a line between Mass Culture and 'High Art', it was assumed that only this 'Advant-garde' art could bring forward cultural meaning that comes with social and aesthetic criticism. (Creeber, 2009, p. 12). The most famous group of people that reflected this view where known as 'The Frankfurt School'. The Frankfurt School viewed the media as a standardized product of industrialization, often connecting mass media with aspects of 'Fordism'. Henry Ford used mass production to make his cars more accessible and cheap however this resulted in all his cars looking exactly the same. "The Fordist philosophy was also evident in all aspects of mass culture" (Creeber, 2009, p.13). Creeber states that all forms of produced media is identical, offering up a form of 'Standardized Culture'.
There then came a paradigm shift in the form of Post-Modernism, with this also came a shift in ideology from The Frankfurt Schools overly pessimistic view of mass culture. In this postmodern world consumer culture dominates the cultural landscape, with leisurely activities taking priority in determining our experiences rather than work."First signs of such a critical shift can detected in the work of McLuhan" (Creeber, 2009, p.15). McLuhan theorized that audiences are influenced by how information is presented rather than the actual content being presented, he believed that the power of New Media would enable an audience more interactivity with electronic information transforming us from "Voyeurs to participants" (Creeber, 2009, p.15). McLuhan was stating that New Media turns everyone into active participants, each of us having a say in how this media gets created.
Bibliography
Creeber, G., 2009. Digital Cultures. [Online]
Available at: https://learning.ulster.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/pid-1811419-dt-content-rid-4330022_1/courses/67641_1314/Digital%20Cultures%281%29.pdf
[Accessed 21st October 2013]
Lister, M., 2003. New Media: A Critical Introduction. [Online]
Available at: http://hp2.philol.msu.ru/~discours/uploadedfiles/courses/poselyagin/textbooks/New_Media.pdf
[Accessed 22nd October 2013]
Showing posts with label McLuhan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label McLuhan. Show all posts
Wednesday, 23 October 2013
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
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
Tuesday, 22 October 2013
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
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