Foreword
‘Media’ is often used as a general term to describe a multitude of communication methods. It encompasses everything from tactile devices such as newspapers, billboards, and magazines, to electronic and digital tools like television, radio, and social media. Media and technology go hand in hand; changes and improvements in technology directly influence how and where information is distributed.
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From the invention of the printing press, society has had the means of spreading information to mass amounts of people. Over time, technology has advanced and the printing press has given way to the telegraph and later the television, each method reaching more people and becoming more practical in doing so than the last. In the last twenty years, the pace at which technology has been developing has increased exponentially. This, of course, has caused media methods to evolve just as fast. While it was common to write letters or use the home telephone to connect with others twenty years ago, such methods have been deemed almost obsolete in today's society and have been replaced by social media and instant messaging. Such methods are much quicker and more efficient than their predecessors and reach a wider audience as well. There are many reasons why such technological advances have been made. One reason is making connectivity as easy as possible; finding the quickest way to connect two people from anywhere in the world while making sure their experience is effortless. It has also become widely important to reach larger groups of people as well. While letters and telephone calls were designed for small social connections, social media allows users to contact groups of thousands at a time.
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Media has become much more personalized as well. Certain technologies that were once only available commercially are now found in the modern home. The computer, which was originally used for large corporations, has been made for personal use and comes in sizes small enough for people to carry with them. Cameras that once required a considerable amount of time and money to produce photos have been redesigned to create digital copies that can be seen and shared immediately and printed at the press of a button. This new era of instant gratification through media has created a certain nostalgic feeling about older technologies, and by combining some new technologies with old ideas, a new type of media is being created. In Book as the Child of the Internet, Frank Cost mentions this phenomenon. He notes how expensive and long the process of creating a book used to be, due to the technologies that were available to make one. However, by using today's technologies such as digital cameras and digital printing processes, creating a book is much less costly and takes a fraction of the time it used to. The nostalgic feeling of holding a book will still be achieved while the restrictions of cost and time are no longer present. Perhaps this modern spin on older technologies will give way to a new era of communication through media.
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Although technology is progressing at a rapid rate, it is important to remember its history. As society moves into a digital age, tangible technology is becoming more antiquated and seen as ‘vintage’. It can be argued that digital assets give off a cold expression, while older technologies have more character. The question then, could be made: what if the aforementioned ‘modern spin’ was applied to digital media in a way that brought it life and character? Would, then, there be less of a gap between the latest technology and its vintage predecessors?