Defining 'New media'

Defining new media is not that easy. In 21^st century ‘New media’ is a catchall term used to define all that is related to the internet and the interplay between technology, images and sound. It can also be described as a present form of communication. In other words any current form of media that is trending can be termed as new media. The definition of new media changes daily, and will continue to do so. New media evolves and morphs continuously.

Wikipedia defines ‘new media’ as a broad term in media studies that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century. For example, new media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content anytime, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community formation around the media content. Another important promise of new media is the "democratization" of the creation, publishing, distribution and consumption of media content. What distinguishes new media from traditional media is the digitizing of content into bits. There is also a dynamic aspect of content production which can be done in real time, but these offerings lack standards and have yet to gain traction.

Whereas Encyclopedia states that new media is the form of communicating in the digital world which, includes publishing on CDs, DVDs and, most significantly, over the Internet. It implies that the user obtains the material via desktop and laptop computers, smartphones and tablets. Every company in the developed world is involved with new media. Contrast with old media. Another definition that it gives is that it is a concept that new methods of communicating in the digital world allow smaller groups of people to congregate online and share, sell and swap goods and information. It also allows more people to have a voice in their community and in the world in general.

Most technologies described as "new media" are digital, often having characteristics of being manipulated, networkable, dense, compressible, and interactive. Some examples may be the Internet, websites, computer multimedia, computer games, CD-ROMS, and DVDs. New media does not include television programs, feature films, magazines, books, or paper-based publications – unless they contain technologies that enable digital interactivity.

Amongst all these mixed and varied definition “new media” seems to escape its very definition. Loosely, new media is a way of organizing a cloud of technology, skills, and processes that change so quickly that it is impossible to fully define just what those tools and processes are. For example, the cell phone in the late 1980’s could be thought of as part of new media, while today the term might only apply selectively to a certain type of phone with a given system of applications, or even more commonly, the content of those apps. Today social media such as twitter, Facebook, myspace, linkedin and etc and can be categorized as new media.  Regardless, new media and new media communications is continually evolving and as a result, its definitions evolves as well.