With the addition of the world wide web we have been able to bring every form of media together into one place. Previously media had a lot of limitations. As Shirky (2009) described it, formerly media would only facilitate one-on-one conversations(telephone conversations) or one-to-many broadcasts, with radios, televisions or newspapers. The internet has revolutionized communication by combining every form of media, therefore providing multimedia. The internet provides limitless information and offers interactivity, allowing its users to become not only consumers, but producers.
There are a variety of different elements that make the world wide web so different from traditional media. Halavais (2008) described hyperlinks as the connective tissue of networked society . A hyperlink is much more than it’s simple definition. In order to understand what hyperlinks are, you need to look at the effects they have and their uses. Previously hyperlinks were used predominantly for citations, now their use has shifted primarily to navigation. Hyperlinks allow users to transport themselves along their desired pathway through the web by a series of instant jumps. Hyperlinks are still continuing to develop. They can be used in advertisements, to link to further information and discussion, to connect you to somebody via email, take you to more work by the same author. Over time hyperlinks have begun to make connections between different applications and devices and soon enough we’ll see more of them merging into the physical world.
What may separate the internet most from traditional media in terms of it’s capacity to communicate is what people do with it. The internet has inspired people to create quality content, be it audio, video, interactive or text-based, often with no financial reward. There are a number of advantages to this. For consumers, viewing a collection of amatuer, unbiased opinions on an event can often be a better way to educate themselves than by simply reading an article. A whole range of different opinions and points of view can combine to make a very valuable picture. James Suroweicki describes the phenomenon in “The Power and Danger of Online Crowds.”
Another idea Surowiecki explores is the potential this sort of independent publishing has to change the world. He uses the example of the 2005 tsunami. Shirky (2009) discusses the similar posts that were made in response to the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake in China. The amatuer reporting of the event raised the public’s awareness of what was going on and called them to action. Through videos, blog posts, tweets and pictures the people affected gave the world a realistic, emotive view on what was going on, a view the Chinese government or media undoubtedly wouldn’t have willingly made public.
Nick Kozak (2008). – A man holds a camera phone, standing amidst the destruction brought about by the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake.
The last time China had an earthquake that large it took the government months to acknowledge that it had happened and, in contrast, the coverage of this earthquake stirred people to start creating donation sites within half a day of the disaster occurrence.
The world wide web has allowed media to expand and become something never before seen or experienced. Content is uploaded on a daily basis and constantly providing opportunities for discussion and expanding knowledge. Hyperlinks, multimedia, social networking and sharing continue to provide limitless opportunities to allow the web to grow further and spread into all aspects of our lives.
References
Halavais, A. (2008). The Hyperlink as Organizing Principle. The hyperlinked society: Questioning connections in the digital age., pp.39-55
Kozak, N. (2008). China, Dujiangyan, Sichuan – earthquake – citizen [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.nowpublic.com/world/china-dujiangyan-sichuan-earthquake-citizen
Shirky, C. (2009). How social media can make history. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ted.com/talks/clay_shirky_how_cellphones_twitter_facebook_can_make_history.html. [Last Accessed 20/10/2013].
Surawiecki, J. (2008). The power and the danger of online crowds. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ted.com/talks/james_surowiecki_on_the_turning_point_for_social_media.html. [Last Accessed 20/10/2013].
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