A Summary for Flew Ch. 1

The main point to emphasize is that technology is so rapid in production that it will eventually become "dated". Terry Flew uses the quote of Sonia Livingstone "what's new for society about the new media?" that sets his description on what new media is categorized into three main groups communications network, computing/information technology, and content on how it is delivered to society. The definition that the author goes for is that new media is combination of traditional media being adapted to the developing and new means of digital media. Using the Internet as a prime example of such by describing the brief history of how it came about, and then changed to be more serviceable for society. The key usage on how useful it was to society was the usage of hypertext for it allowed more connection for the user which made information easier access. This started a chain event of websites more interconnected using this hypertext method, and install the usage of Hypertext Transfer Protocol along with Hypertext Markup Language. Causing the audience for the Internet to continually increase due to this easily available linkup.

Making the point on digitisation that the coding in itself for information was becoming shorter and shorter for more available information which led to more job openings. Because there was a bigger interest on maintaining this information so convergence played a main role in all this media so steadly increased on the goal of easier access. The three levels for convergence to start this begins with functional which is independent form of information as in TV and radio. The second level is industry which is "merger of computing, IT, telecommunication businesses, and media sector". The last is convergent products and services which can be exampled as credit/debit transcations. Now two major features that connect with digitisation and convergence that is in major usage is interactivity and networks. The World Wide Web is display of this by choice of how to use this information access, and the outcome of this knowledge. Next step to the progress of this take with new media would be how people connect through internet by globalization and virtuality. Virtuality gives the sense of creating an alternate persona of an individual and chance of virtual community. Globlaiztion combines through closing the distance of passing information on a shorter width rather than before of waiting longer periods. Which helps new media to thrive by easier service for soceity and passing of knowledge. As quick as technology is to advance the only "new" part of the media would be the updated service task provided for society and the reaction taken with it.