Thoughts

Like most of us that have been doing the multimedia, transmedia, interactive, digital-media thing for years, I got very bored with the term “new media” about 8-10 years ago… it was overused to differentiate computers from print & TV but, once the interweb & CDROMs had been around for a few years, “New” no longer seemed a suitable adjective. But in the last year or two, slowly, I’ve started to fall back back in love with the term “New Media”.

Why? Well, today, with our mobile, on-demand, location-based, personalised networks, “New Media” has more to do with how technology reacts to us as individuals. Back then “interact” meant point & click; personalised meant remembering your name. Now interact means “show me something relevant that I haven’t seen before based on my interests (and those of my close friends)… and, while you’re at it, make it nearby”.

New Media is rebellious again. New Media raises expectations. New Media provides a better service.

The difference between Old & New Media isn’t about the new platform or technology any more, it’s about the new attitude. Old media is the pizza restaurant that doesn’t deliver. New Media isn’t just a pizza shop that delivers or allows you to order online, it’s the one that recognises you and rewards you for loyalty.

For business, in many ways, this is a step back to the corner-shop attitude. Your local shop-keeper recognises you when you walk-in and will welcome you by name. They know what you usually buy. They will ask for your opinion and value it. They will give your kids a lollipop and because of all that, you will return again and again.

New Media is no longer about the technology. It’s about how we apply those attitutdes to technology .