What is New Media?

I was recently asked by a respected peer a very open ended question:

"What is New Media?"

It's a hard question to nail down, because there are so many possible answers. The definition of "New Media" is a hard one to come by because of the continual change of its use, new technologies, and marketing speak. So here I was, on the spot, known as an expert in the field to the people at the table; how do you define new media to someone who purposefully does not have a home computer? After some thought, I defined it something like this:

"New Media is broadly-accessible content that is intended to receive a response from the person who engages it."

For me, the primary difference between "old media" and "new media" is that old media types (re:broadcast television, print magazines, music CDs) are intended to be delivered to the consumer and simply be ingested. New Media (re:blogs, some internet video, virtual worlds, remixable music) is created hoping that the consumer will engage with the material and contribute to it, whether via comments, redistribution, or actually manipulating the source materials.

Essentially, the creators of new media elements hope that consumers/engagers develop a relationship with the actual product.

So... is "New Media" important to the body of Christ?

In short, yes. We are to make disciples which, to me, means develop relationships. And we don't simply build relationships around each other's lives, but through discipleship we build relationships around a central message/thing, the Gospel. In a sense, this is the New Media model, in my humble opinion.

The beauty of New Media is that there are organizations creating the tools to link people throughout the world to different medias, mediums, and messages. As New Media becomes more and more mainstream, there will be more opportunities for Christians to utilize the tools and innovations that technical geniuses develop.

The fear of New Media is that the message of the Gospel becomes just another story in the noise of the digital ether. That if the Gospel isn't on the forefront of cutting edge technology that - for some people - it is somehow less relevant or important (clarification: I don't believe that is the case. But it's an easy position to take for some people, particularly those who are having to filter through the thousands of messages they receive a week).

So, what does New Media mean for the body of Christ? How do we ride the wave of innovation, but continue to be sure the Message is more important the medium?

- Aaron Linne, LifeWay Digital Media Publishing

Comments

[Matt Singley]

I think the New Media is as important to the body of Christ as other notable steps in technology like electricity, the printing press, etc.

It creates a new avenue of information, but the good news is, the information is no longer a one way street. Heck, it's not even a two way street...it's a full blown freeway system! (Hmmm...maybe we should call it the information superhighway...)

I love interacting with people through blogs, Twitter and Facebook. Probably 80% of my "audience" would claim to be Christian. How awesome is it that the other 20% get to be as much a part of the conversation as the majority? It creates an environment of discussion, debate, agreement...all good things. In the end, I think the bottom line is that we can spread the Gospel faster and more easily than ever before.

[John smith]

In print media, digital publishing made huge difference in circulations and revenues. Survey’s also predicting that online readership is increased dramatically from the past three years and its goes on. Digital publishing becomes the revenue generation tool for the print publishers. Publishers following new technology mediums and approaching the companies like http://www.pressmart.net to distribute their publications over the new mediums and it’s worked well!

[sequoia]

"So, what does New Media mean for the body of Christ? How do we ride the wave of innovation, but continue to be sure the Message is more important than the medium?"

These are important questions. The Word is more important than the tools and the noise.

I think we need to prayerfully craft truth messages in the New Media. Amid the attention-getting candy apple paint splashes and the glitter and dazzle of technology, there needs to be a vulnerable realness that reveals something of God's mind and heart.

That is my desire when I write and as I work to improve our church's website.

Connie
www.sequoiathoughts.blogspot.com