Interrelated Digital Media Concepts - Report Example

Running Head: Digital Media Concepts Name Course Institution Instructor Submission Date SECTION ONE Digitization and Digital Convergence Media has undergone a lot of transformations since inception. Currently, more adaptable digital media platforms are being introduced to replace the old rigid analogue media. The changes are in the realm of digitality, interactivity, hepertexuality, dispersal and virtuality (Lister, 2003 P. 12). Various digital media concepts help us to understand more on these transformations. In addition to this, we are able to draw conclusion on how these concepts interrelate. Digital convergence, remediation and digitization are the main concepts encountered in many discussions relating to media. These concepts relate in one way or another. In fact digital media is an improvement of what used to be analogue. Lister (2003, P. 12) argues that new digital media are reworked and expanded versions of old analogue. This has an implication that there exists a relation between media concepts. To understand how they relate, it is important to define them. Digitization can be defined as that process of converting analog signals to digital format. Information in digital format is stored in form of binary codes. Currently, digitization is a basic concept to all types of media ranging from computers to industrial machines. The advantage of storing information in digital form is its ability to be manipulated. Currently, newspapers can be read online basically because of digitization. Access to these newspapers is being facilitated by computers, mobile phones and smart televisions. Digitization has also extended to the realm of letter sending. Digital letters (emails) are becoming more common today. It is more advantageous to use a digital letter than the conventional one due to its flexibility. The other additional advantage of digital letters is the ability to make attachments. Attachments can be in form of photos, music or videos (Lister, 2003 P.18). From this, it is quite clear that the digital letter has advanced beyond the conventional office communication functions of a letter. Currently, any person with an email can chat with another person and for this case, the feedback is instant. Most diversified functions of digital letters can be attributed to its fast speed. The diversification of functions of a letter resulting from digitization exemplifies digital media convergence. It is therefore quite critical to note that digital convergence results from digitization. Digitization has also brought tremendous advancements in the film industry. Magical pictures such as those used in Harry Potter’s film can be created so easily with the help of digital editing softwares. Initially, creating imaginary pictures was a complex and lengthy process. A good example is the Hogwarts castle model which took about seventy four years to construct (Bond, 2012). There are two common techniques of creating digital illusions; green screen technique and rotoscoping. Digital convergence on the other hand can be defined as the coming together of information and communication technologies to create new ways of producing, distributing and using knowledge, information and entertainment (Fourie, 2008 P.364). Digital convergence enables a customer to access video, voice data through multiple networks and devices (Balasubramanian & Mahesh, 2010 P.39). Digitization has made it possible for various media to converge. It is therefore quite difficult to separate the two concepts; digitization and digital convergence. The two concepts interrelate to a great extent. Technological convergence has resulted to various media becoming more similar and rendering the same services (Fourie, 2008 P. 365). Initially currently, digital televisions have emerged and changed from just being televisions to social media devices owing to the fact that they have internet capabilities. With a smart TV, a person can listen to radio, view photos, surf the internet and watch TV. Similarly, today’s mobile phone devices allow us to communicate with others, listen to stored music and radio, view photographs and browse internet (Mhaiskar, Agarwal & Andrews, 2010 P. 20). Using an example will help in giving an understanding of the interrelation between digitization and digital convergence. A good example is the emergence of smart TVs. Smart television is designed on digital platforms enabling it to be more flexible. They are designed to run on operating systems such as Bravia engine for Sony smart TVs. As a result of digitization, they have replaced the computers in that they can be used to access the internet. Initially, the old analogue televisions were solely associated with leisure activities such as watching movies and playing games. Currently, TVs have become a multipurpose screen associated with both leisure and work (Gripsrud, 2010 P.15). Cellan & Kelion (2012) points out the fact that the emergence of smart TVs sets with ability to access online content and run applications is becoming a normal thing. In some other instances, the smart television sets can be connected to personal computers with the help HDMI ports. These devices come along with preinstalled applications such as you tube and facebook initially found in computers alone (Miller, 2011). Similarly, mobile telephone devices have undergone digitization to make them more adjustable. Conventional mobile devices were designed on an analog platform. In conclusion, digital convergence has been accelerated by digitization. As earlier stated, it is quite easy to manipulate content in digital form. Yet convergence is an important aspect, at no time will all media converge to one medium appliance having all features. SECTION TWO Interoperability and remediation Different media forms posses the capability of working together so that they accomplish a single task. The ability at which different forms of media collaborate technically to accomplish a single task is referred to as interoperability. Interoperability has been accelerated by digitization. In addition to this, digital media converges basically because they are interoperable. Interoperability is therefore an important concept in media studies. Internet is the backbone to interoperability in most media. For example, smart TVs are multipurpose because of the incorporation of internet. Similarly, smart TVs have HDMI ports that can be used to connect to the computer, IPOD and even DVD players. As earlier stated, smart TVs have operating systems based on linux. The ability to be connected to the internet allows for its collaboration with applications such as you tube. Smart TVs are more interoperable when compared to its antecedents. New media emerge due to improvements done on the old media. Any kind of improvement done on the old media to give new media is termed as mediation. A repetitive mediation is called remediation. Bolter & Grusin (1999) defines remediation as the formal logic by which new media refashion prior forms of media. Remediation occurs as a result of weaknesses of the old medium. Remediation defines new digital media (Logan, 2010 P. 5). New media is a transformation of the old media. For example, Tvs have undergone improvements from the old analogue to the smart TVs. As a result of remediation, their screens have been transformed to emulate web pages due to its ability to access the internet. To some extent, Tv screens have been improved to emulate computer screens and it possesses more capabilities compared to the old analog Tvs. In addition to this, the interface of a computer borrows heavily from other media such as printed page, film and television (Manovich, 2001 P.89). The emergence of digital media is a result of remediation of analog media. Similarly, mobile phones have undergone remediation to include more features. Today’s mobile phones emulate science fiction ideas of 1960’s. The first mobile telephone devices used analogue technology. Today’s mobile phones designed on a digital technology platform are an emulation of the old analogue portable communication devices. Mobile telephones have undergone refashioning to include more features. They possess more improved features such as short message text service, internet capability. In fact, they have undergone refashioning to include more features such as cameras for taking videos. Currently, remediation has resulted to these devices being used in film production. The latest “Dot” animation clip created from a mobile phone. Elliott (2012) noted that cell phones are not only being used to take music videos but also short films. Some of them are being used to take complete films. Remediation is also evident in the realm of film industry. It is quite surprising that, a 19th century film can be created from still photographs of two people talking and they were taken in the 19th century. These films borrow much of their content from ancient media. From these examples, it is important to note that all media forms undergo improvements to increase their functionalities. Digital convergence and interoperability are the products of remediation and digitization. Interoperability and remediation are interrelated in the sense that remediation is being done to make different medias more interoperable. It is worth noting that interoperability problems in the analog media resulted to a shift towards digital media. New technologies have promoted remediation. Flexibility of the digital media makes it more usable for various media. Generally, digital media concepts interrelate in one way or another and it is impossible to separate them. References Artscape – The First Interview. ABC Arts. Retrieved from Balasubramanian, N. & Mahesh, S. (2010). Conceptualizing, Building and Deploying Interactive Applications for TV: Open development platform is a catalyst to converged customer experience, 8(5), 39 – 48. Bolter, J. D. & Grusin, R. (1999). Remediation: Understanding New Media. Cambridge: MIT press. Bond, A. (March 2 2012). Harry Potter and the film-makers’ magic: Incredibly detailed model of Hogwarts Castle used for every film in blockbusting series is revealed for the first time. Mail Online. Retrieved from Cellan, R. (January 21 2012). TV and the Web: A Match Made in the Heaven. BBC news Technology. Retrieved on 1st December 2012 at . Elliott, A. (March 28 2011). 7 Superb Short Films Shot with Cell phones. Retrieved on 1sr December 2012 at Fourie, P. J. (2008). Media Studies: Media History, Media and Society (ed.2). Juta and Company Ltd. Gripsrud, J. (2010). Relocating Television: Television in the Digital Context. New York: Routledge. Kelion, L. (January 15 2012). CES Postscript: Smart TVs get ready for Prime Time. BBC news Technology. Retrieved on 1st December 2012 at Lister, M. (2003). New Media: Critical Introduction. New York: Routledge. Logan, R. K. (2010). Understanding New Media: Extending Marshall McLuhan. Peter Lang. Manovich, L. (2001). The Language of New Media (ed. 8). Cambridge: MIT Press. Mhaiskar, A., Agarwal, A. & Andrews, S. (2010). Device and Network Convergence: Enabling Lean Transformation in Manufacturing Industry, 8(5), 19 – 29. Miller, P. (September 25 2011). The 5 Best Smart TV Platforms of 2011. 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