How do we distinguish “new media” from “old” media?

I think the most basic difference between old media and new media is that old media was a very much of a one way street where new media allows for consumers to interact with media and help shape it. Think of Walter Cronkite's sign off at the end of the news cast: "and that's the way it is." This implies that the news is set in stone and cannot be changed. While it is true facts are facts and we can't change the past, new media allows the the consumer to react to the information and in some cases modify it by promoting a different perspective of events.


We also distingush new media from old in how and when we consume our news and entertainment.

News can be gathered from many more different sources with new media: bloggers, podcasts, e-zines, and many websites. Old media news was defined by newspapers, radio and television, that put distribution and editorial control in a select few.

The entertainment industry has also been greatly affected by new media technology.

Old media platforms such as radio, television and movies are not the consumers only options any more. The same content is now available in many different forms and formats. These allow for a wider audience and give the consumer the opportunity to consume the entertainment products at any time. Just as old media news was limited to a few select outlets, old media entertainment was also limited.


New media technology has given the individual distribution opportunities that were not available just a few years ago. YouTube and MySpace are two of the more popular examples of new media distribution.

With the adoption of new media technologies and practices by old media companies I think the lines will continue to blur between the two and through convergence we will eventually see no real difference between the two.