One of the major differences between web 1.0 and 2.0 is the high levels of interactivity offered to its user/reader. Now, the readers will not just receive information, they can also play an active part by interacting with it, using it in various ways and in contributing towards that information (Wikipedia). This feature is one of the major factors that have propelled the new media into such prominence and popularity.
While all this is happening, the traditional establishment of information, the so called ‘old media’, has not been sitting still. Despite the criticism directed against new media, many of the established organisations have recognized the power and influence of web 2.0 and the potential it offers them. We shall now look at an example of this.
In an article published in Malaysian daily The Star, writer Oon Yeoh talks about the growing use of the new media, specifically social media by news organisations. The article specifically mentions the efforts of the Chicago Tribune. What the newspaper has done is to create its own personality, Colonel Tribune, complete with a caricature and all. This provides the organisation with a human face when it joins the social networking websites and interacts with its users. The Colonel has been interacting with users of Facebook, Youtube and Digg among others. For the complete article, click here.
While all this is happening, the traditional establishment of information, the so called ‘old media’, has not been sitting still. Despite the criticism directed against new media, many of the established organisations have recognized the power and influence of web 2.0 and the potential it offers them. We shall now look at an example of this.
In an article published in Malaysian daily The Star, writer Oon Yeoh talks about the growing use of the new media, specifically social media by news organisations. The article specifically mentions the efforts of the Chicago Tribune. What the newspaper has done is to create its own personality, Colonel Tribune, complete with a caricature and all. This provides the organisation with a human face when it joins the social networking websites and interacts with its users. The Colonel has been interacting with users of Facebook, Youtube and Digg among others. For the complete article, click here.
(Colonel Tribune)The move by the Chicago Tribune is indeed a good one. While traditional media still have a huge market, considering the amount of people who read printed materials and those who watch the television, there is still a large, predominantly younger, untapped market of those who spend their time and primarily get their information from the internet, especially from the new media websites.
The video below, shows Rafat Ali of paidContent.org (an organisation that chronicles the evolution of digital content that shapes the future media) speaking of the need for journalists to embrace the new media to advance their field of vocation.
The video below, shows Rafat Ali of paidContent.org (an organisation that chronicles the evolution of digital content that shapes the future media) speaking of the need for journalists to embrace the new media to advance their field of vocation.
The new media also happens to be one of the best platforms where one can effectively use multimodal text to explain an issue and engage a reader. Multimodal texts can be defined as texts that have more than one' mode', so that meaning is communicated through a synchronisation of modes (Walsh, 2006). When a reader interacts with multimodal texts, he/she will use various senses, such as hearing, sight, tactile and kinaesthetic to when interacting with the different modes. This means that there is more engagement of the user and there is a good chance that they will become more involved in the organisation by increased participation (Walsh, 2006).
In Malaysia, the established media has not really taken advantage of this. Though most have websites, they are mainly still on the web 1.0 mod. An exception seems to be the Star, which has its own podcast, some interactive blogs and an online digital news channel, courtesy of Youtube. All this can be accessed through their main website, http://thestar.com.my/
In Malaysia, the established media has not really taken advantage of this. Though most have websites, they are mainly still on the web 1.0 mod. An exception seems to be the Star, which has its own podcast, some interactive blogs and an online digital news channel, courtesy of Youtube. All this can be accessed through their main website, http://thestar.com.my/
For more information, click the following links:
Publishing 2.0, The (r)Evolution of Media
- http://publishing2.com/2008/10/16/mainstream-news-organizations-entering- the-webs-link-economy-will-shift-the-balance-of-power-and-wealth/
Readership Institute, Northwestern University
- http://www.readership.org/blog2/2007/05/how-news-organizations-can-leverage.html
Sources
Web 2.0 – Wikipedia. Viewed at 8th November 2008 at <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0>
Yeoh, O, 2008, News media leveraging on social media, The Star. Viewed on 8th November 2008 at <http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/8/21/focus/22132813&sec=focus>
Walsh, M. 2006,” ‘Textual shift’: Examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts,” Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, vol.29, no.1, p.24-37. (UNISA electronic library)
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