Understanding New Media Understanding New Media And Old in Four Fun StepsAnd Old in Four Fun Steps

Mike Dorsher, Ph.D.Mike Dorsher, Ph.D.Assistant ProfessorAssistant Professor

Department of Communication and JournalismDepartment of Communication and Journalism

University of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireUniversity of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

OriginsOrigins

Marshall McLuhan, 1911-1980 Marshall McLuhan, 1911-1980 ““The medium is the message” 1964The medium is the message” 1964

““The medium is the mThe medium is the maassage” 1967ssage” 1967 ““Laws of Media: The New Science” 1988Laws of Media: The New Science” 1988

Finished by his son, Eric McLuhanFinished by his son, Eric McLuhan An airplane, ultimately, becomes …An airplane, ultimately, becomes … a projectile a projectile

All media, simultaneously:All media, simultaneously:

RetrieveRetrieve some facets of older media some facets of older media Extend Extend some sense or organ of the usersome sense or organ of the user ObsolesceObsolesce, or close, another sense, or close, another sense ReverseReverse into some unintended form into some unintended form

When pushed near their limitsWhen pushed near their limits

e.g., a Xerox copy machine:e.g., a Xerox copy machine:just as the fast Gutenberg press

enlarged the reading public, now the speed of printing becomes the speed of light (via photographic process)

With reader as publisher, the reading public disappears

ENHANCES: the speed of the printing press

REVERSES INTO: everybody becomes a publisher

RETRIEVES: the oral tradition OBSOLESCES: the assembly-line book

The (tribal) committee, via position papers (the happening) Familiarity breeds. Consensus, e.g., the ‘Pentagon Papers.’

you make your own book: books no longer uniform and repeatable

My research goalsMy research goals

Rescue the “Laws of Media” from obscurityRescue the “Laws of Media” from obscurity Apply them to new media born since 1988Apply them to new media born since 1988 Reveal how media already distort our livesReveal how media already distort our lives Forecast how today’s new media will matureForecast how today’s new media will mature

-- and ultimately what they will morph into-- and ultimately what they will morph into

Digital Video Recorders retrieve:Digital Video Recorders retrieve:

ComputersComputers DVDsDVDs VCRsVCRs Cable TVCable TV The InternetThe Internet

Cybernetics; i.e., constant correcting feedbackCybernetics; i.e., constant correcting feedback

DVRs extend or enhance:DVRs extend or enhance:

Time shiftingTime shifting Commercial skippingCommercial skipping Live sports telecastsLive sports telecasts DataveillanceDataveillance Online marketingOnline marketing Online shoppingOnline shopping

DVRs obsolesce:DVRs obsolesce: VCRsVCRs Catalog shoppingCatalog shopping CommercialsCommercials Producer-created special effectsProducer-created special effects Watching sports liveWatching sports live Viewers’ home privacyViewers’ home privacy

DVRs reverse into:DVRs reverse into: Nonlinear mediaNonlinear media Commercials with program breaksCommercials with program breaks Video jukeboxesVideo jukeboxes GesellschaftGesellschaft

i.e., i.e., ununcommon groundcommon ground