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Journalism / Mass Communication QUESTION #6398
Question 1
The term new media as described in the textbook refers to which of the following?
  • An entirely new form of communication that has no precedent in older media forms
  • Traditional forms of media that have been transformed by advancements in digital technology and computing — not a completely new creation but a re-conceptualisation of existing media in digital format✔️
  • Only social media platforms developed after 2005
  • Only government-operated digital communication systems
Correct Answer Explanation

The textbook is careful to clarify the meaning of new media: “New Media is a term that describes traditional forms of media that have been transformed by advancements in digital technology and digital computing. The distinction between 'New Media' and Old media is sometimes perceived to be a difficult one to make, because new media does not so much represent an entirely new creation, but the re-conceptualization of a current, and most likely popular source of information in a newly digital format.” Examples of new media listed include: websites and blogs, email, CD/DVD, electronic kiosks, virtual worlds, interactive television, internet telephony, mobile communication, podcasts, and hypertext fiction. The textbook also notes that internet journalism is in many ways “old wine in new bottles” — newspaper websites largely replicate print content in digital form rather than creating genuinely new communicative forms. The key difference is interactivity, speed, and accessibility.