You-Media

Mass media was always a passive experience for the general population.  They would pick something from a small lot of choices – a TV program, radio station, or newspaper or magazine – and they would take what was given to them.  Social Media has changed that whole paradigm.  With the rapid advancements in technology, the consumption of mass media has changed drastically from the days of traditional sources of content.  People expect to have more choices and they expect to be able to actively choose what content they wish to experience.  On Demand has become a mainstay for television shows and movies in which people hold total control over what they will watch.  The same on-demand aspect has also reformed the landscape of news, music, and many other sources of content.

In an article titled The Social Media Revolution: Exploringthe Impact on Journalism and News Media Organizations, Ruth A. Harper explores the way social media has changed our engagement with mass media content.  “Simply making information available is not enough for today’s public.  Today’s audiences expect to be able to choose what they read, and most believe they should be able to contribute content and opinions, too” (Harper, 2010).  And mainstream outlets have taken this and run with it.  Programs now extensively feature content from Twitter from celebrities and also everyday users to develop engagement with their audience.  Frequently, sources will incorporate social media into their content to provide an interactive element which wasn’t around before.  People now expect to be involved in an experience with the content they consume and it is quickly becoming something that sources need to keep up with to maintain a strong audience.

The following video shows how Twitter has integrated with other forms of media.

Harper, R. (2010). The Social Media Revolution: Exploring the Impact on Journalism and News Media Organizations. Inquiries. Retrieved from http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/202/the-social-media-revolution-exploring-the-impact-on-journalism-and-news-media-organizations

[Twitter]. (2011, November 16). Best of Twitter TV. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cfzSYYj8qk