The Internet as a Mass Medium

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The Internet as a Mass Medium
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Mass Media means books, newspapers, journals,
bulletins or other publications, television and
radio programmes, film and other audiovisual
studio productions and other means of
disseminating of information. According to this
Law, technical and service documents and
securities are not ascribed to mass media.
REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA LAW ON PROVISION OF
INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC, 2000
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Interactivity as a multi-dimensional concept It
directs the focus to the intersection of the
psychological and the sociological. It bridges
between mass and interpersonal communication. It
may be achieved in mediated and direct
communication.
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Types of interactivity Declarative (one-way)
communication (e.g. most traditional media
radio, TV, newspapers). In reactive (two-way)
communication one side responds to the other.
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Fully interactive communication requires that the
messages in any sequence take into account not
just messages that preceded them, but also the
manner in which previous messages were reactive.
In this manner interactivity forms a social
reality.
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What does interactivity do? It is associated
with patterns of orientation cognitive,
affective and evaluational. The attitudinal
dimensions of acceptance and satisfaction. It
is related to performance quality, motivation,
sense of fun, cognition, learning, openness,
frankness and sociability.
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2002, March-May   63 mainstream media Web sites
  29 criteria of interactivity
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Responsive interaction (comments and opinion,
chats, discussion forums, possibility to reach
producers, possibility to reach news providers,
SMS messaging, transactions and mobile tones,
tests and questions, e-cards and
greetings). Choice (structuring of
information into verticals, language,
personalization). Attraction (illustrative and
original details such as animation, design
elements, cartoons, games and crosswords).
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Accumulation (counter, visitor registration,
search mechanisms, archives, classifieds).
Connectivity (links to own sites, links to
other sites, Web-cats, banners, WAP, headlines to
your site). Mobility (news and information
which arrives to the reader via SMS messages or
e-mail newsletters). Real-time information
(breaking news, now on air).
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Producers and audiences on the Internet M.
Morris and C. Ogan, 1996. "The Internet as mass
medium," Political Communication, volume 46, pp.
39-50. Numbers of those communicating (one,
few, many) Time Process (asynchronous,
synchronous)
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Types of categories One-to-one asynchronous
communication Many-to-many asynchronous
communication (signing-up) Synchronous
communication that can be one-to-one, one-to-few,
or one-to-many (requires organization) Asynchrono
us communication that involves many-to-one,
one-to-one, or one-to-many relationships (seeking
information)
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Online journalism as a new buzzword It has
emerged in the media context and already has
ambitions to become a different (some would say
"new") model for journalism. What is quality
of online journalism?
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Technological and intellectual fusion What are
unique technological features of the
Internet? Do technological solutions applied to
old journalism serve to produce new journalism?
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From traditional ("old") journalism to online
journalism Interactivity -- Hypertextuality
-- Multiple media features -- Personification
--
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Interactivity is a process-related, variable
characteristic of communication settings. The
outcome of interactivity is engagement.
Interactivity can lead to sociability. It can
help in explaining how groups stick together.
Interactivity is not a characteristic of the
medium. It is a process-related construct about
communication.
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Hypertextuality and different layers of editorial
depth Lead of the story Total journalism
as a new genre? Merging into the hyperfiction
style of writing? Transparency
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Personification Multiple media elements -- a
common delivery technology
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http//www.cs.columbia.edu/nlp/newsblaster/
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Impact on journalism Authentic
journalism New requirements cognitive
potential, multi-skilling
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Freedom of access and freedom of expression on
the Web are affecting professional journalism in
the sense that the boundary between journalism
and non-journalism are increasingly being
blurred. Also, boundaries between the
editorial and advertising are becoming less clear
(church state separation)
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Some have even said that professional journalism
is about to die, because in cyberspace anyone can
practice journalism and become their own
reporter, publisher, information provider and
news disseminator.
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This democratic nature of the Internet is at the
heart of the process, but where will it take us?
How will be know that the information which we
are receiving is truly newsworthy?
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Case study (3rd quarter of 2001) Electronic
periodicals (news portals) Staff numbers,
Revenues, Expenses, Audience
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