Digital Media
- Media represents content that is created, encoded, and stored in a digital format for distribution and consumption.
- Digital media is a broad term that encompasses a wide range of content and formats in the context of media.
Types of Digital Media
Digital media can be separated into the following types:
- Text: The most basic form of digital media, used for communication, documentation, and information sharing.
- Visual/Image: Content that can be static (photos, illustrations) or dynamic (GIFs).
- Audio: Sound recordings, music, podcasts, and other auditory content.
- Animations: Moving images created through a series of static frames.
- Video: A combination of moving images and sound, used for entertainment, education, and communication.
- Web Pages: Digital documents accessible through the internet, often combining text, images, audio, and video.
- Artificial Intelligence: Deepfake videos, face-swapping videos, AI text-to-speech, etc.
- Video Games: Electronic games, game consoles, e-sports.
- List three different types of digital media and provide two examples for each, along with relevant characteristics.
- How has digital media changed the way people consume and create content?
- What are some potential challenges or ethical concerns associated with AI digital media?
- How do different types of digital media influence the way people perceive and understand the world?
- Can digital media be considered a form of knowledge?
Characteristics of digital media
- Digital media has revolutionized the way we create, share, and consume information.
- It differs from traditional media (like newspapers, radio, and TV) in several key ways.
Rapid sharing
- Digital media can be shared instantly across the globe, reaching millions of people in seconds.
- Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook allow users to broadcast information immediately.
- News websites can update stories in real-time, providing up-to-the-minute coverage of events.
Efficient storage
- Very large amounts of data can be stored on digital devices to support the needs of digital media.
Link the storage of digital media to the mainframes section of topic 3.3, and outline how mainframes may be used to store digital media.
Interactivity
- Digital media can be interacted with by the user accessing it.
- This gives a sense of control and keeps the user's interest by allowing them to engage with the content that they are actually interested in.
- This is the biggest advantage of digital media when compared to traditional media, which tend to be static and linear, and not interactable.
Virtual
- Unlike traditional media, which is physical, digital media is virtual, meaning that content is used on digital devices through different technologies.
- This gives individuals more control over their consuming and representation on digital media.
- How does digital media differ from traditional media in terms of sharing and storage?
- What are some examples of interactive digital media, and how do they engage users?
How do the characteristics of digital media influence the way we perceive and interact with the world? Can you think of examples where digital media has shaped public opinion or social movements?
