Media Ecology - Recent Researches On Media Ecology Theory

Recent Researches On Media Ecology Theory

According to Neil Postman: "A medium is a technology within which a culture grows; that is to say, it gives form to a culture's politics, social organization, and habitual ways of thinking ." Many ecologists are using media ecology as an analytical framework, to explore whether the current new media has a "new" stranglehold on culture or they are just extensions of what we have experienced previously is one aspect of what the media ecologists mainly focus on.

The new media is characterised by the idea of web 2.0. It is coined in 2003 and popularised by a media consultant,Tim O' Reilly. He argues that a particular assemblage of software, hardware and sociality have brought about 'the widespread sense that there's something qualitatively different about today's Web. This shift is characterised by co-creativity, participation and openness, represented by softwares that support for example, wiki-based ways of creating and accessing knowledge, social networking sites, blogging, tagging and 'mash ups'. The interactive and user-oriented nature of these technologies have transformed the global culture in to a participatory culture which proves Neil Postman's saying "technological changeis not additive; it is ecological".

As for the research method, it is not enough to only focus on how to read media texts since a lot of media audiences in general are already very capable interpreters of media content, with a critical eye and an understanding of contemporary media techniques. The new research methods should emphasis on recognize and take advantage of peoples’ own creativity because "people are increasingly co-creative and participative partners in media production rather than mere consumers." In addition to that, media practice researchers should view the new ecologies of media as an unprecedented opportunity for creating our own independent networks of research-based production and distribution.

There are some recent researches which put the emphasis on the youth, the future of the society who is at the forefront of new media environment. Each generation, with its respective worldview, is equipped with certain media grammars and media literacy in its youth. As each generation inherits an idiosyncratic media structure, those born into the age of radio perceive the world differently than those born into the age of television. The nature of new generation is also influenced by the nature of the new media. According to the media ecology theory, analyzing today’s generational identity through the lens of media technologies themselves can be more productive than focusing on media content. Media ecologists employ a media ecology interpretative framework to deconstruct how today’s new media environment increasingly mirrors the values and character attributed to young people. Here are some typical characteristics of the new generation: First, it is “the world’s first generation to grow up thinking of itself as global. The internet and satellite television networks are just two of the myriad technologies that have made this possible.” Second,"there may actually be no unified ethos". With “hundreds of cable channels and thousands of computer conferences, young generation might be able to isolate themselves within their own extremely opinionated forces”.