Group 6: Question 5

The internet is an extremely interesting, complex, and ever changing medium that is revolutionizing all types of media. Although the internet is very different from other types of media, it still requires certain conventions; some the same as other media and some different. A lot of times internet writing is informal and non-linear, but for our media purposes it can become formal. Internet writing is different than other types of media because it is interactive, dynamic, and more current. Print media, on the other hand, is formally written and passively read. Print media is usually linear, narrative, dated, and presents a continuous view (webpronews). When writing for the internet you also have to think about presentation and interaction since these are big factors on the internet. Also, layout and design are critical in a visual medium like the internet. You have to carefully choose font style, size, and even color. Some conventions that are the same between both media would be modesty and attribution. A writer tends to stay in the background and just present the story at hand. However, on the internet, the writer could be a blogger or a columnist that is writing his/her specific opinion. Like in all media writing, when writing on the internet you must be accurate, precise, clear, and efficient. Sticking to these will keep your writing on track.

Due to the internet, as well as broadcast media, people have a lot less patience. That being said, internet writing usually avoids large blocks of narrative text. Instead it is broken up into smaller blocks of text separated by breaks, unlike some magazines, books, or newspapers. Also, internet readers tend to have a “search and retrieve” (webpronews) mentality so it is important to have good/strong headlines as well as content labels to make sure the target audience finds and reads the writing. The media communicators for the issue of ‘sexting’ seemed to really do well with using these internet conventions. After reading many articles on the issue I found that almost all of the sources were consistently accurate, precise, and efficient. Most of what I read was through various news agencies’ websites so the writing was rather formal, but each had a different layout, design, and sometimes type of font. Depending on the layout and font, some sites were easier to follow, read, and enjoy than others so those sites did a better job of using internet conventions. I also noticed that most of the articles that I read were thorough yet short and efficient which made the reading a lot more enjoyable. Lastly, all the different authors that I read just presented the story and the facts and veered away from opinion, mostly because these were news stories and not opinion articles by any means.

Digital media has really taken over the entire media market in recent years. Digital media have a lot of advantages. One big advantage is convenience. Thanks to the internet media is available all day every day if you want it. You can also access digital media very quickly. Interactivity, one of digital media’s main elements, helps set it apart from other forms of media like print, broadcast, or advertising. When accessing a web site you have links you can click on, videos to watch, and all sorts of possibilities, not just reading. That is also one of the greatest things about digital media. It really combines all types of media into one awesome super medium. A website can have a story in print for you to read, related videos and audio, and more and more you are seeing ads being placed onto popular websites. People seem to enjoy the internet because it is user based and you choose what you personally want to see. You can also use search engines which gives you even more possibilities.
Digital media also can be transmitted easily. Digital media can be stored, transported, and displayed on a laptop or through e-mail, so it creates a fast and efficient spread of news, information, and gossip. Along the same lines, digital media also allows virtually anyone to create, save, edit, and transmit media so it must be viewed through a critical lens to make sure it is legitimate.





Sources

Ten Commandments of Internet Writing (http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2004/08/13/the-commandments-of-internet-writing)

Journalism: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How (http://www.ablongman.com/stovall1e/chap10/chap10.html)

Advantages of Digital Media (http://elite-ideas.net/Internet-marketing-general/Advantages-of-digital-media.html)