Some would argue that “becoming digital” is a bad trend in our society. Old, analog, media is being replaced by digital facsimiles that don’t convey the same amount of information. But really, becoming digital is not about the change in technology itself. It’s about the enablement of new forms of media and new forms of interaction that the technology has brought. Much of what we have today could have been accomplished with analog technology, but the digital world has brought endless possibilities directly to the consumers.
People interact and experience media in a new way in the digital age. There are no longer a select few media producers; everyone is a participant in the modern media culture. The success of YouTube has led to instant amateur stars. American Idol propelled an otherwise-unknown singer named William Hung to the public’s eye when he performed a laughable rendition of “She Bangs”. The viewers are also the content producers, replacing the centralized production system of the twentieth century. “Becoming digital” is about the new way in which every person is an equal participant and contributor to the media world.
Global knowledge is another artifact of the digital age. Where information previously took weeks, days, or hours to travel around the world, messages can now pass entirely around the world in less than 300 milliseconds. This leads to knowledge being spread around the world and being read by millions of people before anyone even has a chance to question its veracity. Jenkins’ discussion of the “Survivor Sucks” message board shows how new, potentially wrong, information circulates around a “knowledge community”.
One poignant example of global knowledge distorting the truth is the event that ended Howard Dean’s presidential chances. At a rally for supporters, a noise-canceling microphone caught Governor Dean screaming. Because the microphone didn’t pick up the sound of the crowd, those who watched the video saw Dean as crazy. Before anyone had a chance to correct the story, the video had traveled around the world and Dean lost his support.
Digital vs. analog is not about raw technology. It is about new ways to use technology, ways that have changed our mediascape forever. The most important thing that the digital age has brought us is citizen involvement – everyone is equal. This new form of popularity and fame is both a good and a bad thing. It has resulted in many surprises, both for the old media companies and for the new media creators of today.
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