5 Principles of New Media

Post By Cherise Jenkins:

New Media consists of 5 principles: numerical representation, modularity, automation, variability, and transcoding.

Numerical representation is when new media objects are represented through digital code. Shape and images is depicted from mathematical functions. This allows media to become programmable and usable through different computerized media methods. An example of this is when a picture is created in a photo editing program. While we see the picture, there are number codes and algorithms to create the shape, size, and color that we want. We may not see the codes and algorithms, but they are there for computer functionality.

Modularity is when a new media object is made of separate, whole parts which are also divided into smaller parts. It's like a body. A body can be divided into systems, which is divided into organs, which is composed of tissues that are made of cells, which can be further divided into molecules and atoms. New media is separated into individual parts and so on until you reach the smallest parts, like the atom, which is the pixels, 3-D points, or text characters. This can be demonstrated by a new media video. The video is not just a whole video as it appears, but is broken down into still frames, images, and pixels.

Automation is when a computer is able to recognize and understand what it is being asked by humans and design its own things. A program agent, such as Photoshop, will be able to do the work for a user. Websites exist where the person only has to provide the images, theme, and music and the website will compose the slide show accordingly. The user did not have to do any work since program agents recognized the wants of the user and composed the desired result.

Variability is when an object can exist in multiple forms and versions. This happens when a computer helps assemble the object. Rather than copying objects, the object becomes a variation in the different programs it is used or viewed in. This is only possible because objects in new media have modularity. An example of this would be if an image from photoshop is being used in a word document or website. The image, while appearing mostly the same, would be automatically adjusted for the needs of the word document or website. The image would be the same, but a different version.

Transcoding is the most confusing. It is when the cultural and computer levels of new media influence each other. As things change and influence each other, transcoding becomes apparent as a new computer culture is created. An example of this would be communication. The culture of communication has changed because the computer culture has created abilities for instant textual communication, which in the end created a new culture computer culture with examples being instant messaging, social media sites, emails, etc.

I believe transcoding would be the most powerful in the new media culture because of the effects it has had on communication between local and international peoples. Communication has changed with digital and new media. The way people connect and interact has changed due the the cultural and computer layers of new media influencing each other and changing our lives.