The Social Media Revolution And Everything In Respect To It
Revolution can be defined as the sudden, radical change in something. Our most famous example here in the U. S. Is, of course, the American Revolution. Another example well known to Americans is the 1960s counterculture revolution here and in most of Europe. An up-and-coming revolution currently taking place is the social media revolution.
People have become content producers instead of content consumers because of social media. In short, the inmates run the asylum. The spread of information and knowledge as dramatically changed. In the past, the norm was broadcast media monologues, where one person distributes information to the masses. TV newscasts and newspaper accounts are the more well known of this.
However, because of the new revolution, these familiar norms are being forced to amalgamate themselves with the unfamiliar new. Now called dialogues of social media, not just one person but also many are now the disseminators of information. We now both gather and produce information, which is why we can be called content producers.
There are several common forms of this phenomenon. One well-known form of social media includes concepts or slogans made to be so easily remembered that it galvanizes others to repeat them often. Print media created to be redistributed to the masses is another form. Dissemination from electronic media such as Internet and mobile phones with advanced search capability is a third. Another example is grass-roots direct action dissemination, such as public demonstrations, public rallies, and public speaking.
Major differences exist between social media and traditional media, also known as broadcast, industrial, or mass media. To start, because industrial media normally requires more resources to share what it knows, social media tends to be less expensive. It’s also more accessible, too. Next, in the structured world of traditional media, specialized training is imperative. In the unstructured world of social media, no such training is required. Social media can be used and operated by anyone.
Third, relevancy and response time have been impacted. Whereas the time lag in industrial media often is hours or even days, in social media, it is instant. It should be noted, however, that as industrial media adapts more and more social media tendencies, which soon may not be such a difference anymore.
A fourth difference is the issue of permanence. In social media, articles or blogs can be edited for content immediately and constantly, as is necessary. This is not true in traditional media, as once an article is published, it cannot be changed. Other things might be necessary, such as apologies or retractions, but the original article cannot be modified.
There are similarities between the two forms of media. They both are capable of reaching either a very small audience or a very large one. A TV newscast might be seen worldwide or just nowhere else but your small community. A blog post or tweet can reach the same range of people.
Where the future of social and traditional media is headed is anyone’s guess. A prevailing opinion is that the two will intertwine and create a media hybrid using basic parameters of each. In fact, in some circles, this hybridization is more than just theory…it’s real.
Whatever the future brings, the social media is not transient. It is here for good, even as its future direction is still not clear. Will hybridization continue evolving? Will mass media, as we know it, continue? Will the social media evolve to the point that it engulfs both the traditional and the hybrid? Keep abreast with your local media outlets as we go forward.
Tagged with: social media • social media network • social media revolution • social media site • social media tool
Filed under: About AskAME
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