Module 1.1: Introduction

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• Definition of media = the means of communication, as radio, television, newspapers and magazines, that reach or influence people widely
• The media has changed over the years from simply newspapers, radio, TV and magazines to online versions of all of these PLUS the internet. The internet allows all of the above to be accessed online 24/7 to a vaster audience and instantly via a computer and/or mobile phone
• Technology has severely altered the way media is produced and consumed
• Society wants everything NOW, that's why you can now access news on your mobile phone
• Consumers have become producers because consumers can now collaborate and create
• Traditional advertising is down and digital advertising is rising
• In theory we could live without newspapers, radio, TV and magazines because we can get it all on a computer with internet access! As well as that we can use our computers for gaming, entertainment, socialising, shopping, listening to music, watching movies and television shows. We can work from home, study from home and keep connected with our family and friends. We no longer need a landline, TV, radio, newspaper delivery or magazine subscriptions - or a car! We simply don't need to go anywhere any more!
• Some cultures don't have computers, smart phones or internet access. Are they disadvantaged? We lived in a world without computers before the internet so it is possible to survive, but would we advance? Would we improve? We certainly take technology for granted, don't we?!

My Media Survey Results have been collated and uploaded. I now wish I had asked additional questions like gender, age, demographic, cultural background, etc to highlight some other interesting points. Despite this lack of information the results are interesting. I designed the survey so all questions could have multiple answers except one. Participants could answer several options for all questions except 'What do you mainly use the Internet for?' because I wanted participants to really think about this question. I wanted them to seriously consider whether they used it more for entertainment, information or communication. I realise most people use it for all 3, however I was mainly interested in which option consumes most of their Internet time.