1. Chapter 2 Information and New Technology: Media at the Crossroads

2. Some guiding questions zWhat are the origins of the Information Highway? zHow do we access information on this “highway”? zWhat are issues of ownership? zWhat are central concerns about cyberspace and democracy?

3. Metaphors for new technologies zAll territorial, spatial maps: yROAD SYSTEM metaphors (superhighway) yFRONTIER metaphors (homesteading) ySPACE metaphors (cyberspace)

4. Predictions about social impact zUtopian global village, worldwide community zToo much information, much of it faulty zFalse communities, less face-to-face interaction zUnequal access will create new class distinctions

5. TREMENDOUS GROWTH OF THE INTERNET Its impact is economic, political, social and cultural

6. ORIGINS of the Information Highway: the evolution of a new mass medium

7. THREE STAGES OF MEDIA INNOVATIONS zNovelty or development stage zEntrepreneurial stage zCommercial mass medium stage

8. Stage 1: Development of the Internet zU.S. military-government planning in 1950s: goal for national security zlate 1960s: Defense Department launched ARPAnet for military and research zironically, no central authority zdevelopment of e-mail and bulletin boards

9. Stage 2: Entrepreneurial Development z1982: National Science Foundation network zlate 1980s: end of military involvement (ARPAnet) at end of Cold War z1993: multimedia capability on Net zRapid spread beyond government and academic worlds

10. Stage 3: Commercialization of Internet as a mass medium zBy 1998, over 100,000 regional networks and 36 million servers (hosts) zCompanies seek to turn Net users into consumers through ads and Web sites (E-COMMERCE) zGovernment and non-profit presence on Net: disseminating information, documents, services

11. How is the information highway different from earlier forms of mass media? zRevolutionary ways that data are stored and retrieved zincreasing convergence of mass media (e.g. newspapers and TV news now on Net)

12. Three distinctive innovations: zINTERACTIVE: receivers can respond to messages immediately zMULTIPLE CHANNELS OF DELIVERY OF TRADITIONAL MEDIA: users can read magazines & books or listen to CD’s online zINDIVIDUALS CAN BE PRODUCERS, not just consumers, of media content

13. E-COMMERCE: shopping online zCame of age in 1998 holiday shopping season zOnline catalogs: software, books, CD’s, clothing zADVANTAGES: 24-hours, discounts, no geographical barriers, convenience zDISADVANTAGES: fraud, technologies, lack of customer service

14. NEW CONVERGENCES: effects on traditional media zBlurred boundaries between (1) point-to-point forms of personal communication and (2) mass communication zEspecially impacted telephone and personal computer

15. Three key developments zDIGITAL TECHNOLOGY: digitizing traditional media forms zMICROTECHNOLOGY: smaller and lighter tools, such as laptops and palmtops zFIBER OPTIC CABLE: can carry more information much faster

16. MAPPING THE INTERNET: four major mapping systems zWORLD WIDE WEB zCOMMERICAL ISPs zBROWSERS zWEB SEARCH ENGINES

17. OWNERSHIP ISSUES ON THE INTERNET Increasing convergence of owners and players in mass media industries

18. Players and companies jockeying for position zMedia mega-corporations zComputer hardware/software companies zInternet access and service providers zPhone and cable TV companies zInternet search engines, portals, and Web browsers zTV networks

19. Despite clash of values, the Internet so far has eluded centralized control Can it stay that way?

20. Should the Internet be governed? If so, who should be in control? Can the public interest be protected and maintained?

21. ALTERNATIVE VOICES zIs the Internet monopolized by big corporations like Microsoft, or is there space on the Internet for alternative, non-commercial, inexpensive visions and products?

22. CITIZENS, CYBERSPACE, and DEMOCRACY Can the Internet provide a utopian space for democratic communication?

23. Promises for democracy zWide accessibility for all citizens zDecentralized social network zDevelopment from “bottom-up” rather than “top-down” zMajor involvement of amateurs zMassive sharing and storage of useful information

24. Disadvantages zIncreased circulation of “cyberspace litter”  Lack of editorial control for accuracy --> proliferation of misinformation zConcerns about security, child protection, hatemongering zKnowledge gap between users and those without access

25. Is there a conflict? Internet’s potential for democratic use VS. commercial, corporate interests

26. What are some possible solutions? How can we make the Internet: zMore democratic (access to all, both in our nation and globally)? zMore participatory? zMore able to meet the needs of individuals as citizens, consumers, and producers?