What is Networked Media, really?

All semester, we've known that I have been studying RMIT's Networked Media course under the guidance of Seth Keen, one of the key lecturers in the Media department. However, recently, when I began researching into my Communication Histories and Technologies assignment, I realised I had absolutely no idea what Networked Media was about.

Ok, I knew the basics. That is, networked media is all about creating connections between people so that information can be shared easily and freely, much in the same way Berners-Lee intended the internet to work. However, that's about as fas as I can go. Maybe I haven't been listening in class. Maybe all those notes I made throughout the semester have been a waste of my time. Whatever the reason, I really needed to figure out what Networked Media was all about, otherwise I would fail my assignment.

So what did I find?

According to Jim Banister in Word of Mouse: The New Age of Networked Media, "Networked Media allow all points on a network to be producer, distributor, vendor, marketer or consumer, and connect to all other endpoints in an exchange or conversation". Basically, we create our own experience of the medium.

In Al Kovalick's Video systems in an IT environment : the essentials of professional networked media, "The term network...is limited to a system of digital interconnections that communicate, move, or transfer information". I'm sure you can all start to see some similarities developing now.

Finally, according to the European Commission document Networked Media of The Future "The term “Networked Media” implies that all kinds of media including text, image, 3D graphics, audio and video are produced, distributed, shared, managed and consumed through various networks like the Internet, WiFi, GPRS, 3G and so on, in a
convergent manner.".

So as you can see, according to 3 very reliable academic resources, networked media can be defined as a system whereby all types of medium can be accessed through a system of networks allowing the consumer to act not only as the consumer but also as a variety of other roles including creator, monitor and distributor. This allows the rest of the world to have the same rights to produce content as those Fat Cats at NewsCorp or Viacom, creating a more equal and free media information environment.

Well, I definitely know a lot more now than I did at the beginning of this post and hope you all learnt something too. Until next time, don't worry. Be Happy!