It's obvious to see that technology has changed the way that people in the media function. We have gone from the early days of pen and paper, to the typewriter to the computer, making almost a Darwin-life Evolution when it comes to media. Of course, it doesn't evolve like we humans have over the years, but it's interesting to think about how much technology has changed since the 21st Century began. Back in 2001, technology was ready to take off with the launch of the iPod, the cell phone was going through its adolescent stage, on track to becoming the smartphones of today, and computers became a normal part of family homes, along with laptops which gave people a chance to be connected online, especially after wi-fi was introduced.
All of these items ten years ago did not have the capabilities that they have today. They couldn't shoot video, record audio and they couldn't get the funny e-mails that your co-workers send you on a slow work day nor could they give you the same ability to access the internet, which required you to sit in front of an actual PC or Mac with, GASP, a dial-up connection. These hand-held devices offer people the ability to record events happening, text information to the news media, and in a way, become famous for doing it.
Around the year 2001, blogs were still very foreign to the average person. For me, I always saw blogs as a way for celebrities, and other important people to post their thoughts and other garbage. But when programs like this and Wordpress for example came around, they were easy enough for anyone who had an idea and a computer with an internet connection to create and express their own interest. Video Blogs have shown us just how many people would be terrible in front of a news camera (which Conan O'Brien lampoons here:Conan's Video Blog, but it does give reporters an ability to give news stories via Skype or a convenient web cam connected with the news station. Podcasts are another way to connect to people, especially if there is a topic or story that somebody missed and can get it at any time. I myself have the entire 3rd period of the Penguins-Red Wings Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals on my iTunes and iPod Touch.
Social Networking Sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter have changed the way we receive and send information. Of course, we know that MySpace was the first real social network and we know Facebook put half of its staff on the street recently. Anyone who joined Facebook or Twitter before 2009 knows that these sites have changed from their original intentions. Facebook was meant to give college students a chance to keep in touch with old high school friends and meet new people at their college. Since I joined the site in 2008, there have been many changes, both positive and negative. One that includes the mainstream media joining in on the new social revolution. I have seen CNN on Facebook, along with Fox News and MSNBC and local stations like FOX 43 in Harrisburg and NBC 8 have used Facebook to deliver news stories to younger people, who don't bother to turn on the 11pm news every night. Twitter has also expanded our access to news. Celebrities, Politicians and other public figures have expressed themselves and have broken news stories on the watered-down version of Facebook. ESPN's Sportscenter has a twitter update from a certain athlete at times, sometimes it makes their jobs a lot easier, especially when looking for filler time.
When it comes to News Channels using these new technologies, they were used a lot in the past two elections. In 2008, more young people voted in the election than ever before, especially after both candidates used Facebook to reach voters, both doing it in a different way, along with the 2010 elections. Several put breaking news stories on their pages, which leaves followers to post comments back and forth at one another, sometimes very harsh or vulgar ones.
I can go on and on about how the media has changed over the last ten years, and it will continue to evolve. I will be sitting back at 31 years-old reflecting on the amazing technology that develops over these next ten years, and wondering how it has changed the media. Will newspapers become extinct, will Facebook become our only news media, will the Apple products have an app for everything in our lives? One can only imagine and wonder, heck, that's how we developed these products.
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