Old media doesn’t make for new media.

There’s a nice post over at Shooting by Numbers that highlights the idea that you can’t take content formatted for old media(IE: TV and newsprint) and just throw it online and call it new media.

This snippet is especially true for me of the online viewing experience:

The net is well suited to watching a 2 minute video, stopping to send a link to a friend, responding to an instant message - and then watching another 90 second video. The web is a non-linear interactive medium.

In counterpoint the TV experience is essentially linear and passive. Combining the two creates dissonance. Being passive while we watch TV is fine - we sit back to watch TV. But we sit UP at our computers - its a totally different experience. We want to be clicking.

To have me fully engaged in an online video for more than a few minutes is a challenge. As the site points out watching video on the web isn’t a passive situation like watching TV. You’re vying for my time and if I don’t find your video appealing I’m gone. It’ll be interesting to watch as alternative delivery methods become more mainstream how that changes our viewing habits. AppleTV anyone?

Further Reading:

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Tim is a editorial, reportage, and portrait photographer based in Dallas, TX. See his portfolio and newly designed website at www.timgruber.com Comments, ideas, or suggestions? Email Tim at timg@timgruber.com

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