Marshall McLuhan’s ‘The Medium is the Message‘, the unpredictable nature of the internet and the shift from ‘one to many’ to ‘many to many‘ communication
The expression ‘shared pain brings people together’ has never been more relevant than the past two weeks in BCM112.
After four weeks, I have finally made some friends in class- all thanks to our shared challenge of understanding Module 1, ‘The Medium is the Message’, what it means, and how to use it as a tool in a practical sense.
To my peers (and now friends) and future BCM112 students, this one is for you. In this blog post, I will attempt to unpack Marshall McLuhan’s phrase ‘The Medium is the Message’, and discuss the consequences of the ‘many to many’ shift in media audiences and communication.
The Medium is the Message – What it is and Why it’s Useful
Whilst complex, basically, the idea McLuhan is communicating is that messages in media aren’t necessarily in the content, but are in the consequential changes to the world it creates. As a tool, ‘The Medium is the Message’ invites us to examine how mediums shape and change ourselves and our societies.
found via https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?entryid=2781
Upon reflection of a discussion in Week 4’s tutorial, I realise just how useful this module is for understanding emergent media. My biggest take-away is to always expect the unexpected– you never know what will happen next in the realm of emergent media. With new formats and genres constantly emerging and evolving, you must always be in a proactive state. To put this into context, the most valuable time for marketers to be on TikTok was when the platform was first released. Now, two years later, the app is oversaturated with users and content. Therefore, marketers must now be proactive in figuring out which direction the internet is evolving.
The Shift in Communication
What I found particularly interesting in this module is the comparison of the legacy media model and the emergent media model, and how the shift in audience has transformed the way in which we communicate.
The shift from the legacy media model to the emergent media model, and how it has transformed media communication from ‘one to many’ to ‘many to many’
The shift in communication dynamic from ‘one to many’ to ‘many to many’
| One to Many | Many to Many |
| ‘One to many’ communication goes hand-in-hand with legacy media. For example: Broadcast media production of television news where there is one newsreader speaking with a large audience listening | ‘Many to many’ communication refers to media that many people can participate in, and is a fundamental characteristic of emergent media. For example: an online Facebook forum where users can upload and view posts |
In relation to ‘The Medium is the Message’, McLuhan asks us to notice changes in scale. When examining the shift from ‘one to many‘ to ‘many to many‘, it is important to note the observation that the scale doesn’t necessarily become larger. In contrast to legacy media (such as broadcast media) which usually scales up, emergent media oftentimes becomes smaller, creating a more intimate, personal setting for its audience.
So, what is one thing ‘many to many’ produces?
with a quote from media theorist Jay Rosen
The shift from legacy to emergent media practices has allowed audiences to actively participate in simultaneous content production and consumption. As a result, everyone becomes a media maker and the concept of media as a conversation arrises.
For example: an artist recording himself drawing in real-time over a Twitch stream whilst engaging with his audience’s comments (answering questions, receiving requests/feedback, or just chatting).
An Idea for your Digital Artefact (DA)
Reflecting upon what I have previously discussed in this blog post, when ideating a DA, it is important to consider the constantly evolving nature of the internet, and how you can implement the concept of ‘media as a conversation’ in your project.
This idea for a DA involves managing the online presence of an existing online fitness coaching business.
Similar to online branding moves by Move With Us, this project will primarily focus on engaging with existing and prospective clients online via a Facebook group, an Instagram account, and a TikTok account.
(enhancing relationship with clients and attracting prospective clients)
Through livestreams, encouraging forum discussion via a Facebook group, enabling comments and responding accordingly, this DA idea actively engages in the concept of ‘media as a conversation’.
Additionally, by focusing on three main platforms, creating ephemeral content (Instagram highlights), short-form videos and livestreams, this DA idea observes and implements the current internet developments and actively considers the way in which the internet is evolving.