Advances in technology and new media are ever-increasingly causing the domains of the professional and the consumer to become blurred
Friday, October 16, 2009 by DGreen
Advances in technology and new media are ever-increasingly causing the domains of the professional and the consumer to become blurred. This blurring can be seen in both a positive and negative light. On one hand this technology is providing a voice for many who previously may not have had one, but on the other hand it is putting pressure on professional industries.
Technology such as domestically available video equipment is putting media construction into the hands of non-professionals. The potential for individuals who have interesting things to say but might not have access to professional resources to produce something, has increased. This has allowed voices from a broader spectrum of society to be heard and it can potentially bring about the popularity of good ideas rather than popularity due to mass marketing.
The negative side of this of this is that professional industries and their skill base are at risk. The work of professional film makers, journalists, authors, musicians etc. is being supplemented, re-edited, re-distributed and sometimes replaced by the work of non-professionals or prosumers, who are often not as specialised or trained as professionals. Therefore technology and new media can be seen to be putting professional skills at risk.
Although the overall effect that prosumers are having on cultural production is a positive one, the repercussions on the professional industries may ultimately undermine these advancements. The skills that are required and developed within professional industries may be partially or entirely lost.
Technology such as domestically available video equipment is putting media construction into the hands of non-professionals. The potential for individuals who have interesting things to say but might not have access to professional resources to produce something, has increased. This has allowed voices from a broader spectrum of society to be heard and it can potentially bring about the popularity of good ideas rather than popularity due to mass marketing.
The negative side of this of this is that professional industries and their skill base are at risk. The work of professional film makers, journalists, authors, musicians etc. is being supplemented, re-edited, re-distributed and sometimes replaced by the work of non-professionals or prosumers, who are often not as specialised or trained as professionals. Therefore technology and new media can be seen to be putting professional skills at risk.
Although the overall effect that prosumers are having on cultural production is a positive one, the repercussions on the professional industries may ultimately undermine these advancements. The skills that are required and developed within professional industries may be partially or entirely lost.