Media Technologies

          The Website

          One of the most widely used forms of media technology is the website.  A web site is a “related collection of World Wide Web files that includes a beginning file called a home page.”  (whatis.com).  Different types of websites are distinguished by addresses that end with a suffix; .com, .net, or .org, which denote what type of website it is.  A website that ends with a .com suffix indicates that it is a commercial website that offers products, services, or free information.  The purpose of a dot com website is usually to attract consumers who are interested in purchasing the website’s products or services.  However, there are many dot com websites that provide credible information for public consumption.  A website that ends with a .net or .org suffix indicates that the website is government-based or is sponsored by a nonprofit organization.   It is recommended that research for term papers be collected from websites that are identified by the .net or .org suffix, which indicate an official source of verifiable information.

         E-Mails  

         An e-mail, or electronic mail, is another common type of media technology, described as an exchange "of computer-stored messages by telecommunication” by the website whatis.com, which reports that e-mails constitute a large percentage of the total traffic that occurs on the Internet.  E-mails are sent from companies or institutions and target current or past customers, contacts, or website registrants. E-mails are the main form of communication used by professionals in the workplace, although e-mails are also a common form of communication used in most homes with the advent of the ubiquitous personal computer.  

         The instantaneous nature of the e-mail ensures that a message is sent in seconds to a recipient or recipients at the click of the “Send” key.  Almost everyone has a home computer and an e-mail address which they use to send and receive messages. The use of e-mails has become so commonplace that it has decreased the practice of letter-writing significantly.  Many people now prefer the speed and convenience of an e-mail, which saves the cost of postage and eliminates the need for stationery and envelopes.  An e-mail can also be electronically forwarded to multiple recipients and can be saved on the computer for future reference. 

On the other hand, one of the drawbacks associated with the e-mail system is spam, or unsolicited e-mails sent by companies “that specialize in creating e-mail distribution lists.  Spammers typically send a piece of e-mail to a distribution list in the millions, expecting that only a tiny number of readers will respond to their offer.  It has become a major problem for all Internet users.” (whatis.com).  The term “spam” is said to originate from a Monty Python sketch (‘Well, we have Spam, tomato & Spam, egg & Spam, Egg, bacon & Spam...’) that coincided with the period of time that the electronic kind of spam first arrived on the Internet.

E-Commerce

E-commerce (or electronic commerce) is defined as “the buying and selling of goods and services on the Internet...” (whatis.com).  “E-business” is a newer term that is used interchangeably with the term “e-commerce.”  E-commerce is widely represented on the Internet by websites known as “virtual storefronts,” which conduct retails sales on-line.  Retail store websites display products on massive online catalogs (full description, price, and picture included) which can be purchased using a personal credit card.  Amazon.com is a major on-line retail store website that contains a vast inventory of products for sale and is widely used by consumers. 

Another major e-commerce website that warrants special attention is the giant eBay, which is billed as the “world’s largest online marketplace” by crunchbase.com, was founded in 1995 and employs 15,000 people.  eBay allows individuals to buy and sell products using an online bidding process.  Transactions are conducted through a system called PayPal, which securely transmits funds electronically from buyer to seller.  

The Blog

In contrast to the gigantic commerce-based website, the blog (or weblog) is “a personal online journal that is frequently updated…” (whatis.com).  A blog is geared to the individual, who creates and designs the blog and is meant to attract a particular audience.  A blog serves as a creative outlet for communication and is intended for viewing by the public, who have the option to respond with comments via posts of their own.  The author of the blog, referred to as a blogger, can post personal opinions or commentary through a series of text-based entries posted on a page.  The personality of the author of the blog should come through in his writings and observations.  If a website hosts the blog, purpose of the website should be reflected in the blog.  The title of the blog should feature an eye-catching heading that refers to the blog's content to attract an audience with similar interests or concerns.              

The essential elements of a blog consist of color, complexity of design, clarity and emphasis, remarkability (meaning a design that goes beyond the ordinary), structure, balance, and functionality.  All these elements combine to create a viewer’s impression of the blog.  The more well-designed and easy-to-navigate the blog is, the more likely it is that viewers will visit the blog in the future or that they will post comments to the blog. The website problogdesign.com comments that “a good blog is much more than a diary with comments.  It allows for you to interact with the content, and makes your experience much more enjoyable.”

 The Blogosphere 

The term “blogosphere” is used by some writers “to describe the grassroots and interactive journalism made possible by participants in blogs…and the symbiotic relationship between bloggers and traditional journalists. In this relationship, bloggers often cite and link to mainstream news articles and mainstream journalists often get story ideas from blogs they monitor.”  (whatis.com).  The blogosphere has been defined as “the millions of blogs and their contributors and users to a blog biosphere or ecosystem.” 

Whatis.com has also observed that “The participatory phenomenon of the blog and its impact on journalism has created the 21st century equivalent of the 18th century coffee house, a place where anyone interested could meet to exchange news and opinions in public.” Grassroots news can be developed through blogs by eyewitnesses, or those who have an interest in or expertise in a certain subject area.  Readers can add further information or corrections to the blog, then journalists can report and consolidate leads from blogs into stories for a larger audience. 

References:  http://whatis.techtarget.com/