They both say media!

If you want to ask what’s the difference between Mainstream Media (everything passive—meaning things you read, hear or watch) as opposed to New Media (things you “interact” with and/or respond to like the internet), my first question to you would be “Please be specific” Because if you’re going to say that New Media gets information out faster and there and offers more ways for people to access that information and news I would have to agree with you.

But what exactly are we looking for from the internet? An escape or alternative to the information put out by profit hungry “traditional media” news and content big boys? Do you really believe that on line sites have no agenda? Drudge, The Smoking Gun, all these guys are totally altruistic have no interest in making money?

Now people can get the real news—just as soon as someone tells is exactly who or what IS the real news! Yes now we can have New Media incorporated into Mainstream Media. Rupert Murdoch and Sumner Redstone are buying up new media properties faster than a Google search! And what this first thing they do? Look for ways to turn these hot new media properties into media entities they UNDERSTAND (aka Old media). It’s like buying a high definition LCD TV to watch I love Lucy and other B&W shows. Yes you can use it for that, but that’s hardly the BEST way to appreciate its potential. O man are those guys screwed! Thank you internet and big Al, you have changed media as we know it. Now people will know the truth—on their terms, on their turf . The news will be the way it should be! (alright I get it the sarcasm is getting annoying but you hopefully get my jist)

O wait lets look back who the New Media giants are, I’ll you hint they are the same ones as… hmmm wait …. Mind block ….. ah yes now I remember. Mainstream Media!

To quote McMchesney “The internet has not spawned a new group of commercially viable media to compete with the existing firms. The power of the oligopolistic market trumps the subversive potential of the technology. …. Or in English; going hyper-commercial” (pg221)

He makes a very valid point, because we say we have blogs , millions of websites and ways to voice or opinion hear others etc… but who else hears them ? If you ask me I don’t think the internet makes a difference at all. How many of these blogs have actually done something more than give someone a chance to blow off some steam?

Why? Well its simple, what’s the first website you go on to check the news? “Mainstream Media” therefore their websites are as big as their radio and television stations—and more profitable. Nobody has enough money to make an independent website as big as theirs and if they do, mainstream media will just buy them up (which is why many do it in the first place).

So this issue will always exist no matter what advancements in technology come about we still know one thing—the golden rule; the one with the gold—makes the rules. (or the news)