If rhetoric describes a method or means of communication, then it changes with the introduction of New Media. The Internet allows for interplay between technology, images, and sound. Writers in the digital age can no longer persuade their audiences through words alone—they need to consider hyperlinking, visual layout, and informational graphics. But these features are not always simple additions to a written text. Oftentimes, they are used to convey information that is not directly stated through writing. This, of course, changes the ways we write and communicate, but it also changes the way we consume information.
“What is New Media?” explores the concept of nesting, which is a way of organizing information according to subjects and paying secondary attention to context. This model, which is seen in hyperlinking, gives no mention as to where information came from. Instead of communicating an idea through one’s own words, the writer can simply link an idea to another webpage. Rhetoric changes when the writer does not have to explain where his ideas came from. In some ways, nesting can make one’s argument more straightforward; it serves as a form of citation that can direct readers to specific information. But not all hyperlinks lead to objective, reliable sources. And even if the link does lead to reliable source, information is often lost through the writer’s interpretation and summarization of content. Thus, nesting can diminish the soundness of one’s argument. This explains why most professors do not accept Wikipedia as a reliable source.
Just as hyperlinks can stand in for written information, so can images and videos. The prevalence of visuals as a means of communication is much more than a result of new technology. Because New Media allows for on-demand access to content, mediums are in constant competition to grab and keep readers’ attentions. The audiences of our fast-paced society are quickly losing time and patience for reading information; they are more likely to watch a video or read an infographic than they are to read an article.
In its reliance on multiple modes of communication, New Media transforms the art of conveying a message. The increasing importance of video, image, links, and design makes digital rhetoric a collaborative process. A writer can independently produce an article, but she must rely on the visual layout of the online platform, the images and videos that supplement her article, and the authors of the pages she hyperlinks. The collaborative nature of New Media means that more voices are controlling the messages we receive. While this may detract from the writer’s intended message, it may also provide audiences with more objective content that includes the opinions of multiple contributors.
“What is New Media?” explores the concept of nesting, which is a way of organizing information according to subjects and paying secondary attention to context. This model, which is seen in hyperlinking, gives no mention as to where information came from. Instead of communicating an idea through one’s own words, the writer can simply link an idea to another webpage. Rhetoric changes when the writer does not have to explain where his ideas came from. In some ways, nesting can make one’s argument more straightforward; it serves as a form of citation that can direct readers to specific information. But not all hyperlinks lead to objective, reliable sources. And even if the link does lead to reliable source, information is often lost through the writer’s interpretation and summarization of content. Thus, nesting can diminish the soundness of one’s argument. This explains why most professors do not accept Wikipedia as a reliable source.
Just as hyperlinks can stand in for written information, so can images and videos. The prevalence of visuals as a means of communication is much more than a result of new technology. Because New Media allows for on-demand access to content, mediums are in constant competition to grab and keep readers’ attentions. The audiences of our fast-paced society are quickly losing time and patience for reading information; they are more likely to watch a video or read an infographic than they are to read an article.
In its reliance on multiple modes of communication, New Media transforms the art of conveying a message. The increasing importance of video, image, links, and design makes digital rhetoric a collaborative process. A writer can independently produce an article, but she must rely on the visual layout of the online platform, the images and videos that supplement her article, and the authors of the pages she hyperlinks. The collaborative nature of New Media means that more voices are controlling the messages we receive. While this may detract from the writer’s intended message, it may also provide audiences with more objective content that includes the opinions of multiple contributors.