Media Technologies

Let's familiarize ourselves with four different media technologies and discuss how they are used in the 21st Century.

Blog is a shortened version of the name web log, an online personal essay (Marsh, Guth, Short, 2009). Blogs can be informal and personal or represent a company. Either way they serve 2 primary purposes: to entertain or inform. Blogs are usually set up with a particular audience in mind. Companies seeking to build personal relationships with key stakeholders employ blogs. For example, Toyota has a blog called, "Our Point of View." In August of last year the company's Chief Quality Officer for North America published a post addressing the major recalls http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/our-point-of-view-post.aspx?id=3296.
 Recently, I checked out a blogger's comments about actor Charlie Sheen. As we all know Sheen has been on almost every media outlet discussing his life and drug addiction. "Dilbert" writer, Scott Adams had an interesting perspective. Check it out: http://www.dilbert.com/blog/entry/charlie_sheen/. Any interesting blogs you'd like to share?

YouTube is a content community where people can share videos for free, either to entertain or inform. Just recently, I watched Steve Jobs on YouTube introduce his new media technology, the iPad 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b661ovU1rPU.
 YouTube does not have a specific target audience. It appeals to everyone no matter nationality, age, occupation or income level. Millionaire Steve Jobs can utilize YouTube but so can a 12 year old boy.
Facebook is known as a social network. Just recently the movie, "Social Network" depicted how Facebook became the social media giant it is today. The movie earned an Academy Award nomination for best picture. The site has had an enormous effect on our culture. Facebook has changed the way people interact and meet and the way businesses network and market forever. Social networking sites are a virtual chat room. Anyone at anytime can find and chat with old friends, family or complete strangers.


Podcasts also called "webcasts" - a series of digital media files. Essentially they are little radios and televisions that let you listen to your favorite programming on your time via a portable device like an mp3 player or an iPod. Podfreaks.com lets you watch different web content all on one website. Professionals and amateurs can utilize the technology.