Just like my Media 1 lecturer and David Gauntlett, I will pose the question of:
What Is Media?
Each and everyone has different views and ideas of what first comes to mind when thinking of media. Many will think of the platforms of Media, i.e. Television, Social Media, Blogs, Radio, Billboards, etc. In our week 2 lectorial we were asked to write down the first five things that came to mind when we thought of media. Mine were more what made Media, which were opinions; ideas; stories; creativity; and education. After the class discussed what they thought Media was, those words did alter slightly. It wasn’t that my words/thoughts were incorrect or anything, it’s just that other people’s views influenced my own and those words and idea formed a clearer structure. Communication was what intertwined these words and formed it into Media.
But Communication was not the only key to making Media. Gauntlett discusses his idea of Media in the introduction of Making Media Studies, which paved the way into my own direct interpretation of Media. He writes that “we should look at media as triggers for experiences and for making things happen”. Though Media is made to communicate ideas and whatnot; it should not only be seen as a way of communication, rather a way to create and share experiences. This is done by many different people exhibiting their ideas, stories and opinions across many different platforms and formats. Doing this both allows the creators to alter the consumers ideas, views and attitudes, and for the consumers to gather inspiration in which to create their own Media.
