The Language of New Media
From RhetorClick
The Language of New Media by Lev Manovich, published in 2001 by MIT press, "offers the first systematic and rigorous theory of new media."[1] It seeks to explore that which defines "new media", analyzing its histories, conventions, and the qualities that define it as such. It has since been translated into multiple languages and has seen wide publication.
The General Principles of New Media
Part of the book is dedicated to defining the 'general principles' that make up and define new media.
They are:
1) Numerical Representation: The principle that states that because new media is made up of digital coding, rather than physical material, the primary difference between it and old media is that it is programmable - able to be broken down by the the number and formulas that give it form.
2)Modularity: The principle that states that new media is modular, composed of multiple different pieces that interact to form the new media object as a whole, but can be modified independently and reused outside of the work’s context. Examples given are the ways that images, text, coding, and sound make up a website.
3)Automation: The principles that states that new media often includes some manner of automation in its production. Allowing, quote, “human intentionality … (to) be removed from the creative process, at least in part.” Examples given are automated filters and effects in photoshop, movie-making programs, etc.
4)Variability: The principle that new media is not fixed, but rather “something that can exist in different, potentially infinite versions.” New media is not intrinsically linked to its structure.
5)Transcoding: The principle that new media represents a reshaping of culture by way of technology. It refers to the idea that media and culture are being shaped by the structure, limitations, and language of the computer. It also refers to the translation a new media object from one format to another.
