With publishing technologies constantly being developed and updated whether through the printing press, digital developments, the ebook, apps and social media, I begin to wonder if Marshall McLuhan was right in saying ‘ The medium is the message’.
McLuhan’s theories proposed in the 1960s argued that; the medium that content is displayed via should be the focus and not the content itself. For Publishers this presents the argument that they should invest more time in the formatting and platforms chosen to display their content in this ever changing digitally active world. The way an audience, readership or consumer receives and engages with a text can ultimately impact the way they are influenced and affected by it.
McLuhan sees the medium as an extension of ourselves so for publishers this proposes the many outlets they utilise (Websites, apps, social media, books, journals, magazines) and how the consumers first notice the way the content is being delivered before appreciating what the actual content is.
When looking at publishing in a digital age this highlights a vast range of different outlets publishers can use. Publishers have been using the medium of books since the days of Gutenberg in the 15th century, using these printed pages to capture an audience’s imagination and concentration in a variety of genres. However in recent years with the advanced development in technology and digital publication, publishers are able to release and produce content in an assortment of new and dynamic ways, for example through the use of social media and blogs to interact and engage with this sense of a Global community.
This idea of an online community presence for publishers can cause both negatives and positives. Social media as a medium provides this idea of free content displayed in a fairly informal way allowing consumers to digest information instantly and often through devices such as Smartphones, again making it an instantly available source of free information and treating the readers as both producers as well as consumers and often sidelining the need for a publisher. However one major advantage publisher’s hold is that of a brand image, a sense of trust associated with the physical printed book and the well established publishing name and brand that goes alongside this. When looking at how a readership may asses a medium, having the confidence and knowledge of a well trusted brand supporting it whether that be through a company twitter account or blog post, it will often reassure readers to have that recognised and trusted institutional grounding.
Ultimately it appears that McLuhan was ahead of his time with how audiences would engage with media products, and the changes in the publishing industry have reflected this. Readers use a huge range of devices from the good old fashioned book, to tablets, Ipads and smartphones, accessing information through a range of mediums often based on convenience over necessity in this new and digital era.
---483 words----
References
CommandPost, (2014). Overcoming Social Media Audience Engagement Challenges. [Online] Available at: http://getcommandpost.com/social-audience-engagement-1/ [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].
Hall, F. (2013). The business of digital publishing. London: Routledge.
Ipsos-mori.com, (2014). Ipsos MORI | Ipsos MediaCT | Custom Research and Insight | Engagement. [Online] Available at: https://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchspecialisms/ipsosmediact/customresearch/engagement.aspx [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].
Marshallmcluhan.com, (2014). Commonly Asked Questions about McLuhan – The Estate of Marshall McLuhan. [Online] Available at: http://www.marshallmcluhan.com/common-questions/ [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].
McLuhan, M. (2008). The medium is the massage. London: Penguin.
Phillips, A. (n.d.). Turning the page.
McLuhan’s theories proposed in the 1960s argued that; the medium that content is displayed via should be the focus and not the content itself. For Publishers this presents the argument that they should invest more time in the formatting and platforms chosen to display their content in this ever changing digitally active world. The way an audience, readership or consumer receives and engages with a text can ultimately impact the way they are influenced and affected by it.
McLuhan sees the medium as an extension of ourselves so for publishers this proposes the many outlets they utilise (Websites, apps, social media, books, journals, magazines) and how the consumers first notice the way the content is being delivered before appreciating what the actual content is.
When looking at publishing in a digital age this highlights a vast range of different outlets publishers can use. Publishers have been using the medium of books since the days of Gutenberg in the 15th century, using these printed pages to capture an audience’s imagination and concentration in a variety of genres. However in recent years with the advanced development in technology and digital publication, publishers are able to release and produce content in an assortment of new and dynamic ways, for example through the use of social media and blogs to interact and engage with this sense of a Global community.
This idea of an online community presence for publishers can cause both negatives and positives. Social media as a medium provides this idea of free content displayed in a fairly informal way allowing consumers to digest information instantly and often through devices such as Smartphones, again making it an instantly available source of free information and treating the readers as both producers as well as consumers and often sidelining the need for a publisher. However one major advantage publisher’s hold is that of a brand image, a sense of trust associated with the physical printed book and the well established publishing name and brand that goes alongside this. When looking at how a readership may asses a medium, having the confidence and knowledge of a well trusted brand supporting it whether that be through a company twitter account or blog post, it will often reassure readers to have that recognised and trusted institutional grounding.
Ultimately it appears that McLuhan was ahead of his time with how audiences would engage with media products, and the changes in the publishing industry have reflected this. Readers use a huge range of devices from the good old fashioned book, to tablets, Ipads and smartphones, accessing information through a range of mediums often based on convenience over necessity in this new and digital era.
---483 words----
References
CommandPost, (2014). Overcoming Social Media Audience Engagement Challenges. [Online] Available at: http://getcommandpost.com/social-audience-engagement-1/ [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].
Hall, F. (2013). The business of digital publishing. London: Routledge.
Ipsos-mori.com, (2014). Ipsos MORI | Ipsos MediaCT | Custom Research and Insight | Engagement. [Online] Available at: https://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchspecialisms/ipsosmediact/customresearch/engagement.aspx [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].
Marshallmcluhan.com, (2014). Commonly Asked Questions about McLuhan – The Estate of Marshall McLuhan. [Online] Available at: http://www.marshallmcluhan.com/common-questions/ [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].
McLuhan, M. (2008). The medium is the massage. London: Penguin.
Phillips, A. (n.d.). Turning the page.