The New Media's coming of age | Dan Carlin | TEDxMtHood

Summary

The speaker reflects on the rapid evolution of media, highlighting the democratization of content creation and distribution. With the advent of the internet, individuals can now reach global audiences with minimal resources, unlike the controlled, infrastructure-heavy media of the past. The speaker uses examples like the 'Tin Can Challenge' on YouTube to illustrate how niche content can garner millions of views, a feat unimaginable in the pre-digital era. The talk emphasizes the current era as a creativity revolution, where anyone can become a media sensation, and the potential for this new media to provide future generations with an unparalleled understanding of our times.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker reflects on the rapid changes in media and the impact of the internet on how we consume content.
• 👨‍👧 The example of the speaker's children watching YouTube, particularly the 'Tin Can Challenge', illustrates the shift from traditional TV to digital platforms.
• 📺 The contrast between the 1970s media landscape and today's highlights the democratization of media and the ease of content creation.
• 🌐 The internet has made it possible for individuals to reach audiences of a million or more, something unimaginable in the past.
• 📈 The cost of media production has significantly decreased, allowing for a wider range of creators to produce content at home.
• 🚀 The potential for new talent to bypass traditional gatekeepers and achieve fame through digital platforms is now a reality.
• 🏺 The concept of 'immortality' in media is introduced, suggesting that digital content has the potential to last forever.
• 🌟 The speaker predicts a future where individual creators or small groups may outperform traditional media outlets in terms of viewership.
• 🔓 The democratization of media means that anyone can now participate in creating and sharing content without needing permission from traditional media gatekeepers.
• 🎉 The era we are living in is described as a 'creativity revolution', with an unprecedented explosion of human creativity in media production.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speaker's discussion about the evolution of media?

The main theme is the democratization of media and how the internet has transformed the way content is created, accessed, and consumed, allowing for a vast increase in human creativity and the potential for individual voices to reach global audiences.

Why does the speaker compare the reaction of his children to his stories about pre-internet life to his own reaction to stories about pre-television life?

The speaker uses this comparison to illustrate the rapid and profound changes in media consumption and technology, highlighting how each generation finds it difficult to imagine life without the media technologies they've grown up with.

What is 'The Tin Can Challenge' mentioned in the script, and why does the speaker's daughter enjoy it?

'The Tin Can Challenge' is a YouTube activity where two girls, Kacy and Jacy, mix strange foods together and eat them, recording their reactions. The speaker's daughter enjoys it because it's entertaining and different from traditional television content.

How does the speaker describe the change in the media landscape from the 1970s to the present?

The speaker describes the media landscape as having shifted from a tightly-controlled, mass-audience focused industry to one that is more open and accessible, with the internet allowing for a vast array of niche content and creators to reach global audiences.

What is the significance of the speaker's story about wanting to start his own newspaper as a child?

The story highlights the barriers to entry in traditional media, such as the need for equipment, infrastructure, and money. It contrasts with today's digital media where these barriers are significantly reduced, allowing anyone to create and distribute content.

Why does the speaker believe that the internet has led to a 'meritocracy' in media?

The speaker believes the internet has led to a meritocracy because it has removed traditional gatekeepers, allowing content to be judged by its quality and audience reception rather than the approval of a select few in the industry.

What does the speaker suggest about the future of media in terms of audience size and content niches?

The speaker suggests that the future of media will involve smaller, more targeted audiences for niche content, as the internet allows for the creation and distribution of content that caters to specific interests, which traditional mass media could not efficiently provide.

How does the speaker view the potential longevity of digital media content?

The speaker views digital media content as having a potential for 'immortality' since it can be preserved and accessed indefinitely, unlike traditional media which is often ephemeral.

What question does the speaker pose to the audience regarding the future of individual creators competing with traditional media outlets?

The speaker asks what will happen when an individual or small group of individuals gets more viewers than a network nightly TV newscast, suggesting that such a scenario is not far off and would represent a significant shift in media dynamics.

How does the speaker describe the transformation in the power dynamics between creators and traditional media gatekeepers?

The speaker describes the transformation as a shift from an aristocratic setup, where access to an audience was controlled by a few, to a democratic one, where creators have direct access to their audience and cannot be 'canceled' by traditional gatekeepers.