Digitization

New trajectories of mediatization

Bibliographic Data

ID20073613
AuthorsNiels Ole Finnemann (0000-0002-1565-9823, Aarhus University, corresponding author)
Year2014
Pages297-322
Publication date2014-07-11
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeCHAPTER
VenueMediatization of communication (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherDe Gruyter (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1515/9783110272215.297
OpenAlexW2499901784
ISBN9783110272215
LanguageEN
Citations received15
References cited15

Processes of digitization have for years represented a major trend in the developments of modern society but have only recently been related to processes of mediatization. The purpose of this article is to look into the relation between the concepts of mediatization and digitization and to clarify what a concept of digital media might add to the understanding of processes of mediatization and what the concept of mediatization might add to the understanding of digital media. It is argued that digital media open an array of new trajectories in human communication, trajectories which were not anticipated in previous conceptualizations of media and mediatization. If digital media are to be included, the concept of mediatization has to be revised and new parameters are to be built into the concept of media. At the same time it is argued that the concept of mediatization still provides a variety of perspectives of relevance for the study of digital media. The claim that the concept of mediatization has to be reinterpreted in order to embrace digital media can only be legitimized if digital media are conceived of as distinct from the media formerly referred to by mediatization theory. Such main characteristics are presented and digital media defined in section 3, while section 2 is devoted to theories of mediatization and the notion of media. Section 4 analyses the relation between mediatization and digitization. Finally, in section 5, Medium Theory is revisited to harvest some missing fruits in contemporary mediatization theory

Digital media · Digitization · Epistemology · Media studies · Media theory · New media · Political science · Sociology · Telecommunications · World Wide Web · Computer Science · Media Studies and Communication · Philosophy · Radio, Podcasts, and Digital Media · Social Media and Politics

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