Media in the online age

1. ‘The impact of the internet is revolutionary’
In Response to this statement I will be arguing that everything is different, media landscape is
recognisable from before. I will be discussing the impact of the internet in particular Web 2.0 by
exploringthe ideasof DavidGauntlet,Andrew KeenandMichael Wesch. In 1989 Sir Tim Berners Lee
inventedthe WorldWide Webwhichwasaway of accessingand sharinginformation, his vision was
to give powertothe people.Web2.0 enabledthisvisionasWeb 2.0 was a second generation of the
World Wide Web which allowed people to collaborate due to its user’s centred design.
One way thatthe impactof the internet was revolunatry was because Web 2.0 enabled consumers
to become prosumers. David Gauntlet describes how Web 1.0 was more dominant as there were
internetgodsthatcontrolledthe mediathat the public view, now with Web 2.0 and the removal of
the gatekeepersithasfosteredcreativity.This creativity can be evident by vlogging, which enables
everyday people to upload video about their lives. Vloggers become more famous by increasing
there subscribers,andthey make money by the advertisements in their videos. Some vloggers are
beingconsideredmore famousthantraditional celebrities,asZoellaandAlife Dayes were chosen by
the public as to be viewed as wax models at Madaum Tuesuards. This shows the impact of the
internetasitallowspeople fromthe publictobecome famousfortalkingaboutthemselvesandthen
beingsofamoustheyare put on displayinthe formof wax models next to some of the well-known
people around the world such as the queen. This is significant as prior to Web 2.0, as gauntlet
describes, the gatekeepers would have chosen what is produced and what is not produced.
The internet has also been revoulnatry as it has changed the way we communicate. In new
generations we communicate by the use of the internet and social media is used to make friends.
Thishas many positive and negative impacts, its advantageous as it allows people to communicate
instantlyacrossthe world however it has changed the way society functions, people communicate
and the use of traditional media. Andrewkeentalksabouthow the internetis killing journalism. He
believes that the internet is creating cultural chaos and expertise is devalued, which is true
dependingonthe angle of yourview.Howeveritcanbe argued thatthisis a beneficial revolution as
AndrewKeensaid:“oldmediaoligarchs,are beingreplacedbynew mediaoligarchs”, thistransforms
the wat people view media. Eventhoughthe sale of hardcopynewspapershasdeclined,the website
article viewing online had increased, which suggest that the internet is not killing journalism but
simply transforming it in a revolution.
The mediahas alsotransformedbyallowingthe waywe lookathuman relations to change, the way
we communicate andexpresshasall changeddue to the impact of the internet. Michael Wesch, an
anthropologist,discusseshow “Media is not content, it is human relations”. Nowadays roughly 500
hoursof videoisbeinguploadedeveryminute toyoutube,whichreinforces Gauntlets idea that we
do live inthe age of the prosumer. In 2018 Mason Ramsey, Also known as Walmart’s Yodelling boy,
videoedhimself singinginastore and the videowentviral. Manypeople replicatedthe meme and it
grewbiggerand bigger,Masonappearedonthe Ellenshow,atCoachellaandhe is releasing his own
single aswell.Thisemphasisthe needintodaysociety for the internet as Mason Ramsey would not
of become famous if it wasn’t for web 2.0 platforms such as You tube. This supports Wesch’s point
howmediais human relations as this meme has brought cultures together and reintroduced other
types of music (yodelling) to the world.

2. In conclusion the impact of the internet was revolunatry as it has changed lives and allowed the
world to communicate, watch, create and explore advantageously. Even though there are cons to
the internet changing traditional views and society, it is positively advancing the world we live in
today and therefore web 2.0 has created a revolution.