The Difficulty of Defining Media

As the dictionary definition suggests, defining a medium is difficult because the term refers to so many different things. In listening to digitally created sound, such as "Little Fluffy Clouds" by the British techno group Orb, we realize the term medium applies in multiple ways. What are the media involved? (Numbers below refer to American Heritage Dictionary subheadings.)

Conclusion: Information technology (1) consists of nested or layered media; and (2) virtually anything -- for example, the girl's voice in "Little Fluffy Clouds" -- can act as a medium in a technological environment.


Studies in new media Information technology Media Next

Last updated: 1 August 2002