In The Language of New Media, Lev Manovich talks about how new media came to be, its history, and what is defined as new media. As technology such as computers started becoming more accessible to the general public, new media starts to take form in a culture that is undergoing computerization. Manovich believes that all new media consists of material seen through a screen whereas material such as a newsletter on a piece of paper is defined as “old” media. Manovich has his own definition of new media in which he defines it using five principles: numerical representation, modularity, automation, variability, and cultural transcoding.

Starting off with numerical representation, Manovich states how the difference between old media and new media is that new media can be programmed through coding. He then talks about modularity which explains how there are many layers to new media, each representing a separate entity. Take Photoshop for example, he explains how Photoshop works in layers to produce different parts of a whole. Next comes, automation where he talks about how new media has access to filters, templates, and tools that make the workload much easier. As with that, having access to such materials allows for creative expression, something you can’t necessarily find through old media.

Variability talks about how new media is not defined as one source  of material, but rather one that can exist in different, potentially infinite versions. For example, a Wikipedia page isn’t set on one topic as it usually has links to other sources of material whereas information found on media such as a newspaper is not interactive. Finally, cultural transcoding talks about the ability of a piece of new media to be translated into multiple shapes or form such as a piece of text into an audiobook.

Overall, I found this article interesting because it changed my perception of what is defined as new media. In this current day and age, technology has become a lot more accessible to the point where new media exists everywhere. However, Manovich limited new media to media within the internet or on a computer which surprised me at first since this form of media isn’t necessarily new. Computers have been out for a while now, but his comparison between old media such as newspapers and new media changed my mind. Eventually, this new media may become the norm, being no longer referred to as “new” such as how newspapers many decades ago were regarded as new media.