The media is all about relaying information to the public; it helps us stay up to date with current news, allows us to stay in touch with others and helps us inform the decisions we make in our daily lives. Currently, the media is made up of multiple formats – such as television, radio, digital and print news and magazines, and social media. But years ago, many of these formats didn’t even exist – it was up to a printed newspaper to tell people updates about the state of affairs. But due to a whole host of new and emerging technologies, it’s possible for people to stay up to date in ways they never dreamed possible – with news bulletins delivered directly to your mobile phone. And due to the popularity of new ‘smart devices’, it’s even possible to have a daily news update displayed on your fridge! And this is just the start – it’s possible that new waves of technology will make media more and more accessible in years to come. Here are just some ways that new technologies are likely to revolutionise the media.
AI
Artificial intelligence has been a buzzword for a while now – but how could it change the media landscape? It allows content to be made into a digitised format that can be sent worldwide, immediately. AI can learn human behaviour and replicate it, meaning that it could actually begin to create or write the content we consume. In addition to this, social media networks will simply become smarter and smarter – knowing the news you want to see, before it even exists.
Targeted Ads & Articles
To this end, the media will continue to become more and more personalised to you and your interests. This, to some extent, can be an amazing thing. You turn on your TV, and it’s only things you want to watch. Your social media is full of articles you enjoy reading. All of the news articles you see are relevant to you, and adverts are only selling you products you would use. It can be a great way to save time when searching out the content you want or need. however, it can also be used in a negative way. This can sometimes mean that you are in a ‘bubble’ of news and content tailored to you. For example, when it comes to politics, it could make consumers lose track of balanced arguments if they only see one ‘side’ of it. So while it is an amazing new technology that can enrich the lives of many, it’s also something to be aware of when consuming media.
Location Aware Content
Location aware content will also become more and more popular, as the media becomes ‘smarter’, and more aware of consumers’ interests, hobbies and locations. This means that the algorithm will predict local news and articles most relevant to you, and push them up your social timelines – getting relevant content to you, faster. This can be incredibly useful for when there is a global issue happening, such as an election, or things like earthquakes, tsunamis and pandemics. People need to know what’s happening in their area, as soon as possible, in order to make decisions about their own health and safety. The popularisation of location aware content may actually contribute to saved lives in an emergency, as well as providing convenience for consumers in normal times.
