Interactive Media
Interactive Media— What’s that? Who’s involved?
Elaine England and Andy Finney ATSF January 2002
ATSF White Paper—Interactive Media UK—©2002 ATSF
1
Interactive media - what’s that?
For those people that have been part of the digital revolution this query seems rather trivial. But it is experience and expertise that allow people to discuss terminology without actually defining the terms. It is easy to forget how long it takes to get up to speed! For those people starting off on the quest or for people like career advisors trying to offer initial advice on the subject, there appears to be no easy way into this unmapped territory. The relevance of this paper is not just for new entrants: many in the industry have a fragmented perspective without realising it. So in an attempt to clarify the position, we take an aerial perspective related primarily to the UK.
The definition
Interactive media is the integration of digital media including combinations of electronic text, graphics, moving images, and sound, into a structured digital computerised environment that allows people to interact with the data for appropriate purposes. The digital environment can include the Internet, telecoms and interactive digital television. No wonder it is difficult for new entrants to understand. The important concepts to hold on to are ‘interactive’ and ‘media’ across a range of ‘delivery channels’ or ‘platforms’.
What causes the confusion?
The terms used ... There are many terms used to denote the interactive nature of digital applications—multimedia, new media and interactive design are common examples. Because the interactive sector has quickly evolved through phases, the terms have often been coined to reflect a phase that then gets surpassed. A quick historical overview will give the background that causes confusion for those joining the dynamic sector. The word Multimedia used to have a specialist connotation for the audio-visual industry. Uses of multiple or
Elaine England and Andy Finney ATSF January 2002
ATSF White Paper—Interactive Media UK—©2002 ATSF
1
Interactive media - what’s that?
For those people that have been part of the digital revolution this query seems rather trivial. But it is experience and expertise that allow people to discuss terminology without actually defining the terms. It is easy to forget how long it takes to get up to speed! For those people starting off on the quest or for people like career advisors trying to offer initial advice on the subject, there appears to be no easy way into this unmapped territory. The relevance of this paper is not just for new entrants: many in the industry have a fragmented perspective without realising it. So in an attempt to clarify the position, we take an aerial perspective related primarily to the UK.
The definition
Interactive media is the integration of digital media including combinations of electronic text, graphics, moving images, and sound, into a structured digital computerised environment that allows people to interact with the data for appropriate purposes. The digital environment can include the Internet, telecoms and interactive digital television. No wonder it is difficult for new entrants to understand. The important concepts to hold on to are ‘interactive’ and ‘media’ across a range of ‘delivery channels’ or ‘platforms’.
What causes the confusion?
The terms used ... There are many terms used to denote the interactive nature of digital applications—multimedia, new media and interactive design are common examples. Because the interactive sector has quickly evolved through phases, the terms have often been coined to reflect a phase that then gets surpassed. A quick historical overview will give the background that causes confusion for those joining the dynamic sector. The word Multimedia used to have a specialist connotation for the audio-visual industry. Uses of multiple or