8 Traits Workshop

In my recent network media workshop we explored a new topic, which is a theory, named the 8 traits of new media landscape by ‘Henry Jenkins’. The eight traits that we had explored had different titles, which where Innovative, Convergent, Everyday, Appropriative, Networked, Global, Generational, and Unequal. The main outcome of these different titles and the topic in general is the educate the young people for a participatory culture; this is basically where we as the youth are labelled as, with relation to the new media age. It understands the relationship with the current media and its developing transitions.

Within the eight traits we would later be asked to include one of them in our Pucha Kucha presentation and we will also have to do a 1000 word essay on our chosen trait.

Out of the eight traits I decided to talk about the ‘Everyday’ theory, Henry Jenkins says, ‘our family rooms have become home entertainment centres. Our family hearths are now electronic. Media technologies are fully integrated into our everyday social interactions’.  This means we have come more involved with technology and it has become a necessity, a must have whether or not it is a family shared experience.

Henry Jenkins believes there is a situation or problem that is believed to be that all new media technology has become such a necessity it has become a massive part in our everyday lives and we have become so unaware and blind whether or not this is true.

In my normal home environment my family room is full of different entertaining systems such as a, TV, Xbox Consol, Computer, DVD Player and then we have our personal entertaining hardware such as personal mobile phones, personal laptops and televisions, and music playing devices. The new media is said to have an effect on families, which are pros and cons, for example creating a wedge between the family, less human interaction and more with technology but on the other hand it helps to bring distant families together.

In relation to my personal life I do not believe I can go an entire day without having to use some sort or new media, because I am so used to waking up and the first thing I do is check my phone, or going on my laptop to find out the latest news, which is another good example that this trait does have belief that ‘There is a danger that as this technology becomes so familiar, so much a part of our daily routines that it becomes invisible to us’

Reading through Henry Jenkins and his 8 traits theory I have seen that they all have a connection and can relate to each other and it has also made me aware for the modern day and the young peoples relation to the new media.