Great Article

Check out this week's letter from the editor at Media magazine. Joe Mandese talks about new media and the fundamental shift from analog to digital technologies. The part I love is that he points out the disappearance of chalkboards from American schools and their "whiteboard" replacements (digital boards, marker boards). He makes the point that the "death of a medium" doesn't happen that often. Usually, when new technology emerges it does not mean that the old technologies are doomed.

It reminds me of a class I took in my undergrad days. It was a total yawn, and I don't even remember the name of the course, but I do remember this one class where we discussed the emergence of online magazines, newspapers and digital books. The class erupted into a huge debate: would print as a medium be replaced? Though it may sound a little cliche, my classmates talked about how they loved the smell of an old book and the fact they could read a magazine in the bath tub without being electrocuted. I didn't really expect that level of passion. I guess even party-hard Florida State students like tangible media...

Anyway, interesting article and a good mag issue overall. Read more here.