Week 3 Commentary — Communication Infrastructures : Contested Ecologies

Jared Aviet
Sep 9, 2018 · 3 min read

One of the most important figures who has shaped the academic theory behind ‘media ecologies’ is scholar, Marshall McLuhan. Marshall McLuhan famously stated that, “the medium is the message”, “the medium creates an environment” and “the content is not what matters, the medium is what matters” (Marshall McLuhan’s Media Ecology Theory 2016). In relation to the National Broadband Network’s role in terms of media ecology in Australia, McLuhan’s words have proven to ring true over the last several years, as the actual medium’s framework of the NBN and its potential impact has been a source of great debate by many in the federal government in Australia for a very long time.

The much politicised and highly debated network has been described as an important ‘nation-building’ project. In terms of looking at the NBN under the framework of ‘media ecologies’, the creation of the NBN is a brand new form of media ecology. The NBN is without a doubt a service which would not only improve the speed and connectivity options of the internet throughout Australia, but it is also designed to assist in the creation of various jobs throughout the country, improving vital infrastructures across the nation, and ensuring that countless of tasks by workers can be completed more efficiently and quickly (Ross 2013). The entire media ecology landscape will most certainly change as a result of the implementation of the NBN will improve our society in all aspects moving forward.

However, if only things were as simple as implementing the NBN over a period of a few years and everyone agreeing to the terms and conditions of this implementation in short order. Instead, we have had several years of political back-and-forth on the exact terms and conditions of the NBN, from the many different total costs amounts thrown about by both the Labor party and the Coalition, to the specific forms of implementation such as FTTP (fibre to the premises) and FTTN (fibre to the node) setup, to the entire rollout process of the NBN which has changed several times over the recent years (Fiber to the Node (FTTN) vs Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) 2014–2018).

There have been many critics of these issues pertaining to the NBN as well as the delays in rolling out the NBN to various parts of Australia. Some have even gone far to say that the entire NBN saga has been an embarassment and a negative blemish on our country for the entire world to look down upon (Australia’s NBN rollout a global embarrassment 2017). There have been cases where certain metro areas of Australia, have not been provided with adequate internet connectivity, which is seen as ridiculous.

Another theory from McLuhan, is that ‘new media do not replace prior media but modify or obscure them’ (What is media ecology?). This is another note from McLuhan which is exceptionally true in the case of the NBN. With the NBN as purely an ecology, the environment which spawned the concept of the NBN has been muddled and conflicting but eventually human affairs and day-to-day efficiency in many aspects of our lives can only stand to flourish when the NBN rollout is finally complete.

Reference List

Marshall McLuhan’s Media Ecology Theory 2016, Prezi, viewed 12 August 2018,<https://prezi.com/g0gglhnmpe0a/marshall-mcluhans-media-ecology-theory/>

Ross, N 2013, The vast differences between the NBN and the Coalition’s alternative, Nick Ross, viewed 12 August 2018 <http://www.abc.net.au/technology/articles/2013/02/21/3695094.htm>

Fiber to the Node (FTTN) vs Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) 2014–2018, NBN Information, viewed 14 August 2018, <https://www.nbninformation.com/fttnvsfttp.html>

Australia’s NBN rollout a global embarrassment 2017, Brisbane Hosting & Website Design, viewed 14 August 2018,<https://brisbanehosting.com.au/australias-nbn-rollout-global-embarrassment/>

What is media ecology?, Theo Digital, viewed 12 August 2018,<http://www.theodigital.com/digital-theology/what-is-media-ecology>

Jared Aviet

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