Communication Infrastructures: contested ecologies
The “Media Ecology” emerged as more innovative approach in communication and media studies to understand how media environment-formed by media technologies-affect the humans social settings. Neil postman co-founder of term media ecology define it as Media ecology looks into the matter of how media of communication affect human perception, understanding, feeling, and value; and how our interaction with media facilitates or impedes our chances of survival (Postman, 1970)
There is always an objection raised by intellectual why the metaphor ecology is used which is more suitable for biological field rather than in social studies. In its inaugural address at the first convocation of media ecology association Neil postman argue that they use biological metaphor “ecology” because they want to make people more conscious of the fact that human being live in two different kind of environment one is natural and other is media environment consist of language, images, symbols and machinery that make us what we are. (Postman, 2000)
New mode of technologies and communication infrastructure transformed every aspect of life and now the world became global drawing room. Everyone is connected via internet devices they share data and information this information won’t only shape their intellectual approach but also influence their cultural pattern. Nardi & O’Day define information ecology as system of people, practices values and technologies in a particular local environment. (Nardi, 1999)
As an example we focus on Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN) and its reconstitution of media ecology within house hold. Multipurpose Household Survey 2016–17 shows that the proportion of households with access to the Internet at home has been steadily climbing since 2004–05 but remained constant between 2014–15 and 2016–17 at 86%. 97% of children aged under 15 years had access to the Internet compared with 82% of households without children under 15. Desktop, laptop, mobile or smart phones are used by 91% of connected households it also witnessed in survey that Internet connected TVs had the largest increase in usage by households, from 27% in 2014–15 to 42% in 2016–17. (Anon., n.d.) Faster connectivity available through high-speed broadband will have a significant impact on this ecology, and on the household’s use of telephones, social networking, government services, commercial consumption, health services, and all manner of other performances and devices that are arranged in meaningful relations within and between households. (Rowan Wilken, n.d.)
Refrences:
Anon., n.d. Household Use of Information Technology, Australia, 2016–17, s.l.: s.n.
Nardi, B. O., 1999. Information Ecologies: Using Technology with Heart. s.l.:MT Press, Cambridge.
Postman, N., 1970. What is Media Ecology?. [Online]
Available at: http://www.media-ecology.org/media_ecology/#What is Media Ecology? (Neil Postman)
Postman, N., 2000. The Humanism of Media Ecology. [Online]
Available at: http://www.media-ecology.org/publications/MEA_proceedings/v1/humanism_of_media_ecology.html
Rowan Wilken, B. N. M. A. J. K. a. M. G., n.d. National, local and household media ecologies:The case of Australia’s National Broadband.