Digitally Experiencing the Eclipse 2017

Did you catch the solar eclipse this week?  How could you miss it?  If you were at work, at school, at play, inside or outside, some way or another you had an opportunity to witness it, if not by your own eyes, you could definitely have witnessed the historical total solar eclipse on some type of broadcast on some type of device, probably a digital one.  This week in Strategic Communication 6630 we covered the introduction to Digital Media, and it was amazing to me how digital information transformed my 2017 eclipse experience from my last one just as it has transformed so many opportunities. Our class resources this week covered the history of digital media and how digital technology has added an unlimited amount of information to our universe.  It was from this enormous amount of “big data” that many people were able to gather enough information to prepare for, understand and experience an event such as the eclipse.

 

The last total solar eclipse that you could witness in North America was in February of 1979, and I vaguely remember the hype that surrounded the event.  I come from a small town, and we only had three channels back then, ABC, CBS and NBC,  maybe two decent radio stations, one local newspaper, and one regional newspaper to which we had access.    I remember watching coverage, but it wasn’t a big deal because I didn’t know much about the eclipse and I couldn’t get the glasses to protect my eyes.  I just remember watching the news summary about it.  During this past week, the fourth week in August 2017, the information leading up to this total solar eclipse occurring in North America received so much hype, that you couldn’t help but to be curious enough to watch.  Most of this hype, of course, came in numerous forms thanks to the many innovations that have resulted from the digital information age. Looking back on this week’s eclipse and learning so much more about digital media, I am putting things into better perspective as to how media has changed so drastically over the years and how it continues to change, grow and benefit society.     

 I looked back on the coverage of the 1979 eclipse.  We had the ABC, CBS and NBC networks, radio networks, and computers existed but were not in many households.  I’m sure most people appreciated the coverage of such a momentous occurrence back then but the hype leading up to it and the coverage was nothing close to this week’s.  Here we are in 2017, and the coverage leading up to the eclipse, during the eclipse and after was astronomical, especially compared to 1979.  Just as we learned this week in class, far more eclipse information came from online sources and digital media than from television. As I stated, living in a small town and having only three television stations, one of which almost never worked, two radio stations and two newspapers limited information that was generated for any event, even the solar eclipse, but that was what was available and it was very useful, back then.  This past week, eclipse coverage was limitless, coming from the TV and radio stations, but mostly from digital sources like computers, tablets, social media and cell phones. These sources allowed us to witness history in ways that were not possible 38 years ago.  

I was able to go online and get a refresher on how exactly the eclipse happens.  In order to understand it fully, I had to learn again how the Earth and moon rotate around the sun.  YouTube provided the most entertaining and insightful lessons.   I also learned where the path of totality was going to be.  Online I was also able learn about safe viewing glasses and the exact time that the eclipse would reach my area.  On the day of the eclipse, I utilized my computer, cell phone and social media to keep up with its path and to view the eclipse as it crossed the country.

Our lessons this week covered how we have grown from limited television, radio and printed press to so many media sources in 2017, that we are no longer limited to how much information that is out there and how we can obtain it. Of course, there was so much information about the eclipse that it was easy to find out all you needed to know to anticipate the eclipse and enjoy the event in its entirety if you wanted to view it.  If you were not fortunate to be able to walk outside and view it, there were so many options where you could stay inside and watch it live on television, computers, tablets, or your cell phones. Additionally, friends on social media shared video and other details to keep everyone informed. The school system here decided to keep students inside during the eclipse in fear that some may damage their eyes.  My niece, who is in the fourth grade, totally enjoyed being able to watch it on a live feed in their class, as did many people throughout the world.  The eclipse turned out to be an amazing experience for me and many others, and digital information sources helped to make the experience so much better.

This eclipse experience is only one of the unlimited benefits that the tremendous explosion of information technology has brought to humanity over the years.  The advancements in technology and the vast amount of information that is generated and shared by millions of people over unlimited resources today make everyday experiences so different today from years ago.  Our resources this week point to the overwhelming amount of information that is being generated and how this information is creating opportunities and innovations that are transforming business, government, education, health and other areas of society.  We are able to tap into a universe of data and extract information that we need to carry out so many tasks in ways that we never have before, thanks to digital media and technology.  We can get the latest in science, business, entertainment, health and so many other topics through so many mediums now that the possibilities for learning and growing are tremendous.  The fact that I was able to get the precise information on the eclipse that I needed to totally experience it makes me so thankful for technological advances. And the fact that I am able to pursue my master’s from the comfort of my own home is just another positive example of the extraordinary benefits that the growth in digital media provides on a daily basis.  Never did I imagine in 1979 what advancements would come.  Looking back, those three (two) television stations back in 1979 along with the few radio stations and newspapers were my lifeline to the outside world. Now my world is limitless thanks to the incredible amount of information that is available through digital television and radio, computers, social media and cell phones. I can only imagine the information capabilities that will be present in seven years when the next solar eclipse crosses the United States.

Choices

I am a millennial who works full time helping to prepare high school students for college and career success.  When our worlds come together interesting things happen.  We have totally different tastes and cultures, but we all get a kick out of learning from each other.  Some of them do not know how to write in cursive, some haven’t learned great English skills, and some of them never pick up a newspaper or magazine, but I try my best to expose them to such things. They get a kick out of my vinyl record collection of music from the ‘70s and ‘80s. I get a kick out of how they take so easily to technology and how they cannot live without technology being within hand’s reach. My students introduce me to exciting ideas such as the latest in digital trends.  Our worlds complement each other when it comes to technology.  The young students help me to learn about the latest in technology.  Just last week a student taught me things about navigating Facebook that I never knew, which is sad because I have been on Facebook for over eight years. They also help me save money by helping me with technology problems free of charge.   It is fascinating looking at both of our technological cultures and this helps me to address this week’s topic of where traditional media is headed. I think that there will always be a market for traditional media outlets, but audiences crave online news sources increasingly.  Over time, traditional and online resources will continue to be successful news sources because audiences have come to appreciate both, and industry leaders are coming up with ways to satisfy these preferences on both sides of the aisle.

If you look at technological trends today you might think that traditional media is becoming obsolete.  Sure, newspapers and magazine sales are down.  But these industries are being innovative and coming up with ways to keep traditional sources afloat.  Social media is quickly becoming one of the most popular forums where consumers get their news.  I never thought I would rely on social media to catch up on the latest headlines, especially on a small handheld device.  I have always been a television fanatic and always looked forward to at least two hours of news watching daily. Even my traditions of traditional news outlets have changed. In a world filled with technology and people who have so much on their to-do lists, of course social media is a great place to get your news.  What could be better than catching up with your social media friends and family while also getting the latest in news and entertainment at the same time?

Around ten years ago, I remember telling my younger students that I had no need for Facebook or Twitter.  Years later I remember telling them that I was only on social media to contact friends and family I had lost contact with over time.  Years after that I remember saying that I mainly used social media to wish friends and family a happy birthday.  Nowadays I honestly must admit that social media has replaced a lot of the time that I used to spend in front of a television.  Now while I am catching up with family and friends, I am also learning about the latest in the world of news.

Several articles that I read this week point to the obvious fact that technology is helping to increase consumers’ dependence on online sources for news.  Other articles this week state that there are tremendous efforts with traditional media industries to come up with new tactics in order to save these outlets from further decline and they seem to be working.  The fact that consumers continue to rely on traditional outlets for news and the fact that more is being invested into these sources is a sign that they are not going away.  This is good news because on some days when my eyes just cannot deal with another minute of glaring at a computer or cell phone screen it is nice to just casually sit and watch my old friend the television or get my hands on a real newspaper or magazine.

One thing that is clear to me about the state of news sources today is that there is room for both traditional news sources and new technology based online sources.  I don’t think one is better than the other and I hope that neither ever goes away.  What is of most importance though is that both continue to stay on top of industry trends and consumer preferences.  Our readings this week showed us what some traditional newspapers and magazine companies are doing to compete with online sources, and they seem to be working.  These trends fall in line with other things I see in society today.  As I mentioned earlier, my students are fascinated with my vinyl record collection.  A few years ago I wondered what would happen to my collection if they stopped making record players. The advent of digital music was making vinyl obsolete. Then a couple of years ago, I began seeing more and more record players being sold.  Then this year I read several articles about how, of all things, vinyl is making a comeback.  Now I know how much space these albums take up, just like printed newspapers and magazines.  Yet there is a market for the vinyl and this is why it is making a return to popularity.  Just like my vinyl, I am pleased that traditional media is not going away anytime soon. Is it nostalgia or is it just that some people like getting their hands on tangible items?  Whatever the motivation, I am just as thankful for a good old paper newspaper and/or magazine as I am pleased with my vinyl records being in my hands.  And then again, I often appreciate having online resources on my cell phone or tablet. Why should we have to choose? After all, isn’t variety the spice of life?