To connect, to create, to share creativity or thought, to discuss, to collaborate, to form
groups or to combine with others in mutual interests or passions. If you can’t see the
point of any of those things, you will not see the point of Facebook.’
(www.guardian.co.uk)
What opportunities and/or disadvantages do new and digital media have for audiences?(48 marks

New and digital media has offered significant advantages and disadvantages for audiences, and in the last 20 years the advances that is has made have resulted in society being connected in a way that it never has been before.  I am going to write with a focus on how new and digital media have impacted on the film industry audience, and what sorts of opportunities it has offered them.

One advantage that new and digital media offers film audiences is the chance to see things that are more technologically advanced, for example 3D and HD offer the audience a different and perhaps more exciting experience.  IMAX screenings of the new Bond film were booked out almost 3 months in advance for its' opening weekend, and Skyfall took £53.4 million in its' first 10 days:  a record that beat the previous winner The Dark Knight Rises.  Audiences go to the cinema to be entertained and to escape, and IMAX offers them this on a different level.

Audiences are able to interact with other members of the public more reguarly and in more depth now, and whereas previously discussions about films would be between friends and would take place in person, they now take place on the internet.  Youtube offers a forum for fans to discuss (U+G social interaction) and find out what other people think, and under trailers fans often contribute their thoughts and engage in debates and discussions about ideas.  For example, people commented on how 'awesome' Taken 2 was, and two people had begun a conversation about it and a discussion about which was better, Taken 1 or Taken 2.  In essence, this is an example of free marketing, as the audiences themselves are chatting about the films and therefore are likely to go on to have real conversations about it, or to post something on a social media site where likeminded people would also be keen to watch it.  Interestingly, in this same example, one person had gone on to post a site where you could watch the entire leaked film.  This exposes a disadvantage of new and digitla media as it means people can view films online and illegally and therefore could mean that people don't pay to go and see it at the cinema, which could have a negative impact on its' takings. 

Access to Media is now much easier, and this makes watching films and trailers much easier.  People are able to download films or to sign up to companies such as 'Love Film' and they never have to leave their homes to visit a shop to rent or buy a DVD if they don't want to!  This is obviously an advantage for audiences as it means they can be more flexibile and they can acquire films more easily.  This is also a disadvtange as it impacts on shops and businesses and means that audiences miss out on human contact in some way.

This is a key disadvtange of new and digital Media:  it means that audiences no longer need to have contact with anyone, ever, at any point.  This means that they are able to live a life encased in their own world, and to create any persona for themselves, and interact with people on a daily basis, whilst never actually meeting up with anyone.  The dangers of this are clear as it means that people sometimes believe that they can act in any way that they please and are able to say whatever they want.   Internet trolls have become more and more present in recent years and this is largely due to people believing that the internet is a kind of cloak over who they really are.  Therefore whilst the internet has offered a certain amount of freedom to audiences and has given them more power to interact with the things that they love and meet new people, it has also given people the power to be anyone that they want, and this can be a dangerous thing.