SYMBOLIC INTERFACES OF NEW MEDIA

Media can be said to represent the combination of technology and culture: Media is dependent on technology, while the contents of media are dependent on culture. For this reason, a culture that is produced through technology is techno-cultural in nature, though the proportion of equipment to culture depends on the type of media.

In stories or speeches that are expressed through a human voice, not much equipment is necessary; with telegraphs or telephones, a lot of media equipment is necessary. The telephone serves as a key mediator in society, as it connects two people separated by physical distance. Yet in the case of Internet phones, the influence of equipment is relatively unimportant. When using the Internet, a software interface that somewhat resembles a telephone replaces material equipment. Often symbolized by the Internet, new media replaces the physical equipment of old mediums with symbolic interfaces.