7. The Idea of Altermediacy
Altermediacy is the property of change in the remediation of the real. Neither
real, nor the illusion of real nor the augmentation of real, altermediacy describes
the state or rate of flux between our remediated reality, our immediacy and
hypermediacy.
Altermediacy in Remediation
Altermediacy can reference the way in which an individual is finding meaning in
the media or a group or network finding/making meaning in the media.
INDIVIDUAL Fast contact and strong Technologically limited,
feeling of conversation small screens, clumsy
possible but reply can be platforms, many steps.
lost in the crowd or if However links to extra
you’ve switched off. information/media poss.
GROUP/SOCIAL Mobilizing action or Weakening connections
sinking into through lack of depth
insignificance? Few and excess multiplicity.
groups gain strength and Move of advertizing into
identity from process. space.
IMMEDIACY HYPERMEDIACY
Using twitter as an example of mapping altermediacy, you can ascribe a value to
the way in which twitter as a whole remediates our communications and also
use one value to contrast with another value by way of social, gender, economic
status etc.
Altermediacy can measure both the state AND rate of change and is in play when
there is oscillation between immediacy and hypermediacy. However, that is
indicative of rate of altermediacy only. It is possible for there to be no significant
rate or oscillation between states and yet for a state to be highly compelling,
delivering a message of force.
Altermediacy and Media Ecology
Altermediacy can also be used to explain the ‘direct’ relationship beween media
but as ‘directly’ is effectively removing the mediating or remediating subject, the
relationship beween media as a flow is more rightly media ecology or network
society.
Altermediacy , the Subjective and the Social
Altermediacy on the individual level is highly subjective and open to
psychological, literary and semiotic analysis.
Altermediacy on the social level is highly political and open to network, cultural
and sociological analysis.
Altermediacy is always open to an aesthetic or philosophical analysis.