Creativity

With new media, our ability to create and share user-generated content has increased drastically. We are able to share stories, art, music, for all the world to see. There are numerous platforms dedicated to the creation and sharing of UGC (user-generated content).

For example, in the musical world - before the introduction of video sharing sites such as YouTube, aspiring musicians did not have a platform to show off their skills. Now, there are many musicians that have become Internet-famous, and are able to make a successful living off creating music and sharing it on Youtube. Many have even gone on to sign labels and tour around the world, and have huge followings on Youtube and social media.

In addition, the distribution of music has changed. Digital is the new medium, and it is quick, cost-effective, and convenient. Recording music has gotten quite simpler - all you need is a mic, and a computer. Like Mark Vidler said, "You don't need a distributor, because your distribution is the Internet. You don’t need a record label, because it’s your bedroom, and you don’t need a recording studio, because that’s your computer. You do it all yourself." (Frere-Jones, 2005)

Essentially, while previous aspiring musicians may have needed large amounts of money to record and distribute their music, the arrival of new media has effectively cut the cost dramatically. There are an incredibly large amount of music existing in the digital world, created by users and shared globally.

Frere-Jones, Sasha. "1 + 1 + 1 = 1 - The New Math of Mashups." The New Yorker. The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2005. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. <http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/01/10/1-1-1-1>.