New media is not synonymous with young media. New media consists of blogs, pod, text, videos and web site innovations combined with a shift in how media is consumed and generated. This shift includes behavioral trends such as social networking, consumer generated media and on demand programming. It involves technological shifts like web 2.0, interactive web pages and the creation of a decentralized web. While web sites like Myspace, You Tube, and Heavy.com are most renowned for these innovations, many other sites web sites and demographics use them.

For instance, CNN.com exemplifies how traditional media can integrate new media into its web site. CNN offers an RSS feed, podcasting and online videos to which readers can subscribe. The CNN web site’s simple column design and user friendly interface remind me of many web 2.0 sites. It’s just missing a tag cloud!

Here’s another example. The AARP has four RSS feeds to which their readership (a 50+ demographic) subscribes. They provide podcasts for their members, which they conveniently call ‘portable programs.” Even the elderly web site Seniors for American has an RSS feed and links to blogs online.

On a personal note, I conducted end-user research for an online software company. I spoke with users in their seventies and eighties who go online daily. I gained an important insight from this. Seniors (who understood technology) linked their internet ability to a general sense of autonomy.

New media innovations will only strengthen their ability. By providing simple ways to benefit from technology, new media holds as much promise for 55+ demographic as it does for the 18-34 demo.

Want a different perspective? Ask Jupiter Research.