In addition to their role as consumable products and information sources, new media are increasingly the basis on which entire careers and even industries are established. These industries extend beyond gatekeeper roles such as information technology support and web programming and into micro sections where companies exist only to perform small, behind-the-scenes roles that are essential to the maintenance and further development of new media. Some of these companies include application developers, website monitors and even online gamers. Because of the size and apparent invisibility of such firms, employment and participation with them is often carried out in a manner that in contrast to traditional media and offline industries is rather informal, relying more on “who you know,” as opposed to “what you know,” (Gill 2007, 25).
Gill (2007) uses qualitative information gathered through an interview methodology to explain these human resources informalities in the new media sector and the inherent challenges they bring about. The subjects of the interviews touch on issues such as low income, lonely work environments and isolated working conditions, as well as poor networking opportunities and client acquisition. I believe that because by its very definition new media is new, the industry structure has yet to develop into one that offers improved opportunities for its practitioner, including a sustainable revenue model and better pathways for both client and inter-organizational networking.
Reference:
Gill, R. (2007). Informality is the New Black. In Technobohemians or the new Cybertariat? New Media work in Amsterdam a decade after the web. Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures: 24-30 & 38-43.
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