Speed:

Why a New Approach for Hot and Cold Media?

Since the introduction of the Hot and Cold (Cool) Media by Marshall McLuhan, the theory has been subject to different and almost paradoxical interpretations and understanding. Aside from the complexity in #marshall_mcluhan theory of Media Hot and Cool, the theory itself seems incapable of justifying a global range of #media and new ones as well. It has been proven a type of relativity in the theory prevents it from providing a comprehensive understanding of the Hot and Cold media in a cemented and fixed approach.

This post has been provided by Amir Mokhtariand is subject to copyright.

This note seeks to provide a brand new approach and definition of Hot and Cold media (content), which is to be global and robust enough to comprehend and justify the whole media and technologies of the gone days and yet-to-come ones, through a defined and established framework. The theory also is usable for both “Content” and “Form”. The theory has been devised and revised by Amir Mokthari (Iranian Media figure).

Media Hot and Cold (Cool)

The theory enjoys different and related media properties and qualities that provide a global application for it. These properties are working as Variables for defining and so measuring the hot and cold media.

1.Definition

In this note, definition stands for the quality of process, structure, presentation, and illustration of the message, subject, content, and the whole world of the medium. The more the properties, qualities, structures, and aspects of the medium (and its message), the higher its definition will be. According to the medium, properties like sound intensity, color, size, frame, space, image, framework, typography, design, drawing, etc., are the variables for #definition.

A Comparison of Definitions for Hot and Cold Media

For instance, you can imagine the two wholly different media of #book and #movie. The movie serves the audiences with a higher definition of the characters, scenes, colors, settings, space, location, and all in a visual and tangible way that leaves no ambiguity and so no margin for imagination. The show is clear, sharp, framed, and well-defined. Book on the other hand sends the letter cues and clues, and calls and tempts the reader to shape and construct the whole world, exploiting his own imagination and past history. The book does it in a more #democratic way while the movie tackles it in a more #dictator manner. Considering the mentioned story, the book is to be known as cold and the movie as a hot medium.

How do you categorize comic and picture books? Hot or cold?

Based on the mentioned theory of Definition, and compared with the letter book (no picture), the comic book is a hot medium for what serves the reader with more illustrations and framed reality of the ongoing content of letters. In the same way, you can take a paper interview, as a cold version of the audio interview which contains more qualities and is described as hot content.

Final Thought on Definition

Considering described theory, a medium with High Definition is called a Hot medium, and one with Low Definition is called a Cold (cool) medium. Hot medium (content) is High-Definition (HD), and cold medium (content) is Low-Definition (LD). The hot medium presents more qualities and definitions of its message, subject, and content, and the cold one presents the least.

2. Function

The function is the other variable for distinguishing the hot medium from the cold one. Being loyal to #mc_luhan, the author defines the #cold_media with the #function known as “Fill in the Blank”. As mentioned in #definition, the cold media presents the least to the audience and asks more from him. The Low definition calls and asks for the task known as #fill_in_the_blank. But unlike the textual fashion that the task brings to mind, this blank is more of a comprehension task rather than a textual or writing one. In another word, the task is a call to action that provokes the reader (audience) to take a part in the content and message and do his share for constructing the rest of the message and its world. On the other hand, the #hot_media serves the audience in a more convenient fashion providing them with the most so he has the least to do to digest the message. It is all there for you. Just take it and go.

Definition vs Function

Regarding the story above, Function is the dependent variable of the definition.
Cold media has a “Fill in the Blank” function while hot media lacks this function and serves the audience the most. The more you have to fill to shape the message, the colder the medium.
The colder the medium, the more the media labor of the audiences and vice versa.

3. Role of Audience (Passive vs Active)

Based on the described variables, hot media is known as high-definition which seeks the least from the audience to fill in. On the other side, the cold media is low-definition, calling the audience for filling in the blanks. As you can see, the definition shapes the function, and the function shapes the task and role of the audience. So for the cold media, the audience is more active to comprehend and construct the rest of the world, while the hot media seeks a passive audience to serve him with high-definition content and the world.

Final Thoughts on Audience

Cold media calls for an active audience and hot media for a passive one.
In Cold media, part of the story is shaped and formed by the audience while the hot media leaves no track for the audience to shape the world.
In cold media, the audience is part of the game, while in hot media he is a spectator.

4. Engagement (Participation vs Involvement)

Engagement (Participation) is a direct outcome and effect of the definition and function. Participation is known for the practice, work, usage, and exploitation the certain part, organ, feeling, and qualities for conceiving the media’s message. Based on the definition, engagement can be divided into two types Emotional (Sensory) Engagement and Perceptional Engagement.

4.1. Sensory Engagement (Involvement)

As the term suggests, #sensory_engagement deals with the feeling-oriented qualities that are in direct relation and touch with eyes (what you see), ears (what you hear), skin (what you touch), nose (what you smell), and what you FEEL about the whole subject, content, and the medium. Considering the definition, the higher the definition of the subject, the stronger the stimulus of the content and the more the sensory engagement of the audience. More presentation of the subject signals the feeling of the audience which is a cause for higher sensory engagement. So #involvement can be defined as a dependent variable that is in direct relation to the definition. High definition calls for more sensory engagement. On the other extreme, the lower the definition, the lower the sensory engagement.

For instance, the movie provides the highest sensory engagement while the book is guilty of weak one.

Final thoughts on Sensory Engagement (involvement)

Hot medium calls for the highest sensory engagement and cold medium for the lowest.

4.2. Perceptional Engagement (Participation)

Perceptional engagement is known as the flip side of the #sensory_engagement. The higher definition serves the audience with a transparent and tangible world to comprehend which does not demand much of the audience’s perception. While the cold medium provides the least, calls the audience to fill in the blank and so derives the most of the perceptional engagement of him.

While the high definition goes for higher sensory engagement, it leaves no track for more personal perception which leads to weaker and the least perceptional engagement. In a simple tone, there is an indirect relation between definition and #perceptional_engagement. The higher the definition, the less the audience has to do to complete the message and the lower the perceptional participation.

To make it simple, you can compare the word “Home” with a certain image of “Home” in a movie, or elsewhere. The word “home” is LD and so provides the least sensory work while the image is HD and brings the most sensory engagement. The word “home” consumes more perception while the image of it calls for the least perceptional engagement.

The hot media provides more sensory labor while less perceptional. The cold media provides less sensory labor and more perceptional.

5. Reading (Interpretation)

Reading can be understood as the most important variable defining the hot and cold media. Reading (#interpretation, #study, #observation, and similar actions), can be known as the outcome and final effect of all the mentioned variables. As mentioned, definition leads to function. Function shapes the role of the audience and their sensory and perceptional participation. At last, the mentioned factors determine audiences’ reading and the way they read, study, interpret, and observe the media product.

What are the Reading and Interpretation?

The author defines the #reading as a process in which the audience takes the perceptional and sensory signals from the content, and then tries to customize and digest the message based on his own biological, cultural, social, and other personal backgrounds. Reading is a base and primary step for “Performance” which will be discussed later. In simple words, the reading stands for what we learn as Digestion or Consumption of the media product, based on personal backgrounds and knowledge.

Final Thought on Reading

The hot medium serves the audience with a constructed, HD, formed, and dictated world and the audience has the least to pay his own share in constructing the message. You can take the hot medium as a dictator agent. Based on the mentioned lines, Movie provides a single, certain, and most important Homogeneous Reading for all the audiences (no matter how many). The reading stays the same no matter if one audience is using the medium or millions.

Cold medium activates the user with the lowest definition and entices him for taking his part and complete, or even construct the whole universe and message of the medium. You can take the cold medium as a democratic agent. The cold medium opens the way for millions and even infinite numbers of readings, by providing the least definition of content. The more the audience of the cold medium, the higher the readings of the same content will be. Every new audience of cold medium provides and adds a brand new Reading to the last readings of the medium (content).

Hot medium provides a single certain Reading, no matter how many audiences. Cold medium provides as many readings as the audience.

6. Performance

Performance is a quality of cold medium and is originated from the potential of reading. The more the potential of different readings, the higher the possibility of more performance. In other words, Reading brings Performance.

Take sheet music for instance. Sheet music is known as a cold medium with the lowest definition that makes it possible for an infinite number of performances by infinite artists and multiple instruments. But a single performance of a musician with an instrument is known as a hot medium, for what has been limited to certain characters, certain instruments, and performances as well. Overheating (more about the overheating on this note) is the hot medium of music performance, you can consider the recorded version of the performance as a hot medium that spoils the possibility of more performances. While the live performance of the same recorded one is defined as a cold medium, making it possible for more and more performances. Please note how the hot and cold medium concepts are working relatively and making it possible to overheat a hot medium and limiting its performance, definition, and readings. Lyric is another example of a cold medium in that its performance by a singer is the hot version, while the performance itself can be known as the cold version of the recorded one.

7. Type of Reality

Reality is another side of the story that we use to make a comparison between #hot_and_cold_media. From our perspective, reality can be categorized into four different types.

7.1. Objective Reality

The type of reality with the lowest mediation (#manipulation) that exists right in front of your eyes, ears, and comprehension. The object is just the same as you see it. The way you see, hear, feel, and comprehend, is the way it is. Everything you grasp around yourself is defined as #objective_reality.

7.2. Intellectual Reality (Subjective Reality)

This is the type of reality that is constructed by the audience based on his own perception, and past experiences. For example, you name “Snow” and everyone has his own image, understanding, and reading from the object in his mind. Intellectual reality is mostly known for what we discussed as “Reading” in the past lines.

7.3. Normative Reality (Accepted Reality)

Normative reality has been defined by a certain group of people, certain elements, certain meanings, and certain norms. The language of different countries is categorized as Normative reality for each language has its own definition for different objects. The pencil is defined differently in other languages, while the objective reality of the pencil is the same in all languages.

7.4. Media Reality (Manipulated Reality)

As the name suggests, media reality is the manipulated one constructed, polished, processed, and imposed by the media. Every media has its own image and show different objects like Countries, Places, People, Cultures, etc. Among the list above, Subjective Reality (the reality that is made by the audience) and Media Reality (the reality manipulated and imposed by media) are of the utmost importance that we will exploit to distinguish between hot and cold media.

Considering our last discussions on variables like #definition, #function, #perceptional_engagement, #sensory_engagement, and #reading, we come up with the idea that cold media is constructed based on the #subjective_reality and hot medium is known for its #media_reality. Cold medium provides the audiences with more space to shape and customize the reality based on their reading, while the hot medium imposes a manipulated and framed one with no margin for further manipulation.

Cold medium is based on Subjective reality.
A hot medium is based on Media reality.

Form and Content from Hot and Cold Perspective

Unlike the common understanding of #form and #content (Medium and message), the author considers both items, of the same origin but with different amounts and ways of process. In another language, we take the form of an evolved version of the content. Considering the mentioned variables of #hot_and_cold_media, content, and form can be discussed as cold and hot medium respectively.

The form is known as a hot version of content overheated by high definition, frame, and manipulated construction. Content on the other hand is known as a cold medium of low definition and high reading.
The form is normative and the content is norm-less.
Norm itself is a hot property that originated from high definition and frames.

Conclusion (Media Hot and Cold)

There are different properties of hot and cold media defined below.

Cold media has the most reading and hot media has the least.
Hot media dictates the reading and atmosphere to the reader and leaves no chance for him to do so.
Cold medium provides infinite room for an infinite number of readings and interpretations while hot one provides a single reading.
Reading is a personal process of customizing the message. The more the chance of customization, the colder the medium is.
Cold medium owns a single form with infinite readings (based on the audiences).
Hot medium owns a single form with single reading (no matter how many audiences).
Hot medium has more dimensions than cold medium.
By lowering the dimensions of a medium, you are making it colder and by adding to its dimensions, you are overheating the medium.
Cold media calls for more participation.
Hot media calls for more involvement.
Hot media are the best options and mean for Homogenizing Society (Homogenization function of media).
More audiences of cold medium bring more readings to it.
More audiences of hot medium bring no new and extra reading to it.
The audience has the highest amount of participation in making the world and the concept of cold media.
Hot media is more media-oriented than cold one.
Hot media has more media added-value than its cold sample.
Cold media is the material for making and providing hot media.
Cold media is raw and hot media is cooked (manipulated).
The form is overheated content.
Cold media is based on intellectual reality and hot media is based on media reality.
The form is hot and the content is cold.
The form is an HD version of the content.
Form dictates the function and function is the message.
Cold medium (content) calls for more media labor and hot content seeks the least.

On February 8, 2023 By AMCP