A few weeks ago, I attended a talk at the Berkman Center that centered around the concept of online “platforms” and the politics of the loosely-defined layers tangled up in the term.
From a theoretical vantage point, the need for a firmer definition comes at a favorable intersection. The mainstream players cited in the talk (Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Flickr) have all undergone endless UI iterations and carry robust and vocal user bases, indicating that basic functionality is well understood across audiences; yet, from a partner integration standpoint, the services remain malleable enough that brands and networks can still help to define their access points and relational methodology.
The critical point here is that this juncture isn’t only ripe in the academic sphere. Clearly the industry can (and should) benefit as well, and it should be noted that this ‘industry’ encompasses not only digital signage networks, but an entire host of satellite segments (see diagram above).
It’s evident that it’s prime time for defining not only what a platform can and should be in a New Media sense, but also for proving its potential in the term’s most basic faculty: as an interactive stage for people, causes, and ideas.
A better defined platform becomes the industry’s foundation for new sets of fresh, ready to run, interactive, real-time apps that will help shape further integration across DOOH.
(And it should come as no surprise that we have more up our sleeve in this regard…)
