The Tech View

Writer Alert: Get up to speed on the new digital jargon

by Kelly Lynne Ashton

So a producer asks you to come in and talk about a new digital project to see if you might be interested in writing for it. You panic just a bit because this area is new to you. What do you do? Pull out this handy list of top ten digital definitions so you can at least know what the producer is talking about when she rattles off acronyms and newly coined jargon.

Webisode/Mobisode/Mobisoap:

his is number one on the list because this format is HOT in the marketplace and every producer is trying to get something going. These terms are often used interchangeably and sometimes improperly. Webisodes are ongoing episodes of a story or anthology episodes that can be downloaded or streamed (live viewing) from a website. Mobisodes are episodes that are available via mobile phones. Mobisoaps are a new sub-genre of mobisodes where the ongoing episodes are part of a soap opera available via mobile phone [this terms seems to have been coined January 2006 so drop it in conversation to look really current]. The confusion between the terms comes from producers producing content once that can be available both online and through mobile phones. The choice of term is often dictated by which platform is first window.

Podcasting:

This originally meant recorded ‘radio’ shows that could be downloaded to an iPod but now is often used to describe any distribution of recorded audio or audio-visual programs to iPods or cell phones, or available for download to your computer. Podcasting is another HOT platform now that video can be downloaded to iPods, and Google Video is testing the market for video downloads for a fee.

Videogames:

Videogames is an all-encompassing word, but basically there are four different formats (or combinations thereof): PC (personal computer), Console (Playstation 2, Xbox, Nintendo Gamecube), Handheld (Gameboy Advance, PSP or Playstation Portable), Online (accessible through website or console). Many games are movie-based or want to have the same production values as movie-based games, leading more and more producers to engage writers who can develop characters, create plot and write dialogue. Even some cell phone mini-games use scripted material.

Broadband:

This is high speed Internet access such as through Rogers Cable or Bell Hi-Speed. The alternative is dial-up. Broadband is required to easily and quickly view multimedia (eg. webisodes, podcasting, gaming) online.

Texting:

Sending text messages through your cell phone to another cell phone. As well, websites foster community through ‘pushing’ text messages to registered community members. Sometimes these text messages are in character and ‘scripted’.

MSNing:

This refers to online text chat through the MSN service, though now the verb can encompass other branded text chat services such as Yahoo Chat. These are one-to-one or one-to-a select identified group chats, rather than a public chat room. Video and voice may now be included in an MSN chat. Again, to support community, characters can be contacted for text chat.

Googling:

Searching content online through Google or other services such as MSN or Yahoo. Used to competitively identify how many online listings you have compared to your colleagues. (eg. “I have three pages of listings, how many do you have?”)

SMS or MMS:

SMS is Short Message Service and is the formal term for text messages sent through the cellphone. MMS is Multimedia Message Service and also allows users to send photos and video that they captured with their phone.

ISP:

Internet Service Provider. For example, the cable or phone company is the ISP if you are on Broadband. There are also local independent ISPs that handle both dial-up and high speed.

Digital Media:

You could almost ask what isn’t included (i.e. film, television and video) as the
following formats are all considered digital and more are being added to the list every day: Internet, Cell, E-Books, Videogames, CD-ROM and DVD-ROM. Note that there are overlaps and broadcast can be particularly tricky as Internet Broadcasting, Video on Demand and iTV (interactive television) can be included in a broadcaster’s definition of Pay TV, or a producer’s definition of digital rights held back.