We media emphasizes on the mode of spreading which allows every user to spread their information independently. Different from traditional media, we media does not rely on the centralization of information. Users of we media could use the media platform to share information and communicate with other users or followers just like running his own business.

According to a report of The Media Center at The American Press Institute, Shayne Bowman and Chris Willis give a precise definition of we media that after the intensification of digital technology and the globalization of knowledge system, there emerges a trend that citizens could provide and share their stories or news. The method of communication will be even more important than the information itself. Thus, the trend of we media emerges at the right time.

Create / Provide / Share

In 2006, Time Magazine elected the person of the year. However, there was no portraits of famous people on the cover. Instead, there was a big "YOU" and a personal computer. Time Magazine explained that the person of the year was "you" - every user and creator of the online content. I find that was an accurate prediction since our generation is exactly maximizing the influence of the talented individual and useful information, with the help of more and more developing media.

The relationship between social media and we media is that we media is the subset of social media. We media focuses on normal people as the audience, communicators, and users. For example, news media is published by professional journalists and scholars, so it is definitely not we media. However, the online system of news media belongs to social media. Any social network platform that expresses one's opinion is a social media, while the platform used only by the independent publishers can be called we media.

It is confusing to dig deep in the concept of those medias. In this project, besides the traditional we media like blogs, I will introduce two rising examples of we media: live streaming platforms and self-made funny video platforms.