Formulary for New Media

This manifesto argues that the internet has become boring and exhausting because platforms optimize for algorithms and advertising, and that a "New Media" built on a new spirit is needed to replace it. It contrasts the open frontier of 1990s and 2000s new media with today's formats like Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, which it describes as limited canvases that flatten self-expression. Examples offered of the movement include Cindy Lee's album Diamond Jubilee, released as a pay-what-you-want .zip file kept off streaming services, and Gary Hustwit's generative ENO documentary, whose versions differ for each screening. The piece is published by Metalabel, which presents itself as a hub for this movement.