Hot Media, Cool Media

In the past, some media have been described as "hot," meaning there is more emotional content. Video is "hot." Newspapers are "cool." As people start to multitask, there is a new meaning. Hot media require more active attention. Cool media are easier to deal with in the background. In this new context, TV is "cool," while talking and texting or instant messaging are "hot," in the sense of requiring fuller and more active attention. Music might be "cool," and in the background, while gaming is "hot", and requires active attention. Voice mail, being non real time, is cool. Talking now, that's hot. Web surfing is pretty "hot," as you have to pay attention.

It isn't yet immediately clear how this affects advertising potential. But it might be a clue that formerly "hot" media can become "cool" in a new context, while formerly "cool" media such as words can become quite "hot" in a new environment. Videoconferencing remains "hot" and telepresence maybe theoretically the hottest of all.