Writing web histories with an eye on the analog past

Abstract

While acknowledging that the task of writing web histories introduces new problems and possibilities, this article urges web historians to consider broadcast historiography scholarship that grapples with questions of power, preservation, and the unique challenges of ephemeral media. Methodological concerns in web history and archiving are compared with examples from broadcast history that demonstrate strategies for coping with ephemeral media and the power relations that impact archiving. Recognizing the limitations of historical approaches that compare digital networked forms with old media, this article concludes by suggesting that the emerging field of software studies can help retain the focus on digital culture and digital artifacts. A short case study of Flash software is offered to demonstrate how attention to software, along with approaches informed by cultural histories of broadcast media, can provide a new perspective for exploring the ephemeral nature of web objects and the discursive negotiations surrounding their production.