{"id":5337,"date":"2025-01-09T12:50:22","date_gmt":"2025-01-09T11:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/works-and-content-false-friends\/"},"modified":"2025-12-22T10:16:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T09:16:36","slug":"works-and-content-false-friends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/en\/works-and-content-false-friends\/","title":{"rendered":"Works and \u201cContent\u201d: (False) Friends?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Used to describe just about everything and its opposite, \u201ccontent\u201d has gradually become the alpha and omega of the ever-expanding digital world. From marketing content to audiovisual content, some pieces resemble artworks while others act as bait\u2026 Through the France 2030 programme, the President of the Republic even aims to \u201cposition France as a global leader in the production of cultural and creative content.\u201d But who\u2014or what\u2014are we actually talking about? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Before anything else, let us remember that a \u201ccontent\u201d is first what fills a container, what one expresses, and sometimes even what one holds back. Cultural content refers to \u201cthe symbolic meaning, artistic dimension and cultural values that emanate from or express cultural identities\u201d\u00b9. Digital content, on the other hand, \u201cincludes website and blog content, application software, as well as literary, musical, television or cinematographic works offered for download or streaming\u201d\u00b2. A different approach defines digital content as \u201cone of the key drivers of online communication. It can be used to share information, ideas, solutions and promote products. It can also be used to raise awareness of a product, service or brand as a whole\u201d\u00b3. In short, things get blurry. What exactly do these famous \u201ccontents\u201d contain? <\/p>\n\n

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Nordiske Mediedager Freddy Foss – creative commons<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Work, Mediation and Marketing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

To which objects does the term digital content actually refer\u2014if we narrow it down a bit? First, we think of content available on the many streaming platforms. This includes both cinematic, photographic, musical or sound-based works\u2026 and variety shows, news programmes, documentaries\u2026 Here, content refers less to a specific typology than to the multitude of elements hosted within a container. <\/p>\n\n

First freeze-frame: how do we distinguish a work from content? The French Intellectual Property Code defines a work as \u201can intellectual creation that may take various forms: from the classic book to photography, from choreography to musical composition, including adaptations, transformations and arrangements of works\u201d\u2074. It is therefore protected by copyright. On this question, ChatGPT offers a helpful synthesis: a work is a form of artistic or intellectual creation intended to convey a personal, emotional or aesthetic vision, whereas content often responds to practical, informative or commercial needs. <\/p>\n\n

The boundary between the two can be blurry, but the distinction lies in the intention, form and impact of the creation. In everyday language, a shift seems to have taken place. Works have become a subset of content. Marie Ballarini, PhD in Information and Communication Sciences and lecturer at Paris Dauphine University, adds: \u201cThe term \u2018content\u2019 comes from the American translation of content and content creator, closely tied to the development of digital tools<\/em>.\u201d She gives two examples to illustrate how fine the boundary can be between a work and content. On the one hand, the Louvre\u2019s VR experience <\/a>Face to Face with the Mona Lisa<\/em>, which she considers mediation content\u2014co-created with the museum\u2014designed to explain and provide informational material. On the other hand, the immersive experience created for the Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Orsay<\/a>, Van Gogh\u2019s Palette, offering a narrative, emotional content and interaction. <\/p>\n\n

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