Date: 26 Aug 13 - 12:23 PM

From the Canadian Archives.
It's understandable that there is so much confusion about this, as his 'hot media' vs 'cool media' concept wasn't very well developed. Cool media (tv, seminars, cartoons) requires little involvement----so we have to work harder in order to perceive it.


McLuhan
Hot and Cool

When McLuhan discussed visual space, he usually associated it with "hot media." Hot media are high in definition, and thus demand little participation on the part of the user. Generally speaking, they are associated with the eye, rather than the ear. Some hot media (such as print), are like visual space in that they are sequential, linear and logical.

Acoustic space, on the other hand, is usually associated with "cool media," and generally with the ear. Cool media are low in definition, and demand high participation from the user. In contrast to hot media, which favour analytical precision, quantitative analysis and sequential ordering, cool media demand perception of abstract patterning and simultaneous comprehension of all parts.