Regarding Media, What is a Walled Garden?
The Robert Frost poem “Mending Wall” has an oft repeated line, “Good fences make good neighbors,” voiced by Frost’s neighbor as they mend the wall between their two properties. The idea, at least according to the neighbor, is that a degree of privacy may result in a more civil environment between two people living close together. This theory is the basis for the concept of walled gardens in media, particularly in various Internet communities. A walled garden in simplest definition is a limited place to which only members have access. In cable television, you see a walled garden of sorts when subscribers purchase packages of channels. You are essentially restricted to the channels you order, and unless you decide to upgrade your package, you won’t get all channels available. Another example of the walled garden occurs when people purchase products like the iPhone®. Currently Apple® blocks users from purchasing any other phone connection service than that offered by its company. You can’
