A Digital Master is an image, line-art, video or other kind of media file, created and stored in a way that ensures the highest level of reuse and re-expression. A digital master has not been prepared and optimized for a particular use, such as a printed magazine or use on the internet. It is a “mother” file from which variations for specific uses can be derived easily.
A carefully crafted digital master is a valuable asset that can be repurposed and reused over period of many years.
On the other hand, a media file optimized for, and therefore limited to, a specific type of use is normally short-lived and represents less value. Such “orphan” media files may only be of interest for of a few weeks or months.
An example of an orphan file is an image optimized for display on a web page. Such an image is inappropriate for use in a printed magazine because the resolution has been reduced dramatically.