CONVERGENCE AND DIGITAL MEDIA LANDSCAPE Week 4 - lecture

Overview

Although media technologies have evolved, the introduction of new technologies doesn’t mean that the old ones simply disappear into oblivion. Today, media consumers still watch television, listen to radio, read newspapers, and immerse themselves in movies at movie theaters. However, with media convergence, it’s now possible to do all those things through the Internet and on one device – a personal computer or a smartphone.

Media convergence is the process by which previously distinct technologies come to share tasks and resources. Smart devices enable us to access the vast and varied contemporary digital landscape. This week, we examine our own media use and technologies that allow us to interact with media and navigate the digital media landscape. A smart phone is a great example of technological convergence which combines it's original function with contemporary functions.

Types of Convergence

Convergence is not limited to technology and does not represent an end result. Convergence changes how media is developed, designed, created and consumed. According to media theorist, Henry Jenkins there are five categories of convergence as follows:-

Economic convergence takes place when a company controls multiple products or services within the same industry. For example, in the entertainment industry a single company may have interests across many kinds of media. The Walt Disney Company for example creates movies, television content, serves both children and adult audiences, controls theme parks, runs cruises, a giant in sports news and coverage and sells toys. These are all within the entertainment industry.

Organic convergence involves audiences watching a television show on the internet while exchanging text messages with contacts and playing music in the background. Organic convergence represents multiple communication activities taking place at the same time as a result of audience action.

Cultural convergence represents multiple aspects like stories on different media platforms,. For example converting comic books into blockbuster movies and TV shows. Converting radio shows into books. Characters like Cinderella or Mary Poppins for example can be found in books, films, toys and at amusement parks. Another aspect of cultural convergence is it's participatory culture where media consumers are able to comment on, restate and influence culture like never before.

Global convergence allows global cultures, nation states to influencing one another regardless of distance and separation of different countries from one another. Hollywood influences Bollywood and Bollywood influences Nollywood. Tom and Jerry airs on TV stations all over the world and on multiple contents including Africa, Middle East and Europe.

Technological convergence is the merging of technologies such as the ability to watch TV shows online on streaming sites like Hulu and Netflix. Play video games on smart phones and other potable devices. Technological convergence "creates relationships between different forms of media and enable content to flow across platforms (Jenkins, 2001).”

Activity: - Define convergence as it relates to mass media and provide some examples of convergence you’ve experienced in your life?

Effects of Convergence

Convergence creates significant generational gaps between people who grew up around the internet and generations who didn't. Young media consumers are not passive media consumers instead they are active participants sharing news and making connections between social events and cultural movements in their communities and beyond. The racial equality movement from the summer of 2020 is a great example of this convergence effect. Convergence also simplifies multitasking for consumers allowing them to engage in multiple media related activities at the same time.

Media convergence and immersion have been found to limit attention spans, impact critical thinking and deep thought and leaving media consumers especially young audiences more distracted according to media effects studies.

Media screen what we hear but we screen too. People pay attention to only a small amount of information made available to them. Bombarded by media, most of us suffer from information overload so we pick and choose what we want to see and hear. For example the New York Times now contains more information that the 17th century man or woman would have encountered in a lifetime. (Wurman, S.A. (1987) Information Anxiety. New York: Doubleday, 32. "In the last 30 years, mankind has produced more information than in the previous 5,000." (Information Overload Causes Stress. (1997, March/April). Reuters Magazine. Available: Lexis Nexis Universe [4/28/98].) Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel, coined Moore's Law which states that the processing power of computer chips doubles about every 18 months. "The world's total yearly production of print, film, optical, and magnetic content would require roughly 1.5 billion gigabytes of storage. This is the equivalent of 250 megabytes per person for each man, woman, and child on earth." Berkeley: How Much Information? (http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/research/projects/how-much-info/)