Mass Communication and Journalism: Foundations of Mass Communication Media - Convergence Technological Economic Cultural

What It Is

Media convergence refers to the integration of different media forms, technologies, and platforms to create new forms of content, distribution, and consumption. A canonical example of media convergence is the rise of online news websites, such as CNN.com, which combines traditional television news with online features, social media integration, and interactive content. This matters for media analysis because it highlights the changing landscape of news consumption and production, and for journalistic practice because it requires journalists to adapt to new technologies and platforms.

Key Terms & Concepts

• Media Convergence: The integration of different media forms, technologies, and platforms to create new forms of content, distribution, and consumption.
• Transmedia Storytelling: The practice of telling a single story across multiple media platforms, such as film, television, and online content.
• Multimedia Journalism: The use of multiple forms of media, such as text, images, and video, to tell a story.
• Cross-Platform Distribution: The practice of distributing content across multiple platforms, such as television, radio, and online.
• Digital Divide: The gap between those who have access to digital technologies and those who do not.
• New Media: New forms of media that have emerged with the advent of digital technologies, such as social media and online news websites.
• Old Media: Traditional forms of media, such as print and broadcast television.
• Hybrid Media: The combination of old and new media forms, such as online news websites that combine traditional news with interactive features.
• Media Ecology: The study of the relationships between media, technology, and society.
• Marshall McLuhan: A media theorist who argued that media shape our perceptions of reality (1964).
• The Medium is the Message: A concept developed by McLuhan that suggests that the medium itself is more important than the content it carries.
• Henry Jenkins: A media scholar who has written extensively on transmedia storytelling and convergence culture (2006).
• Convergence Culture: A term coined by Jenkins to describe the ways in which different media forms and platforms are converging to create new forms of content and culture.

Common Misunderstandings

• Misunderstanding: Media convergence is a new phenomenon that has only emerged with the advent of digital technologies.
• Correction: Media convergence has been a gradual process that has been building over several decades, with the rise of cable television, satellite broadcasting, and online news websites.
• Misunderstanding: Media convergence is only about the technical aspects of media production and distribution.
• Correction: Media convergence is also about the cultural and social implications of new media forms and platforms, and how they are changing the way we consume and interact with media.
• Misunderstanding: Media convergence is only about the benefits of new media forms and platforms.
• Correction: Media convergence also raises important questions about issues such as access, equity, and the digital divide.

Quick Application / Identification

Scenario: A news organization is considering launching a new online news website that will combine traditional news with interactive features and social media integration. What type of media convergence is this an example of?

Answer: Hybrid Media. Explanation: This is an example of hybrid media because it combines old and new media forms, such as traditional news with interactive features and social media integration.

Scenario: A journalist is working on a story that will be told across multiple media platforms, including film, television, and online content. What type of storytelling is this an example of?

Answer: Transmedia Storytelling. Explanation: This is an example of transmedia storytelling because it involves telling a single story across multiple media platforms.

Scenario: A news organization is considering distributing its content across multiple platforms, including television, radio, and online. What type of distribution is this an example of?

Answer: Cross-Platform Distribution. Explanation: This is an example of cross-platform distribution because it involves distributing content across multiple platforms.

Last-Minute Revision

• Media convergence is a gradual process that has been building over several decades.
• The rise of online news websites is an example of media convergence.
• Transmedia storytelling involves telling a single story across multiple media platforms.
• Hybrid media combines old and new media forms.
• Cross-platform distribution involves distributing content across multiple platforms.
• The digital divide refers to the gap between those who have access to digital technologies and those who do not.
• New media refers to new forms of media that have emerged with the advent of digital technologies.
• Old media refers to traditional forms of media, such as print and broadcast television.
• Media ecology is the study of the relationships between media, technology, and society.
• Marshall McLuhan argued that media shape our perceptions of reality.
• The medium is the message is a concept developed by McLuhan that suggests that the medium itself is more important than the content it carries.
• Henry Jenkins has written extensively on transmedia storytelling and convergence culture.
• Convergence culture is a term coined by Jenkins to describe the ways in which different media forms and platforms are converging to create new forms of content and culture.
• The digital divide is a major issue in media convergence.
• Media convergence raises important questions about issues such as access, equity, and the digital divide.
• The rise of online news websites is an example of media convergence.
• Transmedia storytelling involves telling a single story across multiple media platforms.
• Hybrid media combines old and new media forms.
• Cross-platform distribution involves distributing content across multiple platforms.