"Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide"
By: Henry Jenkins
Question and Analysis
1.
Why does
convergence happen in the communication and media fields? What are two conditions that lead to convergence?
-Media convergence occurs in the communications field is because it represents a cultural shift by consumers having the rare opportunity to be an active participant in discovering new information and creating ties to various forms of media. Convergence also has the ability to merge old and new forms of media together as one. Thus, it allows the consumer to choose what will become the most powerful form of communication. Media convergence happens in communication to create a simple single message in a single way.
-The first condition that leads to convergence would be similar content being made available to travel through various locations and channels taking shape into many different forms. The second condition involves convergence being available to companies that are given the opportunity to send messages and through different channels instead of one standard media channel.
2. What are the three different kinds of digital convergence discussed in the article?
- The three kinds of digital convergence stated in the article are the flow of content through media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media industries, and the migratory behavior of media audiences who will go almost anywhere in search of the kinds of entertainment experiences they want to view.
3. what cultural and social impacts does digital convergence have in addition to technological changes?
- Consumers as a whole are encouraged to seek out new informations in order to make connections with various media content, being the driving force. Socially consumers now have the ability to contribute to consumption of the collective process. As a society we stress the importance of spreadng information quickly through various forms of communication impacting digital convergence. These ideas are involved in the following concepts such as: media convergence, participatory culture, and collective intelligence. 5
4. Do the new media displace old media in the history of media development? Why or why not?
-No! According to Henry Jenkins, "old media never dies. The tools we use to support old media fade but, they are replaced by new media devices that continue on the same messages. For example, listening to music about 60 years ago involved and 8-track, now consumers can click a few buttons and immerse themselves in music from their iPods or computers. New media technologies enable the same content to flow through many difference channels and assume different forms just like old media.
5. The convergence happens from both top-down corporate level and bottom-up grassroots level. How do both levels change the traditional concept of media consumption?
- Both groups involved in convergence have been forced to reexamine their role in media production, distribution, and consumption. Because of media convergence's role in giving the everyday consumer a more of an equal part in the collective process, it gives everyone and anyone the chance to spread information how they see fit.
6. What does digital convergence in media indicate for communication and journalism professionals in the future.
-Convergence as a whole is making it a more difficult process for communication professionals. In order to survive, everyone must work together. Newspaper are becoming unpopular against a growing industry of online news, blogs, and websites. In order to survive with media convergence, professionals must have the flexibility to adapt to the rapidly changing world of media.
