Overview
This lecture covers the concept of media convergence, its five main types as identified by Henry Jenkins, and its impacts on culture, technology, and society.
What Is Media Convergence?
- Media convergence is the process where previously separate technologies merge to share content, resources, and tasks.
- New devices like smartphones allow users to access newspapers, radio, TV, and movies all in one place.
- Old technologies rarely disappear entirely; instead, they adapt and coexist with new media.
Five Types of Convergence (Jenkins)
- Economic convergence is when one company owns outlets across multiple media types (e.g., newspapers, TV, books).
- Organic convergence describes multitasking with different media at once, such as watching TV while texting and listening to music.
- Cultural convergence involves stories moving across multiple platforms and audiences interacting with content (e.g., books becoming movies, audience remixing content).
- Global convergence is the mutual influence among distant cultures via media, leading to shared trends but raising concerns of cultural imperialism.
- Technological convergence is the merging of media types into digital forms, enabling easy transfer and integration across platforms.
Effects of Convergence
- Younger generations engage heavily in media multitasking, averaging over 7.5 hours daily but consuming more than 11 hours of content due to multitasking.
- Convergence enables more active and participatory media consumption (commenting, sharing, remixing).
- Some theorists argue that convergence sharpens cognitive skills; others fear it leads to shallow thinking and shorter attention spans.
- Despite new technologies, some old media (like cassettes and Polaroids) persist due to nostalgia and perceived authenticity.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Media Convergence — merging of separate media technologies into integrated platforms for content delivery.
- Economic Convergence — cross-ownership of various media outlets by a single company.
- Organic Convergence — natural multitasking across multiple media platforms.
- Cultural Convergence — flow of stories across platforms and increased audience participation.
- Global Convergence — cross-cultural media influence regardless of geography.
- Technological Convergence — combining different technologies into unified digital platforms.
- Cultural Imperialism — dominance of one culture over another through media influence.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Compare Johnson's and Carr's arguments about the impact of convergence and support your position with examples.
- Consider developing your own theory on convergence's effect on society and participate in a class debate.