Convergence is defined as the state of converging, or the coming together. But when in relation to media convergence, it is defined as the merging or branching out of different companies to produce their communication content over different popular platforms. Technology is constantly evolving, and because of this, it is crucial for large communication organizations to evolve (or converge) along with it, or they risk fading out.
Media convergence was described by Henry Jenkins as “the flow of content across multiple media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media industries, and the migratory behavior of media audiences who would go almost anywhere in search of the kinds of entertainment experiences they wanted”
http://henryjenkins.org/2006/06/welcome_to_convergence_culture.html
To explain a generally broad example –
Before modern technology really started to boom, Newspapers were the way of the news, just about the only way to find out what was going on in the world. Newspapers were the popular media platform. Of course, obviously, this has changed now. Nowadays there are different platforms circulating across the Internet and television, and there are so many more ways to access this information, such as smartphones, apps, tablets, computers and TV’s, there are just so many more ways to access the news and from different perspectives such as different blogs or independent sites, not just the one newspaper. Obviously, newspapers still exist of course, but they are in great competition and constantly declining due to new media platforms such as Google. I find this statement from ‘The Brookings Essay’ very relevant and in some cases harsh, “Now, however, in the first years of the 21st century, accelerating technological transformation has undermined the business models that kept American news media afloat, raising the possibility that the great institutions on which we have depended for news of the world around us may not survive.” http://www.brookings.edu/research/essays/2014/bad-news#
This is a demonstration of natural selection through communication and media platforms, everything is constantly evolving.
In relation to audiences, this creates a divide, for example, the younger generation has grown up with all this technology and generally has an account for most social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. (This is a very broad perspective on how the different generations function with media convergence) It is the older generations that tend to struggle with evolving technologies and converging media, they grew up with newspapers. Maybe this is just a stereotype, and I know that I am wrong with some people, but I know for a fact that my grandparents don’t really have a clue when it comes to social or media technologies. There are many people who have grown up without modern technology and have learned to use it flawlessly. But in relation to media convergence to modern platforms, one of the divides in audiences and platform preference is the age gap.
Media convergence to technology is aimed at the majority of the public audience. Organizations use specific platforms to target specific audiences such as newspapers or online sites.
Am I wrong with this stereotype?
http://blog.distinctstudios.com/?p=429
http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/Spring03/Mallard/
http://www.ask.com/world-view/examples-media-convergence-ea643c0060281a80
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1425043/media-convergence
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-10-23/google-vs-entire-newspaper-industry-and-winner
emmalife 
Reblogged this on mooreblogsread.
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