Wednesday 9 October 2013
Media, Technology and Convergence
"Old Media are not being displaced. Rather, their functions and status are shifted by introduction of new technology's" (Jenkins, 2008 p.16)
Jenkins explains during the course of his book that there is a dynamic shift between older mediums and technologies such as "the word-processing program converged with the typewriter" (Jenkins, 2008, p.5). Most technologies derive from older versions of the next version. Updates, Recreations and Reinterpretations of the same thing making it feel new. Convergence being a form of forced teamwork, technology takes on a working progress of multiple abilities. Streaming platforms now a convergent of Television and Internet spaces shows the development of modern re imaginations by global brands such as BBC with the Iplayer.
Internet available Televisions known as 'Smart Televisions' have access to streaming broadcasters such as BBC, 4oD and Netflix. Although it seems like a great idea, one flaw always stands above the rest. The end user. Unable to understand or wont let themselves understand because they don't want to see it as a re-imagined form of Television. The Convergence of these technologies forces those end users to take a side they prefer
With all the technologies forming into one device creates an inevitable question, what can we put in it next? Jenkins talks about being at the New Orleans Media Experience, which was to discuss the future of media with its technologies. Jenkins suggests that those participants of the conference had taken a different approach towards the event, instead of visiting the conference to view ways of changing the media industry, they come to look for the "just right - the right investments, predictions, and business models" (Jenkins, 2008 p.7). Being happy with just getting by, business being more money making rather than life changing. If these companies insist on giving their consumers products that have all singing all dancing technologies and no one understands it, How does this help our future developments? Are they just reinventing the wheel for no reason?
Bibliography:
Jenkins, H., 2008. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide Revised., NYU Press.
Second Gen Convergence
We are no longer living in a world that denies any involvement of convergence, yet we also don't fully intend to use convergence to its full potential. As the human race, we work and develop in new generations (groups of people with new intentions on the world) and in doing so, we look at convergence as an essential part of your lives the same way we need air to breath.
A generation of convergence starts to grow from an "individual consumer and through their social interactions with others" (Jenkins, 2008, p3). This is were we identify the acknowledgement of generation convergence such as, the ideals of a blog. We find a new generation in the forms of blog literacy, in formations that use images to tell and story and add anchorage to involve a community on such blog databases.
"Some functions will take root; others will fail" (Jenkins, 2008, p4). We see how the collective process pulls away and grows towards new media and its many platforms. We can see this in how a tablet can now be used as a mobile phone with instant messaging software. This new identified platform could be seen as a creation of what we understand as convergence. This uses the intelligence of a consumer to make a new market in which they combine with the collective. These ideals are not only found imbedded into the minds of one individual but in the new generation that has no priory engagement with Old and even New Media but are indebted to the ever growing state of the convergence found in mass volume, such as; "TV converged with the nickelodeon, the word-processing program converged with the typewriter" (Jenkins, 2008, p5) and so on.
As we find here convergence will not simply disappear. With every new generation convergence will get stronger and will proceed to overcome all new forms of media with a united front. In doing so we are in convergence culture.
Bibliography:
Jenkins, H., 2008. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide revised., NYU press.
A generation of convergence starts to grow from an "individual consumer and through their social interactions with others" (Jenkins, 2008, p3). This is were we identify the acknowledgement of generation convergence such as, the ideals of a blog. We find a new generation in the forms of blog literacy, in formations that use images to tell and story and add anchorage to involve a community on such blog databases.
"Some functions will take root; others will fail" (Jenkins, 2008, p4). We see how the collective process pulls away and grows towards new media and its many platforms. We can see this in how a tablet can now be used as a mobile phone with instant messaging software. This new identified platform could be seen as a creation of what we understand as convergence. This uses the intelligence of a consumer to make a new market in which they combine with the collective. These ideals are not only found imbedded into the minds of one individual but in the new generation that has no priory engagement with Old and even New Media but are indebted to the ever growing state of the convergence found in mass volume, such as; "TV converged with the nickelodeon, the word-processing program converged with the typewriter" (Jenkins, 2008, p5) and so on.
As we find here convergence will not simply disappear. With every new generation convergence will get stronger and will proceed to overcome all new forms of media with a united front. In doing so we are in convergence culture.
Bibliography:
Jenkins, H., 2008. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide revised., NYU press.
Convergence Culture is here... Ready or not.
"By convergence, I mean the flow of content across multiple media platforms..." (Jenkins, P.2)
Just over a decade into the 21st Century the way in which we now consume our media has come along within leaps and bounds. We are at the forefront of a digital age that has rapidly developed the way in which we live our day to day lives. None more so than how it has helped us consume media. We can all now go online, watch a film, listen to radio, listen to our music, read books and communicate with others while we do these.
"Ready or not, we are already living within a convergence culture." (Jenkins, P.16)
We truly do live within a convergence culture whether we like it or not. We may not like it but we come into contact with it on a daily basis. As we watch television we are now reminded to follow the programmes we enjoy on Facebook or Twitter so as we are kept up to date. Some television channels inform us to watch episodes again by going online on websites such as 4oD and iPlayer. As we enjoy socializing on Facebook pages we have liked of our favourite music artists link us to their lastest music video upload onto YouTube or to tell us we can download their album online from such sources as the all mighty iTunes store.
We seem to be connected to all forms of media even if at that moment in time we only want the function of one. This does not seem as if it will stop at anytime soon as the new generation of technology is trying to become more multi-functional than the previous. An example is the Xbox One. It is by no mean the first Xbox, it is 12 years late for that title. It is called this as it is the all in 'one' home entertainment system and there is likely more to follow.
Bibliography
Jenkins, H (2008) Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide (New York University Press)
Convergence culture
Convergence culture is about the old and the new technologies that come with it, but it also draws upon old media that shows how they interact with each other.
"By convergence, I mean the flow of content across multiple media platforms,"(Jenkins, 2008, p.3)
Today's social media is moving faster than ever before providing quicker access instantly to consumers, whereas old media devices such as radio and television kept the consumers waiting. Consumers have the need to search for information that appeals to their interests, for example a new console game or box set, which will provide the latest updates online.
"Instead, convergence represents a cultural shift as consumers are encouraged to seek out new information" (Jenkins, 2008, p.4)
Convergence culture changes the ways in which consumers consume media. The theory Jenkins talks about is the black box fallacy of all the devices that are used to entertain or inform consumers, for example mobile phones now have cameras, mp3 players, games and access to the internet, instead of associating phones with just calls. Jenkins goes on about the numerous boxes that are placed in our homes that are used for various subject of information or entertainment.
"Once central device that did everything for you (a la the universal remote)" (Jenkins, 2008, p.21)
However, the old media on their own are still used because the purpose of their function works best to their own strength's, in conjunction with new media were as the multiple options found in one device, gives quicker access to the same outcome. Consumers are limited to how much they know themselves, even though there is range of information provided on demand, as old media, for example, television broadcast and the news can often spark interests of convergence culture, therefore working with new media to strive for their own information research. These shifts in culture can allow the consumer to view or read the topics live as it happens.
"Yet, history teaches us that old media never die" (Jenkins, 2008, p.19)
With the change in media, consumers engaged with their new media device. Producers changed their interaction to the audience at home, for example the million pound drop allows viewers to interact with the show by playing along with the game.
"convergence involves both a change in the way media is produced and a change in the way media is consumed." (Jenkins, 2008, p.23)
Bibliography
Jenkins, H, 2008. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide Revised, NYU Press.
"By convergence, I mean the flow of content across multiple media platforms,"(Jenkins, 2008, p.3)
Today's social media is moving faster than ever before providing quicker access instantly to consumers, whereas old media devices such as radio and television kept the consumers waiting. Consumers have the need to search for information that appeals to their interests, for example a new console game or box set, which will provide the latest updates online.
"Instead, convergence represents a cultural shift as consumers are encouraged to seek out new information" (Jenkins, 2008, p.4)
Convergence culture changes the ways in which consumers consume media. The theory Jenkins talks about is the black box fallacy of all the devices that are used to entertain or inform consumers, for example mobile phones now have cameras, mp3 players, games and access to the internet, instead of associating phones with just calls. Jenkins goes on about the numerous boxes that are placed in our homes that are used for various subject of information or entertainment.
"Once central device that did everything for you (a la the universal remote)" (Jenkins, 2008, p.21)
However, the old media on their own are still used because the purpose of their function works best to their own strength's, in conjunction with new media were as the multiple options found in one device, gives quicker access to the same outcome. Consumers are limited to how much they know themselves, even though there is range of information provided on demand, as old media, for example, television broadcast and the news can often spark interests of convergence culture, therefore working with new media to strive for their own information research. These shifts in culture can allow the consumer to view or read the topics live as it happens.
"Yet, history teaches us that old media never die" (Jenkins, 2008, p.19)
With the change in media, consumers engaged with their new media device. Producers changed their interaction to the audience at home, for example the million pound drop allows viewers to interact with the show by playing along with the game.
"convergence involves both a change in the way media is produced and a change in the way media is consumed." (Jenkins, 2008, p.23)
Bibliography
Jenkins, H, 2008. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide Revised, NYU Press.
Convergence Culture's effect on our society
Convergence
Culture is the notion that all media combines together as a single entity, and
in a world that is constantly adapting and changing it is the development of
new media. Judging by history we learn
that old media never truly dies and can eventually be reborn in another form
delivered by more modern technologies.
Henry Jenkins mentions the five processes of Convergence culture and the
various forms they can take in our society.
He claims that Economic
convergence is manipulation of the entertainment industry as a means to exploit
the interest’s people share in film, television, music, games etc. When I consider this, Jenkins does have a
valid point because as a result we are surrounded by branded properties such as
Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter.
Social and organic convergence is simply the means of how we
individually process information. Global
convergence as stated by Jenkins results in the circulation of all media
content across the globe. Examples such
as Anime films from Japan have often been taken, altered and dubbed differently
than originally intended to be viewed by audiences in more western areas of the
world. Technological convergence involves
the physical effectively becoming digitized into pieces of information
circulating the Internet. It is a
theory that various forms of media merge together to perform the same
tasks.
In
Conclusion it can be said that media convergence has reached its highest point
for a vast number of reasons. From our
ability to watch live coverage from different countries, listen to music, play
a game with friends anywhere in the world and generally find anything we need
from a simple search of the internet with great ease is all the result of media
convergence culture.
Bibliography
Jenkins, H., 2008. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media
Collide, New York Press.
Convergence, Media Ownership and Consumer Participation
Convergence is an increasingly common term in debates about New Media. However, convergence does not imply a replacement of old media by new media, contrary to what many people believe. Rather, it is a collaboration and a combination of platforms, new forms of content and the active role of the consumer.
“Convergence involves both a change in the way media is produced and a change in the way media is consumed” (Jenkins, 2008, p16). It is a process that is driven by both corporate companies and consumers. On the one hand, media companies are learning to control the flow of content in order to reach the largest audience and to increase their profit. On the other hand, consumers are also exercising increasing control over content and interaction with other consumers. However, the main question to be asked is whether the phenomenon of convergence is beneficial for society or not.
Therefore, the consequences of media ownership are of particular concern, especially since only a limited number of big media companies seem to dominate the whole media and entertainment industry. An example of such a company is Warner Bros., which has shifted attention away from a singular focus on films to a focus on the entertainment industry in general, producing popular music, computer games, web sites, toys and books (Jenkins, 2008, p16). As a result, this can contribute to a decline in the variety of offers. Then again, big media corporations can also positively contribute to more competence of the producers and the quality of products.
Moreover, the term convergence also implies a cultural shift, as consumers are playing an increasingly active role in the creation of content. To describe this shift, Henry Jenkins uses the term participatory culture (Jenkins, 2008, p3). However, Jenkins also acknowledges that in this participatory culture, not all individuals are equal in their ability to participate. He states that “corporations (…) still exert greater power than any individual consumer or even the aggregate of consumers. And some consumers have greater abilities to participate in this emerging culture than others.” (Jenkins, 2008, p3). The main problem remains both an unequal access to new technologies, as well as the lack of skills, which results in exclusion of certain groups of people in this so-called participatory culture.
Bibliography
Jenkins, H., 2008. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide Revised., NYU Press.
“Convergence involves both a change in the way media is produced and a change in the way media is consumed” (Jenkins, 2008, p16). It is a process that is driven by both corporate companies and consumers. On the one hand, media companies are learning to control the flow of content in order to reach the largest audience and to increase their profit. On the other hand, consumers are also exercising increasing control over content and interaction with other consumers. However, the main question to be asked is whether the phenomenon of convergence is beneficial for society or not.
Therefore, the consequences of media ownership are of particular concern, especially since only a limited number of big media companies seem to dominate the whole media and entertainment industry. An example of such a company is Warner Bros., which has shifted attention away from a singular focus on films to a focus on the entertainment industry in general, producing popular music, computer games, web sites, toys and books (Jenkins, 2008, p16). As a result, this can contribute to a decline in the variety of offers. Then again, big media corporations can also positively contribute to more competence of the producers and the quality of products.
Moreover, the term convergence also implies a cultural shift, as consumers are playing an increasingly active role in the creation of content. To describe this shift, Henry Jenkins uses the term participatory culture (Jenkins, 2008, p3). However, Jenkins also acknowledges that in this participatory culture, not all individuals are equal in their ability to participate. He states that “corporations (…) still exert greater power than any individual consumer or even the aggregate of consumers. And some consumers have greater abilities to participate in this emerging culture than others.” (Jenkins, 2008, p3). The main problem remains both an unequal access to new technologies, as well as the lack of skills, which results in exclusion of certain groups of people in this so-called participatory culture.
Bibliography
Jenkins, H., 2008. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide Revised., NYU Press.
Critical reflection on the introductory chapter of Convergence Culture by Henry Jenkins
Reading
through the Introduction of Convergence Culture by Henry Jenkins, it is
noticeable that Jenkins does not think of convergence as being a principally technologically
driven mechanism. Moreover, he states that a cultural shift is occurring whereby
the media producers are losing their power at the expense of the media users. It
is of course self-evident that consumers play a significant role in the process
of convergence, as they decide how media content and media technology will be used,
but can we truly state that an active “participatory culture” is more important
than the technology and the media producers carrying out the convergence in the
first instance? It might be better to put it in a way that these three
components are all equally important in the phenomenon of convergence: on the one
hand, media producers integrate the voice of the public, use this to develop
new ideas and set out the lines of the media offer. On the other, however,
media consumers contribute by evaluating
the content or product and deciding for themselves what to do with it.
The fact that the media audience is not the exclusive crucial part in this convergence development became clear by reading through Jenkins’ review on the New Orleans Media Experience. People knew little about the coming changes and the event seemed to be set up for the media industry only to inform the public about what was ahead of them.
The fact that the media audience is not the exclusive crucial part in this convergence development became clear by reading through Jenkins’ review on the New Orleans Media Experience. People knew little about the coming changes and the event seemed to be set up for the media industry only to inform the public about what was ahead of them.
In this
context it is worth noticing that although it might seem as an exclusively
positive phenomenon that the broad media offer allows a wide variety of
possibilities both for the producers and the consumers, it also should be taken into account that the process of
convergence causes some new sort of difficulties. For instance, producers now
experience a new kind of stress caused by their new multifunctional
responsibilities.
Bibliography
Jenkings, H. (2006). Convergence Culture: where old and new media collide, revised version. NYU Press.
Bibliography
Jenkings, H. (2006). Convergence Culture: where old and new media collide, revised version. NYU Press.
Convergence Culture
Convergence is basically where old and new media come together to become one with multiple mediums put into one. It is where different kinds of media are put into the same device or place. Such as the way Jenkins talks about with his phone. Mobile phones aren't just for calling, as they were built for but have now become a place where you can find multiple media forms in one place such as internet, games, mp3 etc. This has been revolutionary as "they don't make single-function phones anymore. No one wants them." (Jenkins, 2006, p.7) It has become apparent that people are no longer interested in something thats serves its purpose but that it fulfils many needs and has lots of added extras.
We don't even have time to think about the amount of mediums that are being produced as they are being produced that quickly so really we don't have a chance to think about the impact that it has had. Although we actually don't realise it but technology controls are lives. We are that passive that we don't realise that media is no longer for information but that we have a relationship with it. Think of the last time you left the house without your phone? Think about the last time you looked at your phone, checking emails or Facebook. Bet it wasn't that long ago.
Jenkins talks about that we should not think of media as the different technologies but think about emerging the different media cultures and theories together. So that different forms of media are no longer singular but have become multiple by having a relationship with another form of media.
Convergence isn't only the way in which different kinds of media are made one but in the way that we are selves use media. For instance we don't ever just watch television. While watching television we will be on Facebook on our phone and maybe even doing coursework on your laptop.
Bibliography
Jenkins H. (2006). Convergence Culture: Where old and new media collide. New York: NYU Press.
We don't even have time to think about the amount of mediums that are being produced as they are being produced that quickly so really we don't have a chance to think about the impact that it has had. Although we actually don't realise it but technology controls are lives. We are that passive that we don't realise that media is no longer for information but that we have a relationship with it. Think of the last time you left the house without your phone? Think about the last time you looked at your phone, checking emails or Facebook. Bet it wasn't that long ago.
Jenkins talks about that we should not think of media as the different technologies but think about emerging the different media cultures and theories together. So that different forms of media are no longer singular but have become multiple by having a relationship with another form of media.
Convergence isn't only the way in which different kinds of media are made one but in the way that we are selves use media. For instance we don't ever just watch television. While watching television we will be on Facebook on our phone and maybe even doing coursework on your laptop.
Bibliography
Jenkins H. (2006). Convergence Culture: Where old and new media collide. New York: NYU Press.
Convergence culture, An Introduction.
Convergence culture is not simply "the flow of content across multiple media platforms", it cannot be summed up in the action of using a mobile to watch TV (Jenkins, 2008, p2). It is a new media network of shared ideas and knowledge, "a cultural shift as consumers are encouraged to seek out new information and make connections among dispersed media content" (Jenkins, 2008, p3). No longer is the individual a powerless, passive consumer, but instead multitasking, sharing, exploring and interacting with other participants though multiple media, creating the media experience they desire. Without "participatory culture", creating a "buzz", media industry's would lose their power and influence over the masses, decreasing their media contents value (Jenkins,2008, p3). Identifying the significance of social networking where new media community's come together to create a "collective intelligence" (Jenkins, 2008, p4). Although empowering the participant, giving them mediums to share and create. The media industry's still build and control the mediums, using participants for the industry's own gain, such as how Facebook users generate most of the content.
Consumers are significant in "driving the process" of convergence, they are the active core mechanism which determines how to use and connect media platforms for their own media experience (Jenkins, 2008, p8). Identifying how singular platforms no longer maintain interest, no one wants a mobile that's just a mobile; they want a more connective experience. Where each mediums quality's and functions can connect and compensate for another's, such as using "games to explore ideas that couldn't fit within two-hour films"(Jenkins, 2008,p9), creating a richer media experience. This experience is delivered through "delivery systems" which are "only technologies", they become obsolete in our fast past consumer society (Jenkins, 2008, p14). What stays constant is the "media", the "cultural systems", rooted in our culture, our media desires, constantly evolving to meet society's needs (Jenkins, 2008, p14). Convergence resolves our need for on the go access to multiple media quickly and efficiently and will only grow more complex with time.
Although convergence is by no means harmonious, instead a "perpetual tangle" of different "specialized" mediums trying to intertwine and dominate one another (Jenkins, 2008, p15). With different functions, software's and intended uses "There is no single black box", but instead a mass of devices filling our homes (Jenkins, 2008, p16).
Bibliography
Jenkins, H. (2008) Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide, 2nd revised edition, NYU Press
Consumers are significant in "driving the process" of convergence, they are the active core mechanism which determines how to use and connect media platforms for their own media experience (Jenkins, 2008, p8). Identifying how singular platforms no longer maintain interest, no one wants a mobile that's just a mobile; they want a more connective experience. Where each mediums quality's and functions can connect and compensate for another's, such as using "games to explore ideas that couldn't fit within two-hour films"(Jenkins, 2008,p9), creating a richer media experience. This experience is delivered through "delivery systems" which are "only technologies", they become obsolete in our fast past consumer society (Jenkins, 2008, p14). What stays constant is the "media", the "cultural systems", rooted in our culture, our media desires, constantly evolving to meet society's needs (Jenkins, 2008, p14). Convergence resolves our need for on the go access to multiple media quickly and efficiently and will only grow more complex with time.
Although convergence is by no means harmonious, instead a "perpetual tangle" of different "specialized" mediums trying to intertwine and dominate one another (Jenkins, 2008, p15). With different functions, software's and intended uses "There is no single black box", but instead a mass of devices filling our homes (Jenkins, 2008, p16).
Bibliography
Jenkins, H. (2008) Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide, 2nd revised edition, NYU Press
Video Did Not Kill The Radio Star
"By convergence, I mean the flow of content across multiple media platforms" (Jenkins, 2008, p2)
Henry Jenkins is introducing to us the convergence, or mixing, of mediums to create new ways for the media audience to interact with different platforms. Although this seems strange to consider a generation of technology where multiple mediums aren't adapted by technology, we have to consider Jenkins' time of writing. In 2008, the first iPhone was only just released. Steve Jobs presented the iPhone as a "revolutionary mobile phone". He talks about three new products, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, a revolutionary mobile phone and a breakthrough internet communications device. However, he soon reveals that these are all in the one product.
Henry Jenkins is introducing to us the convergence, or mixing, of mediums to create new ways for the media audience to interact with different platforms. Although this seems strange to consider a generation of technology where multiple mediums aren't adapted by technology, we have to consider Jenkins' time of writing. In 2008, the first iPhone was only just released. Steve Jobs presented the iPhone as a "revolutionary mobile phone". He talks about three new products, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, a revolutionary mobile phone and a breakthrough internet communications device. However, he soon reveals that these are all in the one product.
(BorisLeeHK, 2012)
The breakthrough of the iPhone is exactly what Jenkins is talking about when he talks about convergence. Jenkins says "Each old medium was forced to coexist with the emerging media (..) printed words did not kill spoken words. Cinema did not kill theatre. Television did not kill radio." (Jenkins, 2008, p14)
Jenkins talks about his living room, "I am seeing more and more black boxes" (Jenkins, 2008 p15) How long is it before we have one device which literally does everything? Considering the technological advances of the past 5 years, we aren't to far away. Mobile phones are a cinema, doctors, supermarket, photo albums, (practically) DSLRs, banks, take aways, bibles, loyalty cards, compasses, book stores and anything we want them to be. What else needs to be converged with our pocket device to make life easier?
The "Black Box Fallacy" (Jenkins, 2008, p13) is when he talks about the technologies which are used to deliver the media, change and update, so for example, the iPhone, 3G, 3GS, 4, 4s, 5, 5s, 5c. These were all updated with new technologies, for example, voice recognition, mobile internet, finger print recognition, etc. "Media, on the other hand, evolve" (Jenkins 2008, p13)
Jenkins doesn't give much away about his opinion on how convergence is affecting our culture in the introduction but he talks technologies which we are using and seeing being developed today. I think that the Cheskin Research which he mentions would have a different view on todays technology, eleven years after their initial research.
"The old idea of convergence was that all devices would converge into one central device that did everything for you (a la universal remote). What we are now seeing is the hardware diverging while the content converges."( Cheskin Research, 2002, p8,9)
Bibliography
Jenkins, H., 2008. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide Revised., NYU Press.
Cheskin., 2002. Designing Digital Experiences For Youth
BorisLeeHK. (2012) Steve Jobs - 2007 iPhone Presentation (Part 1 of 2). [Online Video]. 22 April. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etyt4osHgX0. [Accessed: 8 October 2013].
BorisLeeHK. (2012) Steve Jobs - 2007 iPhone Presentation (Part 1 of 2). [Online Video]. 22 April. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etyt4osHgX0. [Accessed: 8 October 2013].
Tuesday 8 October 2013
Convergence Culture
Convergence is the coming together of various things to meet at a point. "In the world of media convergence, every important story gets told, every band gets sold, and every consumer gets courted across multiple media platforms." (Jenkins, 2008, pg.3) This is demonstrated through some of the major franchises in media at the moment that simultaneously span films, television series, games and websites. This diversity of media platforms allows the audience to become more involved with the stories and allows them to see more content than if the franchise was restricted to one media platform. However, this can be overwhelming to some and there may be people intimidated by the mass of content available for a specific franchise.
For technology, this is Jenkin's "Black Box Fallacy" (Jenkins, 2008, pg.13) where one device replaces many and takes on the functions of many devices. An example of this is todays mobile phones that can do everything from accessing the internet to taking photos and video clips all on one device. This is quite prominent today with current technology, however as Jenkins mentions, there are many separate devices doing different tasks. Just as phones have cameras and MP3 players in them, these items still exist on their own, possibly because they perform their functions better separately than together. These items haven't replaced each other, instead they exist together.
With the convergence of media and technology, comes the convergence of intelligence "None of us can know everything; each of us knows something; and we can put the pieces together if we pool our resources and combine our skills." (Jenkins, 2008, pg.4)
This is collective intelligence and it is something that can be seen in groups of fans online as they try to work out what's going on in their favourite TV show before it happens. If applied to serious matters, this could be an impressive force. It could however, cause a spread of misinformation which could cause more harm than good.
Convergence Culture is ultimately all around us, it's happening now. We control which aspects stay, which ones go, and how we use its products in the future and what we use them for.
"Convergence describes the process by which we will sort through those options." (Jenkins, 2008, pg.24)
Bibliography
Jenkins, H. (2008) Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide, 2nd revised edition, NYU Press
For technology, this is Jenkin's "Black Box Fallacy" (Jenkins, 2008, pg.13) where one device replaces many and takes on the functions of many devices. An example of this is todays mobile phones that can do everything from accessing the internet to taking photos and video clips all on one device. This is quite prominent today with current technology, however as Jenkins mentions, there are many separate devices doing different tasks. Just as phones have cameras and MP3 players in them, these items still exist on their own, possibly because they perform their functions better separately than together. These items haven't replaced each other, instead they exist together.
With the convergence of media and technology, comes the convergence of intelligence "None of us can know everything; each of us knows something; and we can put the pieces together if we pool our resources and combine our skills." (Jenkins, 2008, pg.4)
This is collective intelligence and it is something that can be seen in groups of fans online as they try to work out what's going on in their favourite TV show before it happens. If applied to serious matters, this could be an impressive force. It could however, cause a spread of misinformation which could cause more harm than good.
Convergence Culture is ultimately all around us, it's happening now. We control which aspects stay, which ones go, and how we use its products in the future and what we use them for.
"Convergence describes the process by which we will sort through those options." (Jenkins, 2008, pg.24)
Bibliography
Jenkins, H. (2008) Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide, 2nd revised edition, NYU Press
Convergence and participatory culture
"Welcome to convergence culture (...), where the power of the media producer and the power of the media consumer interact in unpredictable ways." (Jenkins, 2008, p2). Convergence is described as a process where different industries work together and the boundaries between different media fade. In this introduction Jenkins highlights the active participation of media consumers as a key feature of this process. It seems as if convergence culture would not exist if the consumer hadn't changed. However it remains unclear whether today's "active" consumer is actually different from yesterday's traditional media users.
The term "participatory culture" brings the image to mind of an engaged community where everybody's voice is heard, like Plato's utopian democracy. But just as there was no role for women and slaves in Plato's state, not everybody's voice is heard in this participatory culture either. Jenkins (2008, p3) acknowledges this by saying that "(n)ot all participants are created equal", but with this he mainly seems to aim at corporate media. However, it could be argued that the "active" audience is merely a small elite group. Research shows that the digital divide still exists both within (Van Deursen and Van Dijk, 2013) and between countries (Bacao et al., 2012). This means that there are large differences in access and ability to use technology.
Even if you look at the consumers who use New Media (almost) every day, the question remains whether they are really as active as Jenkins seems to suggest. When looking at Youtube for instance -for Jenkins says this evolution is still mainly restricted to recreational life - it becomes clear that most visitors don't actually upload videos or even comment on them and that the active produsers are just a small group. It looks like many users still use New Media in similar ways as the passive, old media.
Jenkins -like Time magazine in electing "you" person of the year- seems to be too convinced of a widespread participatory culture. Technology may have already changed a great deal in the process of convergence, but the evolution of the user still seems to be at an early stage.
Bibliography
Bacao, F., Cruz-Jesus, F. and Oliveira, T. (2012) Digital divide across the European Union, Information and Management, 49 (6), pp.288-289.
Jenkins, H., 2008. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide Revised., NYU Press.
Van Deurzen, A. J. and Van Dijk, J. A. (2013) The digital divide shifts to differences in usage, New Media and Society, 0 (0), pp. 14-16.
The term "participatory culture" brings the image to mind of an engaged community where everybody's voice is heard, like Plato's utopian democracy. But just as there was no role for women and slaves in Plato's state, not everybody's voice is heard in this participatory culture either. Jenkins (2008, p3) acknowledges this by saying that "(n)ot all participants are created equal", but with this he mainly seems to aim at corporate media. However, it could be argued that the "active" audience is merely a small elite group. Research shows that the digital divide still exists both within (Van Deursen and Van Dijk, 2013) and between countries (Bacao et al., 2012). This means that there are large differences in access and ability to use technology.
Even if you look at the consumers who use New Media (almost) every day, the question remains whether they are really as active as Jenkins seems to suggest. When looking at Youtube for instance -for Jenkins says this evolution is still mainly restricted to recreational life - it becomes clear that most visitors don't actually upload videos or even comment on them and that the active produsers are just a small group. It looks like many users still use New Media in similar ways as the passive, old media.
Jenkins -like Time magazine in electing "you" person of the year- seems to be too convinced of a widespread participatory culture. Technology may have already changed a great deal in the process of convergence, but the evolution of the user still seems to be at an early stage.
Bibliography
Bacao, F., Cruz-Jesus, F. and Oliveira, T. (2012) Digital divide across the European Union, Information and Management, 49 (6), pp.288-289.
Jenkins, H., 2008. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide Revised., NYU Press.
Van Deurzen, A. J. and Van Dijk, J. A. (2013) The digital divide shifts to differences in usage, New Media and Society, 0 (0), pp. 14-16.
Convergence Culture - An Introduction
"The centralised, dinosaurian one-to-many media that roared and trampled through the twentieth century are poorly adapted to the postmodern technological environment ... (and) have died on the barbed wire of technological change" (Jenkins, 2008 pp.13)
This quote, from science-fiction writer Bruce Sterling, is broken down and put to good use by Jenkins as he attempts to describe the process of convergence. Contrary to the somewhat downbeat opinion of Sterling, Jenkins uses this as an opportunity to declare that only the "tools we use to access media content" become obsolete and replaced, calling these particular tools "delivery technologies" (ibid.) It is at this point we are given a definition of what is meant by the term "delivery technology" and how it interacts with media as content.
Delivery technology is defined as being the physical medium used to convey media content, for example a CD being the physical medium used to convey recorded sound. Media as content is described as evolving depending on the medium used to convey it. Continuing with the example of recorded sound then, we track its evolution from vinyl to MP3 via 8-track and CD along the way. Applying Jenkins' logic to this, the sound remains the same, only the delivery technology used to access the media has changed. This evolution has in turn also enabled greater accessibility, as it is much easier now to gain access to music via MP3 compared with vinyl records. According to Jenkins then, "old media are not being displaced, their functions are shifted by the introduction of new technologies" (2008 pp.14).
Jenkins continues in a similar vein, introducing what he calls the Black Box Fallacy to contradict the old idea of convergence, which foresaw the development of a central hub that did everything for the user. In this, he simply makes the statement that we now have far more black boxes than previously envisaged by what was previously understood by convergence. This "fallacy" also backs him up when he makes the argument that convergence is not simply just driven by technological development but also "alters the relationships between existing technologies" (2008 pp. 15) as the multitude of new "black boxes" need to be designed with backwards functionality in mind so they can work with the existing ones.
Jenkins, H (2008) Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide (NYU Press)
This quote, from science-fiction writer Bruce Sterling, is broken down and put to good use by Jenkins as he attempts to describe the process of convergence. Contrary to the somewhat downbeat opinion of Sterling, Jenkins uses this as an opportunity to declare that only the "tools we use to access media content" become obsolete and replaced, calling these particular tools "delivery technologies" (ibid.) It is at this point we are given a definition of what is meant by the term "delivery technology" and how it interacts with media as content.
Delivery technology is defined as being the physical medium used to convey media content, for example a CD being the physical medium used to convey recorded sound. Media as content is described as evolving depending on the medium used to convey it. Continuing with the example of recorded sound then, we track its evolution from vinyl to MP3 via 8-track and CD along the way. Applying Jenkins' logic to this, the sound remains the same, only the delivery technology used to access the media has changed. This evolution has in turn also enabled greater accessibility, as it is much easier now to gain access to music via MP3 compared with vinyl records. According to Jenkins then, "old media are not being displaced, their functions are shifted by the introduction of new technologies" (2008 pp.14).
Jenkins continues in a similar vein, introducing what he calls the Black Box Fallacy to contradict the old idea of convergence, which foresaw the development of a central hub that did everything for the user. In this, he simply makes the statement that we now have far more black boxes than previously envisaged by what was previously understood by convergence. This "fallacy" also backs him up when he makes the argument that convergence is not simply just driven by technological development but also "alters the relationships between existing technologies" (2008 pp. 15) as the multitude of new "black boxes" need to be designed with backwards functionality in mind so they can work with the existing ones.
Jenkins, H (2008) Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide (NYU Press)
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