Media Convergence

Media Convergence simply refers to the merging of different types of mass media such as Traditional Media, Print Media, Broadcast Media, New Media and the Internet as well as portable and highly interactive technologies through digital media platforms. This results in the combination of 3Cs, i.e. Communication, Computing and Content as all three are integrated through technology. The most relevant example of media convergence is a Smartphone that blends together various media, i.e. print media (e-books, news apps), broadcast media (streaming websites, radio, music apps) as well as new media (the internet) into a single device that performs various functions from calling and texting to photography, videography, gaming and so much more.

Advantages:

The content producers can specifically target the best audience or group they are aiming towards by publishing customized content.

The instant availability of news and moment-based content is one of the top advantages of media convergence between traditional media and new media.

With media convergence, the audience has also become the creator themselves. From memes to social media posts, media convergence has truly been beneficial to integrate audience on a global level.

With the media convergence between traditional media and new media, the cost of digital marketing has also become economical thus making this process beneficial and affordable.

Another important benefit of media convergence that it has broadened the limitations of traditional media by blending it with new media, thus providing instant and latest content on an international level.

Types of Media Convergence are:

• Technological Convergence
• Economic Convergence
• Cultural Convergence

Technological Convergence

Technological convergence is a term that describes the layers of abstraction which enables different technologies to interoperate efficiently as a convergent system. It is when new technologies are created and take over from past technologies and perform the same task in a more efficient manner. Technological convergence is the combination of computing, communication, and content around networked digital media platforms.

Economic Convergence

Just like the general definition of Economic convergence which suggests that countries with lower GDPs are going to grow faster than countries with higher GDP, the Economic media convergence allows a single company to target larger interest groups through various kinds of media.

Cultural Convergence

This concept of media convergence occurs when two or more cultures adopt each other’s traits and become more alike. Those  Increasing similarities between cultures are not limited to beliefs of consumer brands and media. Some of the major forms of cultural media convergence are:

• Acculturation: When weaker among two cultures adopt traits from more dominant culture e.g Indians mostly speaking the English language.
• Assimilation: When original traits of weaker culture are completely erased and replaced by traces of more dominant culture e.g war immigrants no longer speak the native language.

3 C’s of Media Convergence

The 3Cs of Media Convergence are Computing, Communications, and Content. Media Convergence unites these 3Cs of Computing, Communications and Content and is an immediate result of digitization and promotion of the Internet. To put it even more simply, the convergence of Content with Communication technologies and Computer Networks is what leads to Media Convergence.