Convergence in Media

What is convergence media?

Media convergence is a theory in communications where every mass
medium eventually merges to the point where they are indistinguishable
to each other, creating a new medium from the synthesis due to the
advent of new communication technologies.
Britannica Encyclopaedia say's, Media Convergence is a phenomenon
that involves the interlocking of computing and information technology
companies, telecommunication networks and content providers from the
various media platforms like magazines, newspapers, radio, television,
films and the likes. It also says that Media Convergence is the confluence
of the 3 C's - Communication, Content and Computing.
According to Henry Jenkins who is a highly respected media analyst and
one of the foremost leading experts on the convergence culture paradigm,
as well as, the DeFlorz Professor of Humanities and the Founder and
Director of the Comparative Media Studies Program at MIT states that,
the flow of content across multiple media platforms, the cooperation
between multiple media industries, and the migratory behaviour of media
audiences is what constitutes media convergence. It is not just the
confluence of the traditional and the new digital media but it is also about
the unpredictable ways of interaction and association of the consumers
and producers of media. It is not solely technological but there is a huge
gamut of socio- cultural paradigm shifts that have changed the way the
consumer evaluates a product, makes his decision and his social
interactions to seek information. It also includes the experience that the
producer of the media makes the consumer go through.
The world is witnessing the new forms of media in which they have a
larger control over the types of feeds they receive, the ease with which
they can interact with not just the media but with the media provider as
well. This has brought a whole new dimension of competition to the
traditional media platforms. This has also led to a lack of dependence of
the consumers on any particular media which in turn translates to lesser
loyalty.
Benefits of Media Convergence
The content creators can use the platform to generate customized content
that is targeted at a specific group.
This has also brought about a change in the dynamics of economy as
distribution and cost structure is not the same in traditional media.

It has brought about a sense of Post Modernism to the field of media

consumption where the consumer is not an audience but is also a co
creator.
This has also brought about a change in the experience that a person
goes through by consuming media. It has transcended the limitations of
the traditional media.

Negatives of Media Convergence

This has brought in a certain amount of unpredictability in the responses

that a media would receive. With the audience being exposed to a
plethora of media platforms it gets tough to understand what has had
what kind of effect on the consumer.
Media Convergence has brought about a shift in the control that the
content creator had over it's property. With the advent of blogs, mobiles
and emails the consumers are exposed to large amount of unbranded
content. This has led to an increase in the competition for consumer's
time and attention that the content creators face.
Media Convergence in India
Convergence has finally arrived in India with a bang, and how! Today,
Internet penetration is close to 150 million. And as prices start falling, the
number of regular Internet users will zoom upwards just as the number of
mobile phone users zoomed upwards after reaching an inflexion point.
Dont be surprised if the number of Internet users crosses 300 million by
2015.
What can smart media houses do in this age of Convergence in India?
Well, there are a few lessons media companies can learn from the
experience of corporate players in other Indian markets. The first lesson is
that the Indian consumer is extremely fond of the value for money
proposition. No fancy gadget, or application or Facebook hits will lure the
Indian media consumer if she thinks that the content is not worth the
price. Very soon, more than 50 million upwardly mobile Indians will be
accessing news mostly on their mobile phones. And most of it will come
free. A smart media house would develop a strategy that can use the
mobile handset as a tool to lure the consumer to its more traditional forms
of content-print or television.

The second crucial lesson that a smart media house must learn is that
localisation is the key to success in the Indian market. There is no doubt
that English language media is still considered by the elite to be the inthing in the country. But the last two decades have shown that success
lies in local markets. Look at the relentless growth of media houses like
Sun, Ananda Bazar Patrika, Malayalam Manorama, Dainik Bhaskar and
Dainik Jagran to name just a few and you will realise the importance of
going-and staying local. In fact, analysts say that one of the key reasons
behind the success of so many editions of The Times of India is the
manner in which the newspaper has successfully localised its various
editions. And of course, you have the Hindi language behemoths who
have more than 60 editions!
The third thing that smart media houses will do is to make their content
younger. More than two thirds of Indias population is already below 35
years of age and the next generation of media consumers will be
incredibly young. Almost all of them will be using mobile phones,
Facebook, Twitter and other new technologies aggressively. This young
cohort will also be different in the sense that they would want content that
is in your face yet no-nonsense. This generation contrary to what many
Pundits say is also very engaged with important social and political
issues. So a smart media house would address these issues and not talk
down to the reader and the viewer. Sure, gossip, sex surveys et al attract
young media consumers. But they do not shy away from the rot in the
judicial system, poverty, corruption and mismanagement. The last lesson
would be one about interactivity. Social media has already demonstrated
that media consumers no longer want to be passive recipients of content.
They want to engage the media house that provides the content in a
conversation. The more interactive you are, the more successful you will
be.