Convergence: Just like rain and tax, it’s inevitable
Response to Stephen Quinn’s ‘Why and how Convergence is Emerging’ – WEEK 2
It is difficult to discuss multi-media journalism without talking about convergence. In this article we are offered a detailed analysis of the factors influencing convergence, and there are a number of them.
However the one which I believe is the most vital is the issue of time. It is the first of the social factors Quinn mentions, when he says that 21st century people are “time-poor”. Certainly in our societies we have come to expect our information to be delivered faster and more conveniently.
This need drives media organisations to increased competition with their rivals, and also forces them to come up with new ways to use their mediums to get the news to consumers as effectively as possible.
These days, it seems that news can never get to us fast enough. Quinn says: “The aim is to supply news and information whenever and wherever the audience wants it.” (p.5) This is arguably the reason why so many organisations are moving their news online, where it can be accessed by a larger range of people – online provides a faster, cheaper and (generally) more efficient way of delivering news to the public.
This week’s Age featured an interesting article on the internet replacing television. http://www.theage.com.au/news/perspectives/broadcast-tv-on-the-terminal-list/2008/08/04/1217701947769.html.
Picture taken from Real World Wireless Applications 2006, ‘Today … Convergence’, viewed on August 6 2008, http://www.outr.net/newsletter_future_devices.htm.)
