Introduction Questions

Questions for “Introduction: ‘Worship at the Altar of Convergence’” to the book Convergence Culture by Henry Jenkins

1.     Why does convergence happen in the communication and media fields? What are the two conditions that lead to convergence?

Convergence has occurred throughout history as different forms of media and the technology through which they are conveyed have evolved. As different types of devices are developed, the demand for media and its many new forms (some much more convenient because of the new technology) has rapidly increased, forcing companies and producers of media to adapt. The two conditions that lead to convergence are the corporations providing and adapting to their media being delivered on new devices (the top-down level) and that the consumer (bottom-up level) demands and learns new forms of technology and wanting their media as quickly and efficiently as possible.

2.     What are the three different kinds of digital convergence discussed in the article?

The three different kinds of digital convergence that were discussed in the article are media convergence, participatory culture and collective intelligence. The whole idea of digital convergence relies on these concepts, the media converging to be available on various devices and audiences, the culture that is willing to participate and learn new ways of reaching their media, and the collective intelligence of people in society who interact with others in the culture in order to spread media. 

3.     What cultural and social impacts does digital convergence have in addition to technological changes?

The cultural and social impacts occurring in digital convergence affect all of those involved in society, largely putting the consumer in the position of demanding companies to create new forms of media, or spread their consistent media to other devices/technology. The idea of collective intelligence is largely due to social and cultural influence, whether it’s trending issues and topics, or the latest piece of viral media, society as a whole has a huge amount of influence on changes in technology. With the consumer being in charge, rather than the big corporations being in charge, it forces corporations to turn out new technological changes in order to keep up with the converging society.

4.     Do the new media displace old media in the history of media development? Why or why not?

New media never really replaces old media; rather, they come together and converge. The manner in which they are delivered, such as the device used (for example, people can now access the media they once got on television on computers and cell phones) is what changes. The forms of media, such as news and storytelling, will never go away. Instead there are news ways to access the news and stories. The media that people seek varies, but it remains consistent in that there is always the desire for different types of media. In this way, old media will never become obsolete like the 8-track tape, which, according to the article, is simply a form of a media delivery device.

5.     The convergence happens from both the top-down corporate level and bottom-up grassroots level. How do both levels change the traditional concept of media consumption?

Both the top-down corporate level and the bottom-up grassroots level come together to create a fully functional system of media convergence. According to the article, the companies are adapting to the fast-paced and wide variety of delivery systems for their media, and are providing that for the grassroots consumers who learn the different types of technology and demand their media, niche or general, from the devices they learn. Rather than the companies providing products and hoping consumers take interest, consumers are the ones who influence new devices and products.

6.     What does digital convergence in media indicate for communication and journalism professionals in the future?

Digital convergence in media indicates that there will always be new manners of delivering messages, and those involved in the communication and journalism fields of careers must adapt to the new ways in order to maintain a successful career. For example, a journalist no longer simply writes a news story, they must update his or her blog or the news station’s website, tweet a link to the story, update the news app to house their story, and so forth.  However, there are also much more convenient and innovative technologies that involve convergence that enhance a communication career. For instance, smart phones have made capturing video for a news story or accessing articles to check facts and updates near instantaneous. Therefore, convergence poses both challenges and advancing opportunities for those in communication and journalism careers.