Essay
Tara Ferguson
42848814
Sarah Keith
Media producers in the twenty-first century aspire to
continuously expand their products across media platforms in order to provide
for social and cultural change. In this sense the process whereby each ageing
medium being forced to coexist with the merging media is predominantly defined
as ‘media convergence’. As a dominant ideology, ‘media convergence’ has
substantial effects on societies attitudes and beliefs about advertising and
new media. Dwyer (2010) defines media convergence as:
“The process whereby new technologies are accommodated by existing media
and communication industries and cultures”
The escalading
popularity of social networking sites and social networking software is a
fundamental world example when discussing digital media convergence, especially
in relation to advertising and new media. Consequently media convergence as
described by Jenkins (2006) is “an old
concept taking on new meanings”, whereby media producers expand the power
of advertising and new media through opening new opportunities for
communication and change.
As network coverage and digital capabilities continue to
expand across global populations, increasing numbers of social networkers are
communicating their thoughts and interests through new media. In order to
perform for social and cultural change, ageing media has been outdated to suit
a twenty-first century medium, resulting in digital media convergence of
numerous social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The rising
popularity of social networking sites and social networking software such as
Facbook and Twtter, have assisted in “the
ability of consumers to obtain multiple kinds of services on a single
platform..” (Sheehan and Morrison 2009), and is now a favoured choice for
individuals, “especially in younger age
cohorts” (Dwyer 2010). The convergence of social networking sites have
opened opportunities for change and interaction demonstrated through instant
messaging, audiovisual conferencing, games and the ability to watch videos and
download music instantaneously (Dwyer 2010). Thus it is through the digital
convergence of ageing media with new media that the functioning and status of
social networking is transformed, opening new opportunities for communication
and change.
In order to provide for social and cultural change, media
producers in the twenty-first century aspire to continuously expand their
products efficiently and efficaciously. Due to new and upcoming technological
advancements in digital media production, traditional advertising has failed in
its purpose in finding new ways to increase audience engagement in messages. In
addition to this the continuation of traditional agencies “operate(ing) around a mass message model (as popularized by IMC), has
resulted in failure due to the failure to recognise the importance of
one-to-one engagement and interactions” (Sheehan and Morrison 2009). As
agencies continue to maintain a closed structure it increasingly limits their
ability to develop the key messages seen by consumers, demonstrated through the
‘black box fallacy’. The black box
fallacy hinders on the fact that “old
media never die” (Jenkins 2006), and that delivery technologies such as
email and Australian post have become replaced and obsolete by social networking
sites. Sheehan and Morrison (2009) articulate how “most consumers are unaware of the content of traditional
advertisements until they see them in print or broadcast media”. Consequently
the growth in consumer generated media, as evidenced by the popularity and
convergence of social media sites such as Facebook; suggest that the black box
model is becoming outdated and the establishment of a new confluence culture is
necessary in the advertising industry. Therefore it is seen that convergence
culture represents a shift in how consumers relate to media and popular
culture, in addition to how consumers work, learn and connect with people
globally.
‘Media convergence’ has substantial effects on societies
attitudes and beliefs about advertising and new media. Due to the availability
of true niche content online, traditional media audiences become fragmented,
resulting in the convergence of new media in particular social networking
sites. It is through these social networking sites that consumers view message
more critically than ever (Sheehan and Morrison 2009), in addition to their
ability to enjoy the confidence of authorship as they create content for
themselves and others as a form of entertainment. These messages can be displayed through the continuous
advertisement used on social networking sites:
‘Convergence of modes’
a theory developed by political scientist Ithiel de Sola Pool, silhouettes the “one-to-one relationship that used to exist
between a medium and its use is eroding” (Jenkins 2006). Pool delineates
the ability of a service whether it the press, post or emailing, to be provided
in several different physical ways, such as Facebook or Twitter. For example
Australia’s Post’s chief Ahmed Fahour states the main threat to the postal
service is “the recent downturn in letter
volues as consumers switch to electronic alternatives”. Australian Press
(to see more click http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-10-15/australia-posts-profit-plunges-by-66pc/2299672).
The escalating popularity of social networking sites and social networking
software has redundantly outmoded ageing media such as the post and press due
to social networking sites ability for multiple kinds of interaction. Rendering
on this notion, Spurgeon (2008) states; “the
more interactive a communication system is, the more flexibility and variation
in the types of communication and exchange it can support”. Hence, the
convergence of ageing media with social networking media enables consumers to easily
access media content that was either personally meaningful to them or for a
form of entertainment.
Media convergence impacts the way
consumers utilise new digital media. Jenkins (2006) exclaims that “convergence occurs when people take media
in their own hands”. Furthering this notion of personalised convergence,
many online users today are not content with accessing content from established
sources. New systems, such as social media sites including Facebook, Instagram
and Twitter allow consumers to distribute the information they create (Sheehan
and Morrison 2009). Instagram, a mobile photo-sharing app used by many active
social media users is an example of a social media site that enables consumers
to appropriate, annotate and archive media content in powerful ways.
Similar to Twitter with followers, however it provides
individuals with photo updates.
Instagram is an example of digital media
convergence in relation to new media used to share individuals personal
interests and lives. Consumers are learning how to use these different social
networking sites to bring media under their control and interact with other
consumers. Thus, it is through the phenomenon of digital media convergence in
relation to the new media of social networking, that increasing numbers of
social networkers are communicating their thoughts and interests through new
media.
In conclusion, the escalading popularity of social
networking sites and social networking software is a fundamental world example
when discussing digital media convergence, especially in relation to advertising
and new media. Expanding on Jenkins (2006) theory on media convergence as “an old concept taking on new meanings”, Spurgeon
(2008) describes new media and advertising as “generating new possibilities of consumer productivity”. It is
through the expansion of social network coverage and digital capabilities, that
the powers of advertising and new media are able to open new opportunities for
communication and change.
Reference list
Farnworth, Demian. "The Daily Egg." The Landing
Page of the 2011 App of the Year. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2012. http://blog.crazyegg.com/2012/04/02/app-landing-page/
Dwyer, T. (2010), ‘Media Convergence’, McGraw Hill, Berkshire, pp. 1-23
Pool, I. (1983), ‘Tracking the flow of information,’ Science, volume 221, number 4611, pp.
609–613
Jenkins, Henry (2004), 'The cultural logic of media
convergence', International Journal of
Cultural Studies v1, pp. 33–43 http://ics.sagepub.com/content/7/1/33.full.pdf
Jenkins, H. (2006), Convergence
Culture, New York, New York University Press, pp 1-24.
Sheehan, K. and Morrison, D. (2009), ‘Beyond convergence:
Confluence culture and the role of the advertising agency in a changing world
in’, First Monday, vol 14 no 3 -
http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2239/2121
Spurgeon, C. (2008) ‘Advertising
and New Media’, Routledge, pp 1-17.
Tandon, Shraysi. (2012),‘Australia Post's Profit Plunges by
66pc.’ ABC News. N.p., 15 Oct. 2010. Web. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-10-15/australia-posts-profit-plunges-by-66pc/2299672
"The Business of Media." : Topic Proposal: Target
Advertising on Facebook. N.p., 16 Feb. 2012. Web. http://thebusinessofmedia.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/topic-proposal-target-advertising-on.html
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