Digitally Convergence Media

Technological Convergence:

Refers to technologies coming together; technologies that were separate (phone/camera/data) that now share resources with each other and interact with each other synergistically to create new features and offer more features than a single device.

Media industries are diversifying so they can produce and distribute across several media i.e. online newspapers, audio podcasts, video games and films. 

Today, we are surrounded by a multi-level convergent media world where all modes of communication and information are continually reforming to adapt to enduring demands of technologies. This convergence is changing the way we create, consume, learn and interact with each other.

We no longer live in a world where video games, TV, film, newspapers etc exist separately, they have converged together.

• Synergy: convenience and profits for institutions
• Convergence: convenience for the audience/viewers (film exhibition)= Multi-platform film marketing and exhibition.

In this day and age, many things are converged to make things easier and more efficient.

Media Industries have to respond to changes in media technology. Media convergence means a lot of TV shows, films and music exist across a range of media and are the products of several industries. i.e. music is available across a huge range of formats, it's converged with other industries (cross-media convergence)

Digital Convergence:

• There are a lot of positive and negative impacts on the film industry from digital technology

-Piracy; hurts the industry and also a lot of solutions had to be created and liaisons with other companies to protect films.

• Digital Filming/projection

-DSN:(funded by UK film council) gave money to cinemas to make them able to digitally project/exhibit its films 

-Makes indie films easier to produce.

-Reach wider audiences (exhibition)

• Digital distribution is revolutionary: once its the norm to download films, a new form of 'blanket release' is obvious- no prints to be made (touring), bypass cinema (even though still a big selling point.
• Saves billions on previous expense and time-consuming costs.
• Even though piracy is a threat, with digital distribution, it's less likely (because you can simultaneously release) so people filming in cinemas who distribute poor quality versions, people will have already seen it in different parts of the world.
• Therefore simultaneous global release/distribution closes the gap and prevents piracy in this sense ( they need to sell to viewers who can't watch it for weeks/months) 
• Cinema: old technologies (print)- expensive manufacturing, heavy, wear and tear (quality of sound/video will go down the third time after watching)
• Digital distribution solves these problems- no more quality issues and better for the environment and cheaper! 

Key terms:

Digitally convergent media: Video games consoles are an excellent example of a digitally convergent media device. You can not only play games but access social media, surf the internet, stream films and TV content and upload content into cloud-based servers. Cross-media content helps maximise profits and also improve reach to new customers.

Production: This refers to all phases of designing, developing and making the media product. 

Distribution: Refers to all processes linked to delivering the media product to the audience both through tangible (disk) and digital(cloud-based) media.

Circulation: Explores the way in which the media text is used by the audience for pleasure but also explores the rise of user-generated content across several platforms.