Questions for "Introduction: 'Worship at the Altar of Convergence'" to the book Convergence Culture by Henry Jenkins

All answers by: James Wrona

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

- Media convergence occurs because it represents a cultural shift as consumers are encouraged to seek out new information and make connections among dispersed media content. It also forces both forms of media, whether "old" media or "new" media to coexist together to allow the consumer to decide which one will eventually become the superior form of media. In summation, convergence simply exists to allow media to create a message in one single efficient way. The first condition that leads to convergence is when the same content is made available to travel through many different channels and take many different forms at the point of reception by new media technologies. The second condition that leads to convergence is when it is more desirable for companies to send messages and content across said various channels as opposed to within a single media platform.

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

- The three different kinds of digital convergence discussed in the article are: the flow of content across multiple media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media industries, and the migratory behavior of media audiences who will go almost anywhere in search of the kinds of entertainment experiences they want.

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

- Digital convergence has made the entertainment industry much less of a "monopoly" like industry. Now, it is possible for basically everyone to get their work out to the public eye through the world wide web as opposed to before when the entertainment industry was owned by a select elite of very few people. On that same idea, we are now a culture that has the major goal of spreading around information of all different varieties rapidly and easily thanks to the impact of digital convergence.

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

- According to the author of the article, old media never really "dies," it simply adapts. For example, the music that we listened to on an original 8 track tape is the same as the music we listen to in a recreation of that 8 track tape in a "Best of" CD for that band. The media simply is applied in a new way in "new" media than it was in "old" media. However, the author of this article says that old and new media will soon intertwine in even more complex ways than ever before.

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?

- In regards to media consumption, the top-down corporate level and the bottom-up grassroots level have had to reconsider their previous understanding regarding their roles in the production, distribution, and consumption of media. Because, like I mentioned earlier, media convergence has made the world of media a much more equal playing field, both of those levels have equal opportunity to share their work with the world. The traditional concept of media consumption is basically obsolete in a world of media convergence because it makes everyone the opportunity to spread their message as opposed to how it has traditionally been controlled by a selective, few elite.

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

- Digital convergence, as well as the digital age in general, is making it very hard for journalism majors to find work. They can no longer approach it through the traditional newspaper style of writing with newspapers becoming more and more obsolete to a new form of digital journalism through websites and blogs. As far as communication professionals, they are now being forced to pick sides between companies which are becoming, in an essence, more and more similar (via the Black Box Theory) everyday. It is becoming harder and harder to find that edge over the competition with the way that all forms of hardware, technology, and media are being converged.