Open Post: How important is convergence?

This module has presented itself with fascinating topics that have been of interest to me. Whilst I have enjoyed learning new things about how the internet influences society, I have also learned how to identify different views and perceptions of our society and how we relate to the media. However whilst convergence presents itself with several advantages, you could question whether media convergence is more beneficial to its industry or society.

I found the topic of convergence to be the most interesting to me because although I learned about it briefly in A2 Media studies, I wasn’t aware of the impact that it had. People of the media tend to get excited about convergence because it holds so much promise, the merging of mass communication outlets (print, radio, television) through digital platforms is both overwhelming but impressive.

As a music fan, I especially liked learning how convergence has made an impact to the music industry, changing how audiences access, listen and use music. Also due to popular demand social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace to distribute the music and promote the artists.

Since gaining a better understanding of convergence, I’ve learnt that converged communication provides various tools for storytelling as a way of presenting information and allowing audiences to interact.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tidal: A quality music streaming service

Tidal is a music streaming service established in 2009. The company has 500,000 paying subscribers and was bought for 56 million by a company controlled by Jay-Z, by adding music videos the site increased its fee to £19.99 a month . Therefore if Tidal was under a creative commons licence, streaming sites like Spotify would lose a lot of subscribers, as Tidal is known for its quality streaming service.

The biggest names in music: Rihanna, Usher, Arcade Fire and Calvin Harris all appeared in the advert to help launch the campaign #TidalforAll. Tidal intend to make sure subscribers hear the latest songs before anyone else. The website was also introduced as being “pro music artist” and by not offering a free ad supporting tier for its music.

The copyright policy for Tidal is very strict in its approach. For example subscribers have no right to engage in the commercial use and making versions or copies of the content they stream. However while I think that this is fairly reasonable, surely sites like Tidal would appreciate any form of advertisement that will increase the number of people joining the site. It would be nice listen to songs without having to make some form of payment, surely artists like Beyoncé wouldn’t benefit from my 99p contribution.

 

My Online Presence!

To an extent I think that online visibility can be beneficial if used correctly. An example being platforms like Facebook and Twitter is a great way of sharing your own material that will get people’s attention. This can also benefit you in terms of employment as employers will get an idea of what kind of person you are.

The thought of someone typing my name into Google and having access to these sites that I have registered on seemed quite scary, but I realised that I didn’t have anything to hide and anything that I didn’t want people to see, I had the control to secure my privacy settings.

I am registered on the main social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. I would say that it is mostly general information (what university I attend, and what course I’m doing) this type of information is shared only with people that I am friends with, and this information I would say is under my control. This is because I am aware the future employers can easily access what type of person you are online, therefore it’s important to keep in mind what form of identity you are portraying online.

Facebook and Instagram are the platforms I enjoy using. It seems like now people use Facebook to share world issues in forms of pictures and videos and it’s fascinating to see how quickly they spread. Overall I would say that my online presence is not too strong yet not too weak, which reflects me as a person. I would say having the right balance is important so that a clear distinction is made between who you are online versus who you are in reality.

 

The Student Room: An online survival guide

The Student Room. An online forum where students can discuss and share academic knowledge relationships tips , health and lifestyle as well as creating a sense of belonging. Whilst some people view this message board as being filled with students whose goal is to break the record for the amount of A* grades achieved at GCSE, the majority view the website as a “friendly place” where opinions are respected and learn new things from each other.

Members of this community benefit from a site like this as they can share personal experiences and use this as a way of helping others who are going through something similar. It also allows students to advertise their own material e.g. blogs, tutorials and reviews by putting it in the ‘Creative Corner’

The website provides thread topics where you can discuss anything from ‘how to deal with bullying’ and ‘best revision strategies’. However with a large community such as this guidelines must not be crossed. ‘The Student Room’ was under minor investigation during the 2011 London riots, inspecting threats, discriminatory views and joining terrorist groups. Challenges with sites like this is making sure members know the difference sharing opinions and being disrespectful, which is why the forum has community guidelines allow everyone to make their contribution.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/

 

 

 

8 ways Buzzfeed has shaped our audience

 

1. Well it has been described as the most influential news organisation in America.
2. The internet is powerful medium and in some ways Buzzfeed demonstrates an understanding of this medium than any ever.
3. .The use of random numbers, creating a new way to present content which can be relatable to all e.g. ’48 Things That Mildly Thrill Everyone Who Works in an Office.
4. Whilst some question their journalistic style, some say it has just been recreated but just targeting a younger demographic.
5. Not many publications can say that their articles have been viewed more than 14 million times.
6. It has been reported that Buzzfeed’s demographic is evenly split in terms of gender with 51% male and 49% female. An estimated 23 percent range between the ages 18-24; 28.7 percent are between 25 and 32.
7. They have successfully devised a system where they can advertise their material to other publications as well as promoting their own brand.
8. You can easily identify a Buzzfeed headline when you see one, some of them are not the most informative. However the majority of consumers today don’t pay attention to words and paragraphs but engage with creative titles and images.

Convergence, a new form of communicating?

What is so significant about convergence?

Convergence has allowed outlets such as print, radio and television to be made accessible through the internet. With this in mind it could be argued that this may influence people to accept new forms of technology, an example being people who are not computer literate.

The advantages of these changes being made to technology is that it is now portable, easy to access and offers a variety of choice. Therefore this further benefits the media industry as they are able to utilise forms of advertising. “What we are now seeing is the hardware diverging while the content converges.“(Henry Jenkins, Culture Convergence) This quote supports why media convergence is changing social media for the better

However challenges in the industry relating to social platforms are that consumers are turning to this as a new form of communication rather than making a phone call or text. For example smartphones have become so versatile in what they offer, some offer apps, internet, GPS etc… sales in newspapers and games have actually decreased due to this.

Media convergence brings audience fragmentation as well as  financial and economical implications as not everyone can afford devices like smartphones and tablets. This also means the media companies have more power over society.

 

 

Web of entertainment: The music industry

 

‘Web of Entertainment’ is one of the chapters in Web Theory: An Introduction (David Marshall and Robert Burnett( 2003) As a music fan I found this topic particularly fascinating as it portrays how networking has made the entertainment industry what it is today.

“From the point of view from the music lover, what’s going on can only be viewed as exciting new development in the history of music,” a statement made by funk and rock star Prince (2000). The resources made available to us via the internet has meant that we can listen to music in a variety of ways, for example the development of internet radio and streaming services like Spotify.

I find these reports to be relevant to our module because it reinforces the significance networking has in the majority of industries ranging from advertising, fashion and telecommunications.

(McChesney,1999) “Todays media environment is categorised by globalisation, conglomeration, concentration and hypercommercialism.” I understand this to mean that digital media has transformed in its complexity in contrast to how it used to be. For media companies this proves to be highly beneficial as they can promote their business models on the internet.The technological development of music has meant that the music industry are fully reliant on new “digital technologies.” I find it interesting how this has been made beneficial to us as consumers. For example downloads are now made cheaper through outlets such as Amazon and iTunes, making it easier for consumers to purchase their specific selection.

 

 

History of the Internet

It’s interesting how the concept of the internet was just an idea, but gradually scientists began to explore various to expand the computer’s role. Gilder (1994) argues that “the global medium of the internet would shrink the universe, promote dialogue between nations and foster global understanding.” I find this particular concept to be relevant in the world of social networking. Social networking platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have over 100 million active users making it simple to stay connected in people’s lives and changed the way we interact with each other.However it was the internet itself that was the main focal point of social interactivity.

One could argue that the development of technology has made us constantly seek the new next best thing, for example a faster connection. I find it interesting how every year approximately 200 million people sign up each year and it has been reported that by 2016 we are expected to be north of two billion social media users. I think through these statistics alone it proves how much the social media is developing. However with this is in mind, is it worth exploring the harmful effects social media has on our society. With all these new and exciting features the majority view, how many people are aware of certain rules and regulations?

 

Stella Akinwumi