How does convergence change culture?

convergence is not just restricted to the integration of old and new media technology. Proven in engendering great technological, industrial, cultural and social change, convergence refers to the "flow of content across multiple media platforms,cooperation between multiple media industries(Jenkins,2006:2) and the changing relationship and interaction between media producers and media consumers.

More recently, this changing relationship between producers and consumers has given rise to a convergence culture, “where the power of the media producer and the power of the media consumer interact in unpredictable ways” (Jenkins, 2006:2). By lowering production and distribution costs, expanding the range of available delivery platforms, enabling consumers to annotate, appropriate, recirculate and archive media content, new media technology has given consumers a greater ability to participate in an emerging convergence culture (Jenkins, 2006:18).

As individual media consumer becomes more involved and empowered, it will be interesting to see how media companies, governments, mass media empires and businesses react to the convergence culture. Without doubt laws will need to change, governments will need to deregulate and businesses will have to alter the way they function. Furthermore, producers will certainly need to embrace this new participatory culture and change their perception of “what it means to consume media” (Jenkins, 2006:18).


Reference:
Jenkins, Henry. (2006). Introduction: “Worship at the Altar of Convergence” in Jenkins, Henry, Convergence culture: When new and old media collide, New York: New York University, pp.1-24.