Convergence – do you want video with that?
Written on August 5, 2008 – 2:32 am | by ozjourno
News access is undergoing a massive change, with convergence becoming the future of media. There’s no doubting that a microwave mentality is now affecting the future of news access. Takeaway “News on the Go”, email, & even video, straight to your Blackberry - instant gratification is now being demanded by action.
Faster. Better. Easier to consume. More people are watching less television, reading fewer newspapers and spending more time on the internet. Readers are wanting a more ‘Yum Cha’ experience, smaller servings of a good quality, instead of a 5 course, lengthy experience when reading news. They want excitement!
Convergence is also about access & convenience. The public demands a 24/7 service. Broadband has made content faster & is presented almost as soon as it happens. News has become more honest, stronger & reinforced by other media forms.
Reporters are able to access information, and this is an information business, preferably from a common, central, news centre. However, the amount of information being disseminated is massive, with information overload causing confusion. Sometimes information is suspect at best & the choice confusing.
Technology that serves a multi-function purpose has become a necessity for the public & reporters, such as the Nokia N95 mobile phone. Reporters are now kitted out with multi-function mobile phones, with video & camera capability, thus doing the job of several professionals, whilst decreasing costs to their employers. The MoJo is born.
Informal partnerships are continuously being formed via blogs, citizen journalism, video content and between the different types of media. Content is not restricted to journalists. Unions, however, may slow the evolutionary process of convergence & depending on the country, there may be media ownership laws.
Multi-media convergence’s success depends on a common-held set of values & goals within an organisation. Egos must be set aside and a mindset of collaboration be held by all, from the owners through to all staff.
Mostly, the future of multi-media is set by us.
Tags: blog, blogging, Blogging Education, convergence, convergent, journalism, moblogging, multi-media
3 Responses to “Convergence – do you want video with that?”
GREAT post!
Well written! And I’m a working journalist so that should be a compliment in itself!! As for your age comment in the DSO, I’m 35 so you are older than me. Interestingly though, I used to be a Real Estate Salesperson for six years (Whitsundays and Warrnambool)too!! Now, it’s about me getting my overdue blog published!!
Maybe my comment may sound a bit immature to both of you considering that I happen to be 25 and still working on my blog.
But I do think the language you have used is a bit too tedious for a regular blog reader who is not thinking like a journalist.
Some great points made though with a bit of persuasive wit