Media Convergence

What is Media Technology Convergence?

Convergence in the context of media refers to the technology driven unification of different media channels. For many years, different media were clearly separated: broadcast TV, broadcast radio, newspapers, books, video and film, recorded music etc. Since the digital age, these methods of distributing media to the audience have drastically changed. Thanks to the introduction of the Internet, it means that these media platforms have one level at which they all can be accessed. In addition to this, the introduction of smart phones in the last 2 years means that the audience can access all these media platforms and then share with friends at the click of a button. People now are ceasing to distinguish the differences between computers and televisions. Due to the introduction of Iplayer and websites  means that people can choose what they watch and when they watch it, rather than having to wait. This has led to the reduction in the viewers of television and the increase in viewers online; this has been shown through the increase of advertising before you can watch the show (since this is the only way the channels can make money from Iplayer). Not only has the media convergence changed the way the audience views the products, it is starting to change the technologies behind the items we consume on.

These changes are more apparent on computers rather than on television. Computers are made with higher resolution, so the quality of the programmes we view on computers is equal to what we see on the television, therefore allowing people to watch their television shows online, without compromising the quality of picture or sound. Equally, televisions can now be linked to the Internet and vice-versa. This shows clearly the cross convergence of technologies within media platforms.

Henry Jenkins, an American media scholar and professor describes convergence as:

"...the flow of content across multiple media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media industries, and the migratory behaviour of media audiences."

Multi-Play

'Multi-play' is a marketing term describing the provision of different telecommunication services, such as Broadband Internet access, television, telephone, and mobile phone devices, by organizations that traditionally only offered one or two of these services. Multi-play is a catch-all phrase; usually, the terms triple play (voice, video and data) or quadruple play (voice, video, data and wireless) are used to describe a more specific meaning. One of the most well known organizations for this is Sky. Sky were one of the first to offer this multi-play to the market and were extremely successful in doing so. Now there is a vast number of companies offering this deal.

A quadruple play service combines the triple play service of broadband Internet access, television, and telephone with wireless service provisions. This service set is also sometimes referred to as "The Fantastic Four" or "Grand Slam".