Convergence - Key Topics

Concept of Convergence

Convergence refers to the merging of different media forms, leading to a transformation in the way they are created, distributed, and consumed.
In newspaper industry, it typically involves combining print, digital, and social media platforms to present news content.

Convergence brings about multimodal storytelling, with newspapers incorporating text, video, audio, infographics etc. to tell a news story, catering to a range of audience preferences.
It leads to the increasing use of user-generated content, often through social media, as it allows instant feedback and audience engagement.
Newspapers are seen to adopt a 24/7 news cycle due to the demands of online news environment.

Convergence boosts the rise of cross-media ownership, where a company owns different types of media outlets. It impacts the uniformity and diversity of news presented to audiences.
With digital platforms, newspapers can reach a global audience, breaking geographical barriers.
The distribution of news is significantly influenced by social media algorithms and search engine optimisation (SEO) strategies.

Convergence leads to a participatory culture, where audience is not just passive consumers, but also creators and distributors of news content.
It empowers the audience with selective exposure, allowing them to choose what they want to read, when and where they want to read it.
The consumption of news has been increasingly fragmented and personalised, with individual’s newsfeed tailored based on their previous activities, interests and clicks.

In a converged media landscape, the credibility and authenticity of news content can be an issue, as fake news and disinformation can easily spread.
The privacy of the audience can be compromised due to the tracking of their digital footprints and online behaviour for personalised content.
The monetisation of news online brings forth ethical dilemmas, with the tension between free access to news and the financial sustainability of newspapers.