Digital convergence

What is digital convergence?

Digital convergence refers to the coming together of different forms of media and technologies into a single platform. This is typically facilitated by the internet and profileration (rapid increase and availability) of technology.

It involves the integration of previously separate technologies and industries, leading to new opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and communication.

For example, a smartphone is a product of digital convergence, as it combines a range of technologies such as voice and text communication, internet access, digital cameras, music players, GPS, and more into a single device.

Task: Advantages and disadvantages of digital convergence on online news

Read through the extract.
Make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of digital convergence in relation to online news.
Think of examples why people may prefer online over print or print over online newspapers.

Digital convergence extract for website.pdf

Possible answers you could consider

Advantages of Digital Convergence:

Proliferation of technology can lead to greater access to news for a wider audience, as more people have access to internet-enabled devices.
Online space is practically unlimited, which means that news organisations can publish more content and reach a larger audience without the constraints of print publication.
Opportunities for audience engagement, such as below-the-line comments and social media, can lead to greater engagement and discussion around news stories.
The 'spreadability' (Jenkins) of online news can lead to wider distribution of important news stories, as audiences share content through social media.
Online editions of newspapers can offer additional multimedia elements, such as video and interactive graphics, that can enhance the reader's experience.

Disadvantages of Digital Convergence:

Proliferation of technology can lead to a flood of information, making it difficult for audiences to distinguish between credible news sources and misinformation. This can lead to struggles in regulation (Livingstone and Lunt).
Online space can lead to a loss of quality control, as news organisations may prioritise speed of publication over fact-checking and accuracy.
Opportunities for audience engagement can also lead to the spread of misinformation (fake news).
Threats to privacy and data security can arise from audience engagement, as news organisations collect data on their readers and users may be vulnerable to hacking.
Online editions of newspapers may lack the tactile experience of print newspapers, leading to a loss of emotional connection and engagement with the content that many partisan (strong supporters) readers values.

Examples of differences between online and print editions of newspapers:

Online editions may offer more up-to-date coverage of breaking news stories such as Live News - this may tap into younger audience who prefer 'now culture' and want reporting of the news on the day it happens, while print editions may have more in-depth analysis and opinion pieces. Perhaps unsurprisingly, The Guardian offers this in-depth coverage on online.
Online editions may have a greater emphasis on visual elements such as photos and videos, while print editions may focus more on long articles and investigative journalism (The Guardian).
Online editions may offer interactive features such as quizzes and polls, while print editions may offer puzzles and crosswords.
Online editions may offer more personalised content based on the reader's browsing history and preferences (due to cookies), while print editions offer a standard experience for all readers.
Online editions may offer a greater opportunity for audience engagement and interaction through comments sections and social media sharing, while print editions may have letters to the editor and a physical letters section.

Practice Question Practice - Question 3

Question three will be a broad question asking for reference to your two case studies - The Guardian and Daily Mail/Mail Online.
It will be an ‘Explain’ question worth 10 marks and you should be making between 4-5 different points.
This question can focus on any areas of the theoretical framework but so far questions about news audiences, institutions and contexts have been asked.
You will attempt to answer this question:

Explain the impact of digital convergence, including recent technological change

on the newspaper industry. Refer to The Guardian and Daily Mail. [10]

Task: Planning and responding

You should aim to make four to five different points, backed by detailed textual examples from your case studies. This question is testing your knowledge of the key concept and breadth of points. However, detailed textual reference is equally rewarded.
You could refer to theories, although this question does not specfically assess this - Jenkins/Shirky is most appropriate.
PEE structure.
10 marks = 17 minutes

Mr Soltysik’s paragraph…

Point - Technology has affected the way news is reported on the Mail Online website to target a mass, working class (C2DE) demographic.

Evidence - For example, the lead story of the website will feature longer headlines and clickbait style language to encourage audiences to click through as many stories as possible. This is important as higher page views link to higher revenue through advertising so there is more of a need to make news stories appealing and interesting for perhaps a less educated audience.

Explanation - Technology has changed therefore the ways audiences interact with news stories online as they expect for news to be immediate and include an element of interaction. Daily Mail fulfil this element of gratification for audiences enabling them to share interesting stories alongside their views, linking to Jenkins’ participatory culture theory.

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