Deck 2: Convergence and the Reshaping of Mass Communication

Question 1

Many industry insiders attribute the recent falloff in audiences for movies, recorded music, network television, DVD, radio, newspapers, and video games to changes in technology; people are finding new ways to access content. And while this is certainly true to a degree, others say that in this age of concentrated and hypercommercialized media, audiences are simply being turned off by content that just isn't that compelling. Would you agree with the critics? Why? Can you give examples from your own media consumption?

Answer 1

The argument here is whether the book is slowly but steadily losing its ground to affect peoples' thinking. With advent of technology, the reading habit of the present generation has altered. It may be because of the fact that, in todays' world any argument or viewpoint can be presented easily and instantly in the form of videos, blog posts and others. Moreover, the reach of these medium is higher compared to any book or printed edition.
But the above mentioned fact can never deny the power of a book or specifically the power of writing to move people's thinking. Book actually represents the fact that a thought process when researched and presented in a simple manner can affect the thinking of others too. Today, the medium (from print to digital) may have changed, the form (from book to blogs or others) may have changed, but the idea behind the book is still present. Hence, the power of a good book will never die, irrespective of time.

Question 2

What is convergence?

Answer 2

Convergence , in mass communications, is defined as the erosion of traditional distinctions in media. Convergence is fueled by three elements which are as follows:
1. Digitization of nearly all the information available.
2. High-speed connectivity.
3. Advances in technology's speed, memory, and power.
These changes brought by technology have made the society enter into digital age. Convergence has brought a seismic shift in the way people view communication.

Question 3

Critics of concentration of media ownership and conglomeration argue that they are a threat to democracy. What is the thrust of their concern? Do you share it? Why or why not?

Answer 3

In todays' world, most of the media station and outlets are owned by corporates or conglomerates. Hence, it is quite obvious for these media outlets to be influenced by a or a group of corporation or conglomerates they are associated with. Critics main concern are that media outlets will cease to serve the public good when they will overlook deficit of these institutions or put forward a biased fact. In turn, these will make people unable to make informed decision making. Informed decision making by people is very crucial for any democracy, which is now becoming biased due to concentration of ownership.
The idea of corporate media itself may not be bad, as it provide healthy competition, but a check or regulation is necessary by the government to avoid any kind of biasness. This will help in publication of real news and will help people to make informed decisions.

Question 4

What is media multitasking?

Question 5

A close reading of how the mass communication process is evolving has led some observers to argue that it is becoming less "mass" and more akin to interpersonal communication. Revisit Figure 1.3. Can you make the argument that the "result" of the process has the potential to be more "flexible, personally relevant, possibly adventurous, challenging, or experimental"?

Question 6

Differentiate between concentration of media ownership and conglomeration.

Question 7

What is globalization?

Question 8

What is hypercommercialism?

Question 9

What is audience fragmentation?

Question 10

What are the two major concerns of globalization's critics?

Question 11

What three elements are fueling today's rampant media convergence?

Question 12

Differentiate between notions of content producers, audiences, messages, and feedback in the traditional view of the mass communication process and more contemporary understandings of these elements of the process.

Question 13

What is the significance of low cost of entry?