MEDIA CONVERGENCE

MEDIA CONVERGENCE

THE MEDIA

The Media, according to Stephen Little john are organizations that distribute cultural products or messages that affect or reflect the culture of the people. Media refer to the vehicles or means by which information or messages are conveyed from source to receivers. The media systems are part of the larger society context of Political economical and other institutional forces.

The Modern media, according to Little John (1992), make it possible for millions of people throughout the world to be in touch with nearly any spot on the globe. Today we live in what Marshall McLuhan calls the “Global Village” The media has bridged the world together with new technology of information which we know as “Internet and Multimedia Facilities”.

The integration of Media forms, using network integration that involves content integration for an integrated end result is termed “Media convergence.

CONVERGENCE

Convergence is the process by which a range of media platforms are integrated within a single pie of media technologies. For instance, a combination of games console, a DVD player and internet modern.

The I-Phone can converge with a camera, a Video, an FM Radio, a games console, a Web browser and a palmtop computer.

The audiences enjoy using converged media to display events. They love variety with short form contents like download, Video clips, trailers, music, Jingles, Wallpaper and some music tracts.

Media convergence also refers to digital technology and network technology in the context of information needs. It involves the content integration, network integration and the result integration posed by the evolution of media forms. It is a fusion brought about by the Morphological changes of the media industry.

This means the bringing of different media service to incorporate together.

It involves a shift from computer to radio or T.V. performance to a digital platform where everything can be viewed read or heard on the internet. Newspapers now provide video and Television interactive charts. Radio has web-cams. Almost all Nigerian Newspapers can be read on the Internet using both computers and cell phones with 3g telephone.

Mass media companies can connect consumer technologies such as mobile phone and video games. Information and entertainment can go together. During promotion activities, education and entertainment are converged together. While informing, the audience is also educational enlightened. It is now difficult to separate intrapersonal, interpersonal and mass communication from each other. This shift from separate communication process to the use of digital platform where everything is done at the same time or separate times is referred to as convergence. It is typical of the new media. This is made possible by the use of multimedia facilities such as mass-media, computer, and consumer electronics like mobile phone, internet, satellite and telephony. In Nigeria, some mobile phones, computer, there is news headline summary on Radio, Television and internet. 

MEDIA CONVERGENCE IN NIGERIA

There is news from the radio, songs, entertainment and browsing from the internet with phones and computer. The merging of various medium of communications like Newspaper, Television and Radio productions on the internet is called Media convergence. Survey that the is highest ranked cluster consisted of World Wide Web, Mobile Telephone, Multi-media computers and communication satellite.

These technologies are equally in Nigeria and they best represent the level of media convergence in the country.

There is now a very slight line between the print media, Television and Cell phone. In terms of content convergence it can reflect mostly in the traditional media. The news information, and entertainment rate is higher. The news and information can be related to adult’s ages between age 10 and 25 years. This can be rated high because this reflects social integration in the various forms of media. Youths and children watch television, youth operate computer and internet while most adult buy newspaper. The consumer level of convergence varies here in that most adults prefer news and information about their people and what is happening in the society. The younger ones prefer the entertainment through music, games and other video displays. People in urban area read the news paper, watch the television and listen to radio. Rural people rely on radio for news mostly. Very few families have television or buy news paper in urban area.

CONTENT CONVERGENCE:

The news about politics in Nigeria is the central focus of the male folks in Nigeria now. All these are viewed in phones, television, and computer and listened to on radios as well. The women folk think and listen to political news less often. They are more attracted by news about the environmental safety, food, clothing’s and their relatives. Content also involves local and foreign news on the television and radio, internet and print media, massages, multi-plays at different stations,

CORPORATE CONVERGENCE:

Corporate convergence in Nigeria may include the print media and the internet working together.

For instance, programmes on the internet can be published on the newspaper. Scientific discoveries, foreign news and events from the internet are also published.

Most news from the print media are posted on the wed-site of these newspaper corporations. Besides, there are joint programmes of various print media, TV and radio stations. Most of the time, the same news and events run through all the mass communication outlets. These are areas of convergence in Nigeria.

During the presidential Primary election… at Abuja, all media stations in Nigeria covered the event.

ENVIRONMENT CONTENT CONVERGENCE

These are multimedia facilities impact on our everyday life. The society has to adapt and change according to technology. Before people where typing with typewriter, later to fax, e-mail and to voice mail. The society changes from old music, dressings, type of food based on what they see on the newspaper, television and internet. Films from other countries are adopted and used in Nigeria. Some things form Nigeria find a way through, the media to other countries as well.

Today, the channels Television display face book and the Twitter, the Ids Africa powers the Channel. Other countries flags displayed at the website of channels also indicate a kind of corporate convergence.

The radio Nigeria online as a link with the Common Wealth Broadcasting Association (CBA), the Network News Archives, Nigeria Government Official Website, Police Force and the Face book. This is also a corporate/investment convergence.

Most of the media website shows the logo of one bank or the other that advertise at the website. Some of the media houses like the “Sun” have investors and stakeholders. Such stakeholders/investors include MTN, Globacom, Nestle Nigeria PLC, Coca cola and Banks. This is a form of Investment drive convergence.

REFERENCE:

www.goole.com

www.encycopedia.com (2001)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological-convergence

www.tutorvista.com/answers/media convergence

Mudathir and Akinreti (2011) secrets of online And Multimedia Journalism. Emgee Publishing Limited, Ibadan, Lagos.