Media Convergence

Question 1

Define media convergence

Answer 1

The coming together of different forms of media.
Media convergence refers to the fact that digitalisation has led to the combination of different types of information (texts, images, video, music, email) into a single delivery system (e.g. a smart phone)

Question 2

How does media convergence link to Marxist ideas?

Answer 2

Digital forms of communication have mainly been developed in the Western world, this links to capitalist ideas i.e profit, private ownership and the exploitation of working class divide all who use such apps

Question 3

Describe and explain technological convergence

Answer 3

Digitalisation has led to the merging of different types of information
The information can be develivered across a range of media platforms
Separate forms of media can be accessed from a single device

Question 4

Describe and explain economic convergence

Answer 4

Media, tv and telecommunication companies that once operated separately are now engaging in technological and economic alliances to produce multi-media delivery systems e.g. virgin media.

Borders between different forms of communication are now irrelevant

Question 5

Describe and explain cultural convergence

Answer 5

Members of society now mainly interact using digital communication rather than outdated methods such as writing letters

Cultural convergence has a low led to consumption patterns changes, e.g. most of society uses the internet to order food, book flights etc

Question 6

What is big data?
Types?

Answer 6

Large sets if data is now mainly stored digital / electronically.
This data may be analysed to reveal patterns and trends to human behaviour/ interactions on the internet.
Data can be accessed via google or Wikipedia rather than going through encyclopaedias or books.

Types of big data:
- volume (any volume of data can be stored digitally)
- velocity (data can be stored or streamed very quickly)
- variety (emails, texts, videos audio - data comes in different forms)
- variability (data flows can be inconsistent and difficult to manage)
- complexity (data can come from multiple sources and therefore can cause issues when trying to sort across different systems)