Sams Development

Whilst researching the term 'Media Convergence' I found that there is no single definition or even a similar description for it. I feel this is because the phrase 'Media Convergence' covers such a wide range of topics such as technological, organisational and industrial, so therefore there cannot be a single explanation.

I researched many books such as:

• Ambivalence Towards Convergence Digitalization and Media Change
• Understanding Media Convergence
• Convergence Culture Where Old and New Media Collide
• Media Policy: Convergence, Concentration and Commerce
• Media Society, Industries, Images and Audiences

But the most simple yet effective definition I could find was in this book :

• Understanding Media Convergence the State of Field

'(Jim Carroll's off-quoted explanation of why it's like teenage sex)

• No one knows what it is but thinks that it must be great.
• Everyone thinks that everyone else is doing it.
• Those who say they are doing it are probably lying.
• The few who are doing it aren't doing it well.
• Once they start doing it, they realize that it's going to take them a long time to do it right.
• They'll also soon start realizing that there is no "right" way to do it.

(Poynterextra, 2002)'

Grant. E, A. Wilkinson. S.J, (2009), Understanding Media Convergence the State of Field, Oxford University Press.


This is another simple definition I found, it explains both media convergence and multi-platforms in one simple phrase:

'By media convergence, I mean the flow of content accross multiple media platforms'

Jenkins. H, (2006), Convergence Culture Where Old and New Media Collide, New York University Press.