Convergent journalism, an aspect that has crushed the sale of print media since the late 90’s and early 2000’s, involves the combination of print, radio, televison and the web when it comes to the news. For example, online news stories have an edge over print stories in that the length of the story is not determined by space needed for advertising and online news can be printed in a fraction of the time it takes run a newspaper article. Also, broadcast stations that make their content available on the web are increasing the shelf life of their products. They are no longer dependent on their audience catching their reports live on television. Viewers can find the information on the website and watch it (and re-watch it) at their leisure. With the increase of homes in America with interent access, this revelation is becoming more apparent.
If there is one thing that has emerged in America since the 2000’s, it’s the convenience factor on how we obtain and view our information. Cell phones, computers, ipads, portable TV’s, etc. have all contributed to this technology boom. We are a go-go-go society. We want our information and we want it, now.
On the flip side, some see convergent journalism as an un-necessary change. For example, Americans are big on tradition. Most people come home from work and watch the news as a part of their nightly ritual. It’s a big tradition to sit at the breakfast talbe and read the Sunday paper.
So is this convergence a positive or negative occurance? Like most aspects of communication, it may simply remain in the eye of the beholder. What is convenient for one, may not be for another.