Convergence can be defined as a cultural shift as consumers are encouraged to seek out new information and make connections among dispersed media content. ( Flew Terry 2008). If we answer the question how convergence is forcing change in the profession? The best answer is its affecting on almost every existing industry. As it affects advertising, marketing, psychology, journalism etc, traditional marketing will disappear as media converge online is growing more and more. From times past when all the information was occurred by looking in cable television, hearing in the radio, listening a storytelling, etc now the Internet is gaining the attention and taking place of most consumers.
Digital convergence is all about gaining consumer recognition and selling; it’s all about new marketing, my profession of seeling products and services to people. “Consumers are encouraged to seek out new information and make connections among dispersed media content “(Jenkins 1992). While more people go online, more marketers place ads online. Marketer’s goal is also to find new ways of targeting our services and products in the internet. Looking at some statistics:
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (2006) announced that Internet advertising revenue totalled close to $12 billion in 2005, up 51% from 2000 revenue. At the same time, traditional media are losing revenue to the Internet. Broadcast television networks, down25% from 2000 revenue, suffered the most; whereas newspapers made 7% less than in 2000. ((Fetscherin & Knolmayer, 2004). The new digital media is growing up very strong, its time to encourage different ways to target consumers through the internet. Even tough there has been many criticism about portion of online news is its content. 58% of the stories under study were wire copy without any editing, secondly, one third of the stories, produced by the Web staff, were largely second-hand materials borrowed from their traditional media counterparts. Finally online new still has not taken advantage of multimedia components and interactive functions. (Porter, 2001). It is important to understand traditional marketing and its objectives to operate the 4 P’s. Product, price, promotion and placement and sell later your service or product to the market. As new media has also continued in both the business-to-business and the business-to-consumer sectors using the Internet for online marketing. Online marketing may either replace or increase traditional marketing modes, which include the use of other media and direct contact with potential or already identified customers (Pride & Ferrell, 1987, p. 111). It is vital to understand the importance of the traditional media marketing so the new media can be introduces properly in the new market. As Hirst & Harrison said Convergence, of course, means that instead of going to the movies, the movies can come to you (Jeffrey E. Brand 2009). Now whatever service or product that you need to purchase, you don’t have to wait until marketers advertise and sell it to you, with the new convergence media, you just go online and most likely the information will be already there.
It is important to understand the evolution of new media in society. But I think it’s not a matter of picking the best between traditional vs new media. Understanding how to implement both in different occasion its what is valid.
Reference List
Flew, T. (2008). New Media: An Introduction (3rd. Ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Fetscherin, M., & Knolmayer, G. (2004). Business models for content delivery: An empirical analysis of the newspaper and magazine industry. The International Journal on Media Management, 6, 4–11.
Huang J, Heider D. Media Convergence: A Case Study of a Cable News Station. JMM: the International Journal on Media Management [serial online]. July 2007;9(3):105-115. Available from: Communication & Mass Media Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 6, 2009.
Kurpius, D. D. (2002). Sources and civic journalism: Changing
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Porter, M. E. (2001). Strategy and the Internet. Harvard BusinessReview, 79(3), 62–78.
