Media Convergence - Timothy Blundell - 42856981
Discuss the phenomenon of digital media convergence in relation to
Music Video Online.
“Media Convergence is the
process whereby new technologies are accommodated by existing media and
communication industries and cultures.” (Dwyer 2009) Media convergence as by Dwyer’s
understanding, is described as the phenomenon of merging and transition of
technology, and depicts the complexity and depth of media convergence. Media
Transition can be viewed through 2 models: Media Convergence and Participatory
Culture. Through the process of Media Transition, we draw upon the effects of
convergence in relation to Music Video Online.
The transition of media can be
viewed from 2 different models; Media convergence, and Participatory culture. (Jenkins 2003) The current trend within the digital
media industry suggests the increased concentration into smaller more singular
media ownership. This process is known as Horizontal Integration, and is
responsible for the merging of many different mediums into one company.
Horizontal Integration has displaced Vertical Integration, which mean that all
the different types of media were owned by different companies such as;
newspapers, film companies, and Hollywood studios. Each confined to a single
medium. Horizontal Integration increased synergy and function between the different
media types as they were all within one company. The Participatory Culture
model explains that the changes in media and its integration have created a
more user orientated sense to media. (Jenkins 2003) Everyday media users were
given the capability to participate in processes of media production, which
means the media consumers were given a chance to swap positions with media
producers. The popularity of user/consumer participation was mainly due to new
opportunities of power, creativity, and self-expression. As more and more user
created, amateur artworks (video, music, image) began to flow through popular
media culture, an evident change to folk-culture occurred and angled towards understanding
and respecting creativity, which also lead to the creation of ‘Intellectual
Property’ as a result of Participatory Culture. Through the two models of Media
Transition, conclusion can be drawn upon a consistently changing platform for
media, growing in popularity, participants, and power. These changes can be
linked to the Integration of Music, Video and The Internet.
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| Example of Horizontal and Vertical Integration (www.crtc.gc.ca 2007) |
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| YouTube Logo |
Digital Media Convergence has affected the
mediums in which we view music and music videos. The combination of music
accompanied by video allows an additional sensory experience to music,
portraying emotions and stories through a more visual concept and allows the
unearthing of visual screen performers. The creation of ‘YouTube’ (a user
orientated, online video streaming website) in early 2005 significantly
impacted the revolution of online media convergence, more specifically
television and music video online. The website allowed any user to upload their
own video’s of themselves, others or TV shows. YouTube quickly became popular
by word-of-mouth and became a source to view many categories of video such as
free streaming music online and also music video’s from both large record labels
and unknown amateur artists. ‘Music Video’ became most popular category of
YouTube videos, partly due to the video length regulations, which suited the
category perfectly. (Cheng et al. 2007) Artists such as ‘Ok Go’
utilized online media convergence to successfully execute the unearthing of
their track “Here it goes again”, with visual accompaniment (Music Video). The
pop group choreographed a synchronized dance routine involving all 4 members, 4
treadmills and sub-standard video recorder. The music video was only released from
their YouTube account. (Hilderbrand 2007) The humorous music video was
successful, reaching millions of viewers. Trends in TV and online media
suggests that the music video would not be successful in any other medium than
the online video streaming sensation, ‘YouTube’. This success opens a category
of media never see before, ‘Made for Online’ Videos. This new category, in
relation to music video, is an ideologically ‘lo-fi’ music video that would be best suited to
an online audience. The
creation of this new category of media can only suggest that, through media
convergence, there will be more categories emerging into the new digitally
converged world.
OK Go – “Here it goes again” (OKGo 2009)
Through Jenkins' writings, ‘The
cultural logic of media convergence’, Jenkins contrasts the past analogue world
with the now digital world, explaining the slow process of underground anti-war
movement through radio and newspapers and then describing the rapid speeds and
large audiences in which the underground anti-war movements can establish
through the use of digital media. (Jenkins 2004) One of the new types of media
Jenkins depicts is ‘Blogging’. Bloggers often voice their own opinions and join
in alliance with other bloggers that have common attitudes. Blogging can also
release a more ‘unfiltered’ look at world affairs. The high capabilities of
digital media outweigh and outdate the analogue methods of communication in
Jenkins example. This convergence to digital media reflects the cliché music
track, “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles (Ironically the first music
video broadcasted on MTV). The Title suggests that the radio was outdated by the
1980’s convergence of music and television. In the present day, conclusion can
be drawn that now the convergence of the Internet and music video online has
outdate television. ‘Internet killed the video star’ by The Limousines (TheLimousines 2010), through their music video,
ironically suggested that internet, music video online and the digital online
world had now outdated music television. The constant supersede of media
suggests that although online music video outdated music television, the
ever-growing convergence of media will develop a new medium that will then
overpower the way we view media.
The Limousines - "Internet killed the video star" (TheLimousines 2010)
The phenomenon of Media
Integration and transition of technology has resulted in various forms of
out-dating, specifically in the way we view Music Video. Media Transition through
the models: Media Convergence and Participatory Culture furthermore, depict and
confirm the results of Media Integration. Convergence of Media has resulted in
consumer orientated media, and the boom of Music Video Online.
Cheng X., Dale C. & Liu J. (2007). Understanding the characteristics
of internet short video sharing: YouTube as a case study. Arxiv preprint arXiv:0707.3670.
Dwyer T. (2009). Media convergence. Open University Press.
Hilderbrand L. (2007). YouTube:
Where cultural memory and copyright converge. Film Quarterly, 61, 48-57.
Jenkins H. (2003). Quentin
Tarantino’s Star Wars?: Digital cinema, media convergence, and participatory
culture. Rethinking media change: The
aesthetics of transition, 281-312.
Jenkins H. (2004). The cultural
logic of media convergence. International
journal of cultural studies, 7, 33-43.
OKGo (2009). Here It Goes Again [Online].
emimusic. Available: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTAAsCNK7RA
[Accessed 29th August 2012.
TheLimousines (2010). Internet Killed The Video Star [Online].
Available: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx5tSmOY_iM
[Accessed 29th August 2012.
www.crtc.gc.ca (2007). The Media and Means
of Integration Used for Concentration Purposes in the Industry. URL http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/publications/reports/eec2.gif
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