Friday 30 September 2011

Convergence culture in the creative industries

This article by Mark Deuze is about the convergence of different culture coming together, particularly the culture of the media. The study of how the emerging practices in media which creates a new media

culture in the new global environment. Convergence culture is created by users who consume and produce, as Mr Faizal used the term during class and also the term used in this article, "Prosumer" refereeing to consumer who becomes producer. Meaning the audience receives and gives meaning to the media content.

"Acknowledging&observing the emergence of media culture --- convergence of culture (production+consumer) --- individual creativity& production in the cultural industries."

The author touches on the below elements:

a) Media Participants: peoples who participate with those who use the media
b) Convergence Culture: the new media ecology effects people, users have more control.
c) Creative Industries: creative industries open up ways of thinking about commercial and non-commercial.

The author futher studies how the online game counter-strike, online website Amazon and The CPB group are somehow in different ways connected to media participants, convergence culture and also creative industries.

As everything has pros and corns, so does convergence culture in my option. Convergence culture is:

beneficial as it does help us grow more creatively and use various media to suit what we want (consumer+producer). Hence, the "professionals" no longer entirely decide what we can and cant do as we are now part of the team of deciding what we want to suit our own preference. Since we live in a life whereby we are constantly told what to do at work and sometimes our personal life's, it is good to have some moments to ourselves where we are the "boss" and call the shots according to what we want. More like an escape time and with the convergence of media&culture, this is possible.

On another side of the note, due to convergence culture it is probably the reason for  institutions, companies and professionals are less in demand leading to less job demand (jeopardizing their coureurs). Apart from that, from my opinion where we ourselves become the author or boss of a software eventually as time passes we will get bored of it, as from time to time we need a person in higher authority to call the shots to make us feel human again and encounter challenges.

As the media is becoming "liquid" as mentioned in the article due to the convergence of culture&media. The question arises, what are the people/users doing to the media? The media somehow has become our puppet and we are the puppeter controlling it according to what we want.

But what happens when the puppet gets better then us in our real life? When we become the puppets shadow. Likewise applying it to the emerging media, what  happens when our life's in the media becomes better then our real life.



1 comment:

  1. Hello! I agree with your point: "beneficial as it does help us grow more creatively and use various media to suit what we want (consumer+producer)."

    One beautiful thing about convergence is how it has blurred the lines between the top and the people that buy the product/service. It has caused organizations, business to be more down-to-earth and this results on more participation from those not from the top level. This has bring about many improvements, and a platform for consumers to feel as they are part of something.

    I also agree that as we become more "liquid" we tend to lose our drive. It is important to know what is what "work, leisure, personal" and constantly strive to uphold these walls when in the line.

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