Digital Convergence

In the next few sessions we will cover digital convergence, or some of the technical aspects of digital media, new media, or multimedia. Consider two definitions of digital convergence:

1) The technological trend whereby a variety of different digital devices such as televisions, mobile telephones, and now refrigerators are merging into a multi-use communications appliance employing common software to communicate through the Internet.

2) Technological merger of several industries through various devices that exchange information in the electronic, or digital, format used by computers. The industries are computers, communications, consumer electronics, entertainment, and mass media.

The first definition deals with the merging of multimedia, computers, and communications via cyberspace (Internet). The second definition has some serious implications for both large media conglomerates and the community media and technology movement.

In the summer of 2004 I was invited to co-guest edit the Alliance for Community Media's Community Technology Review or CMR. I wrote two articles for the issue (see below):

The Creation Machines: An Overview of Digital Tools and Technologies
http://portal.nettrice.us/media_lit/creationmachines_nrg.html

"Digital cameras, video servers, HDTV, software suites and other tools and technologies are becoming readily available for many producers. The latest buzz for what some people are calling the creation machines specifies things such as affordability, portability, integration, and remote accessibility. The challenge for many access and community media centers is keeping up with these new possibilities. To clarify these issues, I’ve grouped the digital processing technologies such as computers and related computer technologies separately from digital capturing and viewing technologies."

Convergence…and The Changing Landscape of Digital Media
http://portal.nettrice.us/media_lit/convergence_article_nrg.html

"...an outline is useful to help organize and make sense of the dimensions and qualities of digital or new media. One approach is to map these developments by their primary function: production, distribution, display, and storage. Although this approach is limited by the convergence of media technologies and blurring various media functions, it is still useful to identify the distinguishing specifications of the converging digital media landscape."

The assignment for the next couple of weeks is to consider these questions:

If cyberspace (Internet) and post-media is affecting communications globally what are the impacts on community media?

How is digital convergence and other related developments changing the media landscape?

How is this trend changing communications policy?

The latest edition of the Community Media Review is all about the current communications policy debate:
http://www.cctv.org/peoplesguide.htm