Media convergence

Abstract

ëConvergenceí is an ambiguous term used by various disciplines to describe and analyse processes of change toward uniformity or union. Its application in the communications sector, often referred to as ëmedia convergenceí, also encompasses valuable approaches and insights to describe, characterize and understand the digital creative economy. A certain amount of fuzziness combined with the broad, multipurpose character of convergence leads to both a general and a wide range of very specific understandings of the convergent communications sector. This sector substantially overlaps with the digital creative economy, which is also characterized by a degree of vagueness. Common sub-sectors and subjects between communications and digital creative industries such as broadcasting, publishing, advertising, music, film and games are even growing because of convergence. Beyond that, the consequences of media convergence are also discussed for other parts of the creative industries, such as museums, libraries and design in particular. New digital media technology and services are considered as central drivers of creative industries. Altogether, this makes studies of media convergence, both its approaches and its results, highly relevant for the understanding of the digital creative economy.