Convergence Culture

Jenkins discusses the convergence of media and the culture that is affected by it. He talks about the black box theory and how everyone owns all of these devices. Also how all of these black box devices are being converged in to one "larger" device. One such technology which he discusses at the beginning of the Introduction chapter is the cell phone, how you cannot just buy a single function phone. This reminds me of when I was shopping for phones about a year ago. I did not want a phone with so many functions because I felt like they did not work as well as the single function phone I had when I was sixteen ( six years ago). I was disappointed to find that there were no such thing as I wanted. The phone companies have converged several devices into one in order to match the needs of our the new multitasking society. Culture is moving at a faster pace, so must our technology. Weinberger and Jenkins touch on some of the same things. I think that Weinberger talks a lot about how users of Web 2.0 are creators. I think the same is true for convergence; the consumer is in charge of what devices need to converge in order to function better for their everyday needs.

"Convergence involves both a change in the way media is produced and a change in the way media is consumed."

"Producers who fail to make their peace with this new participatory culture will face declining goodwill and diminished revenues."

"Define media...on the first, a medium is a technology that enables communication; on the second, a medium is a set of associated "protocols" or social and cultural practices that have grown up around that technology."