Convergence and its driving factors in Iranian news websites

Abstract

Abstract The term convergence has been widely used in communications to refer to different media issues such as conglomeration of media corporations, changing behaviour of new media users and use of technological affordances among other things. There are debates about driving forces of media convergence. Whereas media owners consider convergence as a tool for more profits, critics express concerns about media monopoly as a result of organizational convergence. However, journalists regard convergence as a way to present more attractive and precise news. This article is an attempt to explore main aspects of convergence related to relationship among media organizations and characteristics of media contents in the context of Iranian online news papers. I also analyse essential factors that drive convergence for Iranian online newspapers and compare the findings with conditions of online news media in the United States. This article is significant since it expands existing knowledge about media convergence in Iranian context. The findings of this research can be helpful for news organizations to improve the quality of their news websites through different forms of convergence. Finally, implications for future research on convergence in contexts similar to Iran are provided.