The Imperatives of Media Convergence

Abstract

This paper explores the intricacies of media convergence from a journalistic perspective. The paper first looks into the definitions of media convergence and introduces the processes of media convergence from the views of different scholars. This paper was exploratory thus it examines the reasons for media convergence anchoring its theoretical basis on the media convergence theory. The merits and demerits of media convergence were highlighted and the paper concludes that the Internet has unified all media forms such that any medium that has not fully converged on the Internet can be said to be lagging behind. However, this is not to affirm that the media cannot survive without converging on the Internet but it is safe to say that such mass media that are absent on the new media might have reduced its essence of being a conduit for mass communication because the idea of mass communication is mass reach and the Internet offers that mass reach directing the attention of media owners in that direction. The media survives mainly on advertisements and advertisements are audience-oriented implying that advertisers go where the audiences are hence media convergence offers a great opportunity for the audience and advertisers to meet