What media consumption and technological convergence?

[ThtJonasGal]

- The importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences
-The ways in which the candidates own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.

What do those 2sentences mean?
What is*

[Dennis c]

Hi Zeinab:

Sounds like "homework time"!

The first sentence's use of "technological convergence" refers to the merging of traditional media (radio, TV, film, print) and "New Media" & technical advances (internet, videogames, PCs, tablets & smart-phones) to the point where almost everyone (not just the big broadcast corporations & movie studios -- the traditional "institutions") has access to both the tools for creating programming and entertainment as well as the distribution or "outlets" that allow everyone (the "audiences") to see the programs or content.

If the question or statement is made in the context of "advertising" or "marketing", then the institutions would refer to the product/message advertisers, and the audiences would be potential consumers or viewers of the message.

Summing up the "importance" aspect would be: institutions can get the message out easier and more widely, and audiences can more easily (or conveniently) get the message in new ways.

Your second sentence seems to be in a political election context. "Media consumption" refers to our patterns of everything from how we get our music (broadcast radio, music videos, iPods, CDs, satellite radio, internet "radio", etc.), our TV & movie viewing methods (a new behavior trend would be watching a movie on your phone), as well as the time we spend reading on the internet or old-fashioned magazines, newspapers, & books. (Think about how many political candidates or political pundits come out with a "new book" around election time!)

Modern political candidates' knowledge about and personal experience with traditional methods of "spreading the word" (TV/radio, billboards, postal letters/cards, yard signs) combined with New Media (Twitter and YouTube didn't exist when most candidates were growing up) can influence the advertising choices they make. "Media consumption" can be summed up as "what they watch/listen to, and how they watch/listen to it", whether it's entertainment, news, or the advertising messages that go along with it.

Since examining "audience behavior trends" shows that, generally, people now watch more cable than they used to, it means that candidates' messages on regular broadcast TV might not be seen by as many viewers as in the past. The 2008 US Presidential election campaigns showed the power of internet sites and viral videos in fundraising and getting out "the message".

When you come across an essay question or statement that seems overwhelming, break it down (it's called "parsing") by one or two words at a time, then recombine it with terms or words you understand. Context also provides a lot of clues.

hope this helps,
--Dennis C.