Convergence and Consolidation in Journalism

For years the way we receive our news has been evolving. From newspapers, radios, tv's, and now the internet. This convergence allows any journalist to write and post any article they deem "newsworthy" online for any viewer to read. However with this convergence brings consolidation to a once thriving market. The average person is more likely to go online and read about the news now than they are to buy a newspaper. That being said the internet has found ways to make news more compelling, as journalists can post videos along with their articles. Consolidation is when you combine multiple things, in this case companies, and make them into a singular, more effective whole. This argument was more thank likely used when larger companies pressured smaller local companies to sell out and "consolidate."
By creating less companies it creates less journalists which means many local and smaller news stories go unnoticed. When that happened the internet was being used to the fullest with news becoming more accessible online, and much more convenient. While convergence does have its negatives that feed into consolidation, they also have positives that counter these very problems as well.
Among these negatives includes the loss of jobs. “In the USA today there are roughly 3,000 people working on the internet making news. Last year alone 16,000 newspaper employees lost their jobs." While the internet does its best to create employment, it is simply not enough. Another negative linked with this is credibility. Now more than ever readers must be weary of of the credibility of stories online, as it could be someone fabricating lies for an entertaining story. Another negative is if there are only a few networks left, after consolidating, then it creates less competition between them. As this revolution continues anyone with the a passion for news can now act up on it enter the world of professional journalism.




Media for All: Solving convergence and ownership consolidation problems by Damien Gayle

http://blogs.journalism.co.uk/editors/2009/11/03/media-for-all-solving-convergence-and-ownership-consolidation-problems/