I Love Convergence: Television: part one

The following is an excerpt from a conversation taking place in my mind:

 

            Teacher: What is convergence?

                           Yes, Joe?

 

            Joe:  “Media convergence is the merging of technologies, industries, and content, especially within the realms of computer, telephone, and mass media.”

 

            Teacher: why yes you are absolutely correct! Congratulations reader and regurgitater of textbook definitions. But what does it mean to you?

 

            Joe: “um… it means you can watch T.V and stuff on your computer and phone.”

 

            Teacher: Yes Joe, that is correct. But let us go a bit further.

 

Convergence is transforming the landscape of television. Convergence is made possible by the Internet. It is changing when we view, and how we view our favorite shows.

 

The major networks like NBC, CBS, and ABC are creating highly interactive web pages that allows viewers to not only view full episodes anytime after it’s original air-date, but also interact with their favorite shows.

 

For example NBC’s home page is highly interactive. My favorite show “The Office,” has a web page within NBC’s home page in which you can view old episodes, view webisodes, and even keep up with your favorite characters via blogs. An “official” Dunder Mifflin web page is also setup, here you can apply to work for the fine company that is Dunder Mifflin.

 

All of these interactivities allow the viewer to be more connected to their favorite shows, creating a global community of office viewers. Convergence of television and Internet is allowing more individuals to view the Office than would be possible with only television broadcast on Thursdays. Now I can view the newest Office episode after I work on Thursday, and avoid hearing what happened before I get to view the Halloween episode.

 

I also have the option of using Hulu.com to view many different shows that I have missed. For example I watch “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” because I discovered it via Hulu. Hulu, created by News corp. and NBC Universal, streams free video of NBC and Fox shows, and web syndicates to AOL, MySpace, and even Yahoo.

 

Hulu is free because of their multiple 30 second, unavoidable web ads. However some of the ads are actually somewhat entertaining, and they are short enough that they do not create an interruption as much as the 3 minute TV ad breaks.

 

Take a few minutes and enjoy the 100’s of television shows available for your viewing pleasure thanks to convergence of Internet and television. Check out Dougie Houser… it was on before I was even born… but it is so cheesy it’s funny.

 

Hulu, and NBC’s web pages are great examples of how the Internet and television are like members of the “Super-Friends” uniting to protect the world from missing out on important media happenings like the latest episode of the Office… or possibly a presidential debate. 

 

Convergence of television and Internet allows for ultimate media coverage. Meaning no longer are we stuck to simply view our favorite show, now we can view webisodes, blog with our favorite characters, and even discover new shows via the web that we can watch via the normal means of television.

 

Convergence is allowing for a greater audience to view a single show with very few commercial interruptions online, while allowing for greater, and sometimes, immediate ad response via direct links to said product. I believe this is only the beginning of the convergence between these two great means of information dissemination. Soon, I believe, we will see interactive television-sets. I envision “television sets” that are basically computers, or computer connected devices allowing customized advertisements, and customized “prime time” line-ups. 

 

            Teacher: Joe, does that answer your question… Joe are you watching Hulu on your laptop during lecture...?

 

            Joe: … um no… I was … doing research.