Consumption and convergence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Consumption and convergence - Essay Example Consequently the concept now commands preponderance over format. The ensuing fusion of till now estranged media has finally made way for the virtual world that is far more interesting and tangible as compared to the utterly scattered version of reality offered by the analogous media. Murdock celebrates the advent of digitization by declaring that, â€Å"This age of analogue communications is now coming to an end. It is giving way to a new media landscape based on digital technologies (2008: 35).† Convergence is a natural and direct outcome of the homogenization of format made possible by digitization. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ‘convergence’ as, â€Å"the merging of distinct technologies, industries or devices into a unified whole (2009).† Hitherto the concept of convergence had certain negative connotations associated with it because of the fear of a possible concentration of power and the annihilation of diversity. Yet, the fact is that convergence is a direct response to the needs and preferences of the contemporary consumer who thrives in a scenario where the line between work and entertainment is very think and the enhanced access facilitated by the compatibility of variegated portals is in high demand. It will get really feasible to grasp this idea by pragmatically comparing two recent instances of media convergence i.e. PS3 and Nintendo WII videogame consoles. On November 11, 2006, Sony Entertainment officially released its much anticipated Play Station 3 (PS3) video console in Japan. This was followed by a US release on November 17, 2006 and then in Europe on March 23, 2007. The PS3 was not being marketed as just a video game console but as a home multimedia system. This is because the PS3 is packed with various technologies that can readily be consumed through other platforms. The PS3 console is manufactured with an inbuilt BLUE RAY disc