Media and Information Literacy Types of Media

The three Cs of Media Convergence

1. Computing 2. Communication 3. Content

Five Types of Media:

1. Print media 2. Broadcast media 3. Film or cinema 4. Video games and digital media 5. New media

Jenkins Five Types of Convergence

1. Technological convergence 2. Cultural convergence 3. Organic convergence 4. Global convergence 5. Economic convergence

New media

As the name suggests, is another young, growing type of media that has come into being with the advent of modern technology. It is usually digital and Internet-based. It is also interactive, with two-way communication (in the form of comments, Likes, tweets, among others) usually being central to its design. Blogs (web logs), audio and video streaming services, and online versions of newspapers are prominent examples of this. Social media is also a part of this media known today, and is perhaps the example with the most potential.

Henry Jenkins (2006)

He is a media theorist who points out that "convergence is a word that manages to describe technological, industrial, cultural and social changes.​"

Cultural convergence

It includes a number of key aspects. One is the "flow" of stories from one format to another​, which can be seen in adaptations such as the Mars Ravelo print comic books being adapted into television series and films. Another key aspect is participatory culture​, which allows media consumers to add some input on the media they consume, as well as create their own examples of that media. YouTube is a prominent example that demonstrates this.

Technological convergence

It is perhaps the most common way to point out convergence in action. Here, the lines of traditional media types blur as technology makes it possible for media content to be supported on media types and platforms​. Television shows and radio programs, for instance, are no longer exclusively accessible via television sets and radios.

Organic convergence

It is the natural outcome of a world filled with diverse media types​. Jenkins also calls this social convergence​, or "media stacking". Not so much a "planned" convergence as a type that "simply happens" by nature​, this can be seen in cases where a person is using their smartphone to send messages or browse the Internet while watching television, or reading a newspaper while a radio program plays in the background.

Media convergence

It is when the lines between media types blurring, the coming together of media types, and their related industries.

Media (Medium in plural)

It refers to a channel for general communication in a social context. Hence, they are channels or paths through which information is delivered from one person to another.

Economic convergence

It refers to the linking of companies and businesses to media. Prominent examples of this type of convergence arose in the late 1990s and 2000s. Media companies and properties became visibly profitable and prominent enough to catch larger companies' attention. These days, it is not unusual for a parent company to have stakes in many different media industries. Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation has its hands in cable television, broadcasting, book publishing, and film, among others.

Print media

It ​is arguably the oldest type, entering use in the earliest days of written language itself. It has evolved considerably, and is driven by humanity's insatiable hunger for information. Since the invention of the Gutenberg printing press, this has evolved to include books, newspapers, and magazines. These are prevalent in most parts of the world today despite the increasing popularity of Internet-based media.

Convergence

Its literal meaning is intersection, or a meeting of distinct forces.

Film

This ​has evolved, from black-and-white "moving pictures" with no sound to highly sophisticated color movies, especially with the advent of digital cinema. This form of media originally recorded images onto the celluloid strips that give it its name. It is generally used for storytelling purposes, although shorter instructional videos are also common. Note that some time after their run in theaters, films may also be re-shown on television.

Video games

​These are a relatively young type, first coming into vogue in the 1970s. From early, simplistic point-and-shoot or beat-em-up gameplay, modern video games are almost cinematic affairs. The most notable examples incorporate extended visualized storytelling, and feature a wide range of topics and themes. Notably, its output and design limits are further tested every few years due to the brisk development of the technology that drives it. Mobile games, playable on smartphones, are currently as popular as their older console-based cousins.

Broadcast media

​This evolved in leaps and bounds in the 20th century. These types do not rely on the production and distribution of physical copies as much as print media does because they distribute their messages "over the air". Additionally, because their programming can be viewed by multitudes at once, this media like radio and television have been traditionally accepted as the most efficient way to transmit messages.