It’s been over 10 years now since those of us who read trade magazines started to see the word “convergence.”

Its original definition meant the mixture of the computer world with, among other areas, the broadcasting world. I’ve expanded the definition these days to basically mean that the era of single stream newspapers, radio, TV stations, and cable networks are over. People in media (note the plural) now create content using multiple forms of creative engines to output to multiple streams.

My readers at the Erie Times News are saying right now, “duh, what else is new?!?” That’s because they have been living in a fully convergent media world for years now. No longer can a reporter armed with a reporter’s notebook and a photographer shooting large format film go cover a story. Now they may bring a third reporter to shoot video or capture an audio interview, or the reporter wears a couple hats to ready the content for multiple streams: ink on newsprint, online text, photos, video, and podcasts.
I have to credit the future-thinking of the Times Publishing Co. as they’ve placed their bets on the developing convergent technologies years ago through today.

Of course, everyone in media in Erie is developing their multiple output streams; it’s just that some are further along than others. And because of where we are in the development cycle, and the level of investment by our media companies, there are often significant irritants to the media consumer that I’d love to see corrected, as well as missed opportunities to build audience and revenues. See if any of these issues resonate with you: (more…)