Media convergence is the process by which different types of media, such as traditional media, print media, broadcast media, new media, and the internet, merge into one computerized device. It involves the interconnection of communication technologies, computer networks, and media content. Media convergence is constituted of three Cs: communication, computing, and content, which are integrated through technology. The most relevant example of media convergence is a smartphone that blends together various media. There are three main types of media convergence: technological convergence, economic convergence, and cultural convergence.
Technological convergence is the most readily understood dimension of convergence. With the World Wide Web, smartphones, tablet computers, smart televisions, and other digital devices, billions of people are now able to access media content that was once tied to specific communications media. Economic convergence refers to the merging of media companies and the concentration of media ownership. Cultural convergence refers to the blending of different cultures through media.
Media convergence transforms established industries, services, and work practices and enables entirely new forms of content to emerge. It erodes long-established media industry and content "silos" and increasingly uncouples content from particular devices, which in turn presents major challenges for public policy and regulation. The five major elements of media convergence are the technological, industrial, social, textual, and political.
