Lesson 09: Media Consumption and Audience behaviour

Lesson 09: Media Consumption and Audience behaviour

Relationship between the Audience and Media Consumption  

MWE
23/12/12

Media Consumption and Audience behaviour

The Internet has changed the relationship between consumers and the media. This is also due to digital convergence and technological convergence. Digital convergence is the merging of 4 main industries into a conglomerate: 

·         IT

·         Consumer Electronics

·         Telecommunication

·         Entertainment

They have all merged into one platform to deliver dynamic experience for users. This also means digitalizing traditional Medias such as the radio and the TV.

Technological convergences are gadgets which apart from its primary purpose, is able to perform other functions- accessing various media platforms. For example: IPhones.

Together, these two elements had completely changed our lifestyle, not just by the way we listen to music but also by watching shows on TV, reading the newspaper etc. Digital convergence has digitalized radio, we can now listen to the radio using the internet and technological convergence has provided us access to this. It has also affected our media consumption, for example; many own gadgets which can perform technological convergence. Prime example would be an iPhone. I myself own one and due to digital convergence and its multiple functions it has allowed me to connect to YouTube and ITunes, which are both iconic media platforms for music. In the past, people would need to go to music stores and buy records; tapes or cd’s of songs to be able to listen to them and would need a music playing device (e.g. cassette player, record player) to listen to them. This limits the opportunity of listening to them, only being able to do so when they’re perhaps at home. Music was not as portable as it is now. Thanks to technological convergence, we are able to listen to music anytime and anywhere which also has allowed us to do multitasking. Purchasing music doesn’t include leaving the house now either, consumers can go on ITunes and buy tracks online or on their gadgets. These new developments, had saved time for many and encouraged sales within music industry.