Media Convergence

Media Convergence plays a key role in the definition of current European policies and its lines of action. The relevancy of the topic mainly depends on the opportunities and challenges opened by the adoption of new forms of technology and the high level of internet diffusion. Such transformations are redefining traditional practices on contents creations and utilisation building up new opportunities for the entire ecosystems of the creative and media industry.

In this sense, new users’ experience and technological development are strictly interrelated in a process based on the convergence of communication networks and protocols. In other words, convergence from a technological perspective leads to an interaction from different media forms and platforms, that were disconnected until some time ago, that makes possible to talk about “crossmedia” or “transmedia”.

In addition, convergence also affects social aspect in term of new possibilities for users to enhance sociality, creativity and commercial aims. This aspect is even more important when applied to Social Media due to the fact that the connection of different kind of users, different kind of contents and channels gives life to a many-to-many form of connection build on digital spaces.

In parallel to all opportunities and possibilities for the media industry, the same transformation left open also several challenges that have to be taken into account under technological, social and legal aspects. In this sense our work in Media and Convergence aims to push forward the debate increasing the power of the technological integration according to the ecosystems’ needs.