Critically evaluate the significance of media convergence for approaches to and expectations of political journalism.

Media convergence is constantly revolutionising the way we interact with entertainment and information. From Teletext to Twitter, the rapid technological developments of the past twenty years are allowing us to reshape our conceptions of the producer and the consumer. This essay will critically evaluate how media convergence has changed journalists approach to producing political news and the ways in which media convergence is altering audiences expectations of political journalism. According to Ofcom media convergence is the ability of consumers to obtain multiple services on a single platform or device, or obtain any given service on multiple platforms of devices. (Dwyer 2010, p.4) But the implications of media convergence extend way beyond the consumer, affecting also the journalist and those involved in the political process. To fully understand the impact of media convergence it is important to explore the evolutionary points in its trajectory. Ever since media and technology were connected media convergence has existed, the more that technology advances the more tools the media has at its disposal. From the first email ever sent in 1971 to the launch of the first mobile internet service in 1999. From the first VCR in 1976 to the instantly accessible YouTube of 2013 (Bhatti 2013), the media has come a long way, and so has the way we see, understand and interact with it. Political journalism is no exception to that. Media convergence is playing a significant role in the evolution of political journalism, changing the way information is disseminated and the way in which audiences can engage in the political process. It is broadening the definition and the role of journalists, as well as making the practice more accessible to everybody; this is sometimes called to as the democratisation of journalism. The democratisation of journalism is a hot topic among journalists, academics and within the blogosphere. Typically portrayed as New media vs. Old media the argument tends to be that new media is making old media obsolete, which understandably doesnt settle well with some traditional journalists. Ron Steinman, who worked for NBC during the Vietnam War, vigorously denounced the idea of citizen journalism, fearing a new generation of untutored amateurs (Steinman 2009) would cheapen the profession. In a blog post on The Digital Journalist he wrote: The gathering and presentation of news cannot live on desire alone. It cannot go forward without money and lots of it. It takes time and dedication to keep people informed. Journalists need training to succeed. Without training, and the high standards that training brings, something that the supporters of citizen journalism decry as hoary, there would be no journalism at all. In the end, someone has to pay the professionals for the work they do. (Steinman 2009) But Steinman doesnt speak for the whole of the old media. Traditional news outlets have spent years trying to stay relevant by incorporating new media and its values into their everyday practice. Technology author and blogger Seth Godin refutes the idea of new vs. old, writing;

Technology almost always democratizes art, because it gives us better tools, better access and a quicker route to mediocrity. It's significantly easier to be a mediocre (almost very good) setter of type today than it was to be a pretty good oil painter two hundred years ago. And so, when technology shows up, it's easy to imagine that along with the old school becoming obsolete, the new school will be populated by nothing but lazy poseurs. Don't tell that to Jill Greenberg, Sasha Dichter or Jenny Holzer. ... all this ending is leading to more and more beginnings, isn't it? It's not ruined, it's merely different. (Godin 2013) The 7th of July 2005 was a pivotal moment for the democratisation of journalism in Britain. The aftermath of the 7/7 bombing in London introduced the phenomenon of citizen journalism into the public lexicon, for the first time the news was being told by the public. Over 300 photos and videos, mostly taken on mobile phones and handheld cameras, were sent into the BBC. With events unfolding beyond the reach of profession journalists and traditional media, citizen journalism was crucial in determining what was happening. London Underground initially attributed the explosion to a power surge, but after the publics photos of a blown-up bus circulated it was soon confirmed as a terrorist attack. (Douglas 2006) No longer able to rely on their employees to get the whole story newsrooms began crowdsourcing their information, actively requesting photos and eye-witness accounts from the public. The Metropolitan Police soon set up an email address for public submissions. From that moment on British media would never be the same, user-generated content (UGC) became a vital part of journalism. As public engagement in reporting flourished traditional media began to innovate new ways to utilise UGC and public opinion. In 2006 the US network CNN launched a new program called iReport which took advantage of the newsgathering capabilities of non-professional journalists. Old media recognized that citizen journalism wasnt just a fad or passing trend but an important advancement in the news gathering process. (CNN 2013) The rise of UGC has undoubtedly encouraged and influenced the technological development of mobile phones and personal devices. In 2007 Apple released the iPhone, one of the first phones which had the ability to take photos, record audio and video and share it via the internet. Now the public were able to generate their own content and share it on new mediums like Twitter, news was no longer passive but something to be engaged in. Six years later and over 48% of UK residents are estimated to own a smartphone, (NMTW 2013) with 34 million people using Twitter in the UK. (Rose 2013) Social networking sites such as Twitter have changed the way in which we communicate information, as well as changing the publics expectations of journalism and public figures such as politicians. Twitter brings the public, journalists, celebrities and politicians into the same space, creating a new dynamic of discussion. Not only has it brought together previously fragmented or isolated sections of society, but Twitter and Facebook have successfully created a platform that converges social networking, news information and advertising. The full potential of mediums like Twitter was never properly acknowledged until the 2011. The Arab Spring was blossoming across the Middle-East and many commentators were attributing the

successful mobilisations to Twitter. Its an overstatement to suggest Twitter caused the revolutions, but it certainly helped bypass more conventional and risky modes of organisation. Philip Howard, Professor in communication at the University of Washington said; Our evidence suggests that social media carried a cascade of messages about freedom and democracy across North Africa and the Middle East, and helped raise expectations for the success of political uprising, adding that People who shared interest in democracy built extensive social networks and organized political action. Social media became a critical part of the toolkit for greater freedom. (ODonnell 2011) This shows how a more open, inclusive and accessible means of communication changed the political expectations of the general public. The people of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya were now able to receive and create a different social narrative; their undemocratic regimes were no longer able to totally manage the information disseminated to the people. This is an example of how media convergence can help challenge pre-existing forms of government and society. Social media is also helping challenge the existing social and political paradigms in Britain, but in a different way. In 2011 riots erupted across the UK, and like in the Arab Spring people used social media like Twitter and Facebook, as well as IM services such as Blackberry Messenger to quickly communicate and organise. But like in the Middle-East, not everyone is convinced that these new forms of communication were entirely to blame. Speed Communications boss, Stephen Waddington defended the role of social media during the riots saying; Twitter is being used to exchange messages in a way that previous generations used technology such as phone, email and SMS. To claim that Twitter had a role in the Tottenham riots is as credible as placing the blame at the hands of the mobile phone handset manufacturers or mobile operators. (Williams 2011) With the ability to communicate to a mass audience instantly, Twitter is now a necessity for most journalists and politicians. The public are now able to communicate with their representatives like never before, and visa-versa. In this sense, media convergence has changed the publics expectations of politicians. Voters no longer have to go to their local surgery to grill their MPs, similarly journalists are able to gauge public reactions within minutes of a politician making a statement online. Politicians are now expected to be constantly engaged with the people, and in some cases are able to bypass the traditional media to get their message out there. Social networking has changed peoples expectations of political journalism in a number of ways. It could be argued that the social networkings limited ability to convey in-depth information has resulted in a more quick and disposable culture of journalism. People increasingly want instantaneous news, while expecting increasingly less substance. People expect short and fast blasts of information, especially in political journalism, in exchange for substance and accuracy. As communications between the public, journalists and politicians becomes more and more informal, the publics expectation of accuracy have lowered to a point where rumours often carry as much credit as facts. During the London riots all manner of rumours began to circulate, most notably @Twiggy_Garcias tweet; #LondonRiots hearing reports that London zoo was broken into and a large amount of animals have escaped. Too far! Thats not cool . Word spread immediately of the false rumours, with the majority of people

forwarding the rumour and only a few questioning it. (Proctor, Vis & Vos 2011) This is indicative of the ways that social networking has changed the publics expectations of credible information. I dont believe that this is a sign of growing gullibility amongst the public, but rather a growing acceptance that not all information online is accurate. The public are clearly willing to trade some accuracy and credibility for immediacy. Media convergence has radically changed the way in which the public and politicians engage in the political process, as well as challenging the role of journalists within that political process. It is changing the publics expectation of what constitutes news, and how news is gathered. Recent advancements in convergence have forced politicians to communicate with their electorate, but also encouraged people to challenge their representatives. It has helped people in politically repressed parts of the world participate in their political process like never before. Ultimately I think that expectations of political journalism have been lowered now that audiences are able to form their own opinions, based upon an immense pool of information online. It is up to journalists and traditional media to fulfil and exceed the changing expectations of their audience. This is important if political journalism is to remain relevant in an increasingly convergent world. Like Godin said; It's not ruined, it's merely different. (Godin 2013)

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