Winner of the 2007 Society for Cinema and Media Studies Katherine
Singer Kovacs Book Award
2007 Choice Outstanding Academic Title
A classic study on the dynamic between an individual and different
media channels
*
Convergence Culture* maps a new territory: where old and new media
intersect, where grassroots and corporate media collide, where the power
of the media producer and the power of the consumer interact in
unpredictable ways.
Henry Jenkins, one of America's most respected media analysts, delves
beneath the new media hype to uncover the important cultural
transformations that are taking place as media converge. He takes us
into the secret world of Survivor Spoilers, where avid internet users
pool their knowledge to unearth the show's secrets before they are
revealed on the air. He introduces us to young Harry Potter fans who
are writing their own Hogwarts tales while executives at Warner Brothers
struggle for control of their franchise. He shows us how The Matrix
has pushed transmedia storytelling to new levels, creating a fictional
world where consumers track down bits of the story across multiple media
channels.Jenkins argues that struggles over convergence will redefine
the face of American popular culture. Industry leaders see opportunities
to direct content across many channels to increase revenue and broaden
markets. At the same time, consumers envision a liberated public sphere,
free of network controls, in a decentralized media environment.
Sometimes corporate and grassroots efforts reinforce each other,
creating closer, more rewarding relations between media producers and
consumers. Sometimes these two forces are at war.
Jenkins provides a riveting introduction to the world where every story
gets told and every brand gets sold across multiple media platforms. He
explains the cultural shift that is occurring as consumers fight for
control across disparate channels, changing the way we do business,
elect our leaders, and educate our children.
