Media Convergence, Technological Convergence, Synergy and Proliferation.

Media Convergence: When old technology and new technology merges together to create a product that has a bigger impact. Rockstar use licensed music (Kanye West and Ice Cube) in GTA 4 for the radio stations, this enables the game to become more realistic and atmospheric in a movie like way. Rockstar also had TV channels in their games to add a realistic effect and attract attention from gamers. Rockstar used media convergence for marketing. They coordinated their online trailers with the release of magazine articles and TV ads. Viral marketing use convergence so you have information on old marketing being spread by new media: fan blogs, websites and social networking sites. Combining video games with the online world has a significant effect; games can be multiplayer which allows online communities to develop, new maps to be available, games get more value from playing the game. Also gamers can create content and share it with other gamers. Cross media convergence, such a s farmville, are when games and social networking sites come together. They are distributed via facebook, marketed via facebook and consumed all via facebook. This media convergence is proof that it can change the industry.

Technological Convergence: Is where technologies join together to create new technologies that collectively bring a number of different types of media. For example, an iphone as a mobile and internet have come together. Three main types of technological convergence are the xbox 360, Wii and the PS3, these consoles have various, different components that make them different from others, however, they all usually have internet access and access  of downloads and personal storage for photos and music. Home Entertainment Centres are their main recognition that will in turn produce a wide variety of markets available as they are multi-functional boxes and offer people more than just a 'normal' games console. This all helps sell smaller consoles like PSP’s or DS’s as there will be a gap in the market for them to be seen. It opens up the market for consumers who want to buy one product that produces the effects of blu-ray ad a PS3.

Synergy: This is the interaction of two or more organisations or products that come together to make a larger effect than if they acted independently. There are 3 different types of synergy, Cross-Promotion, Simultaneous Release and Related Products. Cross-Promotion is when 2 or more brands/products/ or games come together in a promotion on one thing. Simultaneous release is when companies have similar products with a similar release date of a major event like a movie and lastly Related products is when companies come out with a range of products that all relate to each other, this is usually the case when a major film comes out. These types of synergy help sell products because they all have a large effect on the audience.


Proliferation: A rapid increase in the number of a certain type of product. In many types of media and also in business you get proliferation. Lots of the same product, this is usually because of a certain product becoming popular. Or it could be because of a breakthrough in technology which allows a lot of companies to enter market. An example in the iphone as its a big hit, so companies learn that consumers want a touch sceen phone that has lots of apps. So suddenly there's a lot of smart phones with very similar looks and attributes.