| When talking about media convergence, we are talking about the technology revolution,information explosion, and the decline of traditional media.Fresh theories might be replaced by newer ones in any seconds; Research of mediaconvergence is more like an adventure, since this era of information revolution shows thedestruction of old worlds, if not reconstructing them. Media convergence, which is resurrectedby the rising of new media, was brought out to public decades ago. However, earlier theorieshave failed to explain the current situation, while a definitely wide accepted critique is absent.Media convergence has shown its power since the cyberspace conquered the media industry.When traditional media expects the integration of newspapers, TV channels and cyberspaces,whereas the “Internet concept” storms the market, everything seems to be able to converge. Arepresentation of such phenomenon, however, is difficult. It is inadequate to describe theconvergence as a competition between what is old and what is new, nor a phase of purecombination. Technology convergence has led to industry convergence, following the path ofinnovation of information technology. Media convergence will sufficiently update itself to fitwithin what is left by cyberspace.Thereupon we focus on what was once popular–local news network, a delicate place totest the convergence. Local news network was born and unique to China, as it appeared whenlocal newspapers decided to embrace the Internet digital publishing, which is believed to be abasic part of media convergence. Local news network has seen its day since press groups areenthusiastically investing on such hop spots, followed by structure reform in order to be moremarket-oriented. News media urge to be defined no longer as a vassal of traditionalstate-owned mass media, but independent news producers. With the proximity advantagedowned by local news media, here must be a way to fully activate the production of regionalnetwork, to minimize the cost in competing with mighty national media, to hold and reclaimmarket share. The answer to all those possible questions is media convergence. Althoughthere is no doubt that local news network has the advantages in technology and medium, theyare losing them as the convergence approaches. Social media such as IM services andmicro-blogs are taking over their place, reimaging the scenery of media ecology. Market hasfound media convergence necessary, the real question is how. In2009, a pilot program of state-owned enterprise system reform started within10newswebsites, including7websites which are belonging to local news network. They have beenleading the trend of marketing and convergence of media ever since. VOC.com, a branch ofHunan Daily Press Group and first website to finish the shareholding system reform, itsbiggest shareholder VOC Corporation consists of San Xiang City News, VOC magazine,VOC BBS and LED screens, is so fresh to collectivized managing, that media convergencehad became the first issue of this newborn company. With years of reconstruction andinnovation, VOC.com has achieved a complete system of media convergence with a contentconvergence based upon paper and websites, a marketing convergence supported bymulti-medium integration, and an industry convergence systematized by integrated managing.There are system barriers; the exploration is not all plain sailing. Conflict of interest anddeficiency in structure lies upon the way of industry integration. In such an era of informationrevolution, it is not an permanent solution, which could possibly be destroyed andreconstructed in any time.Anywise, as the vanguards of media convergence, it is still valuable to study the case ofVOC.com, for some experience tested by market might inspire its successors. |
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