Even better, media critic Jeff Greenfield's segment, in which he attempts to capture the meaning of "media convergence" in under four minutes. It's an intriguing exercise, especially within the context of the venerated Sunday Morning, a rather conventionally formatted news program that just marked its 30th anniversary on the air.
As we are all too well aware, a lot has changed in media in these last 30 years. What makes Greenfield's commentary worthwhile are his parting words about "fundamental" values. Do these values endure despite the sweeping changes brought on by digitization, as Greenfield asserts?
It's a great discussion starter.
Another fun exercise: how does Greenfield's definition of "convergence" contrast with the definition put forth by media scholar Henry Jenkins? In his 2006 book, Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide, Jenkins argues that convergence has less to do with devices and technological advances and more to do with cultural practices and heightened levels of participation and interactivity.
What do you think?
