Binding: Hardcover Dewey Decimal Number: 302.230973 EAN: 9780814742815 ISBN: 0814742815 Label: NYU Press Manufacturer: NYU Press Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 336 Publication Date: August 01, 2006 Publisher: NYU Press Release Date: August 01, 2006 Sales Rank: 13397 Studio: NYU Press
Winner of the 2007 Society for Cinema and Media Studies Katherine Singer Kovacs Book Award
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 Hogwart's 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.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Focused on Media, Art, Culture, Less So on Social Networks
I come late to this book, published in 2006. I do not regret it. It is a bit too focused on media, art, and "culture" for me, but I cannot penalize the author for being a master of arcane tid-bits. This book is a collection of previously published articles reworked into a book--for me, that is a good thing, as I do not cover the sources that originally carried the pieces.
The book comes recommended by Howard Rheingold and Bruce Sterling, two of the originals, so that alone should ... Read More
Rating: - pretty useful book
Well... Maybe I was expecting something more detailed and technic.
It still remain a good book, but it could have been more specific on the subject of convergence and old media, re-positioning and economic consequences.
Rating: - Blank Pages in Book
There are at least 8 blank pages in the book. I have no time to return and exchange for another book as the class is currently in session.
Rating: - Not Impressed
Henry Jenkins says, in the Introduction to Convergence Culture, "This book is about the relationship between three concepts -- media convergence, participatory culture, and collective intelligence." He then defines the terms and, a few pages later, still in the Intro, writes, "My aim is...modest. I want to describe some of the ways that convergence thinking is reshaping American popular culture and, in particular, the ways it is impacting the relationship between media audiences, producers, and ... Read More
Rating: - Surprisingly Good
I got this for university purposes, nothing more. Was actually surprisingly enjoyable, and considering that Jenkins professes his faults, surprisingly good. I was unaware of his expertise and prestige previously, so I had a nicely unbiased view. Weirdly, an enjoyable read.
- Focused on Media, Art, Culture, Less So on Social Networks
- pretty useful book
- Blank Pages in Book
- Not Impressed
