All for one and one for all? A Spanish experience of research about media convergence Ramón Salaverría 9th International Symposyum on Online Journalism. Austin (Texas), 5th April 2008

1 st research project “The impact of the Internet on the mass media in Spain” (Funded by MCyT/MEC ) 4 Main results: 3National census of online media (01/2005) 3A multidisciplinary analysis of the first decade of online media in Spain ( ) 4 4 universities (UPV, USC, UMA, UN); 15 researchers

Papers 135 Magazines > TV > 900 Radio > Online media landscape in Spain (January 2005)

Procedence Type of content Geographical distribution Language Timeliness variables of analysis

procedence

type of content

type of content, by region General information Specialized information Europe Spain

type of content, by region General information Specialized information Catalonia

type of content, by region General information Specialized information Catalonia

type of content, by region General information Specialized information Catalonia Madrid

type of content, by cathegory

language

CIBERMEDIOS Sevilla: Comunicación Social (11/2005) PRINT AND ONLINE NEWSPAPERS IN EUROPE Amsterdam: Het Spinhuis Publishers (12/2005)

2 nd research project “Digital convergence on the media” (MEC ) 4 12 universities; 24 researchers 4Divided into 4 thematic groups: - technology - management - professionals - content

Santiago de Compostela Madrid Málaga Sevilla Murcia Pamplona Alicante Tarragona Bilbao Elche Valencia Barcelona Europe Spain Technology Content Management Professionals

2 nd research project “Digital convergence on the media” (MEC ) 4 Expected results: 3A comprehensive understanding of convergence processes and a proposal of theoretical definition 3Analysis of main media convergence cases in Spain (2009)

Why researching about convergence?

But, what is the real meaning of CONVERGENCE?

All for one and one for all?...

...or a just medicine for a declining medium?

convergence = integration PROCESS EFFECT

there is a convergence process running in almost every media group...but... there is NOT a result of integration almost in any of these groups

CONVERGENCE does not deal only with newsrooms: is a multidimensional process

technology management professional content areas of convergence

journalistic production TECHNOLOGICAL convergence

media usage & consumption i n c r e asi ng p o r t a b i l i t y TECHNOLOGICAL convergence

Old media blurring...,,,,,, TECHNOLOGICAL convergence

self competition cross - promotion coordination integration still many most some anyone? MANAGEMENT convergence

PROFESSIONAL convergence 1 task for 1 medium N tasks for 1 medium 1 task for N media N tasks for N media

PROFESSIONAL convergence

Monomedia Multimedia Many media text | image | sound text + image + sound textimagesound CONTENT convergence

Semantic tags CONTENT convergence Video Sound Photo Links Body Teaser (web) Lead (paper) 2 nd headline Headline Section print mobile TV web PDA

Now, we finally have a comprehensive DEFINITION of CONVERGENCE

Media convergence is a multidimensional process which, facilitated by the implementation of digital technologies of telecommunication, involves the technological, management, professional and editorial spheres of the mass media, favouring an integration of tools, spaces, work methods and languages, so journalists produce contents that are distributed through multiple platforms, using the specific language of each one.

Now, our research question is: is this happening in Spain? To what extent? That’s our goal for the forthcoming months

Final thoughts

Media convergence is inevitable However, convergence is a process that consists of different spheres And each sphere has different levels of development, from a minimum to a maximum Media groups have to decide what is the level of convergence that they need in each sphere Confusing convergence and integration may be the cause of big management mistakes Final thoughts

Many media Uncoordinated newsrooms (not necessarily separated) Redundancy Medium-ruled journalism True multimedia Coordinated newsrooms (not necessarily integrated) Complementarity Content-ruled journalism BEFORE AFTER Convergence will produce shifts like...

If people want information beamed directly into their minds, we will create a cerebral cortex edition. “ ” Arthur Sulzberger Jr. Chairman of The New York Times Co., 2002

CONTACT Ramón Salaverría, PhD Facultad de Comunicación Universidad de Navarra E Pamplona, Navarra SPAIN Phone: (+34) Personal info: 9th International Symposyum on Online Journalism. Austin (Texas), 5th April 2008