In Henry Jenkins essay “Convergence Culture” he addresses several aspects of convergence media and the benefits, risks and rewards for this convergence. First he addresses the issue of fair use and how he feels that the policy of fair use seems archaic due to all the ways and methods to share content across different platforms. When you discuss fair use it becomes an issue of “borrowing” someone else’s content for your own benefit. At least this is the most common situation I can think of after reading “Convergence Culture”. For my website, Hands on Dallas, it would be very easy to use a picture from the creative commons or just take someone else’s great photo to add to an entertainment or sports piece but I refuse. Why? It’s simple — I take pride in my work and wouldn’t want someone using my photo without crediting me.
Since my site prominently features audio, video and photos to complement very little writing, the word convergence is thrown a lot. Jenkins says convergence is simply content spreading out and being used on multiple media platforms. There are certain aspects to this concept that I find very interesting. For example, is it beneficial to post the same content on multiple platforms? If I have written a story about the Dallas Mavericks, is it beneficial to type something such as the following on both the Facebook page and the Twitter account”
“After Dirk Feels Team Has Hit Rock Bottom, Mavs Rebound To Win Championship ”
What does this accomplish? Does it annoy someone to see the exact same content and text posted on multiple social networking platforms? If you follow Hands on Dallas on Twitter, chances are you are a ‘fan’ on Facebook as well.
I’m not exactly sure the answer to this question at this point. Using Jenkins’s credible information and analysis along with the data I hope to analyze in my case studies, I hope to determine the best solution going forward for upstarts such as Hands on Dallas.
Jenkins also says that this is the time for newer ideas to enter the marketplace due to the barriers being lowered. I couldn’t agree more. This reasoning is why I started the site. I certainly couldn’t have started my own sports and entertainment multimedia website a few years ago. When new technology is unveiled, it gives more people an opportunity to get involved. Hands on Dallas has taken this opportunity to attempt to enter the playing field using these new technological advances and the idea of convergence.
I’d like you to also think through Jenkins’ ideas about the relationship between producers and consumers in Convergence Culture. This is a major part of the concept.
I’m curious about your sense that somehow using a creative commons photo is at odds with taking pride in your work. If the photo is made available via a CC-license, and you give proper attribution, what is the problem? Is it possible that you are thinking of your own work in terms of models of the Author/creative genius that we tried to debunk last semester?
The difference between producers and consumers in Convergence Culture is in fact a major concept that Jenkins discusses. In my mind all producers are consumers while all consumers aren’t necessarily producers. The line is definite although it becomes more blurred the easier it is to take someone else’s picture off their blog and post it on yours (whether you give proper credit or not).
As far as the creative commons photo — I guess I don’t see anything wrong with using someone’s photo if they put it in the creative commons. I do take pride in my personal work, and I think that has created a sort of bias in this sense. If I could take a picture to accompany a story for my site, I’d rather use my own picture than a photo properly cited from the creative commons. I think it is a personal preference rather than what is right or wrong. Thanks for opening my eyes to this situation.