In a crowded bar at the Children’s Media Conference in Sheffield, I asked Matt Locke, Commissioning Editor for Education at Channel 4 for his definition of convergence.
“For me convergence is no longer about technology but about a converged media experience for the user, so for example when I watch the world cup or eurovision, I’m also tweeting, I might be using tweet deck on an iPad and that for me is all part of the same media experience even though it’s technologically on different platforms.”
“[The TSB] should focus on what convergence means for the user’s experience and less on the specific technology”
He then outlined three major challenges facing a broadcaster or publisher of content in convergence culture, quoting a discussion he’d had with Anthony Soohoo, Senior VP and General Manager for the Entertainment and Lifestyle Division at CBS Interactive:
“As a broadcaster there are three things [Soohoo] worries about when he thinks about his products working on different platforms and being consumed by the user in different ways.
“One is who is controlling the transaction model: is it iTunes controlling that or is it CBS or is it another third party; who is making money out of the content in the converged user experience, how much of it do you own and how much of it do other people own? The converged user experience may involve watching online,tweeting, using Facebook at the same time. Who owns which bits of that experience? So the money is one thing.”
“The second thing is the social graph. If users are having that converged experience with a other people who they already have relationships with, who’s mixing those relationships together? Is it Facebook? Is it Twitter? What are the issues involved if it’s not you doing that – which is probably isn’t?
“The third thing is the whole question of rights: other people being part of the media experience which they don’t have the rights to. Twitter is now the place where all the conversations go on about media brands but Twitter obviously has no licensing arrangements with them. Is that a problem? a good thing? A bad thing? Where’s the fat going to be for that?”
“So it’s about monetisation, it’s about the transaction layer – the social graph layer – and also about rights.”
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Digital creative businesses who want to understand and exploit Intellectual Property (IP) management should take a look at a conference being held in Dundee next month.
Adding value to your business through innovation
Oct 12 is a date for your diary. Innovate the leading networking, conference and exhibition takes place and we will have a strong presence. Innovate is the Technology Strategy Board’s showcase event with some exciting speakers lined up and cutting edge technology exhibits. It’s a great place to not only see what other innovators are up to but to meet people from business, academia and government.
There are two seminars specially for the creative industry sector. The first is an entrepreneur showcase and the second looking at how digital technology will drive growth in the creative sector.The first seminar will hear from some of the entrepreneurs who have received TSB funding about the technology they have developed and how it is being deployed.
At the second seminar we will be unveiling findings from our first three Beacon Reports and will hear from keynote speaker Raymond Le Gue, programme director, at the Digital Media Initiative, BBC Future Media & Technology. We will also be hearing from two of our Theme Champions, Simon Hopkins and Frank Boyd, who will be talking about two of the hottest issues facing creative businesses, metadata and convergence.
Innovate will have more content and exhibitors this year with a great focus on the commercial exploitation of the digital economy, healthcare, energy and sustainability.It’s a great place to find out how innovation can add value to your business and also find out where the great new opportunities exist.
Innovate is held at the Business Design Centre, London, and you can register for updates about the event and see details of the full programme on the TSB web site.