Convergence is the process of coming together in a common interest. Media convergence on the other hsnd is thre merging of mass communications outlets- the print, television, radio, the internet along with the portable and interactive technologies through various digital presentation platforms.This convergence has been in existence for the past ten years of its operation in technologically rich societies who have entered the digital age which is being adopted sparingly in Nigeria.The old definition that provided separation between radio, television, cable and films have gone that is what convergence is all about fusion of various components that concurrently relevant into one achieve same objective in a wider more accessible and acceptable way.
Ganiyu and Akinreti identified seven types of convergence in their book: Secrets of ONLINE & MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM. They are:
1. Corporate Convergence (as a joint ventures) between telecom and media companies.
2.The branching out of a traditional print operation into internet publishing or audio/ video or mobile.3. Reverse publishing from web to print.
4. Production processes, where content is co-ordinated or shared.
5. The convergence of skills set of previously segregated specialist media practitioners - whether reporter, news editor, or production personnel.
6. Convergence of media consumer device: e.g. the camera-cell phone or computers being used to watch video broadcasts.
7. The coming together of producer and consumer functions- the audience generating media (content).
TYPES OF MEDIA CONVERGENCE IN OPERATION IN NIGERIA.
It is obvious from the above list that Nigeria media does not fall into corporate convergence, either between telecom and media or between telecom and media or between TV and newspaper companies. According to Dominick (2009:19), corporate convergence began in the America in the 1980s with synergy. 'Companies that were content providers, such as movie studios and record labels, acquired distribution channels such as cable TV. As digital technologies emerged,synergy turned into convergence, a vision of one company delivering every service imaginable'.
In Nigeria, we can talk of the branching out of a traditional print operation into internet publishing or audio/video mobile as the commonest form of media convergence existing in Nigeria.
Virtually all the Nigeria National Newspapers have online version of their dailly publications . Among them are The Punch (http://www.punchonline.com/), This Day (http://www.thisdayonline.com),daily/ Sun(http://www.sunnewsonline.com/), and NEXT (www. 234NEXT.com).
However, this trend has made it possible for Nigerian newspapers to solve the problemsposed by space to accomodate broad isssues in news reporting. it has also made newspapers to increse their revenue drive accuring from advert placements on their sites. This development has made the newspapers to spread their tentacles outside the shores of Nigeria. The use of email address of these newspapers and contact page on the websites also makes it easier for Nigerians in diaspora to share their views on issues bothering the country.
Some of the challenges confronting this model this model is lack of work force who are knowledgable in effective management of newspaper websites, and also most newspapers have limited multimedia functions, because they focus only feature text and pictures.
2. The convergence of media consumer devices.e.g the camera-cell phone or computers being used to watch video broadcast. This is another media convergence theory that is prevalent in Nigeria. Next is the newspaper that has video, audio, text, graphics and pictures that appears in news stories. It gives options to someone on their web sites either to read the text only of a story or listen and watch same story on next TV.
The nation and Punch newspapers, Eko FM Radio Lagos and Channels television fall into this model of consumer devices. the camera phones and computer sets are used to recieve and watch broadcasts. Most Nigerians, especially the youths uses their devices to recieve news updates and news summaries.
3. The coming together of producer and consumer functions - the audience generating media [context]. blogging and citizen jounalism are also forms of conveyence of producer and consumer functions, they also exist in Nigeria, examples are who wants to be a millonaires, Maltina Dance all, Naija Sings e.t.c. This meduim is not popular but in the nearest future it will be widely practice among jounalist. Funmi Iyanda, a popular producer and anchor of a T.V programme new dawn at 10 on NTA. efforts are being made to popularise blogging among Nigerian jounalist by the press center [IPC] and other sister organisations by organising s erminars and workshops to sensitize journalist on the importance of multimedia tools for developing reporting.
I will like to conclude that this media convengence theory, though not very popular, but three of them are being practiced in Nigeria, hoping that in the nearest future it will become very popular and widely practices, in Nigeria as its obtained in western world.
Also more efforts has to be put by government and the private sector to educate the citizens for all to imbibe this model so that it can be widely practiced, in order for Nigerian jounalists to be counted or rated among the world best jounalists.
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