The celebrated arrival of the Apple iPhone to Australian consumers this month marks an achievement in the media industry. No longer satisfied with juggling a mobile phone, mp3 player, laptop and newspaper, consumers are encouraging media executives to think more creatively about how news is delivered.
Apple’s flashy device is also a saving grace to the growing number of people who are time-poor, as it can perform a number of tasks including playing music, web browsing and e-mail.
While I have not yet prescribed to the iPhone, it has become very clear that the level of media convergence on modern society has had an impact on my life. It would have only been about 10 years ago when a walk to the milk bar to buy the newspaper was part of my morning routine. Now it is far more convenient and cost effective to access the same version online. Similarly, if I did not rush home to catch the evening broadcast of the television news I would just have to go without. I am now able to download television-quality news clips online with my broadband internet.
While convergence is not a problem-free operation, with media organisations being forced to restructure their newsrooms and cooperate with restrictive ownership laws, it is apparent that most, like me, would view the different forms of media as a necessary part of their lives.
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