Convergence Is An Experiment...For Now

The key obstacle to convergence right now seems to be how best to streamline the process as well as how to keep each outlet's identity intact. Convergence to me means making sure day-of-air stories are published on multiple platforms including television, radio, and web. However, I think each outlet in the media center can make unique and valuable contributions by using a majority of their staff for original reporting.

In a perfect system, resources and the information that is collected by reporters will be quickly and easily distributed to every outlet or relevant producer. Even though convergence was tested this semester, there was a lot more disconnect between outlets and confusion than anyone expected. That's not to say it failed completely. In fact, I think the Convergence Leader this semester was a great help in distributing MJs among outlets. They worked as an effective intermediary between ATVN and ARN producers. We also tried assigning people to beats this semester, which was another idea that sounded fine in theory but was more confusing than useful in practice. After trying the beat system, I realized that it relied on the existence of stories in those beats and was only a distraction for producers who need to send MJs to the news, regardless of their beat. When coming up with next semester's ideas for convergence, practicality and simplicity should be key.