SMALL/MEDIUM MARKET MODELS OF MEDIA CONVERGENCE IN THE MIDWEST

There is a large body of research on a recent
movement in the news media referred to as
convergence. This practice of sharing resources
between media organizations takes many
forms and is found in major markets. Research has,
so far, given little attention to
convergence models being put in place in smaller
markets. This qualitative analysis uses
interviews to examine various models for implementing
and operating convergence
between newspaper and broadcast newsrooms at three
organizations in the Midwest.
Interviews and site visits with managers at converged
sites uncovered training challenges
and the problems of overcoming cultural differences
between newsrooms. An analysis
using diffusion theory helps show how smaller markets
prove to be a fertile testing
ground for newsroom convergence because of their
size, versatility, and need to
economize resources. This study recommends increased
small market convergence
efforts and ways large markets can emulate small
market management conditions by
centralizing management of a converged newsroom in
order to create a flexible and
successful convergence model.

Autorentext
Kyle Geissler is News Flow Editor at the Janesville Gazette in
Janesville, Wisconsin. He has applied his graduate research in
the company by converging broadcast and print newsrooms under
common ownership. He maintains his academic ties and blogs on
new media issues at http://convergencetangent.blogspot.com.

Klappentext

There is a large body of research on a recentmovement in the news media referred to as convergence. This practice of sharing resourcesbetween media organizations takes many forms and is found in major markets. Research has,so far, given little attention to convergence models being put in place in smallermarkets. This qualitative analysis uses interviews to examine various models for implementingand operating convergence between newspaper and broadcast newsrooms at threeorganizations in the Midwest. Interviews and site visits with managers at convergedsites uncovered training challenges and the problems of overcoming cultural differencesbetween newsrooms. An analysis using diffusion theory helps show how smaller marketsprove to be a fertile testing ground for newsroom convergence because of theirsize, versatility, and need to economize resources. This study recommends increasedsmall market convergence efforts and ways large markets can emulate smallmarket management conditions by centralizing management of a converged newsroom inorder to create a flexible and successful convergence model.