Technological convergence is when different technological systems evolve towards performing similar tasks. The biggest example of technological convergence is the world wide web; which is arguably the main effect that technological convergence has had on advertising and distribution.
An example of an audio-visual product that was marketed on social media is Deadpool. Social media played an important role in the marketing of Deadpool as it allowed the production company to create hype for the film through the use of behind the scenes footage and 360 videos.
Video-on-demand services like Netflix and Amazon Prime are advantageous to the consumer for a number of reasons. Before VOD services came about, if the consumer wanted more the standard 'free' channels, they would've had to pay for a cable/satellite service like Sky. When compared to services like Sky, most VOD services have a lot more quality programming for a fraction of the price (a basic Netflix package is £5.99 per month, a basic Sky package costs £22 per month). This has lead to the "death of the schedule" (Sonia Livingstone - 1999) as viewers can watch whatever programme they want, whenever they want as opposed to waiting for the show they want to watch to be broadcast through the regular television schedule.
Technological convergence has had a big impact on how audiences access products nowadays. The creation of 'black box' products (multiple technologies on one device) has changed the way people access content. Most modern TV's now come equipped with wi-fi capabilities so people can connect their TV's to the internet and stream movies and TV shows through video-on-demand services. Gaming consoles like the Xbox One perform more tasks than simply playing video games. Technological convergence means that you can now stream videos, browse the internet and so much more on just one device.
Technological convergence has also affected the way companies can distribute products to their audience. Before the creation of Web 2.0, companies would have to pay broadcasting companies to have their products reach their target audience. Now that the Internet is interactive, anyone with an Internet connection, a computer and a camera can produce their own content and share it online. The creation of Web 2.0 also introduced low-cost distribution for conglomerates like 20th Century Fox and Sony who could now sell products on digital platforms like Itunes and Amazon Prime rather than producing physical copies which would cost considerably more. Websites like Netflix also came to fruition after the creation of Web 2.0. Netflix and similar companies like Love Film and Amazon Prime would exclusively allow production companies to make their films and TV shows avaliable for streaming in return for a percentage of the subscription fee paid by users of the service, allowing both parties to make a profit. In more recent years, companies like Netflix and Amazon Prime have begun to create their own content and, due to the current size of their companies, have been very successful at doing so. An example of this is "The Grand Tour", which features all three of the original Top Gear presenters. This new programme is widely regarded as being more popular than the new version of Top Gear that doesn't feature Richard Hammond, James May, or Jeremy Clarkson.
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