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Liberty University Online
Thinking Critically
Presented to Professor: Dr. John S Knox
Written by
SCOM 110-D01 LUO
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April 1, 2019
1. Describe what convergence has meant in your life and how it affects you.
Before I can explain to you what convergence means to me, and how it has
affected my life, it is important for us to understand what convergence is. Convergence is
the integration of mass media, computers, and telecommunication. Before the
convergence of mass media ever happened, I very rarely read a newspaper, I very rarely
read magazines, and I spent a lot of money buying CDs, and DVDs that after I let my
brothers borrow them, and they’d come back worse for wear. Convergence has allowed
me to be able to multitask my life and a much more beneficial way. I used to only read a
newspaper or read a magazine when I was using the bathroom. Now because of
convergence, I have access to do all those things and more, from the screen of my
smartphone. Now, to stay up-to-date, with local news articles, magazine articles, emails,
text messages, video messages, etc. all from one device. I no longer have to take the time
out of my schedule, to go sit down at a computer to check my emails, or to respond back
to someone sending me messages. Even the video games I like have changed because of
convergence. I no longer have to wait in the line which seems like forever when waiting
for my favorite new video games that just came out. I can order it online and download it
right to my console. For me, convergence is in a way the changing of the guard. It’s in no
way dismissing the old media methods such as newspapers or magazines but it enhances
it and allows more people to have access to it than before. It allows people to go into
those newspapers and magazines and to look at the things that are important to them, and
to feel that it’s okay to do this.
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I think one of the biggest changes that convergence has given to my life, is the
ability to be told yes in certain aspects of my life. Because of convergence I never have to
go to the video store, to find out if my favorite video is there to be rented, I always have
access to my email, to be able to check and respond to a recent email sent by people and
loved ones that are trying to reach out to me. And finally, I have the power to choose, and
to pick which aspects of social media, or media in general interest me, and that I’m
willing to follow, or read. Even better is with new apps that allow you to access this
information, this system that gives you videos, apps that will read the article for you
while you listen, and the list goes on. Convergence has been a positive aspect of my life,
and if you ask most people, I believe that most would agree regarding my statement.
2. . Debate the following proposition: Books are an obsolete medium.
Books in my opinion will never be an obsolete medium. One of the things that
have kept me grounded, and centered in my Christian walk with God, is the written word
of God. Do not misunderstand, I’m fully aware that there are digital Bibles, blogs,
podcasts, radio broadcasts, etc. that share the word of God with us, and to us; but there is
nothing like reading the Bible for yourself. The aspects of books are never more
prevalent than with higher education. Yes, we have access to libraries, social media on
many different levels, but I think if we focus solely on social media to give us answers to
certain things, we would become lazy, and Lax in our judgment. Now if you phrase the
question that our physical books are obsolete, then that question may pose a great many
debates, from a great many people. And, that would fall towards a matter of opinion.
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Recently, here at Liberty, we changed our system somewhat, when it comes to
accessing reading material for our classes. The school thought it best to make our reading
material more digitized, only sending out books that are required that are not or cannot be
digitized. At first, it was very difficult, but over time it became part of the norm. Books
are obsolete, because many authors write these books, after much research, many case
studies, many fact-finding sessions or missions; all to convey the truth of their hypothesis
or debate. The reason I feel the books are not obsolete is because the work that many of
the authors have done on our behalf has made it easier for us to understand certain
aspects of the topics that we are reading.
Recently, I've been sitting in my office enjoying my dinner, and playing video
games on my computer. When I looked over on my shelf and I saw my Bible. I used his
Bible often, but recently my wife blessed me with a brand-new iPad, and the new was
downloaded version of the Bible, they came with 96 different translations, and just like
most modern men and women, we’ve stopped taking the Bible to church, and have
started to take our iPads, an action that is seen throughout many churches. But there’s
something about the Bible that draws me back to why I became a Christian in the first
place, it was what I read in the Scriptures that caused me to understand and believe that
Jesus Christ is Lord. That I begin to think about the fact that whenever I’m using my
iPad, I can become distracted, is that of reading the Scriptures, I can be surfing the
Internet, checking recent emails, playing new games, video chatting with friends byway
of the Internet. And, I discovered the importance of the Bible from that day, it’s good to
take your iPad the church if you have one, to see and read different translations, when I
am studying the word of God, preparing for message to minister to my parishioners,
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pairing myself for revival; I have found there’s nothing like the real thing, nothing like a
good let the Bible keep you grounded and rooted and understanding the truth. Books will
never be obsolete, as long as there are many women seeking knowledge.
3. Discuss your position on the place for investigative journalism in the future.
Explain how you either agree or disagree with Tom Rosenstiehl when he says digital
technology caused the problems in current journalism BUT that digital technology
will also solve the problems.
Tom Rosenstiehl stated that digital technology caused the problem in current
journalism by diminishing advertisement, that was once being done only through our
local newspapers to diminish, he states;[Tom19] <digital technology caused the problem
in current journalism by giving more access to news and information, at the same time
decreasing the size of newsrooms. By allowing the audience to determine the system of
news they want to accept. By removing the gatekeepers that once determined what they
thought was important to be characterized as news; by diminishing classified ad revenue
75% since 2012, and finally by diminishing the number of reporters by 30% since 2008.=
This was how digital technology caused a problem for journalism but is also how he gave
the solution for greater access to journalism that has ever been before.
Rosenstiehl believed that digital technology would shift the paradigm of control
away from the gatekeepers who policed our news to us the audience, we were allowed to
choose what we felt was important to us as people. It would also make the journalist have
to prove his findings because even though the number of reporters has dissipated, the
amount of news has not. In fact, there is more access to news now than it has been since
2008. There are more avenues, more search engines, more digital newspapers out there
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giving real-time reality to the audience while allowing the audience to pick and choose
what they want to see and hear.
Digital technology has saved journalism in my opinion, by giving us the one
God-given right, as every man and woman has from the day they were born, and the day
they die; the ability to choose. Digital technology has also expanded journalism to a
whole different level, no longer do we have to wait for late breaking news reports to tell
us what has happened in certain parts of the earth, as fast as it happens digital technology
has it on the web. The 30% of reporters that once worked in journalism may have lost
their jobs; the rise of employment within the digital technology world has skyrocketed. I
do not blame the diminishment of a number of reporters completely on digital technology
Joseph Straubhaar wrote[Jos12] <Most people entering the workforce today will have
four or five different careers regardless of the field they enter.= This holds true for
reporters as well, with the change of the times and the growth of technology, things
always change, this is no different for journalism. I do believe however that digital
technology was a catalyst for this change, but it is something that would have happened
in the future regardless of technology or time. It is my belief that digital technology or
just a catalyst used to nudge journalism in the right direction.
Bibliography
Joseph Straubhaar, R. L. (2012). Media Now: Understanding Media, Culture and
Technology. Boston: Cengage Learning.
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Rosenstiehl, T. (2019). The Future of Journalism [Recorded by T. Rosenstiehl].
unknown, unknown, United States.
