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SCOM 110
1. What is convergence? Describe what convergence has meant in your life and how it
affects you.
Convergence is the merging of different types of mass media due to technological
advancements. It combines content, communication, and computing. Baran (2022) writes,
“Convergence has been fueled by three related phenomena that have overwhelmed the mass
communication process all at once” (p.41). First is the digitization of almost all content, enabling
information to be shared and sent across all platforms. The second factor is the growing data
speed of wired and wireless networks. Lastly, the continual advancements in communication
technology have influenced convergence. In the digital world, convergence has shown to be
beneficial. There is the instant availability of news and content. Because of convergence, I can
access the local news, articles, and magazines from my smart device.
2. Debate the following proposition: Books are an obsolete medium.
E-resources of all kinds are rapidly replacing printed books, and research has shown that
the shift to digital content is universally viewed as beneficial (Connaway & Dickey, 2010).
Despite digital books becoming more popular, physical books will never become an obsolete
medium. Physical books bring a sense of nostalgia and comfort. In the United Kingdom,
researchers surveyed 2,000 respondents regarding their opinions on paper books compared to
digital books. They discovered, “Close to half (46%) enjoy physically turning pages [...] 32
percent feel like they become much more immersed in the story while reading a paper book and
16 percent go for traditional books because they remind them of libraries” (Anderer, 2021). I
enjoy reading physical books such as the Bible. Despite the many Bible-reading apps available, I
often find myself distracted when reading them. Reading my physical copy of God’s word allows
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me to have quiet time with Him, away from distractions such as my phone. Deuteronomy 17:19
highlights how essential focused Bible reading is as God commands, “And it shall be with him,
and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by
keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them” (English Standard Version
Bible, 2001).
3. What kinds of news stories most attract you when you go online? Do you look for detail
and depth, or do you chase “clickbait?” Why? Does it have anything to do with what you
have come to expect from online content? Name a few news outlets that use clickbait
techniques to attract readers? Explain your answers.
Most news sources involving influencers and life advice attract me the most when I go
online. Often, I open sources that are clickbait and full of rumors. Clickbait headlines appeal to
my emotions and generate a feeling of curiosity. A study on the influence of clickbait on user
engagement in social media found that “As the use of clickbait often occurs in relation to
advertisements and incomplete or even false information, clickbait often collides with the
principles of Independence and Truth” (Jung et al., 2022, p.3). Users should exercise caution
when using clickbait features when looking for credible information. News outlets such as
BuzzFeed and Cosmopolitan use clickbait headlines that typically attract online users. These
outlets produce content that is misleading and inaccurate. Peter warns about false teachers and
prophets in 2 Peter 2:3. Peter writes, “And in their greed they will exploit you with false words.
Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep” (English
Standard Version Bible, 2001). Christians need to be aware of false teachers and not fall into
deception.
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References
Anderer, J. (2021, July 21). Survey: Most people prefer reading paper books over digital books
on tablets, phones - Study Finds. Study Finds.
https://studyfinds.org/reading-real-books-over-digital/
Baran, S. (2022). Introduction to Mass Communication (12th edition). McGraw Hill.
Connaway, L.S., & Dickey, T.J. (2010), The Digital Information Seeker: Report of the Findings
from Selected OCLC, RIN, and JISC User Behavior Projects.
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/reports/2010/digitalinformationseek
erreport.pdf
English Standard Version Bible. (2001). ESV Online. https://esv.literalword.com/
Jung, A.-K., Stieglitz, S., Kissmer, T., Mirbabaie, M., & Kroll, T. (2022). Click me...! The
influence of clickbait on user engagement in social media and the role of digital nudging.
PLoS ONE, 17(6), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0266743
