From TV to tablet: the convergence process of Portuguese media in the context of mobile information devices

Abstract

The phenomenon of convergence of content in the media field is assumed as one of the branches of study in great expansion in the context of digital journalism (Jenkins, 2006; Artwick, 2004; Canavilhas, 2012). The need to study this reality is reinforced by the emergence of new mobile information technologies that identify themselves as vehicles for the consumption of information (Westlund, 2010; Peters, 2012). The ubiquitous character and the multimedia potential that tablets and smartphones have make it imperative a debate that addresses the convergence phenomenon applied to these devices (Oksman, 2010; Holmes, 2005). Thus, we developed an analysis to a total of 477 informative pieces, issued between November and December of 2012, available on the iPad applications for RTP and TVI 24. In this work, we intend to observe the type of content that the two operators provide in a new communication paradigm marked by media convergence. The results suggest that, although there is a wide choice of content, the convergence process is still at an early stage. Unable to speak about a new informative language, we just have the content adaption to a new distribution platform.