The viewings this week were very entertaining and, at some points, even surprising. In my opinion, what stood out most was the contrast with the technologies of the past. Thus, the video Media Convergence from the very beginning states that at the early 21st century people did not have cable and satellite television. Certainly, now, in 2021, it is not possible to imagine life without television, the Internet, and other modern technologies. Moreover, in his speech, Henry Jenkins also touches upon the topic that communication technologies have now reached a new level. Jenkins cites data that demonstrates that approximately 65% of American teenagers produce media. This figure is truly amazing, since all these teens communicate not only with each other and their families, but also broadcast their thoughts to a larger audience.
Both submitted videos were published more than ten years ago, which is also fascinating. Watching videos and listening to these speakers, it is surprising to see how fast our modern world is changing. Ten years ago, the public did not have such an open access to the Internet, and only a few major news channels were available on TV. Furthermore, Henry Jenkins in his speech pays great attention to the examples that confirm his idea of civic engagement. Thus, when discussing the game, the World of Warcraft, the speaker compares it to a platform that unites different people into one community. This example seems interesting as from the very appearance of this game, people on the Internet began to unite in order to influence certain events. In conclusion, the viewings this week made me think about what the world would look like without modern communication technologies. Moreover, the speech of Henry Jenkins surprised me with the fact that even when the Internet was just beginning to develop, people were already using it to unite.