A METHODOLOGICAL TOOL: AN INDEX TO CALCULATE THE LEVEL OF CONVERGENCE OF A MEDIUM
Xosé López
Xosé Pereira
Teresa de la Hera
Idoia Portilla


This paper provides a methodological tool for calculating an index over which reflects the level of convergence of a medium
relationships among newsrooms


media polyvalence

type of collaboration on contents development

type of contents delivery
CONVERGENCE definition: 

“Media convergence is a multidimensional process that, facilitated by the generalised implantation of digital telecommunications technology, affects the technological, business, professional and publishing area of the mass media. It favours an integration of tools, spaces, working methods and languages that were formerly dispersed, in such a way that journalists produce contents that are distributed through numerous platforms, using the specific languages of each of them”

(Palacios and Diaz-Noci, 2009:113)
We propose to analytically structure the convergence into 
three dimensions that cover different phases of the communication process and refer to professional and content aspects:



-Integrated production
-Multi-skilled professionals
-Multiplatform delivery

This section will collect information about whether or not there is any type of collaboration among the different analysed media. 



We understand the collaboration as a relationship among media and not among the professionals of these media. 

We understand that there won’t be collaboration between one another, for example, two media don’t share any content.

There would be collaboration, such as, if a newspaper laboured original contents for its own digital version or for other media or if both shared any kind of content, if that be in a constant or usual way.
integrated newsroom
spaces in common
separated spaces
minimum relationship
Newsrooms previously separated work now in a common space
Where different newsrooms share the same physical space
Independent newsrooms in different spaces, 
even though they could share contents
Where the newsrooms are split, don’t share editorial charges, 
and only occasionally could share resources
Consists in knowing if its own medium contents are delivered by other media 
and knowing what media they are