Transmedia Critical| What is the Cultural Function and Value of European Transmedia Independents?

Indrek Ibrus, Maarja Ojamaa

Abstract


This article first builds on the semiotics of culture approach and argues that the increasingly widespread transmedia practices may be valuable for contributing to the dynamics of how modern cultures are innovated. Transmedia practices facilitate inter-semiotic translations at all levels of cultures, which conditions increased dialogism and the feasible evolution of these cultures. In the second part of the article, we demonstrate that there are hindrances in the existing media systems that may prevent this potential being fulfilled. It is often argued that transmedia can empower micro-sized content providers to participate in such dialogues and in the production of culture. However, recent studies demonstrate that in a European context the transmedia era may instead enforce the oligopolistic structures of media markets.


Keywords


transmedia production, innovation, micro-studios, oligopolies, political economy, semiotics

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