Chapter 3: Research Methodology Within broader contours of communication studies, media and journalism studies is developing rapidly. Many aspects of media from the impact of advanced technologies to emerging new practices of journalism are being probed by both the professionals and the academia. As stated earlier, media convergence and multimedia journalism have become central points of this growing research. Lot of work is carried out on these topics in USA and the European countries. As evident by the review of the existing scholarship, there is not much research on these trends in India. Especially, the research in regional language media settings in India is missing. This research 'Critical Study of Multimedia Journalism and Media Convergence in Indian Context' is an effort to fill this void. 3.1 Exploratory Research Design A research design is an outline for conducting a study and provides direction to it. It is considered as a blue print for collection, measurement and analysis of data for the research. Since there are many models of media convergence and practices of multimedia journalism are still evolving, this researcher has used the exploratory design for this study. Exploratory research is normally conducted to tackle new problems which may not have been clearly defined and the phenomena are still evolving. There is little or no significant research available related to them. This explores the research topic to varying levels of depth and helps to gain better understanding of the problem. Exploratory research may not offer conclusive solutions to the existing problems but it lays a foundation for future studies. This research on multimedia journalism and media convergence in Indian context will be valuable in this respect. Exploratory research aims to find new approaches and new explanations. It offers new alternative ways of seeing things, so we will be able to perceive more, better and differently. If conducted in a transparent and self-reflexive way, exploratory research can produce valuable insights to the field (Reiter, 2017). Considering the complex nature of both the phenomena and journalistic practices related to it, this researcher has used both qualitative and quantitative research methods in this 51 exploratory study design. He has used multiple methods for data collections such as surveys, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, secondary data analysis and a case study. How this research design was put into action is described in this chapter. 3.2 Aim and objectives Media convergence and multimedia journalism are the major emerging trends in media and communication. Easy availability and affordable access to advanced information and communication technologies (ICT) are changing media usage and news consumption patterns of the people called audience. These changes in audience behaviour are further inducing changes in media organizations and putting pressure on them to adopt newer practices of journalism. The world is curious to know more about it. There is a lot of research going on to study the twin trends. But the Indian context in these academic efforts is missing. Hence the principal aim of this research is: 3.2.1 Aim • To explore the impact of changes in technologies on news consumption and media practices and to study major aspects of media convergence and multimedia journalism in the Indian context 3.2.2 Objectives To fulfill this aim, the researcher has sought to, • Explore technologies which are facilitating media convergence and multimedia journalism • Study media usage and news consumption patterns among the young audience and to assess the level of audience convergence • Explore and study the practices of media convergence and multimedia journalism in media organizations • Study the perception and response of working journalists, freelance journalists and other media professionals to media convergence and multimedia journalism 52 3.2.3 Scope of the study This study focuses on researching media convergence and multimedia journalism in Indian context, especially in the setting of regional language media. Hence, • This study is restricted to media organizations in and around Pune (Maharashtra) and to some extent in Mumbai. It includes newspapers, television news channels and digital platforms both in Marathi, the regional language of Maharashtra and English. It also includes recently launched BBC multimedia world service in Marathi and ETV Bharat, the web-channel in thirteen Indian languages. • This study focuses on journalistic aspects of media convergence and practices of multimedia journalism 3.3 Research Questions Any research begins with a basic question or tentative proposition about a specific phenomenon. Since the nature of this study is exploratory and the phenomena themselves are still evolving, this researcher found it appropriate to ask some research questions than to test a few hypotheses. A research question is a formally stated question intended to provide indications about something; it is not limited to investigating relationships between variables (Wimmer and Dominic, 2006). Considering the complex and still evolving nature of the phenomena, the researcher has sought to answer following research questions… RQ1: What is the level of audience convergence in and around Pune? RQ1a: Which are the media platforms and modern communication devices/services available to the young audience in and around Pune? RQ1b: Is the Smartphone and the Internet access, inducing changes in media usage and news consumption patterns among the young audience in and around Pune? RQ1c: To what extent do the young audience in and around Pune consume multimedia news content? 53 RQ2: Are convergent and multimedia journalism practices evolving in India? RQ2a: What is the response of media organizations in and around Pune to changes in media technology and changing news consumption patterns among the young audience? RQ2b: How are media organizations in and around Pune practicing convergent and multimedia journalism? RQ3: What is the status of media convergence in India on some global models? RQ3a: To what extent can we find the five forms of convergence described by Rich Gordon among the media organizations in and around Pune? RQ3b: Where can we place media organizations in and around Pune on the model of 'Convergence Continuum' developed by Larry Dailey, Lorry Demo and Mary Spillman? RQ3c: Is the media in and around Pune moving more towards 'Webvergence' rather than media convergence? RQ4: How Indian media is internalizing convergence & multimedia journalism? RQ4a: To what extent have the working journalists and other media professionals have acquired the multimedia skills necessary for convergent journalism? RQ4b: How do the working journalists and other media professionals perceive and respond to changes related media convergence and multimedia journalism? RQ4c: What are the major challenges and opportunities in achieving media convergence and practicing multi-media journalism in the Indian context? 3.4 Pilot study This researcher conducted a pilot study in February-March 2012. The results of this study were presented in a national level seminar on 'Technology, Communication and Culture' organized by Department of Media and Communication Studies, Savitribai Phule Pune University. The title of this research paper was 'Study of Audience Convergence and News Consumption Habits in Pune'. The objectives of the study were to understand 54 information seeking and news consumption habits of general audience and to probe possible link between audience convergence and media convergence. Under this pilot study a survey was conducted in Pune city and adjacent Pimpri- Chinchwad area. A non-probability convenient sample was chosen and a questionnaire, both in English and Marathi, was administered to 50 persons from various parts and strata of the society. The results of the survey supported the assumption that a range of media choices is available to Pune residents and their information seeking and news consumption patterns are changing. Though newspapers were still the major source of news and general information for the most, use of other media platforms was also seen to be on the rise. With more access to mobile and the Internet, multimedia consumption was seen increasing. The audience was found to be aware about cross-media presence of media organizations and their efforts for cross-promotion of content. But respondents had little knowledge about media convergence and multimedia journalism as a concept. This small survey gave indications about changing media usage and news consumption patterns among the city audience. It provided further insight into the research topic. This pilot study was helpful in improving the questionnaire for survey of college going youth in later phase of the study. It is important to note here that spread of Smartphones in 2012 was less, which later emerged as a major factor in audience convergence and multimedia journalism. The questions related to it were not included in the survey questionnaire. 3.5 Research Methods To explore the probable relationship between technological convergence, audience convergence and media convergence; and to explore practices of multimedia journalism in Indian context, the researcher used both quantitative and qualitative methods (mixed method) for data collection and used triangulation approach in data analysis. Besides secondary data analysis, the researcher employed surveys, focus group discussions, in- depth interviews and a case study as