ARTE: French-German Experiments in Crossing the Borders. 'One Media – Three Screens' Convergence and Interactivity at its Full Potential?

This contribution aims at discussing policies of convergence as well as at questioning whether the current strategies really exploit the options of digital media to its full potential – especially with regard to transmedia-storytelling, interactivity, participation and networking.

By the paradigm of the 'European Culture Channel' ARTE, we draw a sketch of the portfolio of existing and emerging new formats and user practices.

In the second part, we examine one specific genre from this context: the web-or trans-media-documentary. Taking Prison Valley as a case study, we consider transformations on both the macro and the micro level.

Eventually, we question whether ARTE fulfils its promise to be the first "100% bi-medial channel" (ARTE mission statement), or whether it promotes an 'extended side-by-sideness' of devices and practices – some first steps towards the synergetic potential of media convergence.