Decoding questions

Digital media technology continues to develop. How is this significant for media institutions and audiences?

- consumption

- subsidiary & multinational conglomerate, the big 3

- distribution & marketing

- exchange

- prosumers/ audiences 

"Global institutions dominate media production. These institutions sell their products and services to national audiences" to what extent do you agree with this statement?

- subsidiary & multinational conglomerate, the big 3

- distribution & exchange 

- cross promotion/ synergy

- prosumers

- vertical and horizontal integration

"Successful media products depend as much upon marketing and distribution to a specific audience as they do upon good production practises" to what extent would you agree with this statement?

- distribution & marketing 

- audiences/ prosumers 

- production

- convergence 

- creating a relationship with the audience

- consumption

Discuss the issues raised by media ownership in the production and exchange of texts.

- Production 

- exchange 

- multinational conglomerate, the big 3

Task

Production- on X factor the reality show acted as a business plan for example the funding of one direction came through the income the X factor recieved. The more votes the act got the longer they stayed on the show allowing them to produce the formation of one direction as the weeks went on.

Distribution and marketing- one direction created audience awareness during the Xfactor which created an audience for their duration and after the show 

Exchange- it is given in audience feedback when the unpopular artists are voted off the show which shows to sony and SYCO what is popular amongst the audience and which artists are going to sell popularly and globally on a large scale.

Convergence

Ownership/ back catalogue- one direction used songs from the back catalogue of capital and warner bros back catalogues however Xfactor usually uses songs from Sony's back catalogue. The reason they did this was so they knew what songs are popular and what songs are worth rereleasing.

Visualisation- audiences want something to watch nowadays meaning music videos are a big factor of selling the artist e.g. One direction have videos showing the band off for the teenage girl audience that are the fan base for their band.

Participatory culture- one direction were on the show Xfactor which let the audiences vote for their favourite artists- meaning that the fanbase for one direction voted to keep them on the show and the leg of votes they received throughout the show determined their success within the show and the future.

Creating a relationship with the audience- on the X factor one direction recorded video diaries every week that kept the fans up to date with their progress, feelings and experiences which they continued through their tours so they could continually interact with their fans- the fans are able to put comments and questions under their videos for the boys to reply to in their next entry.

Synergy- SYCO is a joint venture between Simon Cowell and Sony who focus on the production of music, tv and film- e.g. A good example of synergy would be one direction; their music is marketed through X factor and they have released their own film which is all done through SYCO- there is no cost when producing different types of media as they are all linked together.

Devaluing music- It is the idea that certain musicians and music created can create a negative image on music as a whole. This can devalue music and make it less appealing to other people as it shows music to be devalued. This can be done by using auto tune and creating music that has no true meaning. One direction can have this negative effect on some people who they don't appeal to. This is because one direction is aimed at young teenage girls to provide a large profit. Whereas many people see one direction as people in it for the money

Soundscape- It is a sound or combination of sounds that forms or arises from an immersive environment

Push vs pull- Simon Cowell owns X factor so uses Sony's back catalogue to recycle songs through the performers; due to the fact that Sony own the rights to the songs means they so not to pay and buy the rights to the song. When the older generation hear the songs being played on Xfactor it gives them a nostalgic feeling reminding them of youth and that means they will go and buy the original version of the song which brings the popularity of the song back around.

Record cos vs audience - they make the show interactive so the audience can call in each week to keep their favourite act on the show, generating more money for the record company, Sony meaning they can keep on going with keeping the music alive for the audience 

Vertical integration

Horizontal integration

Global vs niche audience- global better known as the mainstream audience includes music from artists such as Rihanna, example, one direction which is because they have the record label behind them that allow them to appeal to a mass audience- Sony relate the mainstream music to their show X factor where they are able to be told by the audience what they consider as normal and what image and music they want. Niche audiences are small audiences that prefer the culture of the music or the story it tells which include artists such as London grammar, linkin park and train.

Blurring of PDE- the fact that one direction was on a tv show that was advertised for the whole of the nation to receive, the audience were presented with the production of the band, which therefore created the audience awareness of the band and an exhibition for the viewers at home, which means not only involving the act of production throughout the formation process but also parts of distribution and exchange which means PDE was blurred.

Notes

Beck

He is an American musician, singer/ songwriter, multi intstrumentalist, covers many different genres of music, is not mainstream, promotes to niche audience (specialised and passionate and dedicated audience), D.I.Y - not using a label, he is an artist- so fans are musicians : synergy. Fans are promoting his music by making own interpretations by producing it >> distribute it on youtube which advertises it >> he gets the royalties from the videos. In concert he looks at all the different interpretations and sees which has most views and he then performs that one>> it is feedback. He creates a relationship with his audience. Beck is completely changing PDE by involving the audience with the music. 

Song reader

Book of sheet music that contains 20 songs worth of sheet music that people are able to use to make their own interpretations and send to the American musician

SYCO

One direction is more about the image/ presentation than the music. They make what sells. Simon Cowell owns it. X factor >> record label, tv, film- one direction movie first one produced. Promote music from Sony as they are a subsidiary of Sony and therefore share the rights to the music. They are involved in many aspects they are integrated. X factor uses the audience as an exploitation to get feedback on the artist/ band (exchange). Film promoting music or visa versa is synergy. 

Prosumer 

The audience is becoming the producers 

Madeon is a French house/ electro house/ disco pop producer from France. He gained popularity by the video 'pop culture' that was published on youtube and got millions of hits on the first few days. 

Recycling and remixing (MASH UP) - which they get from pre-existing music owned by record labels- copyright infringement >> benefits the record label as it advertises the music. 

Prosumers blur the boundaries between the producers, distributors and exhibitions 

Software such as Logic Pro, GarageBand, youtube, soundcloud, 

Have to be very talented to do well in this 

Adele and payed someone else to do their social networking advertising for them

Visualisation is more important than the music in getting popular amongst audiences

Independent labels 

Domino records

Ministry of sound 

Specialise in genre

Creative of artist and musical freedom 

Audience feedback

Get their music out there- distribution is far easier 

Use social networking to interact with audiences 

Independent labels are becoming more popular and successful than the major labels

Adele was a massive hit and was promoted in the James Bond film Skyfall meaning it is integrated 

Essay is asking to back up the point that how you sell and promote an artist to an audience that doesn't want to pay for it anymore

One direction is the biggest selling artist of last year

Majors dominate- 73% 

Indie, prosumers and beck - 27% 

music is the advert for the tours where they earn their money.

Song reader (beck), soundcloud, spotify are mashing up PDE 

Homework

To what extent does digital media distribution affect the marketing and consumption of media products in the media area you have studied?

Case Study - Easter hw

Easter Homework

Domino

Domino are an independent record company that are based in London.

Some of the artist that domino promote are Alex Turner, Hot Chip, Arctic Monkeys.

From looking at the list of artists that domino produce are quite un known, but there are some successful artist including the arctic monkeys that domino have produced.

Exchange

Domino market their artists through YouTube, and social networking sites. By the artist putting their music onto YouTube it will allow them to be seen by a wide audience. 

Distribution 

If the artist becomes popular through putting their music on social networking sites, and YouTube. By the artist becoming popular it will give them the access to have their own CD's and putting their songs onto iTunes.

Marketing 

The artists aren't marketed in a formulated way. The artists are individual and appeal to a mature audience. The music in which the artists produce is very indie.

The only major artist that domino has really produced is the Arctic Monkey, through looking at the Radio 1 playlist, the last time the Artic Monkeys had air time was over a month ago. The other artists that domino produced were not mentioned on the playlist.

The radio stations in which artists from the domino record company are played include, radio one, radio six, and absolute radio.

The only major artist that Domino has produced is really the Arctic Monkeys, not many TV stations support the group by playing their music videos. MTV support Domino's artists.

YouTube will live stream the artists music, also the domino websites live streams their artists concerts and music.

Arctic Monkeys

The Arctic Monkeys have 724,231 subscribers on YouTube, with their video 'Do I wanna know' being their highest viewed video, with the video having 53,892,598 views. 

Itunes gives similar artists for fans of the Arctic Monkeys to listen to.

These artists include:

• The killers
• The Strokes 
• Kaiser Chiefs 
• The Kooks 
• Razor light
• Kings of Leon

Arctic Monkeys are Dominos leading artist. As the Arctic Monkeys are rather popular and famous, meaning they appear at festivals in the UK over the summer.

Some of these festivals include:

• Reading 
• Leeds
• Glastonbury

Domino 

Domino is an independent record label that is based in the UK that was founded in 1993. As Domino and indie record labels became more popular the record label then branched out to the US, Germany and France. Domino have a large amount of staff members, with the record label having over 50 artists and having near to a 100 former artists.

Production

The record company does produce CD's, some of the artists do also have vinyls, but these are made as limited edition merchandise.

Domino do own a recording studio.

The label does produce merchandise, for example tour programmes, t-shirts. These products can be bought either through the artists website and/or at concerts.

Marketing

The label uses social networking sites to promote their artists.

The record label have a YouTube channel were their artists new music videos, upcoming news and interviews are shown to fans.

For bigger artists like the Arctic monkeys, there is some TV coverage. Even though the band do have some TV coverage, it isn't to the same amount as somebody who is signed to a major would get.

 

Distribution and Exchange 

HMV, and other retailers stock CD's of the artists that Domino own.

Some of the artists music is also on iTunes.

Notes

Distribution: people responsible for advertising and marketing to make the people aware of the music

A&R: the people in a record label who are paid to find new artists

Royalties: everytime someone's music is played on the radio or on tv or used in a film or generally to the public's ear, the artists get commission (royalties)

major record label: a huge company that own artists and can be vertically or horizontally integrated, can own tv shows and nightclubs and films to advertise their music : SONY

subsidiary label: sometimes start of as an independent record label and when they get good a major record label could become interested and buy the company- meaning that they are still their own record label but have the backing of the major record label- such as SYCO which is owned by SONY

independent label: operate independently without funding from outside businesses, give their artists creative freedom- such as Ministry of Sound

peer to peer: sharing of music between people of similar ages and similar interests.

sampling: when someone uses an extract of someone else's music and embeds it into their own legally.

copyright: someone stealing something without the owner's permission and naming it as their own.