The impact of new and digital media case study

Has new and digital media had an impact upon ownership and control of the media institution(s) involved in your case study area? Explain in detail any impact and what exactly has changed?

Record sales have been hit by the trend for more digital downloading of music while a number of high-profile album releases have been badly disappointed. New digital media has given more ways to artist to get heard become famous and now make a living off their music now than at any point. Technology has made it possible for any artist to get distributed, to get discovered, to pursue their dreams. Social network such as twitter, facebook etc are being used to promote music.

What impact has there been on the way in which the audience now consume the media product/texts involved in your case study? How does it differ from what went before?

Before consumers would buy from shops, then downloading began. This made the music industry lose profit. Reason being they are using digital media to try encouraging the target market to buy music. You tube have made a deal and have signed a contract with labels so they can show music videos. Before people had to watch videos on TV. HMV are shutting down 60 stores because online distributers have taken over. One of the major online distributer is I-tunes

What impact has there been on how the media institution now has to produce the texts and the way in which the texts/products are distributed and exhibited?

Music is being sold as digital MP3 format. It is fast, easy and cheap to buy. YouTube has reduced music industry sales figures. YouTube is labelled under “web 2.0”. YouTube have direct payment to record labels for playback rights. People are using the internet instead of buying records. Radio has been replaced with online radio. Website such as MySpace are establishing new artist. The internet has given artist the power to gain the right amount of money and percentage that they earn.

Is the size of the audience any different now than before the impact of new and digital media?

Artist can be a part of the audience and get closer to them. Twitter allows fans to keep up and talk to the artist in real time. Sites such as YouTube has allowed artist to aim at a bigger and larger target market, allowing them to go global. For example, Jay Sean was able to be recognised by Cash money records, his fan base was only based in European countries and India however he was recognised by cash money through YouTube and was able to be signed to them. Due to this, is has now gone international and is known in more than 20 countries.

How have the audience responded to the changes? Is there more customers choice? Is there evidence of a more pluralistic model? What evidence do you have to support this?

Audience are able to generate their own music on YouTube and listen to other user generated content. The audience have become the producers. Audience have stopped buying music as they can get it for free, this is shutting down major retail stores such as HMV and major labels. Customers get more choices of artist as the audience themselves are producing music. The audience have more power of their UGC and what they listen whenever they want. Jessie J and Justin Bieber have been able to be gain recognition from major record label. Twitter has allowed the audience to get closer to the artist and has allowed them to interact with the artist.

What concerns/considerations are there (if any) for the media institutions involved in your case study as a result of the impact of new and digital media?

Stores are being show down (HMV), labels are shutting down, artist are not making much money, labels are not making much money, companies providing with distribution services such as CD are making less profit TV channels such as MTV are losing views, to reduce cost MTV are reducing the number of employees.

Consider the effects so far, and possible effects in the future, on media institution involved in your case study?

Labels will need to find new methods of distributing music without customers downloading music for free. The audience have chose to download music instead of buying it from the shop and they prefer to watch music videos on youtube rather then look at music channels.