1. Discuss the ways in which media products are produced and
distributed to audiences, within a media area which you have
studied.
The ways in which media products are produced and distributed to audiences of
the music industry are incredibly varied, depending on the music created and the
amount of technology that we have in today’s society. The amount of technology
we have makes a lot of difference to how the industry creates and distributes today
to ten years ago. I will be discussing these variables and how the music industry is
dealing with these rapid changes.
Distribution has become incredibly different to how the industry distributed a
decade ago. One example of this is the creation of downloading music off the
internet rather than buying the physical copy. However, there are two options of
downloading – legal and illegal. Legal downloading such as Amazon and ITunes
are creating lots of money for the industry because, when you buy a song or
album, the money goes straight into the label’s pockets. Illegal downloading
websites are being an advantage for the audience (it’s free) but a disadvantage for
the labels. At least seven million people in Britain are illegally downloading music
off the internet. This is making no money for them and means they have to use
other means to make money for themselves. It is costing the economy billions of
pounds and thousands of jobs. Whilst this is ok for the big labels with popular
artists, as they create money by the ton, it is a big problem for the independent
labels and the artists who are creating their own music and trying to sell it. This
was seen as an issue by the English, alternative band, Radiohead, when they had
just finished producing their new album ‘In Rainbows’ and were looking into
distributing the project. They realised that many of the music industry’s audiences
didn’t see the point of buying music anymore and that illegal downloading was the
freer and easier way of getting products, which is why they ruled out internet-only
distribution as all their previous work had been leaked beforehand. In the end,
they distributed as a downloadable order through a website called inrainbows.com,
as a ZIP file with the help of services. Payers were aloud to pay what they wanted.
This case study shows how downloading is creating good and bad effects for the
industry and that technology is making the difference for distribution.
A further problem for the music industry is being created by the popularity of
downloading music off the internet - the death of the music shop. A decade ago,
music shops were thriving as customers were staying loyal to browsing aisles and
impressing people with their obscure knowledge. However, in today’s society, this
is decreasing and music shops are struggling. On January 11th 2007, HMV posted a
first-half loss of sales. Music Zone, with 104 shops, went into administration and
shut down. Virgin Megastores are now over. Smaller independent shops aren’t
faring any better. The assault has come from two different places – the
supermarkets, which have been cutting prices rapidly, and the internet, which has
made legal and illegal downloading easier. Music lends itself to internet selling
because the customer either knows what they are looking for or wants to view a
huge range of music online. The dwindling show of music shops is because of the
few amounts of physical CDs that are being created. However, the product still
needs to be out there and people need to know it exists. This goes to show that
music shops are dwindling and new technology is helping this.

2. Production has also changed in the music industry, thanks to the variable labels
and how they create their own products. Major record labels have the power and
money to release and promote new music. They have financial structure and the
support of radio airplay. However, they only produce and promote unoriginal
music that is known to have high consumer appeal and the use of special software
which digitally overlaps the original singing. With originality thrown to the side
and their artists creating predictable music with mass appeal and a little amount of
surprise, it may become difficult to find music that appeals to those who
appreciate originality. They also reward the business team more favourably than
the artist who created the music and were slow on utilising the marketing
potential of the internet. Even though they are powerful and rich, they are evil and
totally unoriginal. Independent labels are more original and supportive – they sign
and work with the artists very closely, which creates a more direct path of creation
and distribution that creates more individuality and authentic. Also, they are run
by smaller companies who make more money through lower record sales, which
means lower expectations and higher chances. They are more trusted by their
audience to deliver music they like and create an in-built fanbase. An example of
this is how Ed Sheeran got his career started. He would write record and distribute
his work all by himself. Even though he used the internet to gain attention, he still
produced everything. The main reason why he gained mainstream attention was
because he became the first artist to reach to Number 2 on the ITunes charts
without a record label. This connotes that, even though both types of labels have
advantages and disadvantages, the independent labels...
Technological changes have created massive affects for the music industry and for
its audiences. In the last century and a bit, we have changed from the black discs
of vinyl to the small, everything on one gadget IPod with CDs and Tapes in
between. Digital technologies have surpassed physical technologies and this has
advantages and disadvantages for the music industry. Whilst it is great for getting
new musicians out quicker and to help already known artists become more
successful, the rise of the digital age is affecting the world of the physical
technology. There is also the problem of disenfranchising, as this will not get
certain up and coming artists seen by others. As young people, we find out about
new music via television shows, music videos, articles in magazines, radio airplay
and the internet. If the artist cannot be found through any of these devices, then
we as young people will not be interested in them. This tells us that technological
changes are helping the music industry, however the devices and practises 0f the
past are declining fast. The amount of technology we have in today’s society and
this is varying the ways in which media products are creates and distributed.
In conclusion, there are many ways that media products are produced and
distributed which is helped by the music created and the technology we have.
Whilst there are many advantages and disadvantages of this, such as downloading,
the two different labels and the death of the music shop, we must be aware of all of
these benefits and problems when we purchase and listen to music ourselves. We
must help the music industry to survive in the society we live in and to help it’s
past features not to die out whilst also helping its future promises.
By Bethany Stephenson