Thursday 29 March 2012
Wednesday 28 March 2012
EXAM PREP Exam Answer
To prepare for the upcoming exam you must look at an example of a top grade response and a lower grade answer
Your objective is
To understand how the marks are awarded for the exam
To identify the arguments/debates that have been discussed by the student that awarded the L4 grade
To write up your notes into an essay plan
1. Read both & decide which is the L4?
2. How are they different?
3. Look at the mark scheme, what is required for a L4 (Analysis, Example, Terminology)
4. Copy the essay into Word & highlight in colour the aspects that cover:
Analysis
Example
Terminology
5. Now underline the Argument/Debates the student puts forward to answer the question
6. Summarise these Arguments as a bullet point list - 5 points they have made
7. Write a 25 word commentary explaining how these arguments match & answer the question
Essay 2 is this L4?
Exam Questions (June 2010)
Digital media technology continues to develop. How is this significant for media institutions and audiences?
Within this essay I will be comparing how the development of digital media technology has affected both a conglomerate record label Sony Music Entertainment, and an independent record label Innit For The Money.
Sony Music Entertainment (Sony ME) are a multinational conglomerate who monopolise the music industry as well as other areas (insurance, gaming, electronic devices). They employ millions of employees and provide a global service to a well-established audience. Sony ME have utilised digital technology through both their production of music and its distribution.
Sony Me own stages of the development of music, from production right through to distribution, an example of vertical integration. Because of this profits are kept in house, and Sony ME are able to be one of the Big 4 record label. Sony mass-produce their CD’s worldwide, but only if the artist is already well established and therefore bound to be successful. To ensure this, Sony utilise digital technology such as the Internet, where singles can be released digitally, such as through iTunes or social networking sites such as Myspace or Facebook. Sony ME have also recently signed a content deal with YouTube, allowing them to gain profits from people watching their videos on the site. This allows an audience to listen to the tracks and the artist to build an established fan base. Once this fan base is established, Sony release their CD’s for distribution, along with merchandise, to further advertise their artist and bring in extra profit, Sony ME often create websites for artists who have become well known, with links for fans to purchase their CD’s and merchandise from there, along with tour dates, biographical information and activities for the fans. These websites allow the fans to hear about all of the merchandise which they can also purchase and to book tickets for tour dates and gigs. As well as the site having links to main Sony ME site, which has a list of all the artist they represent. This allows the fans to find other Sony artists whom they also like, which then encourages more profits for Sony ME. Once a fan base is built, Sony then release the CD, where it can be purchased from shops such as HMV, or online from Amazon, iTunes etc. however, the emergence of sites like YouTube and the web 2.0 culture has taken care of part of the distribution process.
Sony ME have become so successful that they are able to buy smaller independent record labels and run them under their company. They own hundreds of record labels, buying them when they get successful and are therefore perceived as a threat to Sony, these include, Columbia Records, Arista Records, RCA Records and Epic records. This is an example of horizontal integration.
Sony are also able to use their cross media ownership to increase their profits for example, Sony ME own ACDC and Playstation, and so produced a Playstation game, using ACDC music this example of synergy allows for more advertising for the band, as well as extra profits coming in to the conglomerate.
The independent record label I have studies, Innit For The Money (IFTM) have become successful locally, within the Somerset area but are aiming to expand their fan base worldwide through the use of the Internet. They are however always threatened by conglomerates such as Sony ME because they don’t have the funds to represent that many artists. IFTM however maintain their artists from start to finish, building them to success, however, once successful they are often poached by conglomerates such as Sony Me. One of IFTM’s successful bands are “You love her cos’ she’s dead” and they have appeared on popular teen drama Skins. Showing a prime example of convergence, as channel four and IFTM have collaborated together to increase the advertisement of ‘You love her cos’ she’s dead’ (and therefore IFTM) and Skins, because they are associated with one another. Because of this advancement in digital technology, IFTM have been able to become more successful and well known.
IFTM don’t own their own recording studies, because basically it is impossible, instead their artists find their own locations. ‘You love her cos’ she’s dead’ produced their first single in a closet, and their second in a bathroom, claiming that the acoustics are just as good as a recording studio but the DIY aspect means there is no expenditure to take care of, especially as they use their own editing software on their own computers.
IFTM aim their products at a niche audience, partly due to their small size and lack of funds for wider audience, and also because of their current status as only being known locally. However, the advancement of digital technologies has increased IFTM’s contacts, as they are able to forge communications with bands in Australia via Myspace. However, until they become a bigger company, it will be impossible for them to tour in Australia, due to the agent fees. On the other hand IFTM have become successful in France with them being able to send ‘You love her cos’ she’s dead’ over there for gigs, and a tour. In this way, digital technologies have aided them in becoming more successful.
IFTM also have their own Facebook page, due to the main users of Facebook being 18-24 years old, this gives them a good way of assessing their niche audience and therefore makes it easier for them to know the demographic of them, and in general what they want to hear, IFTM also use Myspace as a form of distribution, so that their audience can pre-listen to music; therefore building up a fan base.
So far in this essay I have discussed the positive effects of the advancement of digital technologies, but there is in many ways a downside. Whilst the increased development and use of the Internet has aided advertisement and distribution for both Sony ME and IFTM, it also leads to a decline in CD sales. This has been seen by both companies, with Sony ME now only mass producing music by artists who are bound to sell big and IFTM are not able to mass produce IFTM only produce records on demand, mostly just 500 copies through Rough Trade. This is partly due to the decline in CD sales, (fallen 20% since 2006). Also because vinyl is far more collectible, and so they are able to sell it at a higher price. This decline in CD sales can be attributed to illegal downloading becoming more readily accessible; due to the development of digital technologies. During my research task on College I found 1 in 3 people (of a 600 people sample) get all of their music via illegal downloads meaning that no money is being paid to the record labels or artists. When asked, 100% of those people said that they downloaded illegally purely because music is too expensive.
It appears that the future for the music industry is global policing on illegal downloading, in order to prevent it from spreading, otherwise there isn’t any hope for record labels, particularly independent ones such as IFTM. Consequently, in order to try and prevent this from occurring, a new from of control called “copyright collectives” has been brought into force. This means that the artist and record labels receive a portion of the money gained from producing and distributing a track, so they still receive profits from their work, even if people are no longer purchasing as many CD’s unfortunately this wouldn’t occur for the independent record labels.
Consequently, the continuing development of digital media technology has led to a culture where an audience expects everything fro free, which could inevitably lead to the downfall of independent Record Labels, and the reduced activity of conglomerates such as Sony ME, unless global policing is brought into force more successfully.
Essay 1 is it L4?
Section B Music Industry 30/50
The digital media technology of today is growing at a very fast rate and is continually
developing in many different ways. This has many advantages on the media institutions
and audiences.
There are developments of a lot more conglomerate companies which are very large
scaled and either own or have control over a lot of music/media technology.
‘Synergy’ is also quite a new development which is the word used to describe when
companies try to make more profits by putting more than one thing on the market for
example Disney films are promoted through fast food deals, CDs and soundtracks and the
selling of toys.
When returning to the music industry and the way different major’s and indie’s have an
effect on what is bought and sold or even downloaded. EMI is a good case study/example.
EMI are an industrial record company that is recognised globally. It is one of the four
largest conglomerates in the world along with Universal, Warners and Sony. Their
introduction of peer to peer things such as Bluetooth, USBs, memorycards, Youtube etc
are making it much easier to access whatever kind of music you want. They say that illegal
downloading from sites such as Kazaa, the biggest illegal music lender, and livewire are
imposing a big threat to the profits of a lot of companies. Although they own 76% of the
music industry the increase of this illegal downloading is jeopardising their income.
In 2006, iTunes made the purchase of a single (online) a mere 79p, however, this hasn’t
stopped people downloading for free both illegally and legally.
A good example to show how downloading has had an impact on institutions would be in
2006 Gnarles Barkley’s ‘Crazy’ made it to number one purely based on the number of
downloads. Another good example would be MySpace. Originally a social networking site,
it recently got taken over by the news corporation (who also own Sky) and has now
become a music sharing/downloading site with over 88 million users.
The development of technology such as MP3s, iPods and the development from
promoting vinyls to records to CDs and now to downloading/sharing through phones etc
has also had an effect on institutions and audiences. People are more likely going to buy
off the internet and transfer songs straight to their chosen device which going to effect
record stores (such as HMV) a lot. It’s actually shown that in the past few years, some
record stores have lost a staggering 20% of sales every year, which I believe to be down
to downloading mainly.
In conclusion, I believe that the growing development of digital technology in all areas is
the reason why such profits are being lost and why no one really likes to own vinyls and
records apart from the minority. Furthermore I believe that this technology will continue to
grow and slowly take over the standard way of getting music etc.
Tuesday 27 March 2012
What is an Indie label?
An independent record label (or indie record label) is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.[1]
The boundaries between major and independent labels, and the definitions of each, differ from commentator to commentator. In practice, however, the traditional definition of a 'major' record label is one that owns its own distribution channel. Some independent record labels, in particular those with successful performing artists, sign dual-release agreements (and make other deals) with major labels and may rely to some extent on international licensing deals, distribution agreements, and other arrangements with major record labels. Major labels may also wholly or partially acquire independent labels.
Other nominally "independent" labels are started (and sometimes run) by major label artists but are still owned at least in part by the major label parent. These spin-off labels are also frequently referred to as vanity labels or "boutique labels" and are intended to appease established, powerful artists and/or to give them latitude in discovering and promoting new talent.
According to Association of Independent Music (AIM) "(...) An "major" is defined in AIM's constitution as a multinational company which (together with the companies in its group) has more than 5% of the world market(s) for the sale of records and/or music videos. The majors are (currently) Sony BMG, Warner, EMI, and the Universal Music Group (which incorporates Polygram).(...) If a major owns 50% or more of the total shares in your company, you would (usually) be owned or controlled by that major."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_record_label
Monday 26 March 2012
The Music Industry What Is It?
WHERE IT SAYS EXHIBITION - READ 'EXCHANGE' - THIS IS AN OUTDATED CONCEPT TAUGHT IN MEDIA BEFORE THINGS LIKE YOUTUBE, FACEBOOK, SOUNDCLOUD WHICH WE WILL DISCUSS
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