Digital Media Convergence: Music Video Online.
To most people the phrase digital media
convergence is an unfamiliar term. However those working in the media industry
have been observing changes in the way we communicate for a number of years.
Through different outlets that are constantly changing, we are able to predict
the direction in which online media is heading.
Digital media convergence is about the way
old and new media adapts and evolves into new forms. Henry Jenkins from the New
York City University simply describes the phrase as “The process whereby new technologies are
accommodated by existing media and communication industries and cultures”
(Jenkins: 2006 pg. 2)
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There are many various media outlets that
have taken off and fundamentally expanded in the past decades of what we call
‘the information age.’ One of the reasons for this is because digital media is
not bound by any specific material, which means that it is constantly changing
form, another reason for the enormous increase in digital media is that it has
no geographical boundaries, online content can be accessed and distributed all
over the globe with great ease.
One outlet in particular has continued to
increase its audience at an overwhelming rate. This phenomenon is of course, online video. Although video has been present on the Internet for a number of
years, it has never been so accessible, in a way that every day users can
upload and download data within a matter of seconds, via they're smartphone or
blackberry.
Not only are videos being uploaded
constantly by regular users, movie studios, international and local artists are
also using the Internet to broadcast their latest film clips and movie
trailers. Online music videos in particular have become extraordinarily
popular, so much so, that we've seen a massive increase in ‘made for
online’ films and music videos, in fact It can be fair to say that the shift
from music television to music video online is well underway if not complete.
Online music video takes on a whole new
viewing experience for the everyday Internet user. Gone are the days where you
would have to wait around the television to catch your favourite film clip, now
you may watch it from almost anywhere, be it on your laptop, iPad or iPhone.
Music video online has never been so available.
While the idea of making pretty much all written
and recorded material online may seem like we are leaving old media behind, it
is important that we remember that in fact “Old media is not being displaced. Rather,
their functions and status are being shifted by the introduction of new
technologies” (Jenkins, 2006: p. 14). These older media forms, such as the
film industry, are not technically dying off, however they are being
incorporated into newer ideas.
There is
an abundance of benefits that media convergence brings to the table,
specifically relating to online music. We are living in a time where over six
billion people have daily access to an Internet connection through one way or
another; this means that virtually billions of people can post media online for
others to see. Not only does that break down the barrier separating socially
advantaged and disadvanted people, it creates a wide range of opportunities for
videos to gain exposure and potentially become viral, which has the prospect of
reaching people of all ages from all corners of the earth. “Online users
also enjoy the confidence of authorship as they create content for themselves
and others, then share that content as entertainment and information.” (K.
Sheehan/D. Morrison 2009)
While
‘made for online’ music videos are on the rise, we are now starting to see a
sharp decrease in budgets for these clips. Once upon a time it could cost thousands of
dollars, potentially even millions, to create the music video alone, add the
costs of airing it on television, paying for staff and all the other necessities
that come with it and you’ve got one expensive short film. But now with the development of sites such as YouTube, you can direct, produce, edit and post
your video online without having to break the bank at all.
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Editing video on the iPad |
A prime
example of a low budget ‘made for online’ music video, is the film clip by
Australian artists Gotye and Kimbra which as of August 2012 has reached 309 042 191 million views on YouTube. Whilst some cash was spent to complete the
filming, it was at a relatively low cost, proving you can be successful without
spending large amounts of money.
“It is
estimated that 48 hours of video are uploaded every minute onto YouTube, and
three billion videos are viewed every day worldwide from that site alone. In
Australia, there are an estimated six million YouTube users, watching over 200
million videos a month. The Apple iTunes store now sells almost 10 million
songs a day, making it by far the biggest music retailer worldwide.”
(Australian Law Reform Commission)
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"iTunes sells roughly 10 million songs per day" |
Whilst
the benefits of media convergence may seem plentiful, there are a few down
sides worth noting. With mass amounts of newspaper readers converting online
‘competition for eyeballs and ad dollars is fierce. Almost 1600 jobs were lost
in American newspapers in 2008’ (Dwyer. T 2010 pg. 1) With the ever-growing
market for products such as the Apple iPad and other similar devices, more and
more people are switching to reading the paper online, which creates serious
issues for local papers that are struggling to keep up. Music television is
also facing a similar situation; online videos are increasing therefore less
people tune in to local programs such as ‘Rage.’ Not only does this mean that
networks will have to continually think about ways to compete, it may force the
cancellation of some programs.
To
conclude, digital media convergence can be seen as the best thing to happen to
online media since the introduction of the World Wide Web. Though it does have
its negatives, the benefits far outweigh them. Media convergence in relation to
music video specifically, has opened many doors and presented opportunities for
local artists to gain exposure. With the rate of Internet users constantly
increasing we will soon be at a place in digital history where information will
flow so freely that anybody anywhere will be able to have access. Through technological, social and cultural
convergence digital media has revolutionised the landscape of the music video
industry.
References
Books and online articles
1. Jenkins,
H. (2006) Convergence Culture: Where New and Old Media Collide, New
York University Press, pg. 2. (Reading
from MAS110 reader)
2. Jenkins,
H. (2006) Convergence Culture: Where New and Old Media Collide, New
York University Press, p.14
3. Beyond convergence: Confluence culture and the role of the
advertising agency in a changing world
by Kim Bartel Sheehan and Deborah K.
Morrison, First Monday, Volume 14, Number 3 - 2 March 2009
(http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/2239/2121)
(recommended reading)
4. Media Convergence and the transformed media environment,
Australian Law Reform Commission, accessed August 2012 (http://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/3-media-convergence-and-transformed-media-environment/media-convergence-and-transformed)
(self located)
5. Dwyer. T (2010) Media convergence, McGraw Hill,
Berkshire, Pg. 1. (MAS110 reader)
Images
1. Apple, iTunes download, accessed August 2012, Australia (http://images.apple.com/au/itunes/download/images/download_hero.jpg)
2. Marlene Speaks, Media Convergence: The Revolution of Journalism, posted May 2011, Accessed August 2012
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/IXcOZwQfFBw/TdNUrnmykfI/AAAAAAAAAD0/XjM6hNutOpA/s1600/converge_full.jpg)
3.Sarah Watson, iPad 2: Its all about the video, posted April 2011, accessed August 2012 (http://blog.brightcove.com/sites/all/uploads/fine_tuning_20110302.jpg)
4. YouTube logo, Accessed August 2012 (www.youtube.com)
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