What difference has the Internet made to media production and consumption?

Over the years, we can greater see the impact of the Internet and technologies on the media and in particular, media production and consumption.

For my A2 project, I created a music video featuring a local band, The Jane Bradford’s, while working closely with them we learned a lot about how the Internet has affected how the produce their music.

Deci Gallen, the front man for the band, made it very clear to our group if the Internet was not what it was today, he would not have been able to make the album that they had. One of the point he raised was, “Releasing the Jane Bradfords debut album wouldn’t have been financially viable about ten years ago,” he went on to say that, “Advances in computers and software mean that it is now totally possible, and indeed acceptable, to produce an album or single at home.”

This last point is something that is becoming ever more popular option. Artists and Musicians are now producing their media at home due to technology becoming cheaper. An example of this is Deci worked out, “It cost £1000 for this (mixing) but had I needed to record instruments instead of doing it in my home studio it would’ve cost closer to £5000.”

A band can now record a single on software such as GarageBand, mix it and then publish to the Internet on such websites as My Space or online stores such as iTunes.

A major impact of the Internet on production is that no longer are artists and bands limited to the talent and facilities in the local area as Deco Gallen found, “The beauty of the digital world is that I was able to outsource this (the record) to a guy called Carl Saff in Chicago. A man that I will probably never meet played a vital roll in the record’s release.” This is in massive contrast to how things where done just a few years ago, thanks to the Internet.

During our AS course, we got to meet the co-founder, Andrew Ferris, of Small Town America (STA). Small Town America is an independent record label based in London. One of the more interesting aspects of STA and what stands them out in comparison to the big four is that in many ways they carry D.I.Y. ethics in their work and as all institutions in this modern industry they must embrace technology like the Internet if they want to survive, an example of this is what co founder of the label, said to our class in our exchange, “For every stumbling block you imagine there is a free solution already on the Internet.”

Andrew Ferris produced figures which show how the Internet has been effecting sales of Small Town America and so how it is effecting consumption,

“Income 2006-07: Physical 92% Digital 8%

Income 2007-2008 Physical 76% vs. 24%

Income 2008-2009 Physical 66% vs. 34%”

The growth in the Internet has effected production drastically, as the public move from physical purchase to digital download. This has effected production in a number of ways, Deco Gallen speaks on behalf of the Jane Bradfords, “The big difference with modern music is that you can finish a track and have it available online for millions to hear that same day.”

Deci wasn’t naive to the fact that that Internet not only has a wealth of advantages but recognizes that it has its drawbacks. “The Jane Bradford’s album was available to illegally download before it went on release which was unfortunate as we’re struggling financially to put out the record. Its very hard not to feel like people are stealing from you as there is no guarantee that you’ll make back the money you out in producing it.” This is a major problem, piracy, not just in the music industry but spanning across the whole of the media world. Deci referred to this battle between the advantages of developing technologies such as the Internet and the disadvantages such as piracy, “The major downside of the technological advantages and the Internet is that despite offering you a larger audience and larger market, it also takes away a large amount of your revenue by piracy. It feels like being handed a sword going into a fist fight and then realizing the other guy has a sword as well - in other words with every new opportunity there is a downside that levels the playing field.”

Consumption has changed not just in music but also in a number of media institutions, such as television. With more homes than ever having high speed broadband at their disposal it has in recent years become more popular to stream media, especially video online.

Evolving from sites like YouTube, organizations such as the BBC are now streaming high quality content on their own sites, such as BBC player. People are now no longer limited to consuming the shows and programs when there are first aired, they now can control what they watch, when they want to watch them. This has inspired the term “On-Demand”. This has caused a massive change on the traditional way in which we consumed television.

It is not just television that has been changed by the Internet, in terms of how it’s been consumed. Why drive to the local video shop when you can log on to innovative sites such as Netfilx, stream and download your favorite and most recent movies. Instead of people having to wait in line at the cinema, sites like this can stream high quality video over the Internet and right into the home of movie lovers everywhere.

I believe that the Internet has changed production and consumption of Media forever and on the most part I feel for the better. The barrier between Artist and consumer has been reduced, bringing these to groups closer than they have ever been. Although there are problems with this new, powerful tool, I feel they are outweighed by its ability to help small artists penetrate large media intuitions and well as allow consumers to easier consume the media that they love.

Rewrote to include Consumption.