Mock Exam Lesson. Sophie.

To what extent does digital distribution affect the marketing and consumption of media products in th media area you have studied?

Digital distribution has changed the priorities of the consumers in the music industry. Online technologies has evolved institutions and made the music industry blander while a few select individuals use the new priorities to their advantage.

Major record labels such as Sony evolved with the change. This allowed them to keep their mass audience and their conglomerate status. Digital distribution such as Youtube and itunes has switched the priorities of visualisation, making it the most important in the audiences minds. Sony's performers all have music videos on youtube and their songs on itunes. This cause shops such as HMV to shut down as digital sales took over physical sales in early 2013.  In contrast the major record label EMI, choose not to evolve with the use of digital distribution and suffered greatly when they were forced to shut down. "Luckily" they were brought out by a parent label. TV Shows that Sony's subsdiary company Syco own  such as X Factor, who's key priority is the visualisation of the show, use digital distribution as a main marketing strategy. They use views on their Youtube videos of their performers and sales on itunes to determine who and what they can sell. Syco's performers One Direction are perfect examples of the digital marketing as they use games such as CyberPunk to market the band, completely online. Fans took part in competitions such as creating videos and images for the band which helped promote their album. Free marketing. This demonstrates that major labels now view image over music. Major labels benefit from the new path of marketing and consumption as they continue to make a fortune, just through online sales which is much easier form of shopping. This devalues music as we now do not care about the music but about the visual aspect of music because of digital distribution. 

Digital distribution created Prosumers. Prosumers use digital technology as a form of marketing their own stuff and other artists music. Prosumers create mash-ups, changing the traditional idea of consumption as we are now more involved with the production of music. Prosumers market their creations on youtube, a free advertisement unlike Major labels who have the money to advertise through TV and radio. This however benefits major labels if we choose to mash up mainstream music as its a form of advertisement adding to the devaluing of music. It also devalues music as we all have the ability to create these mash ups but not all have the talent to create something groundbreaking and amazing like Madeon. Digital distribution in this perspective has opened doors to other music which as the creates of prosumers but has changed the traditional idea of consumers.

Lastly D.I.Y artists such as Beck benefit from the new technologies but add value to his music through it, a contrast to Major labels. Beck allows his community of fans free range to interpret his songs in their own ways, creating variety in the music industry. He would not be able to do this without the help of digital technologies such as Youtube and itunes as this is how fans market their creates and Beck's song. Beck does not concentrate in the visualisation or marketing as the fans do this for him through youtube. They create videos of their interpretations. This allows the fans and Beck to get recognition for the work, the opposite of the majors idea of making all the money they can from the fans with a promise of a new way to take more money in a few months. 

Overall digital distribution has effected the industry majorly but whether it has had a positive or negative effect is undecided. It has devalued music but opened opportunities to others in the music industry.