Assignment 1: Online Essay

Digital Media Convergence: Music Videos Vs Music Videos Online

Digital media convergence is often referred to as the merge and shift to digital forms of communication and media from the more traditional print and set-program medias. Milton Mueller describes convergence as a 'take-over of all forms of media by one technology: digital computers, a technological system with solid-state integrated circuits (ICs) at its core, supplemented by photonic components (lasers and optical fibers) and applications of mathematical information theory' (Mueller, 1999: 12) .  Collaborative and interactive media has helped the consumption of media to change from  set-scheduled and -programmed media to on-the-go and and self-selected media, enabling an audience to choose exactly what they want to watch, when, and in some cases how. Particularly in the world of music, more specifically music videos, digital convergence has had a lasting impact on the production and consumption of media.

T.N.T. - ACDC Live on Countdown ABCTV (1976)

From the introduction of music videos to present, digital convergence has changed the way we consume and produce media. When music videos were first introduced into the public they were a way for bands and producers to bring music to broader as well as also younger audiences. Live music videos became popular broadcasts and drew in larger audiences which in turn encouraged more music videos to be created, promoting both the music and television media forms. Australian band ACDC in particular used live music videos to promote themselves and their music through Molly Meldrum's Countdown between 1974 and '77 to national popularity.

As the music video medium evolved, music videos themselves became more elaborate and costly as more artists and bands used the medium more; Michael Jackson's Thriller cost $500,000 to produce, which is equivalent to $1.4 million today (Celizic, 2008). As the music video grew, MTV (Music Television) started in 1981 in America, and quickly became a popular and reliable source for viewing music videos. In Australia now-popular TV show Rage started in 1987, dedicated to showing Australian artists and their music to the Australian public.

However, more recent times have seen a shift from traditional televised media to online media. Converging from traditional televised broadcasts, online music videos can be viewed whenever and wherever you have a internet-connected and compatible device. This means that there has been a rise in a new type of audience, labelled the Prosumer; prosumers are unique to the new digital age in the way that they both create and view mass media simultaneously. New artists and bands are able to use online music videos to make themselves known, much like ACDC did using Countdown in the 1970's. Soulja Boy's self-published online music video Crank Dat was so successful it reached the number one position on the Billboard Top 100, and was a source for many other parody and fan videos. The video went 'viral', meaning it was spread around public via the internet and word of mouth, with little to no advertising of its own. Other videos, such as Ok Go's Here It Goes Again are created purely for online viewing and have gone viral as well, having been viewed over 12 million times on Ok Go's VEVO youTube channel.

Music videos online has converged the media of the internet and television to create a whole new type of media, similar to it's predeccesor music videos but different enough so that it stands out in its own right. 'Welcome to grassroots culture, where old and new media collide, where grassroots and corporate media intersect, where the power of the media producer and the power of the media consumer interact in unpredictable ways' (Jenkins, 2006:18). The world of online media, converging old media such as newspapers, television, radio and magazines, has changed the way we want to consume and create media, bringing about the introduction of prosumers and media when the audience wants it, not when the production companies can provide it.

This idea of being able to consume content when we want is well described by Ograd's statement on 'TV in your pocket: 'The concept of ‘TV in your pocket’ carries the promise of private and personalized viewing – the idea that users will be able to access TV content and consume it on their private personal screens, in an environment that for them is most convenient, comfortable and relevant.' (Ograd, 2009:201). Without this ability and idea to consume on the go, online music video would never have evolved the way it did to the point it is today, where anyone can pull out a phone and watch the same video that they can on their computer, tablet or netbook.

Digital media convergence has had a profound impact on the music industry, and in effect society and technology. With the evolution of such interactive, consumable media, digital convergence has allowed the music industry to evolve so that the same amount of recognition can be given to a million-dollar artist as a new artist or band; it allows greater impact from the audience of media to decide what they think is the better quality piece of work, regardless of consumerism, corporate interference and the assistance of money. 

References:

Mueller, M. (1999) Digital Convergence and It's Consequences,  Vol.6, 3, 11-28
http://javnost-thepublic.org/article/pdf/1999/3/2/

Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. Introduction. pp. 18. New York University Press.

Celizic, M. (2008), Director: Funds for ‘Thriller’ were tough to raise [online] 
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/24314870

15: 197

Orgad, S. (2009) Mobile TV : Old and New in the Construction of an Emergent Technology, Convergence

http://con.sagepub.com.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/content/15/2/197.full.pdf+html