Media Convergence: Music Video Online
Media convergence has dramatically altered the way in which
music videos are now presented and available today in the 21st
century. The convergence of media platforms has enabled music videos to advance
from television channels to online websites, and be distributed in ways which
were once thought unimaginable. From MTV to YouTube, the music industry has taken
a dramatic turn.
Media convergence as defined by Encyclopedia Britannica: a phenomenon
involving the interlocking of computing and information technology companies,
telecommunications networks, and content providers from the publishing worlds
of newspapers, magazines, music, radio, television, films, and entertainment
software. Media convergence brings together the “three Cs”—computing,
communications, and content.
The launch of MTV in August 1981 saw a company whose desire was
to considerably influence popular culture. (Brief History of MTV, 2012). Although today,
what was once a television channel primarily circled around providing music videos
is now focused on reality television shows. The accessibility of free music
online caused CD sales to rapidly decrease as well as limiting on air music
video times. With the introduction of
You Tube in 2005, Vevo and the MTV online video website recognised that they
needed to begin showing music videos online. (Brief History of MTV, 2012).
YouTube has had a massive impact upon the music industry,
and the way in which it operates today, as it provides free uploading and
watching of online videos to anyone with access of the internet onto devices such as
a laptop, mobile phone, and iPad. YouTube is “at
the forefront of web video” (Hilderbrand, 2007). The accessibility of
music videos online has lead to instantaneous exposure and recognition
of many famous, low-key and upcoming music stars, such as Justin Beiber who was
discovered through his homemade videos on You Tube.
With just a simple hand held camera, songs can be
transformed into music videos, and within seconds uploaded to YouTube for the
rest of the world to see. YouTube receives “tens of
millions of visitors daily” (Hilderbrand, 2007). This instant
exposure provides a fast, free, form of publicity, allowing fans and many
individuals to view it. YouTube also provides a cost effective way for bands
and other musical groups and individuals which may not have the money to spend
on expensive film clips and advertising, to also present their material
to the public.
Eric Prydz, ‘Call
On Me’ film clip, is video of a group of girls performing aerobics. This
simple, yet raunchy music video with almost limited to no special effects using
only the swapping of camera angles, has attracted over 33 million views in the
past 3 years. Other simple and effective music videos include
OK Go - Here It Goes Again, which became a viral hit, and Vampire Weekend - Cousins .
Erik Prydz - Call On Me
The emergence of YouTube
is described by Hilderbrand as a "go to website for finding topical and
obscure streaming video clips" (Hilderbrand, 2007). The introduction of You
Tube has enabled the majority of music videos to become published on there,
while social media sites, such as Facebook also allow music videos to be easily
shared through links, once again allowing musicians to require minimal
advertising. Online music videos provide much easier access through the many
ways they are available, and at any time. With people being able to jump onto
youtube, and play a music video 24 hours, 7 days of the week, it is evident how
convenient music videos online can be.
‘Amongst these changes are the arrival of wirelessness and wireless networks, the growth of pervasive and embedded computing alongside screen-focussed media ecologies, the rise of networks and services that are ‘smarter’ or at least ‘more’ semantically informed than previously, the rise of a networked (media) economy increasingly based on social capital rather than (as well as) traditional content. We also see that these innovations are bound up with shifts in the political economy of information systems, that they produce transformations of the (new) media industries, and that they find their significance and form in relation to cultures of production and in relation to their everyday use.’ (The Fibreculture Journal, 2008)
‘Amongst these changes are the arrival of wirelessness and wireless networks, the growth of pervasive and embedded computing alongside screen-focussed media ecologies, the rise of networks and services that are ‘smarter’ or at least ‘more’ semantically informed than previously, the rise of a networked (media) economy increasingly based on social capital rather than (as well as) traditional content. We also see that these innovations are bound up with shifts in the political economy of information systems, that they produce transformations of the (new) media industries, and that they find their significance and form in relation to cultures of production and in relation to their everyday use.’ (The Fibreculture Journal, 2008)
As the appetite and
interests of society will continue to change over time, and so too will the
technology advancements in media convergence. The rise in technology has
already seen vast amounts of improvements and additions in the past centuries,
through the introduction of MTV, and the YouTube revolution.
References
Britannica.com (2012) media convergence -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia. [online] Available at: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1425043/media-convergence [Accessed: 30 Mar 2012].
Socialtimes.com (2010) A Brief History Of MTV, Vevo, YouTube and the Online Music Video - SocialTimes. [online] Available at: http://socialtimes.com/mtv-vevo-youtube-online-music-video-history_b23698 [Accessed: 30 Mar 2012].
Thirteen.fibreculturejournal.org (2008) The Fibreculture Journal : 13. [online] Available at: http://thirteen.fibreculturejournal.org/ [Accessed: 30 Mar 2012].
Hildebrand, L (2007), Film Quarterly Vol 61, YouTube: Where Cultural Memory and Copyright Converge.
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