Thursday, August 30, 2012

Music Video Online by Stacey Aranha, 42866804


MAS110 Assessment One: Online Essay

By Stacey Aranha, Student I.D: 42866804
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Discuss the phenomenon of digital media convergence in relation to one of the following: Advertising & New Media or Music Video Online.
 
 
 

The phenomenon of digital media convergence is a proliferating force that is fundamentally impacting upon the ethos of contemporary society and culture. Moreover, this emphasises a significant paradigm shift taking place throughout the present media landscape.  This is particularly evident in regards to the revolutionary impact convergence has had upon the culture and progression of the music video from its traditional forms to its positioning within this newly expanding online, digital platform.



The overall process of media convergence refers to the systematic ‘adaptation, merging together and transitioning’ of new technologies with existing media and communication industries and cultures (Dwyer, 2010: 3). As Manovich (2001: 19) states society today is caught in the middle of a new media revolution and an increasing shift of all culture towards computer-mediated forms of production, distribution and communication. Jenkins (2006: 2) distinguishes this transference towards digital culture through the theoretical term of a ‘convergence culture’. Media convergence at its core re-contextualises the way audiences are exposed to media and renders both a transformation in the way media is produced and consumed. Thus, these conceptual understandings are critical when assessing the phenomenon of digital media convergence, its implications and the overall evolutionary process of the music video.



Historically, the music video prominently first emerged on the mediascape in 1981 with the launch of Music Television (MTV) airing as the first ever music channel. Throughout this time period MTV revolutionised the music industry and augmented itself as an instrumental source in facilitating the rebirth of music itself through it’s converging with broadcast television and also the establishment of the music video on an easily accessible platform towards a wider audience. As its popularity grew and music industries recognised MTV’s value as a promotional medium, money was invested towards the production of innovative, expensive music videos. However, MTV had selective criteria to be met in terms of the content it broadcast which imposed specific restrictions with its programming predominantly focusing upon ‘mainstream’ artists (Sibilla, 2010: 227). Despite this MTV quickly became the ideal destination for music videos (Sibilla, 2010: 227) and moreover a model that paved the way for various forms of music television channels worldwide.


It was argumentatively the beginnings of the digital revolution in the 1990s that marked the decline of MTV and the music video on television as new online media forms emerged. Many have questioned this as the ‘death’ so to speak of the music video but as Jenkins (2006:13) states “history teaches us that old media never die and they don’t even necessarily fade away”.  Therefore, old media is not being eradicated by new media instead its functions are being altered to make way for new technologies. This specifically articulates the radical transformation and convergence of the music video and its production, consumption and distribution from traditional broadcast forms to new online forms. Jenkins (2006: 2) distinguishes this through ‘convergence culture’ and the intersection by which old and new media forms collide. It is important to acknowledge that this concept of a ‘convergence culture’ is defined by three distinguishable mechanisms: media convergence, participatory culture, and collective intelligence (Jenkins cited in Sheehan & Morrison, 2009) each of which is essential when considering the digital media convergence of the music video.  

 
Notably, the representation of one medium in another is referred to as “remediation” (Bolter & Grusin, 1996: 321). In this sense the music video has been re-mediated (Bolter cited in Sibilla 2010: 230) as various techniques, technologies and social forms connected with its traditional medium have been readapted to complement its integration within a new digital space. As Austerlitz (cited in Munt, 2011: 3) argues “the music video did not die, it merely mutated onto a new host: the Internet”.  Digital media convergence of the music video is especially evident through this mass cultural shift from television to computers and the distribution of music videos within this present mediascape across social media networks, mobile media and also most significantly online broadcasting sites such as Youtube (Munt, 2011: 3). Also, the digital convergence of the music video is extensively assisted by the network of ‘Web 2.0’, a rise in amateur, user-generated and viral content and an overall increase in participatory culture amongst online audiences.

 
The Internet is progressively being used as a convergent platform by various media branches. Youtube was founded in 2005 and has instituted itself as a fundamental source of Web 2.0.  Record labels, studios and networks are increasingly utilizing Youtube as a promotional vehicle by uploading and distributing content through branded ‘channels’ and paid placement (Hilderbrand, 2007: 57). VEVO is a joint venture music video channel established in 2009 and co-owned by music conglomerates Sony, Universal and Abu Dhabi Media (Stelter, 2009: B2). The site has a branded channel operating on Youtube and is a huge exemplar of digital media convergence in action and the music industry working towards the regeneration of music video popularity. Furthermore, the music video is often positioned as a viral marketing tool in efforts by various broadcasters to engage their online audiences (Sibilla, 2010: 230).



Call Me Maybe - Carly Rae Jepsen (Official VEVO Youtube video)
 

A prominent example of this is the new popular artist Carly Rae Jepsen’s viral phenomenon hit Call Me Maybe, song’s music video which features on VEVO’s Youtube channel now has generated over 220 million views and has become one of the best selling digital singles of all time. Call Me Maybe’s widespread success also emphasises how nowadays the music industry strategically employs social media sites such as Youtube, Facebook and Twitter for music video marketing campaigns (Sisario, 2012: A1). 



Call Me Maybe's initial viral Youtube video featuring popular singer, Justin Beiber
 

Nearly two thirds of teenagers today listen to music through Youtube and importantly, as Sisario (2012: A1) states the song along with Jepsen (who was previously unknown) catapulted to online fame in after teenage sensation Justin Beiber accompanied by friends posted a video on Youtube lip-syncing to the song. This also distinguishes how the song’s popularisation reflects upon amplified flows of interaction between social media, celebrity promotion and audience participation which is fundamentally facilitated by this new convergent digital media environment.  Ultimately, Jenkins (2006: 133) articulates how these newly fragmented forms of audience participatory culture hinders less control given to media producers and instead to the media consumers themselves to have a greater ‘voice’ in the content they are exposed to.

 
In conclusion, digital media convergence has played an imperative role in the transformation of media culture. Overall, through this context it can be attributed that through the radical development and convergence of technology, the music video form itself has seen a massive progression from the restrictive limits once imposed by its traditional broadcast forms to its dynamic reformation within the mediascape today.


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Reference List
 

Bolter, J. & Grusin, R. (1996) 'Remediation', Configurations, vol. 4, no. 3, pp 311-358.

Dwyer, T. (2010) Media Convergence, McGraw Hill, Berkshire, pp 1-23.

Hilderbrand, L. (2007) 'Youtube: Where Cultural Memory and Copyright Converge', Film Quarterly, Vol 61, pp 48-57.

 Jenkins, H. (2006) ‘Introduction - Worship at the Altar of Convergence: A New Paradigm for Understanding Media Change' in Convergence Culture, New York University Press, New York, pp. 1-24.

 Jenkins, H. (2006) ‘Chapter Four - Quentin Tarantino’s Star Wars’ in Convergence Culture, New York University Press, New York, pp. 133-168.

Manovich, L. (2001) The Language of New Media, MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, pp. 19-61.

MTV launches. (Internet) (2012), The History Channel Website, viewed 22 August 2012,
<http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mtv-launches>


Munt, A. (2011) ‘New Directions in Music Video: Vincent Moon and the Ascetic Aesthetic’, Australasian Association of Writing Programs, pp. 1-10.   
 
Sibilla, G. (2010) ‘It’s the End of Music Videos as We Know Them (But We Feel Fine)’ in Rewind, Play, Fast Forward: The Past, Present and Future of Music Videos, Transaction Publishers, Bielefeld,  pp. 225-232.  
 
Sheehan, K & Morrison, D. (2009) ‘Beyond convergence: Confluence culture and the role of the advertising agency in a changing world’ in First Monday, vol 14,  no. 3.  
 
Sisario, B. (2012) ‘The New Rise of a Summer Hit: Tweet It Maybe’, New York Times, December 21, A1, viewed 26 August 2012,
 
Stelter, B. (2009) 'Universal, Sony and EMI Opening Video Site', New York Times, December 7, B2, viewed 23 August 2012,



CarlosPenaTV. (2012) “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen – Feat. Justin Beiber, Selena, Ashley Tisdale & MORE!, online video, viewed 24 August 2012, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsBsBU3vn6M>


CarlyRaeJepsonVEVO. (2012) Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe, online video, viewed 24 August 2012,
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWNaR-rxAic>
 

Epstein, Z. (2011) Youtube touts over 1 Trillion Playbacks in 2011, Digital Image, Youtube, viewed 26 August 2012,
<http://www.bgr.com/2011/12/20/youtube-touts-over-1-trillion-video-playbacks-in-2011-video/>


Kafka, P. (2009) Vevo, Big Music’s New Video Site, Peeks Out From Behind the Curtain, Digital Image, Youtube, viewed 26 August 2012,
< http://allthingsd.com/20091208/vevo-big-musics-new-video-site-peeks-out-behind-the-curtain/>
 

MTV Turns 30 Years Old. (2012), Image, MTV, viewed 26 August 2012, <http://www.thecostmag.com/2011/08/01/mtv-turns-30-years-old/>

 

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