In my case study of music in the media audiences have changed the media output
and become more powerful. An example of this is through the broadcast platform.
Channels such as NME TV, MTV and VH1 allow audiences to use ‘red button’
features such as voting for music videos that they wish to be played on the channel.
NME TV features a ‘chart show’ which is entirely voted for by viewers on weekdays,
showing how the audience are given power in order to shape media output.
However, in less recent years audiences had less power in shaping media output as
it was more difficult for audience opinions and views to be shared with producers of
media texts. As Web 7.0 evolved, E-media gave audiences more power. NME.com
and other music websites allow users to sign up for online accounts, ‘rate’ photos
and videos using a ‘star’ system and leave comments with their opinions on articles
and blogs by NME writers. Users can also join forums and debate certain topics in
music, such as bands splitting. NME.com advertises the fact that they ‘print the best
responses each week.’ Comments on blogs, videos or news stories can then be
featured on the magazine ‘letters’ page. Allowing audiences to shape what is
contained in the magazine.
However, some aspects of broadcasting do not give audiences this power. DVDs
such as ‘Live Forever – The Rise and Fall of Britpop’ conveys information and
entertainment to audiences who seek it by buying the DVD, however the audiences
is assumed passive as they do not have an opportunity to contribute to the DVD and
therefore shape the output.
Conversely more modern DVDs within the past 3 years, particularly those focused on
particular musicians, allow fans to have more power. An example is ‘The Killers –
Live from The Royal Albert Hall’ which features fan interviews allowing them to
decide what opinions to contribute to the final DVD output as well as deciding their
costume and location. Print has not given audiences the same power as new
technology has enabled them to have. However Letters Pages in magazines such as
NME and Q allow audiences some power in contributing to the output, as well as
surveys attached within the magazine, allowing readers to vote for their favourite
aspect of the magazine such as ‘songs to hear this week’, before sending them to the
magazine creators, registering their opinion.
E-media has allowed audience power to increase. Sites such as Youtube and
Myspace music allow users to listen to songs or watch music videos, as the website
counts the number of ‘plays’ or ‘hits’ received. This can influence the artist’s ideas on
which songs and videos generate most interest and therefore which directions best to
pursue, examples are Lady GaGa the ‘most watched artist on Youtube.’ As she has
the most ‘hits’ this can influence artists such as Lady GaGa and alert them to what
the consumers want, shaping output that artists have. Songs voted for online at
NME.com are also reviewed in the magazine. Qthemusic.com allows magazine
readers to submit ‘cash for questions’ in which they ask their own questions to a
music artist, whose interview is featured in the next magazine. These ‘comments’
therefore give audiences power to shape the eventual output of the magazine and
have parts of the magazine tailored to them. However some aspects from all three
platforms are less successful at allowing audiences to shape the output. Although
Youtube allows active viewers to leave comments with their opinions, most videos
are hosted by normal users rather than official record label accounts, meaning that
the audience opinions do not reach the creators of the text.
Several music channels such as Q do not feature TV shows voted for by viewers as
often as other channels, instead focusing on relevant topics such as ‘Confirmed’.
This year’s festival line-up.’ This may still entertain audiences and gratify them
however they have less control over what is played. Print advertisements for events
such as the Glastonbury festival do not enhance audience power as the audience are
assumed to be passive and are told ‘Buy your tickets now.’ However the BBC1
coverage of Glastonbury festival allows viewers to use ‘red button’ technology and
choose which artist to watch. This is successful as it gives individuals power to watch
who they choose without affecting other viewers. By giving audiences this power and
freedom to select what they want to watch, the BBC is successful in involving the
audience on a more personal level without merely casting a vote.
This supports the idea that audiences are becoming more powerful as the technology
development allows audiences to interact and give opinions, shaping what they then
consume. Before technology developments audiences were more limited. An
example is older music videos such as Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’. The success of
the video was down purely to sales of the single, as active audience members,
viewers and fans did not have the option to ‘rate’ the video online or use ‘red button’
or ‘vote’ to indicate their opinion and its popularity. It was sales alone which
determined the amount of airplay the video would receive – meaning that audiences
still had power but it cost money and each individual had less of an impact – for
example they could not register a negative opinion as the video.
The increased audience role allows institutions such as NME to cater towards
audiences and their preferences, appealing more directly to their fans. This shows
how successful institutions have given audiences more power and could be a factor
for E-Media gaining more popularity than print or broadcast products.
