Music Video Online: A Phenomenon of Digital Media Convergence
Chadielle Fayad
The phenomenon of digital media convergence
is an ongoing occurrence in modern society. More specifically, the music video
online has given rise to a number of issues. It has elicited many questions,
such as whether music video television still exists, what the effect of the move
from Industry made music videos to Hand Made music videos was, and if the
internet has destroyed the music video experience. All of these issues lead back to one
overarching question: Is the phenomenon of digital media convergence in
relation to the music video online a positive asset to the digital media
industry or is it highly at risk of damaging it further?
Initially, we can consider the beneficial
factors of the music video online. One of the most obvious successes of the
music video online phenomenon is YouTube. Hilderbrand in his 2007 article, “YouTube: Where Cultural
Memory and Copyright Converge” calls YouTube “vital, revolutionary and a phenomenon”.
YouTube can be considered a method of celebrating the music video, as seen in
it’s inclusion of home videos and remixes, music videos, and highlights from
the television industry posted by viewers. YouTube is also great because it has
provided an easier access to music videos by offering “new and remediating relationships
to texts that indicate changes and acceleration of spectatorial
consumption.” This is largely due to its user-friendliness. The culture of the clip has also been
contributed to, for example one of the more popular videos, “The Evolution of
Dance” celebrates accustomed dance moves from music videos all over history,
and possibly has the power to influence the viewer to consume more media
related content to do with that artist.
This digital media convergent is largely beneficial to the consumers of the media industry, as “specific moments of a music video a viewer wants to see can now be searched and accessed without the hassles of watching live broadcasts, making recordings, or waiting through exposition and commercial breaks.” The online music video is highly reflective of the model of the music video in popular culture, with its “high viewership of short-lived clips.” While some may argue that music videos online may be reducing the need for the mainstream media that is the music video, the media phenomenon’s attractiveness heavily relies on mainstream media that has moved around a circuit and back to its starting point. (Fagerjord, A. 2010). Hilderbrand emphasises that “initial novelty often gives way to familiar content.” Music video online is not necessarily an unproblematic method of preserving media content but it has made accessibility to it much easier. This, in turn, is why it can be acclaimed as a method of helping to avoid erasing the memory of past music videos and increasing the consumption of digital media. (Hilderbrand, 2007, pp.48-57)
However, the music video online is not met without criticism. Critics have suggested that the music video was mainly focused upon money in the past, but it isn’t anymore. The music video online has meant that people can access music and music videos for free and downloading them through illegal methods, hence the industry not having enough money for it to be the main focus anymore. (Basset, C., Hartmann, M., O’Riordan, K., 2008). The music video used to be considered a form of music advertisement because the music industry had the money to make it so. Television
channels such as MTV also no longer play music videos due largely to the fact people can access videos online through. Television itself may be dying as a result of the music video online. People don’t watch TV shows on televisions but
rather on laptops or phones. They also take it away and watch it at different
times and places. Academics have picked up on this issue and have made a study
of television post broadcast. The music video is is over taken by online
methods. The lack of money put into music video by the music industry means it
has no place on TV. Looking like one has money being the way to earn money was the main belief when it came to the music video. The notion that MTV music videos had to be flashy has been
maintained, so with a lack of money comes poor quality videos and hence less
broadcasting of them. Music videos are possibly no longer a tool to sell musical or
commercial. Although, people have worked with the change to online videos, with
the benefit of the fact it is a smaller video screen and does not require too
much flashy cinematography. Artists can afford to create videos that are arguably
low priced but still grab the attention of the audience.
Australian music television always needed low quality, cheap music videos. Australian music videos focus more on the ideas rather than the flashy-factor. Rage is an Australian music channel that supports Australian artist on low budget and opt to play their videos more often than not. (Giuffre, L. 2012).
Australian music television always needed low quality, cheap music videos. Australian music videos focus more on the ideas rather than the flashy-factor. Rage is an Australian music channel that supports Australian artist on low budget and opt to play their videos more often than not. (Giuffre, L. 2012).
Hence, one is left to question whether the phenomenon of digital media convergence in relation to the music video online is a positive asset to the digital media industry or is highly at risk of damaging it further. Convergence
more often than not leads to content redundancy across media platforms, and music videos online can be considered a threat to the music video main purpose of advertising music. However, the music video online has also introduced the novelty of reminiscing old music videos through easy accessibility, meaning high consumption of media related material. It also means that although videos are created on a tight budget, artists have used their creative abilities to still make the video capture audience's attention. The answer to this question can only come about by deciding what it is the digital media industry hopes to gain, money or creativity?
References:
· Hilderbrand, L. (2007) 'Youtube: Where Cultural Memory and Copyright
Converge', Film Quarterly, Vol 61, pp 48-57
· Fagerjord, A. (2010) ‘After Convergence: YouTube and Remix Culture,’ International Handbook of Internet Research, pp 187-200
· Giuffre, L. (2012) ‘MAS110 Week 3 Lecture’ Macquarie University [unpublished notes] accessed 27th August, 2012.
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