Compared a major (Sony) to an Independent

1. Media Studies G322
Section A Section B
Representation Institution &
& textual analysis Audience
TV Drama Music industry

2. Major Record Label Independent Label
Production
Distribution & Marketing
Exchange
Target Audience & Consumption

3. Simon
Cowell
Syco
Columbia RCA Label Sony music Sony (joint -
/Epic label Nashville Masterworks ownership)
Horizontal Integration

4. Recording
studios
Distribution
companies
Sony retail
shops
Vertical Integration

5. Independent Record Label
Independent Artist Independent Distributor Independent online store
Production Distribution Exhibition/Exchange

6. Major label

7. Independents

8. Compare & contrast

9. Case Studies

10. Present
Shaz Sparks “Red Sky” Nicki Minaj “Here I am”
-released in 2008 -released in 2010
http://www.kmag.co.uk/editorial/news/john-b-
releases-red-sky-remix-package.html
Sampled Shaz’s vocals from the original
Issues raised – Illegal downloading, Digital File Sharing, Copyright infringement,
Digital Economy Act, Privacy laws, Emi takeover,

11.  In the exam you will need to be prepared to discuss the following in
relation to your study of the music industry
1. The issues raised by media ownership
2. The importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production
distribution and marketing
3. The technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of
production, distribution, marketing and exchange.
4. The significance of the proliferation of hardware and content for institutions
and audiences.
5. The importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences
6. The issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences
(specifically British) by international or global institutions.
7. The ways in which your own experiences of media consumption illustrate
wider patterns of audience behaviour.

12. The ways in which
the candidate’s The importance of
own experience of cross media
media consumption convergence and
illustrate wider synergy, in
Issues raised in patterns and trends production,
the targeting of of audience marketing and
national and behaviour exchange
local audiences
(specifically,
British) by
international and Issues raised by
global media
institutions
ownership in
contemporary
media practice
Music industry
The importance
of
technological Technologies that
convergence Significance of have been
for institutions proliferation introduced in
in hardware recent years at the
and audiences levels of
and content
for institutions production,
marketing and
and audiences exchange

13. Majors Independents
PRODUCTION PRODUCTION
DISTRIBUTION DISTRIBUTION
EXCHANGE EXCHANGE
Compare and contrast – advantages and disadvantages - similarities and differences
Effects –influences
Give specific examples and detailed case studies

14. Essay
Develop a detailed (1000 word) comparison between Dr Rubberfunk and a Sony
/EMI Artist of your choice in terms of how their music is produced, distributed and
consumed.
Dr Rubberfunk Vs SONY/EMI Artist
You MUST use the following terminology in your answer-
Manager, A and R, Recording Contract, Recording Studio, Mixing Desk, Apple Mac, Logic,
Major, Conglomerate, Independent, Jalapeno Records, Creative Control, Big4, Vertical
Integration, Horizontal Integration, Kudos Records, Digital Files, Marketing, Promotion,
Plugger, Advertising, Mass, Niche, Audience, Convergence, Synergy, Social Networking,
Sound cloud, Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, Last FM,, Download,
Streaming, File sharing, CD, Vinyl, Retailers, MP3, Smartphones.
Section 1: Production
Section2: Distribution
Section3: Exchange/Consumption

15. Convergence Distribution =
e.g. ipad =various advertising e.g.
Internet pop-ups, viral Synergy =Syco
media, video, music, e -Simon Cowell
marketing, You-tube clips,
mail, web, photos, etc. Rebecca Black X-Factor & Sony
–Proliferation Friday – Lily Allen –My relationship
of hardware Space -Madonna & Nicky
Minaj-collaboration
Technologies Target Audience
In Production = Gorillaz
Consider some of the possible (you!) Current trends of
album “The Fall”
examples for each area of the ways that young people
produced on the ipad –
questions that may come up in accessing media (e.g.
Nicky Minaj –sampling
Shaz sparks vocals the exam mobiles, internet)
Sony(Big 4-record EMI –
label) Dr Rubber funk
recently bought
Conglomerate -advantages of the
By Citigroup 2011 (Universal
Oligopoly control over Internet- digital
take over?)
media =horizontally & technology –cost
A US finance company
vertically integrated -disadvantages-piracy /
EMI owns Virgin record label
illegal downloads & file
& HMV (vertical
sharing
Integration)