The Music Industry and Internet

Podcasting
"Podcasting is a term used to describe audio content (usually spoken word material – radio programmes, in effect) that is ‘broadcast’ via the Internet".

Podcasts are downloadable audio files commonly made in MP3 format, these files can then be stored on a portable digital audio player like and iPod, and listened to wherever.

The term ‘podcasting’ is derived from the name ‘iPod’ and the word ‘broadcast’. Podcasting isn’t restricted to iPods but has become the accepted generic term for distributing audio via the Internet.

Podcasting is democratic, anyone with a microphone, a computer and a place on the internet to put the files for others to listen and download can podcast. Radio can be made by anyone, without the need for broadcasting licences and specialist equipment.

Podcasting fits into peoples daily routines like some other new media technologies. As with Sky+, listeners to podcasts can download programmes to their portable audio players and then listen to them whenever they wish. With podcasting, listeners make an active choice to consume a programme rather than doing so purely because its on the radio in the car.

Problems with Podcasting
Copyright is a persistent problem in relation to the Internet and digital media content, particularly if content can be transferred to portable players without restriction. "Scheduling is another consideration: no longer will audiences be tied to tuning into a programme when the station wants them to; with podcasting content is available on-demand". (Magazine Website)

Future of Podcasting
"Mobile phones could be the key to podcasting. Mobile penetration is very high and once equipped with high speed connectivity (3G), using your mobile to receive radio may be the established norm". In principle, any media content can be a podcast: as most new mobiles can play video, TV programmes or even films could be delivered in this way, providing the ultimate media on demand.

The Music Industry and Internet

The Myspace Music Label

On Thursday 3rd April 2008 Myspace announced its launching on MySpace Music, a joint venture with three of the four biggest music labels backing its new service.

Sony BMG, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group will together battle against iTunes for digital music distribution supremacy on the music portal. EMI is the lone holdout of the big four big music labels, so MySpace has to impress as the site will be up and running in the next three to four months.

MySpace Music will peddle free downloads, ringtones, concert tickets, t-shirts and other merchandise, as well as offer free streaming music from the full breadth of the labels' catalogues. The service also promises an ability to share customized playlists with others.

MySpace has an enormous online music community which until recently the music industry has fiercely combated. Before the deal could go through on the Wednesday, Universal Music had to agreed to settle a 2006 copyright infringement against MySpace. Financials were not disclosed, but its understood News Corp. shelled out a large sum of cash to make it go away.

The social site's music channel claims nearly 30 million unique monthly visitors and more than five million artists under its wing. With the combined libraries of Sony, Universal and Warner injected into the mix, MySpace Music now has both the audience and licensing muscle that could surpass the iTunes music store. Record labels have been increasingly feaful of Apple's influence on the business as iTunes inches closer to becoming the leader in global music sales.

The Music Industry and Internet

Limewire
Limewire allows individual computers to connect to and search other computers on the Gnutella Network. If you find a file you want, you can download it directly from the computer that holds it. That computer then becomes a server. All computers on the Gnutella network are both clients and servers.

Limewire is very popular, by December 2007 is had been installed on 18 percent of Windows PCs worldwide. The illegal downloading of copyright material is now a problem for LimeWire even though Limewire cautions its users against sharing songs and videos that are under copyright protection. In August 2006, the music industry sued LimeWire for enabling and promoting internet piracy of copyright-protected music and video.

The Music Industry and Internet

Institutions - The Record Labels

A record label can be a brand or a trademark associated with the marketing or music recordings and music videos. These companies help with the production, manufacture, distribution, promotion and enforcement of copyright protection of sound recordings and music videos. Record labels allow artists and bands to be known, reviewed and heard through the media such as on the radio or television.

The largest 4 record labels are called major labels or the 'Big Four' and the music industry is dominated by these companies.

1. Warner Music Group
2. EMI
3. Sony BMG
4. Universal Music Group

Internet and Digital labels

With the internet now being a viable source for obtaining music, netlabels have emerged. Depending on the net label, music files from the artists may be downloaded free of charge or for a fee that is paid via Paypal or another online payment system. Some of these labels also offer hard copy CDs in addition to direct download.

The Music Industry and Internet

Issues and Laws

Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) - "Is a trade group that represents the U.S recording industry. Its members are the record companies that comprise the most bibrant national music industry in the world. RIAA members create, manufacture and distribute approximately 90% of all legitimate sound recordings produced and sold in the United States. The RIAA works to protect intellectual property rights worldwide and the First Amendment rights of artists; conducts consumer, industry and technical research; and monitors and reviews state and federal laws, regulations and policies." (RIAA Website)

Basically the RIAA are completely against internet music piracy and believe it is stealing from the artists, songwriters, sound engineers, and label emloyees who help create music. They help in finding people who do illegally download, prosecute them, and obtain money that they have potentially stolen.


How much money does the music industry loose from piracy?

The Institue for Policy Innovation concludes that global music piracy causes

• $12.5 billion of economic losses every year
• 71,060 U.S. jobs lost
• a loss of $2.7 billion in workers' earnings
• a loss of $422 million in tax revenues
• $291 million in personal income tax
• $131 million in lost corporate income and production taxes.

The Music Industry and Internet

TECHNOLOGY - DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER

A digital audio player, more commonly known as an Mp3 player is an electronic device that stores, organizes and plays audio files. Knowadays these hand held devices can do all sorts of things, like play games, watch videos, hold contact details and store photos. In particular i will be looking at the Apple iPOD and the iTunes software that goes with it.


The iPod is a brang of portable media players designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The first model was launched on October 23rd 2001 leading up to Christmas. Now in 2008 the product line consists of the iPod Classic, iPod touch, iPod nano and iPod shuffle all storing media on an internal hard drive. The Apple iTunes software is sued to transfer the music to the MP3 player. iTunes stores music on the user's computer and can play, burn and rip music from a CD. As of September 2007, the iPod had sold over 110 million units worldwide making it the best-selling digital audio player in history.



On January 22nd 2008, Apple reported the best quarter revenue and earnings in Apple's history so far. Apple posted record revenue of $9.6 billion and record net quarterly profit of $1.58 billion. 42% of Apple's revenue for the First fiscal quarter of 2008 came from iPod sales, followed by 21% from notebook sales and 16% from desktop sales. Apple has sold over 140M iPods to date. It also posted record Mac and iPod sales to date. (Wikipedia)

Music - New Generation?

Westlife were officially the first download chart Uk number 1 in 2004, with a reissue of their 1999 hit single 'Flying Without Wings'. Since thie first download number 1, the Uk music charts have had to introuduce new methods of making the UK Top 40 Chart. All legally downloaded music and music bought in store is now included int he UK Top 40 Chart.

Downloading music

Downloading music from online music stores has revolutionised the way we buy music. The quick way many people prefer is to download tracks straight from the internet using sites such as iTunes and Coke Music which have given Internet users the ability to download their music quicker then ever. Shops like HMV are struggling with their sales of CD's and it is becoming that there is no longer a need to go to CD shops to buy CD's.

Illegal Music Downloading

The cost of an MP3 download is roughly 50p-79p. Music downloading companies have already cut their prices to interest more customers but still some people choose to download tracks illegally or use file sharing software to share their music. This form of music downloading is illegal and the UK government is improving laws and watching Internet activity to prevent it.

With the first download chart number 1 in 2004 for Westlife and the combining of the download chart and UK Top 40 chart music is changing and we are entering a new era of music. In April 2006, Gnarls Barkley achieved the first UK number 1 based on download sales alone. With over 31,000 sales for this single, the download industry is becoming a key way to sell music and achieve a number 1 in the UK Top 40 chart. The song was not released for sale in shops until the day after it had reached number 1 in the charts.

Future of Music Downloading

With such a high number of music downloads, the Internet will continue to play a huge part in the sale of music for years to come. But what does the future hold for music downloads on other platforms? Mobile phones now have features of an MP3 players and downloading music for pobile phones has become a lot easier. The introduction of mobile phone MP3 shops has boosted sales. The latest online MP3 shop selling music for mobiles is 3 mobile, a 3G (third generation) mobile phone network provider in the UK. I believe their will be more shops as mobile technologies advance. New phones with large memory sizes have been invented to add to the multimedia experience on a phone. These memory cards for mobiles are developed to be compatible to transfer music, videos and games from PC to mobile phone. TV channels are now offering 3G customers clips, live footage and sports highlights on their phones. This technology is showing us that the worlds of multimedia and mobile phones are coming together.
New technologies will improve the communication and increase the power and performance of the small devices most of the public use on a daily basis.


BBC News 'Westlife top first download chart' at:


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3617020.stm (13 Nov 06)