Media in the Online Age

Audience Produced

mediaFilm Industry

David Gauntlett

“Web 2.0 allows us to become producers as well

as consumers of the Internet”

“Web 2.0 allows us to collaborate and participate

with each other”

What online media does the public produce?

Where can it be found?

Examples of audience produced media

Mash Ups: Muppets/Pulp Fictionhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSvJwUFI_es&feature=related

Short films/Film Sequences/Film Trailershttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPH5ATRot3o&list=PL_P5ZEHuHS2aXqPX1Rz1ra7H6h86VghZ7&feature=c4-overview-vl

Music Videos / own musichttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brAx_Ire9JY&feature=c4-overview&list=UUEvN7KlO5uXAVW2-6D_oOVw

Parodies – Youtube Channelshttp://www.youtube.com/user/TheWarpZone?feature=watch

Class Discussion• What issues arise surrounding quality,

distribution and content?

• What are the benefits and limitations for Media Institutions?

• Are there any issues about consumer choice?

The Long Tail“Chris Anderson, 2006”

Pre-Broadband• Before the Broadband era companies and

distributors were interested in blockbuster hits and best-selling products.

• Now there is a realisation that selling to a variety of niche markets might add up to as much as selling ‘peak’ material.

Now & Then

• “In an era without constraints of physical shelf space and other bottlenecks of distribution, narrowly targeted goods and services can be as economically attractive as mainstream fare”

• Think about the ‘old days’ – shops wouldn’t consider stocking a variety of cd’s and dvd’s. rather they’d stockpile better selling, mainstream, titles. 1. it would ensure sales 2. They be more choice of supplier – both are driven by maximising profit and minimising overheads.

• The internet is basically a huge warehouse and there are subsequently fewer overheads associated with distributing niche products. This provides infinite consumer choice.

• Think about it – we expect to go on the internet and find anything we’re looking for with 100% availability.

Democratising Effect?

• In the brave new world of the long tail, the niche consumer is queen and she has a potentially limitless choice of places to buy from.