Week 8 

Audiences, technologies and consumption

Nowadays people can listen to over – the – air radio in the home and also on the move through iPods and mobile phones, in the past years people didn’t have that opportunity as they were only able to listen to traditional AM/ FM stations.

Audiences interact with music and radio using mobile technology. Nowadays mobile technology has advanced to allow the audience to interact with radio and music on the move via their mobiles. What is more internet radio can be accessed via both mobile phones and computers. This form of media has made it easier for the audience to have access, anywhere in the world.

Radio needs to make sure that it is not lost to new technology, because most people’s grasps with different portable devices. It is so much easier for the audience to listen to their favourite music by turn off the radio station and start to listen up their own playlist on iPod or phone.

What is more internet radio stations are seems to be unregulated, save for copyright laws. In order to keep listeners complacent they must retain a set schedule and familiarity because over – the – air radio seems to falls into having a ‘passive audience’.

Furthermore according to the reading, internet radio consumption’s changed across the globe. America has an internet radio listenership of 24 hours where Australia has a majority of people logging on about 9 pm.  About one – third of net- radio users said that the internet was a brilliant democratic medium and source of resistance against mainstream cultures.

It seems that younger generations are looking at new methods of media. New technology has developed music industry and radio. These media’s are available to us and through progressing technology we developed those sources of these media.

References:

·         Baker, A. J, (2010). College Student net-radio audiences: A Transnational Perspective. Radio Journal: International Studies in Broadcast & Audio Media. 8 (2), pp.121-137

Week 7 
Conceptualising the Audience

Audiences are the target of all media which is produced and distributed so it is useful to conceptualise audiences and how they use these products.

Concerns about audience studies have been made with a much wider debate over whether we are ‘active’ or ‘passive’ audiences for the mass media. For Adorno, passivity makes the act of his listening full of danger. Adorno, a Marxist theorist believes that ‘ the most familiar is the most successful and is therefore played again and again and made still more familiar’ (1991:32-6). This is seen to lull us into a state of tranquillity as we transform into passive listeners. What is more lulls our critical faculties and therefore induces a harmonious view of the world allowing the forces of capitalism to flourish.

The concept of the passive audience is still lively and pertinent. However it has faced with tree main criticisms in terms of its relationship with radio.

First of all it can relate with a particular historical moment of industrialization and urbanization. Secondly, in a pluralistic media landscape it cannot be applied and thirdly it underestimates the freedom of listeners to make of the ‘messages’ what they like or even ignore them. 

Generally audiences influenced by the media products.  According to Hendy’s reading, decipts an audience as lacking imagination and are ‘confined by the limits set by the imaginative and ideological world’. (Crisell 1994:208; Murdock 1981:156). This make the audience look that are stupid enough to realise they are being enticed into buying a product that maybe they don’t really want or need.

When it comes radio it is obvious that there is a power for the audience. As listeners, we are the co-producers of radio and everyone is listening in different ways. But at the same time you notice that it infiltrating our minds generating associations and feelings of intimacy and companiability that we almost underestimate the reliance we place upon it and all this because we take radio so much for granted. We come to the point that the audience is neither a fully ‘active’ nor a fully ‘passive’ for the medium.

References:

·         Hendy, D, (2000). 'Audiences'. In: (ed), Radio in the Global Age. 1st ed. UK: Polity Press. pp.(134-147).

Week 5

Representation on Radio: Discourse & Power

Theorists pay attention on the domain of culture, of representations and language that was used in the reproduction of power and the battle over it, these often entangled in the political struggles that they studied.

Media forms and achievements are consequently central to such concerns, in modern society. For example through discussions of representations, one thing iss that repeated and limited representations of some groups (women, gay men, migrants) in TV across the press – has a relationship with their social status and power. 

As well there has been a great success as an outcome of this attention in respond the language and cultural practices of inequality the ‘hate’ in terms of sexism, racism and other prejudiced language and perspectives since the 1960s. This focus on the operation of language and social practice has concluded in the emergence of an idea and method that has become more and more prominent in the work of scholars of power: discourse.

According to our reading, which is talking about rock music and how it was represented.  Cock Rock bands influenced the audience to take on those characteristics that they represent, Cock Rock bands used performance to vindicate sexual control.

As Cock Rock performers are offensive, outbalancing and boastful, they are continuously seek to refresh to the audience, their prowess and control. Furthermore teeny bop bands are also leave sexual power to the audience. The teeny bop idol’s image is based on self – pity, vulnerability and need.  Teeny bop fan should feel that her idol is addressing himself solely to her.

Because of the way that audiences are addressed differs, so they appeal to different genders. The problems that a woman is facing to enter rock world as a partner are obvious. Girls are supposed to be an individual listeners and their skills and knowledge to become a performer are not encouraged at all. Women despite their musical tastes, have very little opportunity and encouragement to be performers themselves. 

This is another perspective of rock’s sexual ideology of collective male activity and individual female passivity.People often see the world in many different ways. These views are often by political, social, economical and financial bias. Individuals and groupings communicate with one another disclosing how they define the world and the items the media presents them with, all this are totally relates to discourse.

References:

·         Long, P. and Wall, T. 2012. Media studies. Harlow, England: Pearson.

·         Frith, S & McRobbie, A, (1990). 'Rock & Sexuality'. In: Simon Frith & Andrew Goodwin (ed), On Record: Rock, Pop & the Written Word. 1st ed. UK: Pantheon Books. pp.(371-389).

Week 4

Music genre

Through conversations of music fans and in the strategy debates of the record industry and the media but as well the use within academic media and cultural studies and other associated disciplines, become the idea of genre which is widely used within popular music culture.

Basically genre can be characterized as a category or type. Genre is extensively used to analyse popular culture texts and mostly in films and novels, this is a basic component of textual analysis. In mail order record  clubs and the layout of stock in music retail outlets shows that there are clearly detectable genres of popular music which are understood as such by consumer. Just like musicians will often situate their work by reference to genres and musical styles, so are fans will identify themselves with particular genres.

The common approach to determining music genres is to ‘follow the distinctions made by the music industry which in turn reflect both musical history and marketing categories (Frith 1987). What is more another note suggested by Frith is to ‘classify them according to their ideological effects the way they sell themselves as art community or emotion.

It is important to note the magnitude of sub-genres which are notably evident in well-established and developed styles/genres and qualify any simplistic depiction of a genre; the blues, heavy metal and techno/dance provide good paradigms of differentiated genres.

Music genres can be identified by several characteristics, firstly there are the stylistic traits present in the music: their musical characteristics, ‘ a code of sonic requirements… a certain sound, which is produced according to conventions of composition, instrumentation and performance’ (Weinstein 1991a:6) these probably vary in terms of their coherence and sustainability, mainly in metal – genres.

Secondly image and its associated visual style are some others essentially non-musical stylistic attributes. Iconography and record cover format are standards, the locale and structure of performances, mainly on concert and the dress, make-up and hair styles adopted by performers, listeners and fans. A set of associations which situate the genre with the broader musical constituency are the musical and visual stylistic aspects combine in terms of how they operate to produce particular ideological effects. 

Thirdly, a primary audience exists for particular styles. A form of transaction is the relationship between fans and their genre preferences, intervened by the forms of delivery, creating specific cultural forms with sets of expectations.

Genres are granted concrete places in a musical hierarchy by both critics and fans and by many performers. This hierarchy is based around the nortions of authenticity, sincerity and commercialism. A genre of music reveals how complex that contribute to the meaning of popular music are.

References:

·         Shuker, R. 2001. Understanding popular music. London: Taylor & Francis Books Ltd.

·         Wall, T, (2003). 'Genre'. In: (ed), Studying Popular Music Culture. 1st ed. UK: Hodder & Stoughton Educational. pp.(179-188).

Week 3
Political Economy

The political element of the term ‘political economy’ correlates  to the way in which thinkers were interested  with nation states, of the way that economic markets were managed whether they were maintain or blocked by the policies and attentions of elected politicians and non-elected rules .

Vincent Mosco the sociologist of communication had characterize political economy as the ‘study of the social relations particularly the power relations that mutually constitute the production distribution and consumption of resources’.

Consequently political economy access when brought to bear upon media, have sought to research the conditions under which media institutions and organisations are formed and work like the motives and restrictions under which they operate.

However a great arena for sound broadcasting has the new Technologies of the World Wide Web become and also for those with access there is a total world of radio to listen online.  The technology makes the opportunity of free access and diverse radio and also is the small cost of making music radio programmes for online distribution that led to this conclusion.

Conversations of ideas of the public good have inclined to focalize upon the provision of information political debate and access rather than music, those conversations are given when emphasizes to media content.

According to Hendy’s Rothenbunhler, McCourt’s and Berland’s studies music radio essentially understood to growth the public good when the music relates to locality and community or when radio forwards music variety. What is more they believe that this can be achieved better straight away freedom from corporate domination on the influence of the record industry and innovation in music programming.

The new technologies of the internet offer a space where music radio can offer free of corporate interests where innovation can take place and most important where variety can flourish for public good.

A lower advantage to radio stations with big listenerships and allows for new forms of funding and consumption is given when the economics of radio using the internet allows more new entrants.

Nevertheless there are two important threats to this idealist view.

First of all there is the opportunity just for anyone to start an internet radio station its financial vitality is most likely to be secured by some sort of portal system , and all this despite the new economic and political imperatives emerging or existing corporate interests that already dominating internet sound broadcasting.

This is happening because portals like those can order access to listen more convenient and also providing the main scale for the sorts of revenue-producing systems that will leader to a profitable proposition.

Secondly the technological shifts on which music was used in over the air radio, have also undermined the economic and cultural basis.Such a rudely legal framework for rewarding copyright will not add to the public good, as it will limit cultural diversity and innovation.

But music industry needs to understand how popular music culture will be transformed, and those seeking to improve the greater good need to grasp how this can be done in new era where nation-state regulation can no longer operate, just like the organizers of radio stations will need to appreciate the new opportunities and economics of radio through new technologies of distribution.

References:

·         Long, P. and Wall, T. 2012. Media studies. Harlow, England: Pearson.

·         The political economy of Internet music radio Wall Tim. 2004. Radio journal, 2 (1), pp. 27-44. Available from: doi: 10.1386/rajo.2.1.27/0.

Week 2
Moral Panic

Moral panic is like a threat to societal values and interests. They often happen when society has been incapable to adjust to notable changes and when such change guide to a fear of a loss control within the normal social structure.

During the 1960s, society experienced such modernising trends called “sexual revolution”. When events like those in 1960s occur there is a worry that the whole generations can sometimes be charged of undermining society’s moral structure.  Mostly young people have often been seen as immoral and threatening to the accepted norms and patterns found through our culture. Rock n’ Roll music during 1950s and 1960s was extensive anxiety because of fears that it led to anti – social behaviour and licentiousness.

The 1960s generation was called ‘drug culture’ and was believed that an entire generation would become ‘crazed’ addicts. Many pop stars who were apprehend as having a high influence to the youth of the day were led to persecution.

According to reading : Microphone Friends, Youth music & Youth Culture

‘Moral panic is a metaphor which describes a complex society as an individual who experiences sudden groundless fear about its virtuousness. Although the term serves the purposes of the record industry and the music press well by inflating the threat posed by subcultures as an academic concept, its anthropomorphism and totalization mystifies more than it reveals.  Popular music is in perpetual search of significance. 

Association with sex, death and drugs imbue it with a ‘real life’ gravity that moves it beyond lightweight entertainment into the realm of at the very least serious hedonism.  Acid house came to be hailed as a movement bigger than punk and akin to the hippie revolution precisely because its drug connections made it newsworthy beyond the confines of youth culture. Disparaging media coverage is not the verdict but the vehicle of their resistance.’

Rose, T. and Ross, A. 1994. Microphone friends. New York [u.a.]: Routledge.

Moral Panic example:

Ozzy Obsourne is an English rock artist, songwriter and television personality.

In 1984 California teenager John Mc Collum committed suicide during listening to  ‘Suicide Solution’. The song deals with the dangers of alcohol abuse. Teenager’s suicide led to contentions that Obsourne promoted suicide in his songs. Despite knowing that the boy suffered clinical depression, his parents sued Obsourne for their son’s death claiming the lyrics in the song ‘Where to hide, suicide is the only way out . Don’t you know what it’s really about?’ made the boy to commit suicide. Some parental groups and minister started asserting had a backwards or hidden message saying ‘Shoot, Shoot’. But the real meaning of the song is very misunderstood; it is an anti-drinking song and has nothing to do with suicides. 

Throughout his career, Christian groups have accused Obsourne of being a bad influence on teenagers claiming that rock music has been used to glorify Satanism. Obsourne firmly denies the charge of being a Satanist; also he said the he is a member of the Church of England and that he prays before taking the stage each night before every concert.

References :

·         Aber.ac.uk. 2014. Moral Panics. [online] Available at: http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/mtw9403.html

·         Rose, T. and Ross, A. 1994. Microphone friends. New York [u.a.]: Routledge.

·         Wikipedia. 2014. Ozzy Osbourne. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozzy_Osbourne 

Week 1
Radio Industries 

Radio Industry is divided in four different categories, Public Service Broadcasting, Commercial Radio, Community Radio and Unlicensed.

Public Service Broadcasting (Radio)

Broadcasting which is intended for the public and will profit rather than for purely commercial concerns is intended for the public, is referenced by the term “public service broadcasting” in the UK. The BBC is most notable for being the first public service broadcaster in the UK.

The BBC is most remarkable to be the first public service broadcaster in the UK because the broadcasting in the UK is supported by a licence fee and does not sell advertising time.

In 1981 were set up by the government, the state – owned Channel 4 and S4C to provide different forms of public service broadcasting.  In order to procure for minorities and arts Channel 4 was required to be a public service alternative to the BBC. S4C was to be principally Welsh language programmer.

The BBC owns to us, and its control by Tony Hall, he is the 16^th Director- General of the BBC. Director – General has the responsibility for a significant global workforce and the Corporation’s services across television, radio and online.

Furthermore BBC operates under a Royal Charter and a Licence and Agreement from the Home Secretary; BBC is semi – autonomous public service broadcaster. Its work is funded chiefly by an annual television license fee, this is charged to all British households companies and organisations. British Government agreed with Parliament that British Government sets the level of the fee.

Commercial Radio

What is more the commercial broadcasting opposed to state sponsorship is the broadcasting of television programs and radio programming by privately owned corporate media. Moreover what concerns for profit is initially based on the practice of airing radio advertisements and television advertisements.

Just like other paid services such as cable television, radio and satellite television, commercial broadcasting extends along with them. Those services are broadly partially or quite paid for by local subscribers and are well – known as leased access. 

Community Radio

Community radio brings people together physically within the station premises, but by broadcasting to a distinct audience, whether a geographic community or a community of interest, a linguistic or immigrant community or a group of people that is in some way marginalised the station may provide social capital, social worth and ultimately social gain to that community.  Its own to different individual communities or individual community members.

Questions of finance were in the minds of authorities and professionals inextricably linked to standards of engineering, staffing and programming.  The  broadcasting unions in particular felt access to be a threat assisted as it was by the new lightweight and low – cost technology coming on to the domestic market. Professionals generally could not see the point of, or the demand for programming made by amateurs. A remark by the BBC’s Head of radio Scotland reported in relay magazine was typical. He hoped that the newly formed Radio Academy, a body representing the mainstream radio industry ‘ would be a professional forum, unsullied by the involvement of the audience or community radio lobby’.  The community radio now is funded by grants, advertising, donations and subscription.

 Unlicenced Radio

Over the above there is another type of radio, Unlicenced Radio. The use of radio continues to outstretch quickly, is closely planned to give a high standard of service as possible. Detrimental intervention to lawful users can cause from unauthorised use of radio.

Unlicenced Radio began as opposition to BBC as early as 1930s and then went off shore in the 1960s. Today in the UK there are currently an estimated 150 pirate radio stations. In past days pirates were powered by car batteries but nowadays they moved to tower blocks and the power came from the block room. Pirate radio stations funded from advertising and publicising events at nightclubs also DJs in order to gain public exposure pay to broadcast on pirate radio stations.

References :

·         BBC - Inside the BBC. 2014. Tony Hall, Director-General. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/insidethebbc/managementstructure/biographies/tony_hall/

·         Gordon, J. 2012. Community radio in the twenty-first century. New York: Peter Lang.

·         Stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk. 2014. Ofcom | Guide to the use of radio transmitters and the law. [online] Available at: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/enforcement/spectrum-enforcement/law

·         Wikipedia. 2014. Commercial broadcasting. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_broadcasting

·         Wikipedia. 2014. Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_service_broadcasting_in_the_United_Kingdom

·         Wikipedia. 2014. Pirate radio in the United Kingdom. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate_radio_in_the_United_Kingdom