“You are the product” was certainly the attitude towards media consumers from distributors. Distribution delivered the consumers desired by advertisers (key demographics of female shoppers between 25-45 in certain income categories, and others). People have moved steadily to control their media consumption and choices. From a 20th Century with 4 major TV broadcast networks and captive couch viewers to the 21st Century “choice on demand” people have steadily demanded more control. Many surveys now show people using multiple screens with social media, Internet shopping, and other streams to compete for their attention even as they consume audio or visual media. This is true in movie theaters much to the disgust of theater afficionados.
Distribution and consumption has changed for entertainment, news, and media content. People have moved to new choices away from “news on demand” (CNN CableNews), “video on demand” (selected movies when people want to watch), and “linear media” (watching content with ads and in a time sequence in a schedule). Music is consumed by choice (Apple iTunes led the way on iPods) with selected artists and playlists (Tidal, Spotify). Audio content also is chosen by its audience (Audible, Audacy, Pandora) including podcasts (Apple, Spotify). “People’s choice” is so strong even global colossal tech enterprises have to compete hard (Amazon Music, Google, Tencent, Baidu). Some things are still concentrated as ever where 0.4% of artists see 60% of plays in major markets (UK CMA) and Top 40 playlists still are on the radio. Streaming media has clearly replaced physical distribution (Netflix, YouTube, TikTok) business models. The key is consumers of content now want control over where, when, and how they consume content.
Enterprises who have traditionally controlled media (books, newspapers, magazines, broadcast Radio & TV stations. Cable and satellite TV) have been shocked into responses. Low-cost romance novels, ‘gossip rags’, and daily print media have gone ‘online’ (Amazon books, TMZ, and NYT Digital for examples). Advertisers have led with hugely better controls on who, how many, when, and with what content they are associated alongside. YouTube can even tell when an ad isn’t watched thru to the end of the video ad (skippable and non-skippable ad placement). WebTV never reached the success for “click thru” advertising now seen. Online (content-related) advertising revenues have driven placements to Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, and others by the billions. Traditional media formats never had the metrics and management online advertising buyers take for granted. Individual choice made advertising better for advertisers – and reduced control by traditional media.
Media moguls and distributors they controlled the eyeballs and ears. Consumers thought different. In the next segment EkaLore will look at the changes from new media business models like streaming.
For more information and other releases about the Alien Invaders into media see our site at http://www.ekalore.com
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