Chapter 20 Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed. © 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners

Chapter 20

Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed. © 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners

Music in Television and VideoChapter Twenty

Start Thinking . . .

1. Discuss the various uses of music in television. Think beyond MTV and music videos. Where else is music used?


Chapter Goals

• Gain awareness of how music and the television industry have evolved together to bring entertainment to American homes.

• Learn how short-form videos are produced, from the planning stage through postproduction.

• Identify various factors that account for the rise in popularity of the music video.

• Gain knowledge of the various structures and job roles involved in the music video arena.


Music in Television and Video

• The importance of TV for the music industry: a key income source a prime marketing vehicle a national stage for exposure a means of selling music directly to a targeted audience populist A&R mechanism

• The importance of music for the TV industry: mood-setting background music key demographic audience groups attracted to high-profile

programming


Variety and Talk Shows

• Music variety show highly popular in “Golden Age” live orchestras and performers classical music, opera, and theater showcased

• Shows targeting youth emerged in 1960s followed Top 40 charts

• The Ed Sullivan Show

• Today’s live music showcase in news/entertainment/talk shows


Historical Development of Music in Television

1930s First TV broadcasts in London in 19361939 New York City’s World Fair exhibits TV to Americans

1940s AFM tightens controlVariety shows debut

1950s TV penetration balloons“Golden Age of Television”Cultural series and classic variety music shows popularRock music gets its own program special

1960s Folk music and country music shows scheduled73 million viewers watch the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan ShowYouth musical comedy series The Monkees airs

1970s Coca-Cola commercial turns a song into a hit; Soul Train debutsTV shows based on musical personalities abound The late-night slot becomes a showcase for musical performers


Historical Development of Music in Television

1980s BET and CMT networks debut; Pepsi fuels trend of high-profile music marketing with Michael Jackson as pitchmanViacom launches VH1 and MTV; new market for long-form video

1990s MTV becomes global forceMTV moves beyond compilations of video clips to reality TV

2000s “Live 8” concerts draw nearly 3 million viewersAmerican Idol debuts; DVDs expand allure of music videosMusic videos get posted on the InternetVideo piracy sparks industry fears of loss of distribution control

2010s Viewers begin to consume TV with on-demand video, which puts them in control of selecting shows and threatens subscription TV’s economic model Video piracy sparks industry fears that rights holders will lose control of distribution, just as they did with audio P2P file sharing


Music Specials, Events, Award Shows

• Prime-time live music special continues to thrive holiday specials high-profile concerts “mini” concerts keyed to other events

• Music award shows performing slots on these shows highly valued

• Recorded music specials huge payroll exploitation of aftermarkets


TV and Video Production


Theme Songs

• TV theme songs claimed place in American history

• Some appear on pop music charts

• Today shorter songs to prevent channel-surfing existing songs used in place of original material

• Vital part of TV music


Background Music and Foreground Spotlights

• Background music creates mood, fills gaps, provides cultural context risen in prominence over the years

• Foreground spotlights teen-targeted programs use a “back sell” “club” set added into regular environment


The Singers/Actors

• Band = TV show characters The Monkees The Partridge Family

• Past recording stars appear on TV as actors

• Young TV stars can land recording contracts


The Evolving TV Picture• TV = vital medium for music industry

enticing potential programming reach connect to audiences otherwise not exposed to music

• Network-affiliated TV stations

• Cable channels

• TV options that put the consumer “in charge”: pay-per-view; video-on-demand; interactive programming

• On-demand programming + DVR put pressure on advertisers

• Over-the-top (OTT) video programs


MTV and the Rise of the Music Video

• Pioneer and champion of “music television” first to build entire commercial channel around music

videos “Video Killed the Radio Star,” August 1981 permanently altered promotion and marketing

• MTV sparked growth of music video production business music video = standard promotion tool in 1980s and 1990s tighter budgets have since trimmed production levels


Producing Short-Form Videos

• Music videos require same skills and people as long-form projects record company most often produces music videos record companies use video commissioners differences may arise over “artistic control” final product belongs to the record label, which retains the

final approval on edits

• Music Video Production Association


Producing Short-Form VideosSelecting the Director

1. Label or artist approaches several potential directors

2. Each candidate develops a concept for the video

3. The producer pitches the concepts

4. The commissioner narrows the choices and presents to artist/creative team

5. Selected director engages a production designer and choreographer

6. If budget allows, video is storyboarded


Music Video Economics and Distribution

• Video budgets are down sharply alternative revenue sources have also dried up the “Thriller” phenomenon is gone

• Online advertising connected to video streaming now a source of revenue for labels Vevo

• Product placement

• Payments to labels


For Further Thought . . .

1. What factors contributed to the popularity and importance of the music video?

2. Has television made a significant impact in the launching of successful musicians and bands?

3. How will the rising use of mobile devices help or hurt the music industry?


Documents

Chapter 20 Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed. © 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners