[Harp-L] The Effect of the Mass Media on Music

[Robert Bonfiglio <bon@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I have been lurking as I watch the discussions on AI and the new 
spinoff AGT - kind of Reality TV meets Ted Mack.  Danny, I think you 
should feel glad they did NOT make your Trio eat worms on a beach.

The question I have is just what is the effect of Mass Media on the 
music business.  As the control of access and distribution gets into 
the hands of fewer and fewer people, we have seen the closing of all 
Classical, Folk, Jazz and Blues Divisions at the Major Labels and since 
the same companies own radio and TV, these shows and access to exposure 
has been eliminated.

All of us know, as was Danny's Trio's experience that if you are 
exposed to a real audience, they all go nuts - but just how do you get 
there.  It's kind of what I call the McDonalds theory.  If you want a 
better hamburger than McDonalds, just put meat on a bun; if you want to 
sell more, you can't!

So we get the promotion of mediocrity because thats what worked before. 
 In music, it's kind of a large Menudo, where the parts are replaceable 
and  one young singer follows another.  There hasn't been an 
instrumental hit since Kenny G's Songbird in the 80's and we have to 
back 20 years before Songbird to find the another instrumental hit.

It's the same in TV sitcoms and movies and books. Recycle. Maybe the 
Internet will change this, but at this point if you told Sony/BMG that 
they could sign the best Soprano in the world or sign Monica Lewinsky 
singing her favorite arias, Monica gets the gig.

So I took my own buzzer out and buzzed TV out of my life altogether.  
Didn't see AI, don't care to watch. 600 channels and nothing to watch 
of interest.  I listen to the Yankees on radio.  My own little buzzer 
of protest.

Harmonically yours,

Robert Bonfiglio
http://www.robertbonfiglio.com