It is easy to see that we are entering a new era in media where free is inevitable. Chris Anderson provides us with a timeline like article in which he explains the beginnings of free media to the revolution we are living now. Radio and, decades later, television both followed a free-to-air and advertising supported model which made it so a third party (the advertisers) covered the costs so that the second party (the listeners and viewers) would thus get it for free. Likewise traditional forms of media such as newspapers, magazines and cable television also followed this model, making these mediums much cheaper than they would otherwise be for consumers.
As of late we are seeing a shift from atoms to bits, from the physical to the digital. Where satellite radio allowed for paid subscriptions as well as cable television had its set paid audience, the web has provided an opt out of the paid realm into a free one. With more radios stations streamed online, newspapers given out for free and the sought after 18-24 year old market turning to YouTube and Hulu to watch their favorite shows online, the shift is crystal clear.
Along with this shift comes the inevitability of making things free. The free generation is all about getting things instantaneously. The two major points I feel Anderson made in discussing the end of paid content would be our being accustomed to ease of access: it’s easier to download content than it is to go out and look for it in stores and with the decrease in search cost so does our willingness to pay for having content made available. (WE’RE SPOILED). Also he states that our habits on the web carry over to into the rest of our lives, in which we now expect everything to be free. While your consumers have this mindset you can no longer force them to pay for products they can get free elsewhere, if its not free its your loss.
Anderson sums it up perfectly with the statement “free is the lowest cost way to reach the largest number of people and if the sample does its job then they will buy the superior version.” This can be applied to the change in the music industry. Artist sample their music by allowing their listeners to download for free. This way a large audience is now familiar with your work, if you’re good then more people will follow you and thus more people will invest in your album when it releases or your concert tickets when a tour is set and the merchandise when it’s available. Times have changed drastically and the music industry needs to change with the times rather than trying to find ways to bring up record sales. They should take advantage of the fact that listeners are willing to pay HUNDREDS if not thousands of dollars to attend a Jay-Z or Justin Bieber concert and spend money while at the show. This was unheard of back in the day when concerts were FREE. A new model has been put in play and everyone needs to get with the times.
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