The Stylus

Issue date: 3/10/10 Section: News

Media Credit: Caitlin Pollard

Traditional media models are dying. The advent of digital technology and the explosion of social media have created not just a media revolution, but a renaissance. The once-exclusive power of giant media conglomerates in billion-dollar industries is now in your hands. What are you going to do with it?

This is the premise of Dave Mathison's message delivered in a keynote address, "Sustainable Journalism and the New Media Revolution," at the Western New York College Media Conference. The College at Brockport's chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists conceived and organized the conference, which was held at the college Saturday, March 6.

Mathison, a Brockport alumnus, is the CEO of natural E creative group, an independent media company. The group published the book BE THE MEDIA, which more than 50 media experts (including Mathison) contributed to. BE THE MEDIA advocates self-publishing and covers almost every media topic under one large, 536-page umbrella. Mathison sold more than 5,000 copies of the book in 11 days using social media Web sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Mathison's message is quite simple: adapt to the digital-social media model and cut out the middle men - ­ agents, labels, studios, distributors and publishers. Artists of all mediums are following this message and reaping the benefits of self-publishing. These benefits, as Mathison explained, include retaining the rights to your works and developing a stronger, more personable relationship with your fan base. This can result in more money and less "regulatory approval," Mathison said.

"We don't need some suit in an office to spread our message," he said. "What used to cost millions of dollars I can now do with my cell phone. The business model has changed from scarcity to abundance."

Mathison pointed out that only five companies control most media, including FOX and Viacom. These companies overshadow the creation and distribution of media and in effect, artists and their audiences suffer.

"Media elites like Rupert Murdoch (FOX CEO) want you to live in a scarce world," Mathison said. "They don't want you to know there's talent right here in this room. They want you to consume their crap. People we know and love, whose songs we sing, are near bankrupt because they signed a contract with one of these companies at a young age. These [elites] are ripping off artists and we are all perpetuating a model of indentured servitude."

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools