for its 116 year history, cinema has depended of technological change for its existence awnd then for thje new defvelopments (colour, sound, TV, recordedrs, 3D, VHS, DVD, CGI) that have kept the format fresh and interesting to audiences who can quickly become jaded.
What makes the internet different?
The internet frees up communication and Person to Person (P2P) file sharing has flourished.
Is downloading killing Hollywood or could it be the path to new beginnings?
There is no question that the use of the internet to view film and television is changing the face of the film industry and Hollywood forever. It is challenging situation and a very good thing. For too long viewers were under the control of the film industry - were, when and how people could view their film entertainment.
According to Andrew Currag (2006) "media oligopoly and its lead divisions—the record labels, the studios and the television networks—are institutionally incapable of exploring and defining the commercial parameters of legal P2P file sharing." What is happening today is that much of the innovation in the area of downloading and Person to Person file sharing is being carried out by those marginalised in the entertainment industry, both creatively and economically. They are supported by 'independent' content which have fewer legal restrictions than the large oligopolies.
It doesn't look like walking a path to new beginnings for Hollywood rather dragging a kicking screaming 'diva' along for the drive, by fresh faced eager understudies, who with a little help from changes to legal systems that are protecting copyright for our 'diva', will drive the change that is inevitable.
Reference:
Currah, A (2006). Hollywood versus the Internet: the media and entertainment industries in a digital and networked economy, Journal of Economic Geography, Vol. 6, 4, pp 439-468. doi:10.1093/jeg/lbl006.
email: andrew.currah@worc.ox.ac.uk
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