DOCUMENT RESUME ED 433 563 CS 510 144 TITLE Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (82nd, New Orleans, Louisiana, August 3-8, 1999). Media Management and Education. INSTITUTION Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. PUB DATE 1999-08-00 NOTE 302p.; For other sections of this proceedings, see CS 510 132-153. PUB TYPE Collected Works Proceedings (021) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC13 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Advertising; Audience Analysis; Cable Television; *Competition; Economic Research; Electronic Publishing; Global Approach; Higher Education; Journalism Education; *Marketing; Models; *Newspapers; Television Viewing IDENTIFIERS Black Newspapers ABSTRACT The Media Management and Education section of the Proceedings contains the following 9 papers: "Communication Technique: How Does a U.S. Record Company Identify, Target and Reach Its Audience in an Ever-Competitive Marketplace?" (Lisa L. Rollins); "Supplier-Buyer Relationship in the Global News Value-Chain in the Internet Age" (Yong-Chan Kim); "The Relationship of Circulation Performance, Environmental Uncertainty and the Market Orientation of Daily Newspapers" (Randal A. Beam); "Viewing Motivations and Implications in the New Media Environment: Postulation of a Model of Media Orientations" (Jack C. C. Li); "Black Newspapers: In Search of an Advertising Strategy" (George Sylvie and Lucy Brown-Hutton); "Opening the Umbrella: An Economic Analysis of Online Newspaper Geography" (Hsiang Iris Chyi and George Sylvie); "New Entrant, Competitive Strategy, and Consumer Welfare in the Cable Television Industry" (Kuo-Feng Tseng); "History of a Business Decision: Ralph Ingersoll II Decides to Create the 'St. Louis Sun'" (James E. Mueller); and "The Myths and Realities of Newspaper Acquisition Costs: Fiduciary Responsibilities, Fungibility of Assets, Winners' Penalties & Excess Cash 'Problems'" (Dane S. Claussen).(RS) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (82nd, New Orleans, Louisiana, August 3-8, 1999): Media Management and Education. Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. 1999-08 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCEAND HAS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL Office of Educational Research and Improvement BEEN GRANTED BY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) BEST COPY AVAILABLE OF-rfiis document has been reproducedas received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. TO THE EDUCATIONALRESOURCES 2 INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Points of view or opinions stated in this 1 document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Submitted by: Lisa L. Rollins Middle Tennessee State University Submitted to: Media Management and Economics Division of AEJMC for the 1999 Convention in New Orleans. 0:11M1111111 lit Ted 1111 ue: H w US, record IT Me reach itaudience in an ever-co Rnairke This is a case study of the methods and strategies employed by a U.S. record company, Arista/Austin, to introduce its prerecorded music products and artists to a target segment. Findings indicate that the media company's concentrated marketing focus upon a particular demographic is resulting in the exclusion of other potential consumers. Because of the eclectic nature of rock 'n' roll, many characteristics should be considered before a marketing campaign is created and then implemented for a target audience. Thus, if Arista/Austin is to achieve optimum returns from its investments, it is crucial that the organization utilize effective internal communication techniques so that its external communication and marketing efforts are strategically aligned with the proper segmentations. Although many theorists view the genre as simply another form of mass communication, often researchers suggest rock 'n' roll is a cultural event of many complexities that may be entered into in many different ways depending upon its segmentation. This study illustrates the current communication and marketing techniques employed by a Nashville-based rock label to identify and reach its audience. Send correspondence to: John V. Bodle, Middle Tennessee State University, P.O. Box 64, Murfreesboro, TN 37132 (615) 898-5871 3 Comm .4(111411ITechndque: How does a US recontli camWI Iity Menbid\ and reach amdilmee 1BD an everAkititililiK6(111 t"marIkk.llace? Submitted to the Media Management and Economic Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication for the 1999 Convention of AEJMC New Orleans Send correspondence to: John V. Bodle, Middle Tennessee State University, P.O. Box 64, Murfreesboro, TN 37132 (615) 898-5871 4 1 Communication Technique: How does a U.S. recoird company ideny, target and reach fits audience in an ever-competitive marketplace? Statement of Purpose As advertising and marketing costs continue to climb, it has become increasingly crucial for companies, if they are to be successful, to first identify and then properly market to the appropriate internal and external audience segments. No matter the nature of their business, organizations employed to garner a profit must effectively reach only those most interested in receiving the message that they wish to send,' if they wish to remain commercially competitive. Nonetheless, such audience/market segmentation' is not always clear cut, especially when it comes to genres of music. While natural media venues are obvious for certain tastes (country music, for example, boasts two national cable television networks, The Nashville Network and Country Music Television; many commercial radio stations; and numerous market-specific publications such as Country Weekly and Country America, to name but two), others are not as easily targeted. Rock 'n' roll, in fact, as a mass communication, is inseparable from its audiences. Moreover, in its creation of a culture, it is devoted to providing an escape or temporary distraction from the often-oppressive realities of our world.' This study, then, will consider the marketing of rock music, a music genre which--due to its eclectic nature -makes it difficult for music promoters to cost efficiently reach their potential audience.' ' James S. Ettema and Dr. Charles Whitney, eds., Audiencemaking How the Media Create the Audience (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1994), 182. It should be noted that the lack of fit between audience and market is intentional at times, especially within commercial media organizations, where executives are concerned only with those audience members who have appeal for potential advertisers. Thus, in some instances media researchers may not be interested in measuring certain parts of their audience. 2Ettema and Whitney, A u.diencernaking, 11-12. The actual receivers of media-created messages influence power within an organization only if they have been designated by a media company to be a desirable market segment. However, the means by which these receivers come to be constituted as measured, segmented audiences that have an effect within the media groups are technically and organizationally complex. 'Lawrence Grossberg, "Rock and Roll in Search of an Audience," in Popular Music and Communication, ed. James Lull (Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1987), 176. °Deborah Evans Price, "Artists, Labels Forge Tour-based Marketing Strategies," Billboard, 8 November 1997: 34. According to a recent article in Billboard, a leading publication and information source for the music industry, during the past few years it has become increasingly difficult to market new music in all genres due to a surplus of artists and diminishing radio playlists. 2 Using a case-study approach, this paper will consider the mattering strategies of Arista/Austin,' a rock record label with its headquarters in Nashville, Tenn., and an office in Austin, Texas.' It will probe the difficulties in reaching this hard-to-target audience and will offer suggestions. Additionally, as a new record company within one of the world's most successful music organizations,' the application and findings surrounding Arista/Austin will have generalizable implications for those seeking to first identify and then communicate a message to a taste-specific audience.' More specifically, the results of this study will be directly applicable to record labels and artist-related organizations involved in the day-to-day public relations, press agentry and marketing of the music industry--from publicity/media services and promotion teams to those directly concerned with product or artist marketing. The Competitive Environment Because Arista/Austin is owned by the BMG, one of the six major entertainment companies which concern themselves with record activity and distribution, the new rock label has the advantage of being backed by a global industry leader? Furthermore, in spite of the fact that some BMG Entertainment North America: Music Labels/Arista Nashville [On-line]. Available: http: / /www.bmg.com/labels /arina.html. Arista Nashville, a division of the publicly held BMG Entertainment, launched Arista /Austin, along with Arista/Texas and Arista/Latin, in 1993 to expand its presence in rock and Tejano/Southwestern music, respectively.