Research: Media institutions

What is a media institution?
A media institution is a well-established and profitable organization in which deals with the advertisement and promotion of music and entertainment. Media institutions are created in order to help promote an artist or music as well as entertaining the audience as everything is based around satisfying the target audience. Having a media institution can lead an artist to his or hers success as they provide them with a range of various opportunities they wouldn’t of come across if they weren’t signed to a institution. This is because many music companies provide what all artist need, exposure. This is done through the use of promotion and advertising in which the music companies form for the artist. For example, Music channels advertisement, Film soundtrack synergy.

Advantages and Disadvantages of being signed to an institution:

Advantages:

• Remain popular in the public eye, as the institution will carry the artist's reputation in order to stay successful.
• The artist is more secure and stable within a institution with less responsibilities. Most beneficial for new artists who are new to the industry.
• New artists also benefit from institutions as they are able to become popular quickly within a short amount of time ensuring success.
• Financial stability for the artist as recording songs and making music videos will cost high amounts of money without a institution to provide this.

Disadvantages:

• Once the artist is signed, they will have to follow the rules and listen to the institution, restricting them from making independent decisions.
• If the artist is not successful the institution may decide to let the artist go which may be the downfall of an artist's career.
• Getting signed to an institution in the first place may be extremely difficult as the artist may have to prove their worth.

EMI:

·         One of the world's leading music companies

·         International institution

·         Own labels such as Angel, Astralwerks, Blue Note, Capital, Capital Latin etc.

Major artists signed to EMI are:

• Katy Perry
• Snoop Dogg
• Coldplay
• Gorrilas
• Lilly Allen
• tinie tempeh

These artist's are slightly alternative mainstream stars who EMI tend to focus on rather than the mainstream artists. The benefit of working with someone who is not constantly in the public eye may mean that they will get less negative news on them which will help maintain the artist's positive reputation.

Sony Entertainment:



·         Provides music labels for international superstars

·         Formerly known as Sony BMG Music Entertainment and changed it's name to Sony Music in Oct, 2008.

·         It offers hip hop, country, classical, gospel, pop and rock recording labels.

·         An example of artists signed to Sony Music are: 

• Avril Lavigne
• Britney Spears
• Beyonce
• One Direction
• Pitbull
• Chris Brown
• Beyoncé
• Willow Smith.
•  

 The benefit of having a variety of genres in the record label gives them a greater chance in being able to work with loads of different artist and are able to make money through different audiences.

Universal Music Group (UMG)

·         Is the official world's largest music content company

·         Helps to discover and develop recording artists and market their music worldwide

·         Examples of artists signed to UMG are 

• Nicki Minaj 
• Cheryl Cole 
• Busta Rhymes
• Akon 
• Mary J Blige
• Sheryl Crow
•  Justin Bieber

 These artist's are mostly in the RnB genre suggesting the focus on one main genre to maintain the reputation of UMG being successful for this.

Warner Music Group

·         Not as popular as the rest however is still an international institution

·         Record labels include Asylum, Atlantic, Cordless, East West, Elektra etc.

·         Helps artists achieve long term creative and financial success by providing consumers with the highest quality music content available

·         Examples are:

• Paramore
• Bruno Mars 
• T.I
• Kid Rock
• Plan B
• B.O.B
• Bruno Mars
• Estelle. 

This company also focuses on more niche audiences rather than the mainstream in order to promote the other types of genres available.

4 elements media institutions keep an eye on in order to gain success for their artists
Visual Style

 This is how the company goes about attracting their target audience through the use of visual styles such as colours or font styles etc.

Branding
This is the way in which the company presents themselves to their target audience in order to appeal and attract them.
Target Audience 
 This is the specific audience range the company will try to appeal it.
Identity
This is how well the institution can be recognised, as the audience should automatically know what institution it is simply by looking at the logo.


Conclusion: 
This in depth research into media institutions has made me  aware of the world’s largest and successful media institutions and their role in the music industry.  I also now know that some institutions are not as large as others and that some specialise and only work with specific music genres. Moreover, this research would enable me to be aware of the music institution that would suit my genre of music, and my music video. The institution I would pick is Universal music group because they have a great insight into the music industry and they would help me grow as an artist. Therefore I would really connect with my fans and my music video would be appealing to all.