Social Media and The Entertainment Industry: LJ 8

I rarely use broadcast media anymore. I don’t have a need for it–I read news from online, use the weather app for weather, watch television and movies on Netflix and Hulu, and watch sports on Hulu or at a sports bar. I never had a huge interest in watching broadcasted events (such as the Oscars or Grammys), and I end up seeing the highlights on social media anyways. It was interesting to learn that even though the most recent Oscars had the most social media interactions in history, the TV viewership was actually less than before (Bauder 2022).

Social media is essentially the only connection I have to broadcast media. Anything I learn about programs on television is through Instagram, TikTok, or Twitter. The most interaction I have with broadcast media through social media is engaging with posts about broadcast media programs if they come across my feed. The one exception, however, was back in 2019 when Game of Thrones season 8 came out. I was very active on social media as each episode was released, as was a large chunk of the population.

I do not interact with many social media stars or influencers. Some content has come across my feed, but I never seek it out. Most people in my direct circle are the same way, so I do not communicate with others about social media stars or influencers. I would not consider myself an influencer, nor do I want to be one. I do, however, think I will need to work with them in the future. I want to work in Marketing, and the popularity and usage of Influencer Marketing are rapidly increasing. 

The readings did not change my feelings, beliefs, or ideas about social media stars and influencers. However, some interesting points were made. I have pondered the new era of celebrities, and it is interesting to see that fame is gained through different channels than in the past. Social media has drastically changed the way celebrities are made, and many of these social media stars become even more famous by promoting products, getting brand deals, and influencing people to make purchases. Even the rise to success of musicians is changing: “Before the digital area, an artist had to release a single album each year. Next, they had to tour the world to promote it. This required a lot of money and time. Today, this top singer creates the album and promotes it on Spotify, Instagram, and YouTube to monetize its creative work” (Muriuki 2022).

The changing landscape of entertainment due to social media is a fascinating topic. I enjoyed reading about it and thinking about my relationship with it all.

Bauder, D. (2022, March 29). Social media explodes during Oscars; TV viewership doesn't. AP NEWS. Retrieved May 4, 2022, from https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-oscars-will-smith-chris-rock-entertainment-dff89903b59e66c4dde57a31116b3ba3 

Muriuki, P. (2022, February 2). How is digital media affecting the entertainment industry? Startup Info. Retrieved May 4, 2022, from https://startup.info/how-is-digital-media-affecting-the-entertainment-industry/