Tag: 04.11.03

US States Sharpen Their Arts Budget Cuts

Across America, states are considering drastically reducing or eliminating arts funding. “State arts funding plunged from $410 million two years ago to around $350 million in 2002-03, and this year looks to be worse. But the proposed cuts have a long way to go before they become law, and by the time they are approved in early summer, reductions may be significantly less severe. In fact, some believe the dramatic announcements are calculated to shock the arts community into accepting more modest cutbacks.” But it’s not all a bluff…

FCC Backing Away From Media Ownership Regulation?

Michael Powell, head of the Federal Communications Commission, indicates that the FCC isn’t interested in more regulation of ownership of media outlets. “The rapid concentration (of ownership) and consolidation has been both good and bad. … Before 1996, radio was on its knees. Sixty percent of stations were not profitable and were in serious straits. A lot of radio stations survived and thrived because of the changes.” Dergulation has resulted in major consolidation of ownership of radio stations in America.

Promoting By Word-Of-Email

What’s the biggest obstacle to getting an audience for your indie movie? Okay, getting it into theatres, of course. But how to promote it to potential fans? There’s “a growing grass-roots movement to promote independent movies and niche projects, particularly those about ethnic groups largely overlooked by mainstream productions” through e-mail. “Community activists for years have used the Internet to promote niche projects, and that strategy is helping boost a trend toward underground marketing tactics to promote films. That is particularly attractive to independent filmmakers with limited budgets.”

Pied Piper Of Tap

Brenda Bufalino has spent her career trying to re-popularize tap dancing. “Now in her mid-60s, Bufalino is credited as a major force in the renaissance of tap worldwide. She has formed tap orchestras and tap festivals, and helped inspire a new generation of performers – such as the young black tap superstar Savion Glover. She still tours and performs worldwide, acting as a unique bridge between tap’s ‘golden era’ and its contemporary development.”

Apple Computer In Talks To Buy World’s Largest Recording Company

Is Apple CEO Steve Jobs about to become the most powerful man in the recording business? “Apple Computer Inc. is in talks with Vivendi Universal to buy Universal Music Group, the world’s largest record company, for as much as $6 billion, sources said. Such a seemingly unlikely combination would instantly make technology guru Steve Jobs, Apple’s co-founder and chief executive, the most powerful player in the record industry.”

Australian Recording Industry Institutes Ratings System

The Australian recording industry has decided to initiate a ratings system that will restrict sales of some recordings to adults. “The industry’s ruling body, ARIA, last week announced that its new system will prohibit the sale of CDs and tapes containing potentially offensive lyrics or themes to under-18s. Calls for stricter classification have followed complaints about US death-metal outfit Cannibal Corpse. Over the top to the point of absurdity, their lyrics are all but indecipherable, the vocals sounding like the Cookie Monster in a sink.”

Sondheim & Friends Trying To Keep NY Critics Away From Show?

Stephen Sondheim, John Weidman and Harold Prince are New York theatre legends. And they have a new show. It’s opening in Chicago. And they don’t want New York critics to come see it. “The three Broadway bigwigs are trying to keep the national theater press away from their new musical, ‘Bounce,’ which will have its world premiere June 30 at the Goodman Theater in Chicago. They have instructed the theater not to invite – or make press seats available to – any critic or reporter outside the Chicago area. Nice try, boys, but no dice.”

Small Publishers’ Stock Trades Up

Business analysts say that small publishers are sometimes a better business than the big publishing houses. “If these companies are publishing for the professional or children’s book market, they don’t need one big hit a year. They might publish hundreds of books that sell 10,000 copies each, and that’s fine. They can make a profit because the books tend to be pricier than other kinds of books and because, particularly with universities and other professional markets, institutions have to buy large numbers of these books, whether they want to or not.”

Your Ad Here

It seems like every public space and event has a corporate sponsor these days. “The marketing idea behind this trend is consumer impressions. The more often we see a company’s name, the theory goes, the more likely we’ll trust that company and, in turn, buy its products or services when the opportunity arises. Thus, we get corporate names on the sports facilities and concert venues we attend, ubiquitous product placement in the movies, TV and cable shows we watch, even in the air we breathe (thanks, Fuji blimp).” But instead of complaining, maybe we should see this as an opportunity. “The biggest untapped avenue for sponsorship may just be us. Individuals. You and me…”