In a fascinating and depressing study, researchers at Harvard answer one of the really big business strategy questions of the day: will the internet kill the blockbuster phenomenon of a few big winners in movies, books, music, all products really, and replace it with a golden age when talented people of all stripes find commercial success. In other words, would Hollywood become more like Youtube.
Their conclusion is that the internet is actually accelerating the winner-take-all phenomenon. People are now picking fewer songs, books, videos and movies through internet services than when they were sold only in stores. The whole idea that internet is leading to more democratic, broad-based, individualized culture is a myth.
That’s incredibly disappointing because the increasing importance of the blockbuster is one of the reasons American culture has gotten noticeably dumber and more boring in the last 20 or 30 years.
One Comment
Sort of a change in topic but …
Might Bill Warren feature LOCAL film-makers at his taxpayer-subsidized Old Town theater? Perhaps he could partner with WSU and KMUW to promot that.