Pearl Jam may have tried and failed to break Ticketmaster’s monopoly in the concert industry in 1994, but it might be Tay Swift who succeeds in 2021. After fans were left frustrated by the disastrous ticketing for Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour, Congress is gearing up for another Ticketmaster hearing. The debacle has highlighted the company’s lack of healthy competition, leading to enormous service fees and a race to the bottom. While Ticketmaster can’t be exonerated of all responsibility, the demand for Swift’s tickets was unparalleled and any ticketing agency would have faced immense struggle. Despite the mega-conglomerates dominating the industry, it’s the middle-class artists that are really feeling the squeeze, struggling to survive on the harsh realities of the modern music industry. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here
Merv
February 1, 2023
