Situation Definition
In 2012, the pop-rock band, The Ting Tings, were on track to release their next album, Sounds From Nowheresville. A month prior to this release, all 10 of their songs from this album were leaked. The Ting Ting urged their recording label to release the songs earlier, but the damage was already done. They lost thousands of dollars from illegal downloads and what they would’ve made if those people bought the songs.
Papers like the Billboards and the Rolling Stone covered this story. They cover most breaking news involving the music industry and this was something that big. These media outlets not only covered the story but also attached the links to these illegally leaked songs. Many found this very unethical as the media outlets were pointing viewers in the direction of these songs and essentially making it easier for the Internet community to download them. The act of stealing the song is unethical as well as the media coverage on the song leak.
Analysis
Although these crimes are “typically the result of symbolic acts of transgression against economic conditions and actions performed to fill the void of everyday boredom”, these crimes still have a massive affect on the artists. Some might see these media outlets as aiding and embedding illegal activity by publishing the access to the crime. I think that at the end of the day the media outlets are not outwardly saying to illegally download this content and they are not forcing their audience to download it either. They are providing truthful information to their audiences, which is their main role as a paper. They have an obligation to their audiences and not the artists, although this hurts the artists.
The biggest stakeholders in this case are the consumers. They make up the industry. The media outlets owe the transparency of information to them and not the protection of the music. This is a society that promotes a free flow of information and covering this leak is like covering any other news content.
Conclusion
Most of the Ting Tings’ fans were university students. Most downloads come from this demographic. Financially this took a large toll on the Ting Tings’ album sales. Although upsetting, I believe the media coverage of this incident was ethical and had a right to be published. If I was in the position the Rolling Stone or the Billboards were I would think of the consumers and what my obligation to them was. It is the reader’s right to know and my job is to facilitate that and provide them with all of the information. I think these media outlets did the right thing although it hurt others in the end.
This topic is still important to discuss because it is a prevalent issue in today’s day in age. Even with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act users are still downloading songs illegally and it is hurting the media industry tremendously. This is an issue people should take seriously and definitely think twice before committing.
References
Cooper, Leonie. The Ting Ting’s Second Album Leaks Online. NME.Retrieved from https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-ting-tings-6-1272985
Langlands, Alex. (24, Jan. 2012). Ting Tings Album Leaked Online, Band Urge Label to Release Now. Music Feeds. Retrieved from: https://musicfeeds.com.au/news/ting-tings-album-leaked-online-band-urge-label-to-release-now/
Ulsperger J, Hodges S, Paul J. (2010). Pirates on the Plank: Neutralization Theory and the Criminal Downloading of Music Among Generation Y in the Era of Late Modernity. Albany edu. (124)1.