Digital distribution- Homework

Question 2: To what extent does digital distribution affect the marketing and consumption of media products in the media area you have studied? Candidates must focus on the following media areas: Film?

Digital distribution is a very positive affect of the marketing and consumption of media products in the media. This is due to the fact that there are many advantages when using digital distribution. The main advantage is the alternative of sending film files over the computer instead of carrying 20-25 kg tins of film to cinemas. Another advantage is its cost effective by being cheaper in the long run and overall digital distribution makes the process a lot quicker and a lot less stressful. 

Main actors/actresses/characters or the directors of the film can be interviewed on air, on television, on the internet or even shown on movie news channels. This will increase the amount of consumers because if people like a certain character they will want to go watch the film because he/she is in the film. This is because it will create excitment for the viewers if they like one of the actors/actresses.  

Marketing the film is also affected by digital distribution. For example the development of the internet has allowed film trailers to be promoted all over different websites. Such as: YouTube. This is a positive affect for the marketing of films because it allows the film to be seen more worldwide and gets more of the public wanting to see the film as it will be advertised more frequently all over the internet. Trailers are also advertsied on Television through adverts, this also gains more public wanting to watch the film. The marketing being done in this way allows loads of people going to watch the film because they want to know what happens and then as a result of this people will start to spread the word, known as 'word of mouth' to friends and family, making them watch the film or trailer and then increases the number of 
consumers watching. 

On the other hand there are also a limited amount of disadvantages with digital distribution. For example when the films are sent by files insstead of be delivered by tins of film, it is possible for the files to be hacked. In this case films are then put online illegally/on illegal film websites. Therefore this will decreadse the companies profit of the film because people will watch the films online, illegally instead of paying to watch the films at cinemas. Since the development of digital distribution producing DVD's it is currently a lot easier and faster to download films illegally and upload them all over the internet.