iPod musicstore downloads - was that a story?
27/02/06 10:19 Journalism in practice
There's a lot happening in the world at the moment
(that statement copyright Trite Openings R Us). There
was a massive robbery last week. Saddam is on trial
and David Irving has been imprisoned. And yet on
Saturday the Independent's front page lead was that
Apple's music store downloads had topped the 1
billion mark.
Well, ten out of ten to Apple for its marketing prowess - but was this really a story? I have a few problems with it. One is that it was a corporate press release-led story hitting the top slot on one of the Nationals. I believe the papers ought to be finding things out for themselves.
My main issue, however, is that the Indie has missed the important point that the 1 billion figure is completely without significance. There are two reasons for this. First, if numbers were growing it's inevitable, not surprising or noteworthy, that the 1 billion 'watermark' would be reached eventually. Second, this isn't about 1 billion downloads, it's about 1 billion downloads for one particular company. As a mark of changing popular culture, the 1 billion figure will have been reached a while back because you'd have to factor in downloads from Wippit, Napster and all the rest.
Don't get me wrong, I'm an Apple user and a happy one, and I like my iPod - I'm thinking of getting one for my wife too. If I were an Apple shareholder I'd clearly be over the moon about this figure. But front page lead? I know the Independent likes to stand out from the rest and run something different, but come on you guys, this is PR.
Well, ten out of ten to Apple for its marketing prowess - but was this really a story? I have a few problems with it. One is that it was a corporate press release-led story hitting the top slot on one of the Nationals. I believe the papers ought to be finding things out for themselves.
My main issue, however, is that the Indie has missed the important point that the 1 billion figure is completely without significance. There are two reasons for this. First, if numbers were growing it's inevitable, not surprising or noteworthy, that the 1 billion 'watermark' would be reached eventually. Second, this isn't about 1 billion downloads, it's about 1 billion downloads for one particular company. As a mark of changing popular culture, the 1 billion figure will have been reached a while back because you'd have to factor in downloads from Wippit, Napster and all the rest.
Don't get me wrong, I'm an Apple user and a happy one, and I like my iPod - I'm thinking of getting one for my wife too. If I were an Apple shareholder I'd clearly be over the moon about this figure. But front page lead? I know the Independent likes to stand out from the rest and run something different, but come on you guys, this is PR.
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