Online distribution has affected the media music industry in many ways. Firstly there have been three big file sharing (downloads) concepts that have affected the industry. Newsgroups which have been used to facilitate rapid deployment of all forms of media jazz, hiphop or any music genre. Bit torrents this is basically a file sharing protocol which involves simply sharing one music file at the time. This also has been used for fast file sharing, but with slightly less immediacy. Lastly and probably the largest method of file sharing, has been the edonkey network, this network is less dynamic and facilitates rarer music production filesbeing shared as well as ringtones. The donkey as it is it affectionately known is the mainstation for all forms of media and music interchange of an illegal nature.

Newsgroups and bit torrents have had heavy effects on visual media (music videos) forms. Hollywood and quality television programmes have been exchanged heavily through these concepts. The MPAA believe that this ultimately affects profitability of companies. In real terms it has shown that there is an extra music demographic of the Internet user. This demographic could possibly be further subdivided. Television ratings have not mimicked Internet ratings of television programmes. Hollywood movies on the other hand have done.

Music distribution on the internet

Music Videos

The need for compression is driven by people's desire to get visual imagery. Media technology has had to adjust for that. Due to the improvement of compression technology this has led to the possibility of audio/visual imagery been paired more closely. Now not only do people purchase music, they purchase music video also.

Music compression

Music has been compressed into forms such as MP3s. The immediate nature of the consumer, has led to recording media technology to cater for more forms of media input. Media devices have dynamic storage, static storage and an Internet connection. Media Music technology has to contain software to cater for possible needs.

In low-level terms all media technology simply becomes more modular. A hardware device (minicomputer) that can run various forms of software (codecs). Codecs are software programs that contain different rules for running the music.