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The Engagement Imperative: Experiences of Communication Practitioners' Brand Work in the Music Industry
[journal article]
Abstract Due to societal trends, such as digitalisation, platformisation, and active and co-creative audiences, new organisational practices have surfaced. This study examines how communication practitioners experience their changing work in a new communication environment in which participatory cultural nor... view more
Due to societal trends, such as digitalisation, platformisation, and active and co-creative audiences, new organisational practices have surfaced. This study examines how communication practitioners experience their changing work in a new communication environment in which participatory cultural norms are becoming standard in strategic communication. I argue that the requirements to produce audience engagement affect the communication work and the communication workers. This study uses the popular music industry as a case, and is based on interviews with communication practitioners as well as on the qualitative text analysis of reports and newsletters from the music marketing firm Music Ally to the music industry. The study shows that communication practitioners within the industry experience a duty to create audience engagement - an engagement imperative. Although the practitioners are highly skilled in digital communication and social media, they often see the development of digital promotional culture as a challenge and express a lack of a deeper understanding of engagement. This study highlights implications for their professional roles, competences, and identities as well as ethical implications regarding the exploitation of audiences in communication work.... view less
Classification
Sociology of Communication, Sociology of Language, Sociolinguistics
Other Media
Free Keywords
audience engagement; communication management; communication practitioner; engagement imperative; ethics; media work; music industry; participatory culture; strategic communication
Document language
English
Publication Year
2022
Page/Pages
p. 66-76
Journal
Media and Communication, 10 (2022) 1
Issue topic
New Forms of Media Work and Its Organizational and Institutional Conditions
ISSN
2183-2439
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed