"Disruption" is an over-used word in the entrepreneurial and technology worlds. But, it certainly isn't in the world of media. Gone (or going fast) are the worlds of content ownership - both physical (DVDs) and digital (iTunes downloads). Subscription services, social and sharing are the new normal. Adding to this, over the past decade, consumers value content - from an economic perspective - very differently than they had before due to piracy, unbundled $0.99 singles, and initial unsuccessful efforts to build differentiated customer experiences. As a result, the vast majority of artists and content creators - both on the film and music side - find it increasingly difficult to finance their works, let alone drive demand for, and monetize them.
What are artists and content creators to do amid this daunting reality? Turn it on its head, experiment and capitalize on it, that's what! Welcome to the new Share Economy, in which media-centric online services finally are beginning to harness the true potential of the web and connectivity. It is this Share Economy - which empowers Airbnb, TaskRabbit, 99designs, Lyft, and scores of others identified on new Share Economy aggregator Peers.org - that gives hope to new sources of artist and media financing (via crowd-funding) and new modes of music and film demand generation (via crowd-sourcing and direct distribution). The Share Economy offers an additional bonus and opportunity - artists can leverage these new services to mobilize their audiences and drive real social impact and change.
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