Summit 2015, Austin TX
Monday & Tuesday, March 23-24, 2015
Session 4: Monday 3:15 IPO Room
Moderator: Ken Ashdown
Justin Sinkovich
Assistant Professor, Media Management BA Coordinator
Columbia College Chicago
Jerry Brindisi
Assistant Professor, Music Business BA Coordinator
Columbia College Chicago
The Art and Business of Satire: The Onion
On January 7, 2015,
the Parisian office of the popular satirical French publication Charlie
Hebdo was attacked by two Islamic extremist gunmen. This attack was
just weeks after the massive cyber attack on Sony by a team from North
Korea in reaction to the impending release of the film, The Interview,
a comedic film depicting a fictitious plot to assassinate North Korea’s
notorious leader Kim Jong Un. This violence illustrates the impact of
media globalization due to the reach of the Internet and specifically
how powerful of a medium comedy and satire can be. The Onion Inc.’s
inaugural publication, The Onion, is a weekly satirical news reporting
publication that is the organization’s most well known property. Joe
Randazzo, former Editor of Charlie Hebdo’s American equivalent, The
Onion, published an article the same day as the latest Charlie Hebdo
attacks, reflecting on how The Onion has always understood it is a
similar target and how the perception of danger has changed as of the
attack. In the face of the threat of violence and despite the hate mail
and death threats the staff have received, Randazzo and countless
others across major and social media platforms have called for resolve
in freedom of expression.
The Onion Inc. is a private digital media powerhouse company that produces wide reaching and well-respected online properties. Since its inception it has seen significant growth in terms of readership, diversity of offerings, organizational growth, as well as acceptance and acclaim among mainstream media. The Onion Inc.’s websites boast close to 30 percent growth in 2013 and again in 2014. The Onion’s web publications drew 24 million people visiting in one month (unique visitors). In addition to The Onion, the company publishes The A.V. Club, a non-satirical website with reviews and feature articles related to entertainment and popular culture including television programming, films, music, comedy, books, and video games. The company also publishes Clickhole, a new and rapidly growing satirical publication that largely parallels list and quiz-based content similar to Buzzfeed.
In addition to addressing the impact of satire and comedy on the global media landscape, this paper explores the history of The Onion Inc. and its business practices. It addresses the company’s growth, and its adaptation to globalization, media convergence, and the decline of the print industry. The paper explores related macroeconomic media trends, the impact of social media, mobile technology, advertising strategy, online revenue models, and more.
The Onion Inc. is a private digital media powerhouse company that produces wide reaching and well-respected online properties. Since its inception it has seen significant growth in terms of readership, diversity of offerings, organizational growth, as well as acceptance and acclaim among mainstream media. The Onion Inc.’s websites boast close to 30 percent growth in 2013 and again in 2014. The Onion’s web publications drew 24 million people visiting in one month (unique visitors). In addition to The Onion, the company publishes The A.V. Club, a non-satirical website with reviews and feature articles related to entertainment and popular culture including television programming, films, music, comedy, books, and video games. The company also publishes Clickhole, a new and rapidly growing satirical publication that largely parallels list and quiz-based content similar to Buzzfeed.
In addition to addressing the impact of satire and comedy on the global media landscape, this paper explores the history of The Onion Inc. and its business practices. It addresses the company’s growth, and its adaptation to globalization, media convergence, and the decline of the print industry. The paper explores related macroeconomic media trends, the impact of social media, mobile technology, advertising strategy, online revenue models, and more.
Clyde Philip Rolston
Professor of Music Business
Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, Belmont University
David Herrera
Assistant Professor of Music Business
Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, Belmont University
Using Group Projects for Problem Based Learning in Music Business Courses
Problem based
learning is examined and applied within a group setting. Using a
focused iterative strategy and existing problem based learning
frameworks and theory, marketing projects are concept mapped, then
developed iteratively in a sequential timeline, with the application or
content development focused on “real world” or actual project focus on
real world application for solicited national and local independent
musical artists. By using a constructivist perspective, learning
projects are designed to challenge students to be self-directed and
collaborative, with students taking responsibility for a guided
learning process that reinforces marketing principles. Within this
problem-based scenario, the projects are developed by framing a driving
question that iteratively structures the engagement of the project.
Students must use critical thinking and planning and are assessed
within a formative and summative structure with rubrics. Research
indicates that iterative and contextual learning structure develops
stronger conceptual long term, as well as long-term knowledge retention.