Ballyfermot College of Further Education & Thames Valley University - BA Media Production & Management - Niall Browne - MP3 Ireland Survey

 

Niall Browne,

Ballyfermot College of Further Education

& Thames Valley University,

B.A. Media Production & Management


A short survey on MP3

Thank you for visiting this page. The survey has now been completed. If you have an interest in MP3s you can view the results at http://homepage.eircom.net/~mp3ireland/result.htm. You should also have your computer speakers turned on, thanks - Niall.

The MP3 phenomenon...

In the many media reports about the record industry's crackdown on the proliferation of illicit MP3's, the more copyright-friendly alternatives being developed behind closed doors and the many trumpeted agreements between recording labels, technology companies and Internet start-ups, what has been consistently overlooked is the message of the medium. Not in the future, but now: most of the recent controversy about on-line music has been over how it is going to change the experience of selling and purchasing music, but much more interesting is the question of how it is changing our experience of listening to and handling music.

My own view is that MP3 technology is creating benefits for music fans and artists by releasing the industry from the grip of major label dominance, but there are real factors to be addressed in relation to copyright and ownership. How will artists benefit if the industry becomes a free-for-all?

As a part of my research into the MP3 phenomenon, I am compiling information about MP3 usage on the Internet.

This survey is being conducted as part of research for a dissertation at Ballyfermot College of Further Education in Dublin, Ireland. All answers are completely anonymous, and will be kept confidential. Your honesty and cooperation is appreciated.

This survey is divided into the following sections:

Please fill out the information in each section as requested. Then at the end of the form press the Submit Button to supply the form - thanks.

PART ONE - Behavioural questions

These are some questions about your personal behaviour towards using new technologies and listening to music.

  1. How much time do you spend on the Internet per week?



  2. How much time do you listen to recorded music per week?



  3. Which format do you most use to listen to music on your computer?



  4. How many times have you downloaded MP3 files (if your answer is 'Never' please skip to Question 8 of this section)?



  5. When you downloaded sound files (in any format) of whole songs (not clips) what are they usually recordings of (check all that apply / please do not answer this question if your answer to question 4 is 'never')?

    Live performances
    Recordings of local or independent artists
    Promotional tracks
    Rare tracks or songs (that you could not easily get from the shelves of your local CD-retailer)
    Singles or album tracks (that you could also buy as standard audio CD's from your local retailer)

  6. Have you ever paid for a download of a song apart from ISP or telephone costs (Please do not answer this question if your answer to question 4 is 'never')?

    Yes No

  7. The downloading of mp3 files has... (Please do not answer this question if your answer to question 4 is 'never')

    not changed your music purchasing habits,
    increased your purchasing of CD's or
    decreased your purchasing of CD's?

  8. Do you regularly purchase products and/or services online?

    Yes No

  9. Do you have a credit card?

    Yes No

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PART TWO - Attitudinal Questions

This section questions your attitudes and preferences towards internet services and the use of the new audio technologies.

  1. How would you rate the sound quality of MP3 files compared to a Standard Audio CD?



  2. Which of the following services would you may consider buying online (you will have the possibility to listen to sound samples of these independent or local artists; please check all that apply)?

    Download whole songs and albums of independent or local artists
    Ordering CD's of independant or local artists
    Ordering MP3 compilations of specific music genres with independent artists
    Ordering custom made MP3 CD's with songs of independent artists
    Ordering tickets for concerts of independent/local artists
    Ordering merchandising articles of independent artists

  3. How much would you be willing to pay for a download of a song?



  4. How much would you be willing to pay for a download of a full length recording (album)?



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PART 3 - Classification questions

Please state your personal details.

  1. What is your age?

    Years

  2. What is your gender?

    Male Female

  3. How much do you spend on recorded music products per month (CD's, Cassetes, Vinyl, Downloads etc.)?


  4. Please indicate your country of residence.

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FORM SUBMISSION

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions. If you are interested in the emergence of online music retailing and distribution, please feel free to E-mail me.

The information you supply will be analysed during the summer. The results of this survey will be published on this web site after analysing the data. All the information you submit will be kept confidential. Have a good one!!!

Thank you...

CDNOW Designed by Alienz, dismissed by humans...

You are listening to an excerpt from 'The Bone-life' by Silvaband.

An MP3 Ireland production.

Niall Browne is a student at Ballyfermot College of Further Education, Dublin, Ireland.
Copyright © 2000 [Niall Browne]
Revised: 13/05/00 11:48:00 PM.

mp3ireland@eircom.net