Celebrity Tastemakers
Monday, September 14, 2009
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(Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Oprah Winfrey is kicking off her show's fall season with sit-down interviews with pop stars like Jay Z, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. Another talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres, will determine the fate of contestants on the next season of American Idol. Today, a look at how media celebrities outside the music world are shaping tastes of music fans. We're joined by Maura Johnston of the music blog Idolator.com and Robert Thompson, professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University.
Comments [11]
What a surprise, you managed to miss the guy's point about diversity. Let me help you understand.
You have 1000 indie rock bands to every indie black music band. You have 50 indie rock bands to every Latin musician. You have 50 indie rock bands to every jazz musician. You fail absolutely to represent the city you serve, it's all your (IMO cheesy) taste in (IMO badly played) music from Williamsburg all the time with a few plugs for classical, jazz or world musicians as provided by labels. You make a few nods to hip-hop - check out Harry Belafonte's explanation for why white folk are so keen on rap for some self-realization - but never showcase underground black music, instead to make yourself feel unbiased you occasionally have a black label act like Angie Stone or Leela James. As I've told WNYC fundraisers you are the reason I don't donate.
... "kinda" of a blurring of journalistic ethics???
IT'S DEFINITELY A VIOLATION JOURNALISTIC ETHICS TO PROMOTE ANYTHING!!!
These Korporate Media "journalists" are a JOKE!
Calling any of these people (or yourselves) "tastemakers" is giving them WAY too much credit. They are simply promoters.
People aren't going to buy an album because Brian Williams told them too, they are buying the album because BW played a song that people liked.
Don't tase me, O...
I listen to kexp radio station, the morning show ... they make a point of listing every song and artist in a playlist on their website ... being able to refer to this list after hearing a song and sometimes just browsing the playlist without having heard the show informs many of my purchases.
I don't trust these circus clowns to "deliver" the "news" or anything else for that matter!
i'll choose my own music, thanks.
Oprah should taser Brian Williams too.
The Music biz is dead because of what you are talking about today, because the product is horrible! People have wised up and are not buying. Oprah, Ellen, American Idol....c'mon you guys can't do anything better than this?
You are actually talking about American Idol?
RIP Music Biz and deservedly so......
During questioning, Oprah should taser Whitney Houston from time to time. Now That would be compelling television.
"Empress" Oprah?? I love the snarky remark! FYI..she doesn't need to "cash in" on anyones success...can u say billionairess Oprah...hellow??
Who cares! Talk about something relevant.
Someone who made their own taste, not these horrible shills.
Jay Z, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, et al. have ruined modern music.
RIP Jim Carroll
rhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bFwbBcRXLE&feature=PlayList&p=ACF1A89CBFD8FB88&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=53
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