Music and the Internet: What do these two things have in common? People. That may seem like a simple answer, but when you think about it; both of these mediums play an integral role in all of our lives. They can inform and entertain, amuse or displease, and, most of all, they both communicate a distinctive message to us as the consumer. And the manner in which that message is conveyed is often just as important as the message itself. When the worlds of music and the Web combine, they create an entire new medium of online journalism. There are countless websites online dedicated to musical artists and bands all over the world, and from all kinds of music. However, the two most distinctive types we tend to notice are the Christian ones, and the non-Christian, or secular kind. Each of these websites poses unique quality to the viewer, and it is their differences in content that inspire people to favor one over the other.
Unless you are a fellow Christian who is “in the know” about the latest, hippest ‘Christian’ bands on the scene, the odds are you won’t be extremely interested in those particular bands—or their websites. If the general public does not show a large interest in the music itself, the odds are that they will show an even lesser interest in the websites dedicated to those artists. And when a website is not successful in the commercial market, it does not help its team—or the artist it represents. Mike Ward reiterates this point in his book, Online Journalism, when he states: “…making web journalism work may have commercial potential as well. And yet, there is no viable revenue model for web publishing. One reason for this may be that too many people do it badly” (6).
The premise that too many people are creating a website, as Ward said, “badly” is an obvious reason one would not show much interest in the band or the content. But then the question is to be asked, what exactly constitutes a “bad” webpage? That question is one that could have several answers. However, I think the main point to make would be that many Christian artists’ websites just don’t seem to have the same level or depth and complexity of content that secular ones do. One would probably question why this is so. I think the simplest answer is that unfortunately, it seems that such websites simply aren’t as dedicated in keeping their content and news updated. In other words, their webmasters are lacking qualifications as a true “autodidact.” And what in the world is an autodidact, you ask? Chip Scanlan explains this on PoynterOnline in his article, Online Journalism:Autodidacts Needed. He defines as autodidact as one who “is self taught, has a passion to learn, much patience, and has credible learning resources.” He also gives explanation as to why there aren’t more qualified autodidacts out there: “…because online skills require an enormous investment of time. More time than is available in a seminar or a workshop. Depending on the skill, mastery can take hundreds of solitary hours in front of a computer, or out in the field.” Therefore, if this kind of time and dedication is not reflected in the updated content—or lack thereof—often found on Christian artist’s websites, it is understandable how one may find them less useful than those of a band of a secular nature.
On the other hand, there are also those who see the other side of the coin. Some people believe that Christian websites actually are a more useful source of information and functionality than secular bands. One reason for this is that many people feel a more “personal” sense of interactivity when navigating Christian websites. Often secular sites will display the basic content and ‘must-know’ information of the band or artist, but they do not offer as much of an appeal to the individual as a person. If someone feels like the artist cares about them personally, they are more likely to support them and share that support with other fans and viewers alike. The value of this kind of interactivity is very important. As Ward says: “…the consumer interacts with the consumer, for example, the use of message boards in websites allows readers to exchange views and information. This can provide different textures and perspective" (24).
In addition to the interactive component often found on Christian sites, many people simply respect and appreciate the fact that the site itself seems to hold somewhat of a higher moral quality and standard than one may find within a secular site. This can be reflected not only in the actual content found directly on the Christian site, but also to the external content it provides access to for its readers. For example, the links found on the main page: While a secular website would more likely have links leading to sites that could be both morally questionable and possibly offensive, a Christian website is guaranteed to provide access to content that is both acceptable and “family-friendly.” They realize that providing a link to an external source essentially has the same affect as posting the content directly on their website.
As Rick Edmonds states in his article Online Ethics, from PoynterOnline: “If you provide a link to an external source, what are you saying about its reliability, taste, and transparency?...if accuracy, transparency, and taste are ethical values of an organization, how should those values inform decisions about links? Isn’t linking to below-standard material just another way of publishing it?” This statement reiterates the fact that the content found on a website, in whatever shape or form it appears in, will be and is easily accessible to its audience. If this is the case, it would seem one would be more interested in perusing a site, such as a Christian one, that holds the same quality of standard to its content as the message it and its artist represent.
So in the end, no matter what website you visit, it all comes back to the message. Ask yourself, “What is this site trying to say? What does its artist want to tell me?” If the message the site conveys is communicated both clearly and in a manner that is both morally acceptable and intellectually sound, then the result should be music to your ears.
