Peer-to-Peer
| The Rise of "Peer-to-Peer" Pop Culture |
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In the 1990s, the growth of the anime and game software industries was driven by a reduction in the size and weight of computers and the growth of the Internet. Digital technologies, such as interactivity, computer graphics, 3D, and Internet games gave birth to new ways of expression.
The structure of business is changing as well, due to diversification of the media through digital broadcasting, broadband Internet, and mobile technology. Distribution costs are falling rapidly. The market is going global. Producers have a direct connection with consumers.
The digital transformation is driving the growth of new markets, such as e-mail, web sites, mobile networks, ring tones, photo mail, and video mail. It is creating new cultures, new customs, and new businesses. The popularity of fee-based content, such as ring tones, fortune-telling, and games, is shaping the popular industry and culture. In the mobile network arena, new venture firms have sprung up to develop contents to fill the mobile network market. These start-up firms have created a multitude of web sites and created new markets practically overnight.
Even more important is the fact that this digital transformation is tearing down the wall between professionals and amateurs. Digital technology makes it simple for anyone to create and share information. The digital transformation makes the "Everyone is a creator" concept a reality.
In the analog age, content was created by a handful of professionals and consumed by the general public. The world was swept up by this "Hollywood Model" of production and distribution. With the digital era's "Peer-to-Peer Model," contents are created collaboratively, through participation, sharing, and exchange. The fact that Japan is holding its own in this race is strategically important for its improvement of its digital contents trade balance.
| Digital Content Types |
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