Entertainment law expert John Branca has decades of experience in the music industry, making artists from all backgrounds value his input and perspective. However, many of Branca’s insights could apply to anyone, especially when he gives opinions about today’s media.
Beyond the Mass Media’s Perspective
During an interview with Brian Price at Harvard University, the top attorney expressed how one of the main challenges in today’s society is to give people the true picture of an artist. In the video below, Branca clarified how skilled people help influence public opinion.
There’s the way that the media portrays an artist, as well as the performer’s true self. Those two entities are not necessarily the same. Branca also pointed out that the changing media landscape poses additional challenges. Reading mainstream newspapers does not always give a reader truthful, unbiased information.
Today’s media reporters are under constant pressure to compete with blogs, which often means rushing to get their stories out first. Unfortunately, that need for speed may result in incomplete reporting that helps perpetuate an incorrect narrative. Correcting it is especially vital when someone is in the international spotlight, such as a celebrity or musician.
Separating the Art From the Artist
During his interview at Harvard, Branca also acknowledged that some artists get associated with negative publicity that they don’t always deserve. Elsewhere, he has also spoken at length about the need for artists to protect their legacies and think about how people remember them after they’re gone.
One recent trend involves deceased artists getting new lives of sorts when companies create holograms of them. Although that’s arguably a way for devoted fans to recreate something as close as possible to seeing the artist in concert again, some people wonder if it’s better to let the artists rest in peace.
Going back to the need to keep the artist separated from their work, Branca confirmed during the Harvard interview that there are cases when a member of an artist’s team might still believe in them despite negative publicity.
Then, it might make the most sense to agree to work with them and know that they are more than the publicity connected with them. After all, it’s almost unheard of to find anyone in the public eye that has wholly escaped negative publicity.
Upholding the Truth
John Branca’s extensive understanding of the music industry means that his clients often call upon him for a variety of needs, whether related to management or selling their music publishing catalogs. However, the effects of media on the music industry is a topic that has come up in interviews outside of the Harvard engagement.
In another recent interview, Branca explained that he works closely with experienced public relations firms, and such relationships are often crucial when the media’s portrayal of an artist strays from the truth. When a publication’s main goal is to sell newspapers and magazines, its reporters often veer into sensationalism.
However, Branca’s team may intervene and insist that the truth gets told in those cases. Due to the massive reach of the internet and social media, it often doesn’t take long for the public to grasp onto a news story that’s not entirely, or even mostly, true.
Branca’s expertise on the media’s power reminds us that it’s often necessary to look deeper to get the full story. Doing that is an effective way to get the most accurate information, whether regarding a local story or a celebrity’s newest achievement.
