Author Archives: Steve Mays

Why TV sites lag newspaper sites

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Lost Remote’s Cory Bergman explains –again– why TV station websites lag behind newspaper sites. He identifies two root problems:

“The first is the fact that broadcast scripts are not appropriate to read online. They must be rewritten, usually by a web producer because the reporter A) “doesn’t have time” or B) can’t write. From a financial perspective, the time rewriting this script is a wasted cost. Reporters should write their own web stories — multiple updates throughout the day if needed — following AP style.

The second is the misguided notion that a TV station’s web staff is there just to repurpose TV stories with a few extras here and there. As a result, TV sites are oppressively heavy on crime/fires/accidents and feature thin TV versions of newspaper and AP stories.”

I read countless stories and posts like this and the thing that always gnaws at me is the the complete absence of any mention of radio station websites. Zip. Nada.

Direct mail spam

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Envelopeclipping
Tonight’s mail included a "letter" addressed to Perry S. Mays (Nobody uses my full name). There was no return address. Inside was what appeared to be a newspaper clipping tagged with a yellow Post-It note which read: "Perry: Check this out! (signed) J"

Of course the newspaper "story" is bullshit, although there is nothing in the copy that would clue the clueless on this point.

I wish I could give the dealer –Reagan Hyundai in Jefferson City– the benefit of the doubt. They weren’t trying to snooker their way into unsuspecting homes… it was just a little joke. April Fools Day a week or so early. Gotcha!

Maybe.

But if this shit works, it means there’s some kind of creepy reverse Darwinism at work. In time, only the mentally impaired will be lured onto the lot.

Everything about this is designed to trick someone into reading about about your sale. To fool them. One would almost think the public doesn’t want to hear from you. But why would that be?

Sirius-XM merger approved

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“The companies have pledged that the combined firm will offer listeners more pricing options and greater choice and flexibility in the channel lineups they receive. If the deal is approved, the companies have said they would offer pricing plans ranging from $6.99 per month, for 50 channels offered by one service, up to $16.99 a month, where subscribers would keep their existing service plus choose channels offered by the other service.” [AP]

I think I’m paying about $13 a month and listen to far fewer than 50 channels. I’d love to see an even lower price for 10 channels. Stay tuned.

13% no long have landline

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“Americans without a landline are increasingly the Achilles Heel of research.  The most recent government statistics show 13% of the population (18+) no longer has a landline.  Arbitron SVP of marketing Bill Rose says “It’s getting tougher and tougher for us.”  So their researchers have begun testing a new methodology to reach out to those consumers, who are protected by strict government guidelines on calling mobile phones. It works like this: Arbitron compares addresses against a list of known landline phone numbers.  When they find an address without a number, they mail a survey that encourages consumers to share their cell number for future contact. ” — INSIDE RADIO:

Oh yeah, sign me up for that.

Tommy Lee Jones, then and now

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We watched In the Valley of Elah last night (rented from iTunes). I was pleasantly surprised to learn it was a murder mystery (sort of). Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron and Susan Sarandon all gave powerful performances.

For me the story was about how war can change the people we send to fight it. And I was reminded of one of Tommy Lee Jones’ earlier movies, Rolling Thunder (1977).

It was a so-so movie starring William Devane but Jones owned every scene he was in. He played Cpl. Johnny Vohden, a soldier who had served under Devane’s character in Viet Nam. Johnny is back, but he’s not “back.”

So, when Devane asks him to go down to Mexico to avenge Devane’s murdered family, Tommy Lee gets up, walks into his bedroom, picks up a little gym bag  and walks out the door. See the movie.

In In the Valley of Elah, Jones’ son, who is serving in Iraq, is that same burned out soldier with the thousand-yard stare.

TLJ was great in No Country for Old Men, but I thought his performance in Valley of Elah was even better.

Clay Shirky: “Here Comes Everybody”

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My last post on Clay Shirky’s terrific book, “Here Comes Everybody.” I believe and hope that we’re in the midst of a revolution. Mr. Shirky makes the case far better than I ever could.

“I’m old enough to know a lot of things just from life experience. I know that newspapers are where you get your political news and how you look for a job. I know that if you want to have a conversation with someone, you call them on the phone. I know that complicated things like software and encyclopedias have to be created by professionals. In the last fifteen years I’ve had to unlearn every one of those things and a million others, because they have stopped being true.”

I’ve posted a few times that I have more faith in technology than people but this book has made me rethink that.

Authentic coffeehouse experience

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“Howard D. Schultz, the chief executive of Starbucks, announced sweeping changes on Wednesday for the company as it seeks to reconnect with customers who have left for competitors or pared back their coffee budget in hard economic times. The initiatives are intended to restore an authentic coffeehouse experience to the stores and, in turn, re-energize an ailing stock that has lost half its value in the last 15 months.” — NYT

I’ve never thought of Starbucks as “an authentic coffeehouse experience.” You can still find that in some cities. Madison, Wisconsin has some great coffee shops. And we have a nice one here in Jefferson City.

The Coffee Zone is my favorite hang-out. Taisir is the owner and he’s there every morning at 6:30 (that’s when he opens, I’m sure he’s there earlier).

He knows what his regulars drink and often has it for them by the time they step up to the counter. He’s got free wifi and plays an eclectic mix of music that beat’s Starbucks hands down.

When I come back from a trip I sometimes tease, “I got me some Starbucks while I was in (wherever).”  To which Taisir replies, “Tastes like Maxwell House, yes?”

O. Kay Henderson: The Voice of Iowa

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“She’s the voice of Iowa. If you want to deliver a message and you’re not talking to Kay, you’re not doing it effectively.” — Tommy Vietor, Iowa Spokesman for Senator Barack Obama.

Kaytribpic

The quote is from a nice piece that ran in the Chicago Tribune on January 1st. I’m posting it here so I –and Kay’s many friends– can find it.