The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Newsworld has produced a series call The End, in which they explore the forecasted looming death of television, print, and radio. I think a more apt title might have been “The End of Radio As We Know It.” I don’t think anyone thinks radio or TV or newspapers (well, maybe newspapers) are really going away. They’re just undergoing big changes. You can watch the special on the CBC website (about 25 min). Look for the little video icon on the right side of the page. [I Love Radio]
Category Archives: Media & Culture
I am not a team player
I think I cooperate and collaborate well, but I’m not good at being on The Team. Coaches and Team Leaders tell us, “Come on! We can accomplish so much more if we work together as a Team. We gotta pull together!” Once a Team is formed, one of the first orders of business is to choose a “team captain” who tells the rest of the Team what to do. They tend to have the greatest appreciation for the need for “teamwork.” This is exactly the kind of thinking that makes me a poor team player.
But I love to play the game. Hated Little League…loved playing Indian Ball in the field in front of our house. Hated varsity basketball…loved pick-up games at the park. We had teams but they were temporary. We’d play a couple of games and then switch up sides. If the game was too one-sided, we’d adjust the teams to get a closer game. It was about having a good game, see? Not which team won.
Religion has teams (Baptists, Methodists, Catholics, Episcopalians, Lutherans, etc.) and leagues (Christians; Jews; Muslims; etc.). If you are “on” a team, it’s okay to hate –and sometimes kill– members of the other team. Usually God (yours, not theirs) says it’s okay to do this. Sometimes you even have to die for your team.
There are only two teams in the game of politics: Republicans and Democrats. If you want to play, you have to be on one of those teams. Recently, politics has gotten all mixed up with religion. The star player for the Republican team is a dim-witted good old boy with a rich daddy, but very religious. If you believe the polls, almost nobody –including the folks on his own team– thinks this guy is doing a good job. If the other team (in this case, the Democrats) wasn’t waiting in the dugout to say “we told you so,” most people on the Republican team would send W and his pals back to Texas where he couldn’t do much harm.
The United States Congress is hopelessly fucked up and it’s all because of the teams. Is there even anything in our constitution about Republicans and Democrats? I don’t think so. So here’s what I’d do. At the beginning of every session of congress, we divide up into two groups, by random drawing. Instead of parties or teams, we’ll call one group the Chipmunks and the other the Ground Squirrels (so they won’t take themselves so seriously). If you get reelected and come back next year, you might be in the other group so there’s no point in fucking them over this year. Since we’re reshuffling the deck every year and you don’t have any permanent “team members,” it becomes more about the game than the teams.
All of which explains why I was always chosen last.
73% of U. S. now online
Latest Pew Internet Survey (PDF): 73% of respondents (about 147 million adults) are internet users, up from 66% (about 133 million adults) in January 2005 survey. And the share of Americans who have broadband connections at home has now reached 42% (about 84 million), up from 29% (about 59 million) in January 2005.
Percentages vary by education and income, but no more than you might expect. No idea how accurate the survey results but I continue to be amazed at how many people refuse to believe this is happening. Or, perhaps, don’t want it to be happening. No idea why.
WSJ’s Walt Mossberg on Internet and Radio
One of the highlights of this week’s NAB 2006 Las Vegas convention was the keynote speaker at Tuesday’s Radio Luncheon, the Wall Street Journal’s technology columnist, Walt Mossberg. Some of his comments, as reported by Kurt Hanson:
“Internet” won’t be an “activity” in a few years. Currently, we talk about ‘surfing the Web’ or ‘being on the Internet’ or ‘I’m going online tonight’ as a discreet activity we perform on a PC, but in ten years, those phrases will sound absurd. When you watch TV, you may be on the Internet; when you listen to radio, you may be on the Internet. The Internet will not be an activity you do on a PC – it will be like the electrical grid. It will be all around you! I predict that talking about the Internet will fade, as we talk instead about devices, about software, and about services and content.
On the effect of iPods on radio:
“We passed a milestone: There are now 50 million iPods out there. My music tastes don’t fit into the little boxes that Clear Channel in my market has decided I need to fit into. Your job is not just to string together a bunch of songs in a row, but to put on exciting new programming to attract new listeners and beat the iPod.”
I wonder what Walt would say to the upcoming meeting of StateNets, the trade group that represents state networks (like the ones Learfield owns). A co-worker in the office next to mine helps organize the event. I’ll ask if they have a keynote speaker. Props to the NAB guys for inviting Mossberg.
Podcasting a viable medium?
There’s been considerable debate about how iPod/MP3 ownership impacts radio listening. According to Jacobs Media’s Technology Web Poll II (conducted in late February, 2006, among more than 25,000 respondents), iPods are cutting into time spent listening to radio. About one-fifth of iPod/MP3 player owners say they listen mostly or exclusively to these devices. Four in ten now split their listening between iPods and radio, while over one-third primarily listen to the radio. The survey suggests that podcasting is also having an impact. One-fifth (22%) of those who own an iPod or portable MP3 player say they’ve downloaded/listened to a podcast: Of this group, nearly two-thirds (64%) subscribe to at least one podcast, and a majority listens to most or all podcasts that come their way. [via RAIN]
Seems like there’s another report every week and the findings are all over the place. So pick the one you like.
Mark Cuban getting show on Sirius
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is getting his own two-hour weekly show on Sirius Satellite Radio. Cuban says he’s “going to cover everything and anything, from sprots to business to technology, movies and entertainment.” This just seems so much more interesting than David Lee Roth or Bob Dylan, for that matter. But not enough to make me switch. One of your Sirius subscribers could aircheck and send me an MP3 file. If you loved me. Wonder what sort of format they’ll use? [Ft. Worth Star-Telegram via RAIN]
Sat radio awareness climbs; half of teens own iPod
According to a new study by Edison Media Research and Arbitron, both XM and Sirius have 61% awareness levels among American consumers. The research also showed some evidence of early use and interest in podcasting. Given a detailed description of podcasting, about one in ten people aged 12-plus said they had ever listened to an audio podcast, about half the number who had heard of podcasting. The podcast audience skews younger and more upscale than the general population. Nearly one in four Americans and more than half of teens own an iPod or other portable digital music player. [Billboard Radio Monitor] Thanks, Ben.
Web surfers see only what they want
Certainly no surprise to anyone that designs or (in my case) maintains websites. A few specifics from recent study by Jakob Nielsen’s Nielsen Norman Group:
- Individuals read Web pages in an “F” pattern. They’re more inclined to read longer sentences at the top of a page and less and less as they scroll down. That makes the first two words of a sentence very important.
- Surfers connect well with images of people looking directly at them. It helps if the person in the photo is attractive, but not too good-looking. Photos of people who are clearly professional models are a turnoff.
- People respond to pictures that provide useful information, not just decoration.
And my favorite: When there is less on a page, users read more.
Scott Adams: Ask my opinion
Scott Adams recently invited readers to “ask for my opinion on any topic and I will give it to you in the clearest possible terms (as many as I can get to).” They did and he did. And I found myself agreeing with about 98% of his answers. A few of my favorites:
Q. Who, out of any person, would do the best job of dictator with total control of the world, and please give a real response.
A. Bill Gates. He’s rational, experienced, and has a good track record of helping the disadvantaged through his charitable trusts.
Q. Can you give an easy solution for all the Middle East problems, including but not limited to ethnic issues, religious issues, corruption issues, oil issues, nuclear issues, and last but not least, the poor history of this region in the soccer world cup?
A. There is no solution. But I often wonder what would happen if we surrendered, apologized for interfering in the region, and withdrew all financial and military support for everyone including Israel. I think Israel would survive just fine, countries would still sell us plenty of oil, and our enemies would get busy killing each other. We learned from the Cold War that enemies really do need a reason to want to kill you. It’s not for entertainment.
Q. Most futuristic thing you wish would be invented now?
A. Orgasm ray gun.
Yes, some corporations can podcast.
Despite the doubts I raised in the previous post, there is plenty of podcast cream rising to surface. In the interest of balance, I thought I should mention a couple:
The Castrol SYNTEC folks hired Funkmaster Flex to host their Unlock the Power podcasts. The Funkmaster is a DJ and car customizing expert who hosts tv shows like ESPN2’s All Muscle and Spike TV’s Ride with Funkmaster Flex.
I listened to a 13 minute interview with NHRA driver Ashley Force. About half-way through Ashley puts in a plug for Castrol but it flow nicely with the interview and sounded…honest. Much more effecitve than a produced thirty-second spot. Be interesting to see how they work in the sponsor if the interviewee is not a driver. [via Micro Persuasion]
MommyCast is a couple of moms “holding the world together, one child at at time.” They just about They’ve produced 72 shows and generated enough of a following to attact a sponsosr (Dixie). The one I listened to was about dads who stay at home, or wish to take an active role in raising their children much to the dismay of their employers. The sponsor got a quick mention in the open and again at the close and a “brought to you by Dixie” graphic on the website.