Video of Al Jazeera America crew in Ferguson, Missouri...police pointed their camera at the ground

If I were the police:

I would want to take the lights down so they won't interfere with my sight...and, so it won't help others see what I am doing...

And I would point the camera at the ground so it would not record what we were doing.

Video from television station KSDK

Amazon Fire TV, and Bloomberg West's Lee

Edmund Lee was on Bloomberg West discussing the Amazon Fire TV.

The Vice President of Amazon, Peter Larsen, mentioned the Amazon Fire TV device has three-times the processing power of Apple TV and Roku...Lee stated:  "...I don't know how to quantify that..."  And that Larsen's statement was "vague"...

I was stunned.  Was Lee indicating that he didn't understand Larsen's general comparison of performance differences of the units?  I began to wonder to what degree Lee might be "tech-savvy"?  Maybe Larsen didn't mention technical specifications during his presentation.  After the presentation, and before appearing on Bloomberg West, maybe Lee didn't investigate the specifications.

To begin with, the Amazon Fire TV has a quad-core processor.  Competing units have dual-core and single-core processors...

Two phones, one computer (for work)

Some thoughts after reading:

People for Whom One Cellphone Isn't Enough
Many use a second mobile device to keep photos and text messages private

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I've always been able to have a "buffer" between work and my personal life...

Sometimes, I never had a home phone (landline)...didn't feel as if I needed one.  When I did have a landline, I had an answering machine.  Then, an answering service...no phone.  Next, a pager...no phone.  After, (for emergencies) I had a voice pager...no phone.

At one radio station broadcasting company, we had great remote pickup units (RPUs) at the studios and in the vehicles.  I had a portable scanner that monitored the frequencies, and used that as a voice pager.

When a company felt they needed to be able to contact me "at any time", they provided a pager or phone (with service) for me.  One company purchased a vehicle for me to use while I was employed.

Because they wanted to promote their companies as much as possible, others purchased clothing with their logos on it for me to wear.  There was a time when my wardrobe was mostly comprised of shirts and coats from radio stations on them...and it was a very rare occasion when I wasn't wearing them.  I know one guy who, because his company provides his, can always be seen in his uniforms from a public transportation company.  I know a woman I remember regularly seeing in her United States Postal Service uniforms.

I have always had one computer designated for my professional activities.  There are a lot of great reasons to do that.  One is, if you are unable to use your "personal" computer, the odds are in your favor that the one designated for business might not have been exposed to things that may  have compromised the computer you use for personal activities (malware, software and hardware instability, etcetera).

I don't own any phones now...I don't need one:  all of my communications are done via various internet services.

The 2013 State of the News Media...by the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism

“...a news industry that is more undermanned and unprepared to uncover stories, dig deep into emerging ones or to question information put into its hands...”

...31 percent of respondents said they “have stopped turning to a news outlet because it no longer provided them with the news they were accustomed to getting.”

...local television stations have increased their reliance on three main topics — weather, traffic and sports.

“...there is less in-depth journalism being produced...”

...Segments about weather, traffic and sports ate up 40 percent of local newscasts’ time...even though this kind of information “is now available on demand in a variety of digital platforms”...

Nielsen ratings show that the audiences for local television newscasts in 2012 declined...

...the three major cable news channels...have become more politically oriented...Daytime programs on cable news increasingly resembled prime-time talk shows...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/business/media/local-tv-news-is-following-prints-path-study-says.html?_r=0

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...during last year’s presidential campaign, reporters acted more as megaphones than as investigators of the assertions put forward by the campaigns...

...31 percent have stopped turning to a news outlet because it no longer provided them with the news they were accustomed to getting.

Men have left at somewhat higher rates than women, as have the more highly educated and higher-income earners...

...CNN was the only one of the three big cable news channels to produce more straight reporting than commentary.

...Daytime programming now resembles primetime, with interviews and opinion replacing coverage of live events and breaking news.

Viewership of local TV was down in every key time slot...Local TV remains a top news source for Americans...the percentage who say they watched it yesterday is dropping — and dropping sharply among younger people.

...improved geo-targeting is allowing many national advertisers to turn to Google, Facebook and other large networks to buy ads that once might have gone to local news media.

...of Americans...72 percent get most news from friends and family via word of mouth...

http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=23049

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...a news industry that is more undermanned and unprepared to uncover stories, dig deep into emerging ones or to question information put into its hands...the public is taking notice. Nearly one-third of the respondents (31%) have deserted a news outlet because it no longer provides the news and information they had grown accustomed to.

...The government of Malaysia was recently discovered to have bankrolled propaganda that appeared in several major U.S. outlets under columnists’ bylines.  A number of news organizations, including The Associated Press, recently carried a fake press release about Google that came from a PR distribution site that promises clients it will reach “top media outlets.” And recently, journalist David Cay Johnston in writing about a pitch from one corporate marketer that included a “vacation reward” for running his stories, remarked, “Journalists get lots of pitches like this these days, which is partly a reflection of how the number of journalists has shriveled while the number of publicists has grown”...

...Local TV audiences were down across every key time slot and across all networks...Regular local TV viewership among adults under 30 fell...according to Pew Research survey data...the topics people go there for most—weather and breaking news (and to a lesser extent traffic)—are ripe for replacement by any number of Web- and mobile-based outlets...

http://stateofthemedia.org/2013/overview-5/

Nearly one-third—31%—of people say they have deserted a particular news outlet because it no longer provides the news and information they had grown accustomed to...those most likely to have walked away are better educated, wealthier and older than those who did not—in other words, they are people who tend to be most prone to consume and pay for news.

People who said they had forsaken a news outlet were...older than younger, richer than poorer and Republican or independent rather than Democratic...about one-third of Republicans and independents stopped turning to a news outlet...

http://stateofthemedia.org/2013/special-reports-landing-page/citing-reduced-quality-many-americans-abandon-news-outlets/

...CNN is the only one of the three big cable news channels to produce more straight reporting than commentary over all...

In local television, newscasts in recent years have placed an even greater emphasis on traffic, weather and sports...

With younger people tuning out local newscasts, there is growing concern that local TV news may be facing some of the financial challenges that have already battered the newspaper industry...local TV newscasts seem to be doubling down on sports, traffic and weather...

...analysis of cable...over all, commentary and opinion are far more prevalent on the air throughout the day (63% of the airtime) than straight news reporting (37%). CNN is the only channel to offer more reporting (54%) than opinion (46%)...

The already considerable amount of time devoted to sports, weather and traffic on local newscasts has risen even higher...four in ten of the newscasts examined here led with a weather story.

...The average evening news story package lasted 141...

...several significant areas of local news coverage have diminished.

...there has been significant growth in several other topic areas. The airtime devoted to accidents, disasters and unusual events increased...

...Attention to health and medical issues...At ABC, coverage increased...

...At ABC, where observers have noted a growing tendency to focus in on softer news topics, coverage of lifestyle and celebrity stories grew...Coverage of crime on the network jumped...

...at CBS, which has publicly declared its interest in focusing on more hard news, the coverage of lifestyle and celebrity topics dropped significantly...the least amount of coverage of any of the big three networks.

http://stateofthemedia.org/2013/the-changing-tv-news-landscape/

Personality radio...where the hell is it?

Here are some items from an article titled "Hot-Rocking, Flame-Throwing Memories".  The article covers radio programming based in personality.  A lot of the points of this article have been lost to radio station ownership and management.  These are things I learned from working (hard) "in the trenches"...

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“You never had time to look back or to debate very long on decisions...You had to just go on your ‘gut’ because it was fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants programming.”

“People in modern-day radio over-think programming...”

"...I have never heard a boring air-check of ‘Z100′ in the 1980s.  It was always exciting, compelling, and on the edge.  The whole station lived on the edge.  You never knew when we were going to say something crazy or do something stupid.”

"...we were all on a team.”

“Frankly, many companies don’t want personalities who rise above the others because of budgets...there really doesn’t seem to be much training going on in the business.  There certainly is not as much as there was before.”

"...it is still about passion and excitement...Compelling content is more important than ever because everyone now has the same tools...too many stations sound alike.  Stations have the same information and research.  Many stations around the country even have the same personalities...”

"...teach people to have a flame burning in their soul and to have a passion for what they do..."

“I don’t recognize radio people as personalities hardly at all today.  You are lucky if you are able to say just your name – it is amazing.  In most cases, they have no personality.  It is another flip-card situation.  You can hear how restricted they are.  No one is allowing personality radio.  There is no reason for you to listen to radio unless you can find a personality but there are not many of them...”

“It is not what you say – it is how you say it.  You can choose to do, ‘That was/here is’ – or – you can get something done by saying where the artist is from, or some unique situation about the song.  It is called being knowledgeable.  That is a contribution that makes people want to listen.  Unfortunately though, there is no money for talent in radio anymore.  It is something I would not want to do because of what they pay.  It is ridiculous and so sad.”

"...I am not going to get up to check out a CHR morning show...I don’t hear much other than a syndicated Ryan Seacrest...he is basically doing show business stuff and gossip.  There is nothing about that to make me think, ‘Oh my God, that is a fantastic bit – I have to listen tomorrow’...I have not heard much from the others I have listened to, but then again, I do not expect much.”

http://www.radioinfo.com/2012/11/16/hot-rocking-flame-throwing-memories/

FCC Working Group on the Information Needs of Communities

...It effectively tells media companies that the government can’t do much to help them, and the companies had better start adapting.

One of the biggest trends that the FCC flags as important in the report is the loss of what it calls “accountability” journalism, in which news outlets on a local and/or national level cover the government and thereby act as a check on power...

And what does the FCC think can be done to fill it? Not much. As the report notes, it’s not clear how that kind of journalism — which doesn’t tend to attract much advertising interest — is supposed to pay for itself on an ongoing basis...

...media companies need to adapt to the new shape of the industry, and try to learn from alternative models and businesses. Probably the biggest move it recommends is that the government shift some of the $1 billion or so it spends on advertising its own services to smaller and/or alternative news sources, as a way of helping media outlets on the revenue side.

...the report more or less leaves media companies on their own to evolve and adapt without any help from the broadcast regulator...

http://gigaom.com/2011/06/10/fcc-to-media-dont-look-to-us-we-cant-help-you/

FCC report on media warns of decline in quality local news

Local TV is singled out in the report for not covering important issues enough. Alhough the number of hours of local news has increased over the last few years, too few stations "are investing in more reporting on critical local issues," the report said. Furthermore, the report said that although stations may be adding newscasts, they are doing it with fewer reporters.

Even with the additional newscasts, the stories often focus on crime and the reason for that has more to do with with how cheap it is to cover crime stories than it does viewer demand.

"As technology offered consumers new choices, it upended traditional news industry business models, resulting in massive job losses," the FCC said.

The result has been "gaps in coverage that even the fast-growing digital world has yet to fill." Although the digital media may someday can fill the void left by diminishing traditional media, "at this moment the media deficits in many communities are consequential."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2011/06/fcc-report-on-media-warns-of-decline-in-quality-local-news-.html

FCC Report Recommends Moving Government National Ad Spending to Local

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/469464-FCC_Report_Recommends_Moving_Government_National_Ad_Spending_to_Local.php

http://www.fcc.gov/info-needs-communities

internet surpasses TV as "most essential medium"

I love the internet.  As a consumer, I get what I want when I want it...and, I can get content which is not provided by other forms of media (radio, television, etcetera).  As a content producer, I need not worry about crossing a boundary set by another.

"..monthly visitation to radio station Web sites (16 percent) among persons 12+ lags visitation to local TV and local newspaper Web sites."  Probably because radio station web sites don't offer much in the way of local content...other than advertisements...

"The Internet passes TV as most essential medium in Americans' lives: For the first time, more Americans say the Internet is 'most essential' to their lives when given a choice along with television, radio, and newspapers; 42 percent chose the Internet as 'most essential'...television still leads among those over the age of 45, Internet dominates among younger persons age 12 to 44."

The Infinite Dial 2010: Digital Platforms and the Future of Radio

book review: Burying Don Imus

Thanks to the University of Minnesota Press for providing a copy of "Burying Don Imus: Anatomy of a Scapegoat".

The author, Michael Awkward, is a professor in the Department of English Language and Literature, at the University of Michigan.

==============================

When I became aware of this book, I was excited to review it. I've been in radio broadcasting since 1979, and somewhat of a fan of Imus.

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In the covering paper jacket of the hardback book, is written: "...Awkward privides the first balanced, critical analysis of Imus's comments..."

OK...we'll see...

In the preface: "This book explores why so many...felt that Imus's symbolic burial was utterly necessary.."

In the first chapter is a nice two paragraph setup of the career and caricature (if you will) of Imus. It's probably good that Awkward did that, because some who have attacked Imus didn't understand what he has done, and what he does: the style of his programs which have been very consistent...and acceptable in the past (until being fired from MSNBC).

Throughout the chapter, Awkward does a great job of explaining the tone of the program before Imus was fired. If you don't know where Imus came from, you probably don't understand how he got to where he was/is.

Something arose early in the book that annoyed me. (And I expected it would for the rest of the book.) I believe the fault belongs to the publisher. To access a footnote: I had to go to the rear of the book, locate the "Notes" section, and find the note that relates to the chapter...c'mon! Put footnotes, that relate to the chapter I'm reading, at the end of the chapter they are in.

Awkward states that he does not agree with the explanation Imus gave about why the Rutgers womens basketball team should not be made fun of. I won't try to speak for Awkward...I think it's best that it be read from his book so you can find if you understand, and agree, with his position. Due to my personal morals, I will say that I can somewhat agree with Awkward on this.

I almost want to close my review here. With Awkward stating that the basketball team is "fair game", I think that alone should be enough for a lot of people to want to read the book.

Towards the end of the first chapter, he states: "My intention in the following pages is to continue what Imus...started: to consider his skit in terms of the broad 'conext [of] what happens on this program'...the responses to it...the art of comedy...I hope to demonstrate that the conclusions at which people arrived about the nature of the nappy-headed hos skit reflect a failure to consider the comedic context..."

And that is VERY important. In my professional, and personal, life...many things have not been considered in proper and reasonable context. To attempt to defend against misunderstandings and misinterpretations, effort intensive and time consuming framing has been needed to keep material clearly defined. Which, after doing so, depreciates the worth of the attempt at comedy and/or "the joke". Bad jokes happen. Get over it.

In chapter six, "The Appeal of Imus in the Morning", Awkward states he was never aware of Imus until the show was on MSNBC. (I've known about, and tried to study, Imus since I began my radio career.) Because of what I've read in the chapter, I can say that Awkward "gets it".

Awkward mentions his memoirs, "Scenes of Instruction"...which I believe helped him to be open to understanding the program and those of us who like it. (I haven't read "Scenes of Instruction", but I suspect that when I write my memoirs they'll have a similar tone.)

At the end of the book, some post-MSNBC incidents are noted: a comment Imus made about Adam "Pac Man" Jones, a joke by Bernie Mac (that the audience at a fund-raiser for Barak Obama did not appreciate), and D.L. Hughley agreeing with Imus (about the appearance of the basketball team).

Good book. If you were of the opinion that Imus was evil, is evil, should have been fired, and should not have a stage...this book could cause you to consider how attempts at comedy can be viewed, and what can be considered acceptable behavior and attitudes in certain environments by some.

The NSA wiretapping story nobody wanted

"Hear no evil...see no evil..."

The NSA wiretapping story nobody wanted

Posted using ShareThis

How Teens Use Media

I was able to glance over the "June 2009, How Teens Use Media" report from Nielsen...

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Media Consumption of a Typical U.S. Teenager as measured by Nielsen
"...there is no 'typical' teen-age consumer, just as really there is no typical consumer overall..."

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Myth: Teens use media—10 screens at a time
Reality: Teens are more likely than adults to use their media one at a time

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Myth: Teens are abandoning TV for new media
Reality: ...They’re watching more TV than ever
"In the U.S., there’s been a slight shift in teen TV viewing from broadcast to ad-supported cable..."
3 hours,  20 minutes per day
"The most popular genres for U.S. teens are Evening Animation, Participation/Variety and General Drama. Family Guy and American Dad drive the animation category...American Idol...the top U.S. program among teens in 2008—as it was for everyone else..."

Myth: Avid commercial skippers, teens favor the DVR
Reality: Teens prefer their TV live

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PC use
52 minutes daily (including applications)

Myth: Teens use the Internet in wildly different ways than adults
Reality: Teens flock to many of the same categories and sites as adults

Myth: Teens are the most avid users of the Internet
Reality: Teens browse less than half as much as the typical user

Internet, 23 minutes

Myth: Teens are driving the growth of online video
Reality: They watch less online video than their elders
Online video...If they watched, watched 6 minutes per day

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Myth: Teens are the biggest gamers of all
Reality: Teens account for just 23% of the console audience and less than 10% of PC game minutes

The most anticipated video game among gamers 13–17 since 2005 has been Halo 3...Grand Theft Auto IV tied Guitar Hero: Aerosmith for the second most anticipated video game. Mario Party 7 (33%) and Guitar Hero: World Tour (32%) round out the list of the fve most anticipated games...

Console Gaming, 25 minutes daily

Reality: More than a quarter of U.S. teens say they read a daily newspaper and more than a third say they read on Sunday
"...older teens 18–20 measured by Scarborough Research were less likely to read a daily paper than average, but still more than a quarter (29%) of U.S. persons 18–20 say they read a daily newspaper on an average day. About a third, 34%, say they read a paper on an average Sunday.

(Which brings me to the section where I rant) IF YOU GIVE THEM A REASON TO READ IT, MAYBE THEY WILL!!!  No different than TV, radio, vodcasts/podcasts:  give them, your audience, a reason to be interested in your content!  Show an interest in them, and their interests...

Newspaper, 1 in 4 read

I remember the joy of perusing and reading the newpaper with my great-grandparents.  I intentionally would not pay for cable television to force my children to look at the newpaper I would bring home.

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Reality: Radio is the top source of music consumption for 16% of teens globally and the secondary source for another 21%.

"In the U.S., a 2008 study by Scarborough Research showed that 'Pop Contemporary Hit Radio' was the most popular format among older teens 18–20 (listened to by 40% of this segment), followed by Rhythmic Contemporary and Country..."

Reality: Advertisers are more likely to target teens with messages about health and beauty

Myth: U.S. teens are the world’s couch potatoes
Reality: Far from true…South Africans and Indonesians take the prize

Myth: The only way to reach teens over their phone is texting
Reality: Teens text at incredible rates, but are EARLY ADOPTERS OF ALL MOBILE MEDIA

Myth: The silver screen is too old-fashioned and expensive for today’s teens
Reality: Teens go to the movies more than any other age group

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It seems that this demographic is no different than any other:  if you want them, you will need to put in the effort and "fight for them".

Blogged with the Flock Browser

media use survey

"...Ketchum launched Media Myths & Realities, an annual survey of media use in the U.S. and abroad. We conducted the 2008 research this past fall.

"This year’s study again looks at how U.S. consumers use media relative to the ways in which communication professionals deliver their messages...

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[The following is something I have been screaming at my peers in power for decades...and they still don't "get it". Since they don't, they also do not get new "customers"...and keep the ones they had. - S!ick]

...one thing is clear: The number of people seeking and getting advice is increasing.

For consumers facing decisions on what products to buy, where to go for vacation, which doctor to see or how to invest for the future, word-of-mouth may count more than ever...

...how can a company shape such conversations?

Listen.

There are no shortcuts...brands should listen to what people are saying and then ask, “How can we provide value to this community?...”

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[This reminds me of those idiotic promotional announcements that radio stations run on-air, and testimonial television commercials, of "regular"/"normal"/"everyday" people who say they listen to it... - S!ick]

...people will share information about your brand in authentic, organic conversations only if they want to...

...you can’t drive word-of-mouth...

...If a company offers a quality product that delivers something consumers need, someone will talk about it...

...consumers are relying more and more on each other for credible information on products and services.

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...Among U.S. consumers ages 45 and older, the use of search engines rose steadily since 2006, and among those 65 and older it increased by more than 60 percent. At the same time, search engine use has fallen among those 18 to 44, with the youngest adult consumers (ages 18 to 24) showing the biggest drop.

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...the number of American adults using blogs as a source of information has nearly doubled since 2006, from 13 to 24 percent...

"...As newspapers cut back on detailed coverage...blogs filled the void and in some cases have even provided more timely and better information...

"...nonjournalist sites can sometimes be more timely and break stories faster than traditional journalist sites..."

[And we are more willing to be more blunt, passionate, and honest about the subject(s) we post... - S!ick]

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Consumers in the U.S., the U.K. and Brazil turn first to television and the Internet to get information...

[Twice as much as newspapers and radio. Most newspapers are not free, and can be inconvenient to read; most radio stations do not put forth reasonable effort to compete for those in their listening areas and communities... - S!ick]

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Live newscast mishap upsets producer

(I've worked for jerks like this in radio, and have prayed they get caught as well...)

News channel producer goes nuts when his audio to another reporter isn't working.

read more | digg story

How CBS Got Digital Religion

Exhibit A of CBS' newfound enthusiasm for the Web is of course the $1.8 billion purchase of CNET Networks, which closed in June...

(When I've had discussions with management of media companies about strengthening their online services and content, they gave blank stares due to their "tunnel vision". Some never hear and see the train until they get run over...)

read more | digg story

radio stations need REAL music directors

Buzz Out Loud 753: "RIAA killed the radio star" was about the RIAA seeking money from radio stations for playing music...

If I were a radio station that could not afford to pay, I wouldn't. Hire a music director to obtain music from those who will allow it to be aired for free. There's LOTS of better music available than that which is distributed by major record labels. You'll lose the gripings from the record companies representatives, and gain the ears of your community.

In my career, before corporate edicts and computers, I listened to ENTIRE ALBUMS to decide what to play. Incoming music was shared amongst the staff for their opinions and recommendations. We had jock meetings, and "listener panels". We, humans, mixed records together so that the change from one song to another was an art (instead of computers assembling songs based on programmed marks in the files and programs). It was a lot of work, and the final product showed the care put into the choices and selections...as well as in the on-air atmosphere.

Music is not the only prized content we, as broadcasters, have to deliver to listeners. If you can only keep listeners by playing music, pay the ("protection") money to the RIAA.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

CD-R longevity

Factors that contribute: dye...reflective layer (gold, aluminum, or some form of silver)...lacquer or other protectant...CD burners...environment (temperature, humidity, exposure to light) and handling (fingerprints, scratches, frequency of use)...

read more | digg story

Here's the link to a post I made on the TechtalkRadio blog...

Time calls Ars Technica an "overrated blog"

(If I'm missing something, then shame on me...)

Time is no longer on my list of "magazines I should look through": "...Verdict: too much technology. Hardly any art. And lose the fruity name."

Unless they have an acceptable explanation for the "hardly any art" comment, they are too much out of touch. If it was supposed to be funny, it ain't...