Medialoper

We're Not Who You Think We Are

My TV, Anywhere

by

The Slingbox — that cool little device that allows you to watch your TV anywhere that has a computer with a broadband connection — has just taken a huge leap forward into the world of anything, anytime, anywhere.

They’ve created a version that will send the contents of your TV to Windows Mobile palmtops and cellphones.

That’s all. 

And yet that’s everything. This trumps all other TV content made for mobile devices for one simple reason: it’s your own TV.  It’s “your own” content. It’s content that you’ve chosen to record.  

So cool that it almost makes me wish I had a use for it in my real life.

The Daily Loper – March 22, 2006

by

Todays links of interest:

La Polémique De Apple

by

While I love my Nano, and I enjoy using iTunes, the one thing that cheeses me off are the hoops I have to jump through to play iTunes music I’ve legally purchased on non-Apple products. For example, I recently purchased the entire first season of “The Ricky Gervais Show” podcasts from Audible (cos I’m a latecomer, which is defined in weeks anymore), and I had to waste 6 CDs converting it to .mp3. WTF? That ain’t right.

[Read more…] about La Polémique De Apple

Radio Killed The Radio Star, Part Two

by

Part Two: The Role of The Curator, Or Why Disk Jockeys Could Be More Relevant Than Ever

Continuing analysis of the SXSW panel called “The Future of Radio”. Panelists included moderator Kevin Smokler, Celia Hirschman of Downtown Marketing and KCRW, Roman Mars of WBEZ, Elise Nordling from SomaFM, and Tim Westergren of Pandora, bringing together lifelong radio listeners, public radio professionals, Internet radio stars, and purveyors of social networking applications. Part One is here.

New services (like, oh, Medialoper) are designed to help consumers sift through the mass of media being thrown their way. In the past, disk jockeys served as curators of music. In today’s world, the increased level of programming makes the curator process even more important. This means aligning consumers with trusted sources of information. A trust relationship develops between the two parties — without that trust — in taste, quality, integrity — the consumer goes away.

[Read more…] about Radio Killed The Radio Star, Part Two

TV Shows on DVD I’d Like To See

by

One of my favorite niche sites out there is Gord Lacey’s TV Shows on DVD, which is exactly what it claims to be: a place where you can learn about TV Shows on DVD. It’s essentially a compendium of news/rumours/release dates (Battlestar Galactica 2.5 is coming out in early September?!?), reviews, and a place where you can vote for shows that haven’t quite made it to DVD.

Anyways, just for the hell of it, here’s my list of shows that I’m still waiting to see on DVD (or On-Demand) (or even downloadable):

[Read more…] about TV Shows on DVD I’d Like To See

The Daily Loper – March 21, 2006

by

Todays links of interest:

Press Room? I Said Rest Room!

by

You’d be hard pressed to find a more digital savvy group of people than the ones who attend SXSW Interactive. The vast majority of conference attendees are armed with laptops and logged onto the ubiquitous wireless available throughout the City of Austin. Most of the attendees have at least one blog that they post to on a regular basis (I think the average is actually 2.32 blogs per attendee, but I’m having trouble fact checking that number). It’s like an army of field reporters have descended on a conference to provide coverage from every possible angle.

Don’t believe me? Check out:

All of this just makes the fact that there is still a SXSW Press Room seem that much more archaic. What the hell happens in that room? Seriously, what sort of special accommodations could “real” reporters need that aren’t already available to every attendee?
I’ve racked my brain on this one and the only things I can come up with are:

  • Comfortable chairs
  • Fax Machines
  • D Cell Batteries

On the last day of the 2005 conference renowned CSS Guru Eric Meyer was called to task for daring to take photos of his friends without proper press credentials. I guess security hadn’t notice the 9,000+ session photos uploaded to flicker over the previous four days. Meyer played along and was ultimately granted a press pass for his camera. Apparently media credentials are now just a bureaucratic formality.

Meanwhile, the SXSW Press Room lives on, like some kind of vestigial organ completely out of place in the 21st century.

On CBS’s Verizon

by

Our in-house CBS analyst tells us that CBS has put a rare right foot forward in its new deal with Verizon Communications. Like all new cable channels, Verizon’s Fios TV (yes, that’s really the name) needs content. The solution? Pay CBS approximately fifty cents a subscriber for the privilege of, yes, broadcasting network content.

Though both parties are mum on the actual fee structure, Leslie Moonves is chortling and rubbing his hands together. Verizon is a little more subdued:

Verizon spokesman Eric Rabe wouldn’t confirm that the company is paying fees. “Value flows both directions,” he said.

Unlike ABC, CBS is standalone company — no cable network behind it to provide back rubs and rebroadcasts. Since lost advertising dollars are into production money, Moonves and team needed to get creative with cash flow in order to produce more product (also, bump up executive bonuses, but that’s probably a side consideration, this being Hollywood and all). Getting cable networks to pay on a per-subscriber basis for content is, actually, a pretty smart move (so smart, CBS is negotiating with AT&T in the same manner). Whether other cable operators fall for the same trick remains to be seen.

Verizon will pick up CBS-owned stations in various markets, approximately 18 stations.

Radio Killed The Radio Star, Part One

by

Part One: The Music Industry Doesn’t Have A Clue, And The Government Isn’t Helping Either

Remember when it was just video killing the radio star? Today, it’s the Internet and satellite and the iPod and, let’s be frank, general boredom with the medium. Does radio have a future in a digital world?

This was the topic of a SXSW panel called “The Future of Radio” (perhaps it’s a sign of the times that the podcast doesn’t seem to be online yet, but the video is — link below). Panelists included moderator Kevin Smokler, Celia Hirschman of Downtown Marketing and KCRW, Roman Mars of WBEZ, Elise Nordling host of Indie Pop Rocks from SomaFM, and Tim Westergren of Pandora, bringing together lifelong radio listeners, public radio professionals, Internet radio stars, and purveyors of social networking applications.

Before the session started, I eavesdropped on a conversation between two long-time radio professionals. At one point, the man said, “I’m very, very interested in podcasting.” And I’m thinking, “So you should be, so you should be.”

[Read more…] about Radio Killed The Radio Star, Part One

The Daily Loper – March 20, 2006

by

Todays links of interest: