And the week's barely begun...
Mark Cuban has a few things to say about the U.S. federal communications regulator and telecommunications companies push towards being able to charge more for "non-essential' data flow and how it may affect digital TV in the future.
"In an ala carte world, the ala carte applies not just to consumers choosing between TV networks, but distributors choosing which applications to offer. Cable MSOs, Satcos and Telcos want their stock price to go up. They want to make more money. There is the very real possibility, and I would say likelihood that as new software applications come along, and they will, they could successfully compete for bits on distributors networks to the exclusion of TV bits. Im not saying digital TV would go away, it wont. But could substantially less bandwidth be allocated to TV ? Of course."
Yeah, cute. Nice post. And while it's a good warning to any country entering the world of high speed internet with powerful telecommunications companies to put their foot down, it's not quite relevant to the Australian experience (yet).
Then I got to the end and felt I should post his quote because I can see it being something I should keep in my head for the future.
"Its always a mistake to listen to your customers. The goal of any organization should be to give their customers or constituents what they will want, not what they did want. Its not the job of the customer to know their future consumption habits. Its your job"
Monday, April 17, 2006
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Australian Cross-Media Ownership Laws
I'll readily admit it. I'm on the GetUp.org mailing list. This means that every now and then I get emails asking me to sign online petitions, championing progressive causes such as fighting the recent Industrial Relations laws, looking after asylum detainee's rights and asking for a much needed budget increase for the A.B.C.
Regular readers of King Leonard - The Weblog will know that three weeks ago Communications Minister Helen Coonan released her intentions to reform the Australian Media landscape. Now, a lot has been spoken about the implications of what's in this package, and no doubt much more will be written as the major media players submit their opinions by Tuesday next week (what a stupid date, the day after Easter long weekend).
(From the "Meeting the Digital Challenge" media release)
The cross-media rules would be amended to allow cross-media transactions to proceed, subject to there remaining a minimum number of commercial media groups in the relevant market (four in regional markets, five in mainland state capitals).
And so it is that Get Up! has decided to enter the political fray, with a particular bent on the proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws.
"Media diversity is essential to our democracy.
It means we get to hear more than one side of the story. It helps us hold leaders accountable and prevents large corporations from wielding undue influence."
A valid point. In our changing media world the fact remains that the most massive consumption is still through television, radio and print. When one person or company holds multiple voices, with no obvious connection between them, it does mean differences of opinion can be efffectively shut down; not a good thing in a free and democratic society.
However, that view, to my mind, doesn't take into account the ever increasing impact of the internet, both in the existing media's ability to diversify and the public's ability to have their opinion heard (or, more recently, seen). For over a decade now we've had TV and radio stations delivering stories in print. Now we have newspapers and radio stations creating video content. And I have to tell you, I think it's great to see. The more media companies realise their key product is "information" or "stories" rather than "TV" or "Movies" or "Radio" or "Magazines", the easier it will be to get them to start facing the future and create content to suit. Of course, even newspapers with video cameras have their down side (an interesting outcome. Interested to see where this one takes us).
Then there's the ever growing base of user-generated content, citizen journalism and other recent buzzwords relating to regular people being given the ability to create and distribute their content online, not to mention a solidifying number of "Web 2.0" companies giving their audience the ability to pick and choose news sources quickly and easily. Despite the dire warnings of some, it is to my mind an activity of social responsibility worth pursuing. To this end, the more important discussion in this country is not whether Packer wants to buy out Fairfax (why would they now? All they wanted was the classified dollars. They've got that with their recently purchased classifieds websites. Why bother with a newspaper when you've got to create all that annoying filler. You know, content!) but rather whether creative people in this country will have access to distribute and download content easily and fairly, and that is a discussion relating to a slightly different, but increasingly connected, section of Australian telecommunications.
"Telstra and the ACCC are negotiating the regulation of the company's proposed $3 billion fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) network, using a mixture of private horse-trading and public bluster.
So basically, I guess I'd like to see a Get Up! petition campaign that sounds a little something like this.
"At no time have regular Australians had such a potential to voice their opinions on the issues that matter the most to them. The advent of affordable and easy to use publishing of text, audio and video via high speed internet access, far from merely being an avenue for illegal file sharing or MMORPG's, has the ability to create a democratic forum unheard of in human history.
However, bickering by the country's major telecommunications company, Telstra, still predominantly owned by the Australian people, with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), itself a government owned institution, has halted the much needed rollout of FTN (Fibre-To-Node) infrastructure to ensure equality of access to this resource to all Australians.
We urge the Minister for Communications, Senator Helen Coonan, who has noted that unless broad steps are taken to resolve issues of digital communications Australia faces a genuine risk of becoming "a dinosaur of the analogue age", to find a way to break this impasse and push forward with this essential service to all Australians."
Yeah, it's kind of wordy (and a little tongue-in-cheek) but I think it gets the point across.
As always, any random visitor who drops by on their way somewhere more interesting is encouraged to have their say. Kind of the point, really.
Regular readers of King Leonard - The Weblog will know that three weeks ago Communications Minister Helen Coonan released her intentions to reform the Australian Media landscape. Now, a lot has been spoken about the implications of what's in this package, and no doubt much more will be written as the major media players submit their opinions by Tuesday next week (what a stupid date, the day after Easter long weekend).
(From the "Meeting the Digital Challenge" media release)
Key Proposals
2.3 MEDIA OWNERSHIP AND CONTROLThe cross-media rules would be amended to allow cross-media transactions to proceed, subject to there remaining a minimum number of commercial media groups in the relevant market (four in regional markets, five in mainland state capitals).
And so it is that Get Up! has decided to enter the political fray, with a particular bent on the proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws.
"Media diversity is essential to our democracy.
It means we get to hear more than one side of the story. It helps us hold leaders accountable and prevents large corporations from wielding undue influence."
A valid point. In our changing media world the fact remains that the most massive consumption is still through television, radio and print. When one person or company holds multiple voices, with no obvious connection between them, it does mean differences of opinion can be efffectively shut down; not a good thing in a free and democratic society.
However, that view, to my mind, doesn't take into account the ever increasing impact of the internet, both in the existing media's ability to diversify and the public's ability to have their opinion heard (or, more recently, seen). For over a decade now we've had TV and radio stations delivering stories in print. Now we have newspapers and radio stations creating video content. And I have to tell you, I think it's great to see. The more media companies realise their key product is "information" or "stories" rather than "TV" or "Movies" or "Radio" or "Magazines", the easier it will be to get them to start facing the future and create content to suit. Of course, even newspapers with video cameras have their down side (an interesting outcome. Interested to see where this one takes us).
Then there's the ever growing base of user-generated content, citizen journalism and other recent buzzwords relating to regular people being given the ability to create and distribute their content online, not to mention a solidifying number of "Web 2.0" companies giving their audience the ability to pick and choose news sources quickly and easily. Despite the dire warnings of some, it is to my mind an activity of social responsibility worth pursuing. To this end, the more important discussion in this country is not whether Packer wants to buy out Fairfax (why would they now? All they wanted was the classified dollars. They've got that with their recently purchased classifieds websites. Why bother with a newspaper when you've got to create all that annoying filler. You know, content!) but rather whether creative people in this country will have access to distribute and download content easily and fairly, and that is a discussion relating to a slightly different, but increasingly connected, section of Australian telecommunications.
"Telstra and the ACCC are negotiating the regulation of the company's proposed $3 billion fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) network, using a mixture of private horse-trading and public bluster.
(Telstra CEO, Sol) Trujillo has declared that if Telstra gets shafted on wholesale pricing of the existing wire network (unconditioned local loop or ULL pricing) the FTTN network won't get built, and it might not get built anyway if he doesn't get "regulatory certainty"."
"Without that, this country will be stuck in the dark ages with massive broadband inequality. The 20 per cent of the population who happen to live within 1.5 kilometres of a telephone exchange would be able to get quite fast broadband speeds (up to 24 megabits per second - a quarter of the speed they're now getting in Korea and Japan); everybody else would be stuck with the misnamed broadband we now have (256 kilobits, which is not broadband at all)."
"This, it seems to me, should be a clear aim of national policy, and it should be the Minister's job to see that it happens. The trouble is that the debate has gone up the blind alley of ADSL.
ULL/ADSL and FTTN are entirely different things but they are being lumped together simply because the ACCC is coincidentally deciding on the regulation of both at the same time and Telstra is trying to use ULL leverage to get a good outcome on FTTN."
I don't even want to go into my thoughts on Testra at the moment, and in the danger of allowing a single organisation or closely aligned monopoly to own the future media infrastructure (issues the U.S. are dealing with now) but I see the ongoing issue of true broadband connectivity as a more important issue than media ownership laws, especially ones that hold provisions for "a minimum number of commercial media groups in the relevant market".So basically, I guess I'd like to see a Get Up! petition campaign that sounds a little something like this.
"At no time have regular Australians had such a potential to voice their opinions on the issues that matter the most to them. The advent of affordable and easy to use publishing of text, audio and video via high speed internet access, far from merely being an avenue for illegal file sharing or MMORPG's, has the ability to create a democratic forum unheard of in human history.
However, bickering by the country's major telecommunications company, Telstra, still predominantly owned by the Australian people, with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), itself a government owned institution, has halted the much needed rollout of FTN (Fibre-To-Node) infrastructure to ensure equality of access to this resource to all Australians.
We urge the Minister for Communications, Senator Helen Coonan, who has noted that unless broad steps are taken to resolve issues of digital communications Australia faces a genuine risk of becoming "a dinosaur of the analogue age", to find a way to break this impasse and push forward with this essential service to all Australians."
Yeah, it's kind of wordy (and a little tongue-in-cheek) but I think it gets the point across.
As always, any random visitor who drops by on their way somewhere more interesting is encouraged to have their say. Kind of the point, really.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
The future of the TV commercial is from the past | Blog Maverick
It's been a while since I dropped past Mark Cuban's weblog. A pity I've left it so long, because who knows how many other posts like this I've missed?
"I think the traditional commercial break will be the salvation of TV.
Crazy. How can I say that you say. What is my logic you ask.
Well, I would make one big change. I would make commercials live productions.
Thats right, live commercials. Straight out of the 1950s."
"...after the kicker misses a field goal, and we cut to the Levitra commercial.. Cue former player “If that guy would have hit that field goal, his wife would have been all over him to celebrate, but this late in the season, performance on the field and off can be tough. When I played, Iused Levitra. And you know what ? When I had a 4 hour erection, I put that shit to work. I didnt call a doctor. Hell no. My girlfriend… I mean my wife, loved it ” scroll news ticker with disclaimers and warnings.
Would you ever fast forward through a commercial knowing that the next one could be a classic ?"
It's an interesting notion, and one that fits the medium. A pity television's become so lazy.
"I think the traditional commercial break will be the salvation of TV.
Crazy. How can I say that you say. What is my logic you ask.
Well, I would make one big change. I would make commercials live productions.
Thats right, live commercials. Straight out of the 1950s."
"...after the kicker misses a field goal, and we cut to the Levitra commercial.. Cue former player “If that guy would have hit that field goal, his wife would have been all over him to celebrate, but this late in the season, performance on the field and off can be tough. When I played, Iused Levitra. And you know what ? When I had a 4 hour erection, I put that shit to work. I didnt call a doctor. Hell no. My girlfriend… I mean my wife, loved it ” scroll news ticker with disclaimers and warnings.
Would you ever fast forward through a commercial knowing that the next one could be a classic ?"
It's an interesting notion, and one that fits the medium. A pity television's become so lazy.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Rocketboom | D.I.Y. Amanda dinner and a website kit
Yet another cute idea from the dynamic duo at Rocketboom. To help fill out their traditional "Casual Friday" it seems that Amanda and Andrew have decided to let the viewers make their own episode. Posting different versions of a possible "dinner and a website" review, the idea is to allow viewers to mix and match, including using their own footage to fill in the gaps. Different versions will be posted on the site.
Friday, April 07, 2006
The Online Video Mixing revolution has begun!
It's something that's been coming for a while; the ability to upload and manipulate video clips online. The "Creative Archive" guys have been running some competitions in the U.K. using user-generated and archive video, Britain's Channel 4 has been running "FourDocs" along a similar(ish) line, Chevy's been running their "The Apprentice Chevy Online" competition, and my colleagues here at ABC New Media have been touting the idea in various guises for a while, but now we find a few beta sites designed to give video the "Flikr" treatment.
Now all I've got to do is sign up to both and test them out. (Sometimes I love my job)
Now all I've got to do is sign up to both and test them out. (Sometimes I love my job)
Gesture politics a cynical way to admonish Aunty | The Australian
I'm finding myself enjoying reading the Australian's Media section more and more. In this piece, former Media Watch E.P. David Salter has his say on the Communication Minister's plan to abolish the ABC's Staff Elected Director, and and has his say on some of the ABC's issues in general.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Procrastinating Canberra misses digital broadcast | The Australian
An interesting article by The Australian's Mark Day about where Australia sits in the push to a digital future. Unfortunately, the situation is as bad as we'd all suspected.
"None of these delays can be put down to a lack of advice. It is coming from all quarters, but the Government seems prepared only to listen to the advice it wants to hear.
Before the turn of the century the Productivity Commission held a series of hearings to inquire into the digital future, and with today's hindsight, it is clear the commission got it right. It called for the removal of regulatory restrictions to stimulate the marketing of new services.
But the Government offered a deaf ear to the commission, and pigeon-holed the report. "
But this kind of thinking overlooks the obvious: the digital revolution is with us, and it is unstoppable. The world is converting, and will continue to do so, whether we're ready or not."
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
I can't believe I didn't mention this earlier.
Back in November Lost Remote blog Managing Editor Steve Safran ran through his vision for the future of cancelled Fox show Arrested Development. Some of his ideas are great, and worth keeping at hand for the future. I just pointed my bud Grinner Hester to it as ideas for his recently released DVD Moddin' Art. I mean, selling DVD's through an internet audience, and hoping for a network pickup is nice and all, but the real money's in getting the content to the people who want it badly enough to pay for it. And to do that, you need to generate a buzz.
Australian Story Broadband Ep. 3a & 3b
Just taking a moment to point out that the third Broadband edition of Australian Story went up last night. This one picks up part 2 of the story of Phil Evans, the young saxophonist whose fingers were chopped off in a home invasion.
A big one for us, as we not only had to compress both episodes, but also seven additional video elements, including the interview with Phil after the broadcast of part 1, shot and edited here in the Broadband studio.
I'm pretty sure we've got next week off (after the double week production) then it's back for the 17th and the 24th. It is nice to be getting some good comments from people watching the episodes online which just goes to show that people will watch heavily compressed sound and pictures if the story warrants it.
A big one for us, as we not only had to compress both episodes, but also seven additional video elements, including the interview with Phil after the broadcast of part 1, shot and edited here in the Broadband studio.
I'm pretty sure we've got next week off (after the double week production) then it's back for the 17th and the 24th. It is nice to be getting some good comments from people watching the episodes online which just goes to show that people will watch heavily compressed sound and pictures if the story warrants it.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
ABC Embraces Citizen Journalism | Public Relations Institute of Australia
Anyone who dropped by the ABC's News page during cyclone Larry would have noticed some of the stuff we were doing to enhance the overall coverage, including posting video rushes and accepting and posting pictures from the audience. As a result, the Public Relations Institute of Australia had a chat with Brisbane ABC News Online boss Bob Johnston.
"On our site now, we invite contributions from the audience as a matter of course. So I guess these sorts of events focused the public's attention on what's possible. But we hope to get to a point where this is just a standard part of our news coverage, and not only for big events, not only for capital cities, if there's an event that's important to people in small communities, I mean if they can get a photo to us, we're happy to take it. So it really is transforming the relationship with the audience."
"On our site now, we invite contributions from the audience as a matter of course. So I guess these sorts of events focused the public's attention on what's possible. But we hope to get to a point where this is just a standard part of our news coverage, and not only for big events, not only for capital cities, if there's an event that's important to people in small communities, I mean if they can get a photo to us, we're happy to take it. So it really is transforming the relationship with the audience."
Monday, March 27, 2006
Another remix trailer - Must Love Jaws
In the tradition of "The Shining", "West Side Story", "A Christmas Story" and "Titanic" remix trailers comes "Jaws" in the style of... well, not exactly sure. Certainly not the way it was originally produced, that's for sure.
"In the resort community of Amity Island, Chief Brodie and Matt Hooper didn't always fit in...
Until the day they took a fateful trip, and met a special friend.
In a world, that doesn't understand, in a place where all hope is lost, love comes to the surface.
This Summer, prepare for the family adventure of a lifetime..."
I never thought I'd say this, but thanks to Mobutu from the Adobe forums for the heads up.
Update - Also got pointed towards a weepy, chickflick remix of "Cabin Fever". Would have been a little better without the blatantly false review quotes, but very nicely done anyway.
"In the resort community of Amity Island, Chief Brodie and Matt Hooper didn't always fit in...
Until the day they took a fateful trip, and met a special friend.
In a world, that doesn't understand, in a place where all hope is lost, love comes to the surface.
This Summer, prepare for the family adventure of a lifetime..."
I never thought I'd say this, but thanks to Mobutu from the Adobe forums for the heads up.
Update - Also got pointed towards a weepy, chickflick remix of "Cabin Fever". Would have been a little better without the blatantly false review quotes, but very nicely done anyway.
Friday, March 24, 2006
GetUp! - "Fund Our ABC" petition
Obviously I feel it would be inappropriate for me as an employee of the ABC to sign this, however it doesn't preclude me from making it known to others.
GetUp! - Action For Australia - www.getup.org.au
Update 28/03/06 - After busting the initial goal of 10,000 signatures in 12 hours and the second goal of 20,000 signatures in 24 hours, the goal now is to hit 50,000 signatures before it closes today. Already they're over 43,000.
Friday, March 17, 2006
DV.com - Trish and Chris Meyer | Camera Control, Part 1
I started on After Effects back at version 4, and I thought I had a pretty good grip on how things worked, having had years of experience dealing with keyframes, compositing and interpolation as a vision switcher. Then version 5 came out and introduced AE's "3D space", complete with cameras. I have to admit it's an area I've tended to shy away from, lacking any good examples of basic 3D tutorials. But now, AE gurus Trish and Chris Meyer run us through the basics of After Effect's 3D cameras, and show a trick how to get nice, smooth movement.
As always, DV.com requires registration.
What is Podcasting? | Ask A Ninja
The ABC is one of the most prolific creators of audio podcasts. But what is Podcasting? Ask A Ninja answers that very question to anyone over the age of 12.
"That's the simplest way to explain it.
We're a factory that produces apple pies for whales."
Man, I love this guy.
"That's the simplest way to explain it.
We're a factory that produces apple pies for whales."
Man, I love this guy.
The Bulletin - The ABC at war
The article that's caused all the fuss over the last few days.
While there, don't forget to check out the full interview with Minister Coonan, and a little feature piece by Paul Daly.
And meanwhile, we let people talk and just get on with the job.
While there, don't forget to check out the full interview with Minister Coonan, and a little feature piece by Paul Daly.
And meanwhile, we let people talk and just get on with the job.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Australian media reform - It's happening!
A bit of light reading for when I get home tonight.
If you have thoughts on where Australia's media needs to be headed in the long term, have your say. Minister Coonan wants to hear from you!
If you have thoughts on where Australia's media needs to be headed in the long term, have your say. Minister Coonan wants to hear from you!
ABC Video on Demand (VOD) page went live Monday
Just thought Id mention it. This is stage two of our Broadband Revolution, moving on from our initial Broadband page.
Perhaps more importantly from my perspective,
Perhaps more importantly from my perspective,
Sunday, March 05, 2006
So what's wit' da no posts?
I have to admit to being less than diligent with my blog postings of late. This has mainly to do with my ever increasing workload (with more responsibility to come in the next few months) and my ongoing moderator position with Adobe at their User Forums. I have to say, with Premiere Pro 2 out it's just amazing how many posts that place runs through every day.
Anyway, tomorrow I'm off to Sydney for the A.B.C. Cross Platform Production Conference at the Ultimo studios. A fascinating mix of international guests talking about what they've been doing and the problems and solutions they've found in this area, followed by the heads of the ABC departments telling us what they've been up to and where they think the Corp is headed in the future. If nothing else, I get to take a look around the new ABC studios. I spent a few months working at the old Gore Hill studios back in 2000, but I've heard wonderful things about the new facility. I'm really looking forward to it. To top it all off, Tuesday marks 1 year since we launched ABC2, so much festivity is to be had that night. I keep thinking I should take a video camera, but I doubt I'd get mine through the door. I do intend to take notes, and pictures, so hopefully I should have some thoughts on that once I get back. If nothing else I'm thinking I'd have been better served with a smaller camera than the XL1-S I currently own.
One last thing. Monday marks the launch of the new half-hour version of Australia Wide. The producer's come up with an interesting mix, and we'll see how it all comes together with her in Sydney and us in Brisbane. If you can watch ABC2, give it a whirl at 5pm and 8:30pm and let me know what you think.
Until then, bat on.
Anyway, tomorrow I'm off to Sydney for the A.B.C. Cross Platform Production Conference at the Ultimo studios. A fascinating mix of international guests talking about what they've been doing and the problems and solutions they've found in this area, followed by the heads of the ABC departments telling us what they've been up to and where they think the Corp is headed in the future. If nothing else, I get to take a look around the new ABC studios. I spent a few months working at the old Gore Hill studios back in 2000, but I've heard wonderful things about the new facility. I'm really looking forward to it. To top it all off, Tuesday marks 1 year since we launched ABC2, so much festivity is to be had that night. I keep thinking I should take a video camera, but I doubt I'd get mine through the door. I do intend to take notes, and pictures, so hopefully I should have some thoughts on that once I get back. If nothing else I'm thinking I'd have been better served with a smaller camera than the XL1-S I currently own.
One last thing. Monday marks the launch of the new half-hour version of Australia Wide. The producer's come up with an interesting mix, and we'll see how it all comes together with her in Sydney and us in Brisbane. If you can watch ABC2, give it a whirl at 5pm and 8:30pm and let me know what you think.
Until then, bat on.
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