Gale Brewer Wants NTIA to Keep Coupons Available
After hearing about the NTIA's decision to place folks who requested converter box coupons after January 4, 2009 on a waiting list, NY Councilwoman Gale Brewer got concerned. The finally act that put Brewer in motion was distributing the coupons on a first-come-first-served basis. This act puts too many people at risk of not receiving coupons. This would be a hardship to many low income New Yorkers or any low income American. So Councilwoman Brewer wrote a letter to NTIA requesting that they rethink the process.
The coupon distribution has been a bit of a mess. I experienced a smooth process. I made the request online, mid-September 2008; received my two coupons shortly thereafter; and had a three-month period to use them before they expired. I think the expiration date ought to be based on the date of release by NTIA instead of when I made the order, though.
For folks caught up in the 'after January 4, 2009' controversy, I sympathize. Prior to that date, all who called or went online to apply were supposed to get the coupons. True, there's a funding cap to any discount program but this one hasn't been reached.
The cap hasn't been reached due to the glitches in the process. For example, a colleague recounted how he received his coupon a week or two before it expired and is one of those people who is on the waiting list. This means he represents many people who never used the coupons to purchase the converter box. Never used means unspent money. NTIA would do well to account for what's been issued and redeemed to know how much money is available.
Labels: digital converter boxes, media, OTA, technology
Publicly-Funded Can Stand Some E-Government
For at least three years, New York City's publicly funded child care providers have been on pins and needles about their existence. They're accused of not collecting parent fees, being under-enrolled and/or not hiring certified teachers quickly. Let's face it, if you were certified by the NYS Education Department, would you prefer being compensated the 40 odd thousand dollars running a public school classroom or $20 - $30,000 a nonprofit childcare center can afford? If you loved the work environment and the great one-on-one with parents, you'd do what many existing childcare center employees do: stay there and enroll in college. It takes four years to get a baccalaureate and two more for a graduate degree. True, recruiting retired teachers is another solution.
If it's true centers aren't collecting the parent fee, enforce the reality that the uncollected parent fee is their lost operating budget. If a center's budget is, for example, $100,000 and $25,000 is in parent fees, then to cover annual costs that money needs to be collected.
What's disturbing in this electronic age is under-enrollment. Enrollment is based on families being certified eligible for public childcare and the public being aware that publicly-funded childcare--home-based and center-based--is available throughout NYC. Certification involves different forms being completed by parents or guardians accompanied by certain documents. The material is sent to the Resource Areas for processing. Childcare providers and families say that the Resource Areas take several weeks--sometimes months--to recertify families. In the meantime, families' previous certification expires; then, they can't afford the market fee and the center can't afford to serve the family without payment. Enrollment drops because time lapsed in families' recertification.
Administrtion for Children's Services (ACS) instituted an online 'recert' process that permits centers to do the work online and transmit the application electronically. The hitch is application review is still performed by the Resource Area staff; therefore, weeks pass before a decision is made.
Maybe ACS needs to sidle up to DoITT to devise the means to connect recertification and new applications with various online, backdoor databases. This means as a family or childcare provider inputs the data into the system, it's being compared with Department of Labor, Social Security Administration and/or Human Resource Administration data on the same family. In nanoseconds an 'approve,' 'disapprove,' or 'more information needed' message would appear. Isn't this what the Department of Labor does to process unemployment benefit applications? Why should New York's children and families not get the same benefit of accurate, electronic processing?
The other factor in under-enrollment, public awareness, can be resolved through public service announcements through traditional and social media. Why doesn't New York City have PSAs on satellite radio, Internet radio, WNYE, WNYC, the daily papers and Web sites catering to moms? Transit advertising during the summer would work wonders.
Hmmm, Let me contact ACS and DoITT for their thoughts.
Labels: childcare, media, New York City, social media, technology
Podcasting 101
The spoken word still carries weight and reading the lips that speak the words still closes a deal. Whether the subject is business, a social cause or soul inspiration, having your say, by podcasting, is as easy as 1-2-3-4-5 and very affordable. “Podcasting is distributing an audio file or video over the Internet from a blog, Web site or social media like MySpace or Facebook,” explains Andreas Jackson (www.andreasjackson.com), content producer and Hip Hop culture worker. The podcasts are downloaded from a site or received from a web feed. Web feeds send short notices about updates to your blog to those who subscribe to it. Feeds don’t require divulging an email address and you don’t have wait for people to visit your blog. Don’t let the pod in podcasting fool you, people listen or view the content from a MP3 player, iPod or computer media player.
Jackson held a podcasting workshop at the Third World Newsreel, November 18, 2008. He came with equipment and online resources. The quick and affordable platforms for podcasting are blogs or social media because there are no monthly or annual fees to keep one. RSS and Atom are the common choices for web feeds. To capture your content, a digital camera and portable digital audio recorder are required. To ensure vocal quality, attach a microphone and earphones to the recorder. The digital audio recorder may save using MP3 files or wave files. MP3 produces a richer fuller sound but take up much space whereas; wave files (.wav) are highly compressed yet bring an acceptable listening experience. Broadcast quality recorder sell for a $120 and lower; slim digital cameras with 8.1 pixel range from $120 to $200.
The next step is editing the audio file. Editing choices include open source Audacity, Sony Creative Sound Forge and Windows Wave. Audacity is the free editing software. An audio file may be edited for length, inappropriate language, dead air, coughing or other unwanted sounds. Where background music or another file is desired, then a mixer is used. There is mixer software that replicates four decks and sound controls on the PC monitor and actual tabletop equipment from which to choose. Jackson uses Tractor software and an external soundcard. A tabletop mixer prices range from $180 to $270.
Besides placing your podcast on your blog, you can also upload it to You Tube, BLIP.tv or Brightcove. These portals automatically convert to flash for great viewing.
Labels: Andreas Jackson, media, podcasting, technology
CES Unveiled 2009
I really enjoy the press preview for this event. For one, I get to see product that most won't see unless they travel to Las Vegas or until it gets to the market.
The press conference included some good questions for
CEA CEO Gary Shapiro. One was about the closing of
Circuit City. Yes, this economy have boards cutting people off at the knees to maintain their salaries. Shapiro looked at from the point of people losing jobs and reduction in competition. Overall, consumer electronics will weather this crisis because it is the cheaper alternative to travel, amusement parks, going to the theater or cinema. Ultimately, as more product gets the Green seal, energy consumption is reduced. In fact, more makers are returning to biodegradable packaging.
Diana Ross is the 2009 act for the Las Vegas show. After Mary J. Blige, CEA scratched it head to come up with another solid crowd pleasure. Shapiro said why not a stellar act with staying power like Diana Ross to mark three decades of existence.
The exihibit hall was the usual wonderfully party atmosphere. Great hors d'oeuvres and desserts. This year they included rice noodles which is great substitute for wheat-intolerant diners. Great bartenders and media schmoozing with industry people to handle gadgets and make deals.
I took a break in the
Inada Sogno Massage Chair. It really is a cut above other massage chairs because it not only rolls up and down one's back and vibrates, it stretches your back and squeezes your toes and hands.
The first thing that caught my eye was
JAWBONE earbuds. They're these sleekly darling bluetooth earclips, rectangular and textured leather. The company uses a long-necked black model to show it off. Could it be that research reveals the people hot on bluetooth are black women or did this model win "best silhouette?" While I don't know the answer, the product and model look hot.
Sorry, no photos. Click on the links.
Labels: CES, consumer electronics, Diana Ross, Las Vegas, media, society
Web 2.0 NY MEET UP
People think up web applications for fun and for profit. Sometimes the creations conceived from the spirit of fun are more impressive than those driven by the profit margin.
Joseph Campbell's "Follow your bliss" directive is all the difference.
At the August 2008 Web 2.0 NY
Meet Up, six apps were presented by PR-smart techies. They didn't let no access to the Internet stop their show. Sailthru.com and GetConnect.com were products for email marketing. Online email services like MSN, Hotmail, and Gmail have very vigilant spam filters. Marketers using e-newsletters or just websites requiring registration authentication get caught in the filters. Imagine someone wants to join an online community or registers for a web conference but a Marine of a spam filter grabs the email. Sailthru handles that. GetConnect facilitates migrating email address books from one database to another; however, it doesn't handle address books stored on hard drives.
Drop.io is a site that keeps things private. It's classified as social media but it does away with registration and many other identifiers to allow people to have a space in the clouds to share photos, audio, video and text in private. That way the day you decide to send photos of your freaky Roman toga party won't become public information. Drop.io may be more of a pandora's box than a blessing when predators use it to trap prey.
Pop17.com is a sophomoric vlog about pop culture. Following MyRagan, RocketBoom, and DSSimon, the young woman presenter does shorts on what she sees as "the most hip now." She just needs to work on her stage presence. She often looked at her teleprompter rather than into the camera or the person beside her.
Julia Allison , featured in Wired mag's August 2008 issue, could teach her a thing. Her presentation was bad and that's why she was last at bat.
Dailymugshots.com is a site to post daily pictures of yourself, baby, pet, plant--whatever. The key is uploading a photo daily. How many are so consistent? You look at other people's galleries and link to them. They're thinking of making coffee mugs and calendars emblazoned with the images. For now, they offer pocket size albums of your 365 head shots. This site was just whimsy of two friends; then again most of the displayed product are creations of two people, just kickin' it.
Edopter.com is all about being an influencer of fashion, entertainment, thought--you name it. Register, set up a profile and then, say what you believe is hot. You can invite others to yay or nay your observations. The point is tracking how many people will join your trend and where are they located. Does anyone on the bandwagon make a modification to your trend or submit a new 'cool' thing? This app was probably conceived with the marketing and advertising worlds in mind.
The Meet Up crowd was young, though there were old heads hanging tough. Primarily vanilla ice cream, sprinkles of caramel, chocolate and banana slices made this dessert bowl interesting. There was a Rastaman wearing a knit tam sidled up to a Russian lass. As the roving African Web Queen I long to see the day when I encounter a tech event where there are black presenters standing before an ethnically diverse crowd. So far,
Small Biz Technology editor Ramon Ray is the one making waves on and offline.
Labels: gadgets, media, technology, Web 2.0
Total Black TV Fills Void Left By BET
Does cable, DirecTV and regular TV leave you feeling as if you’re missing something?
Could “what’s missing” be programming that relates to the core values and interests of the black community?
If so, visit
TotalBlackTV.com.
Total Black TV is the cyber spot to view, download and upload black video content.
Knowing the diversity of interests, the videos are organized into 27 categories that include action, sitcom, drama, animation, science fiction, shorts and religion.
The site serves the seasoned and emerging content producer by offering the choice of mailing DVDs AVIs or film cassettes to a post office box or uploading to the site.
Video viewing is limited to a particular PC during free streaming or purchased downloads secured from file sharing, using Microsoft DRM technology.
Thus, producers have another avenue to get their story to the public.
Total Black TV is also a social networking site where members can share photos, videos and messages among themselves or a select group.
This part of the site is called
totalblacktv.com/myview and requires a separate account registration from the main site.
Registration has a page where members may invite eight family members and eight friends/coworkers.
New York attorney Kevin Golding owns Total Black TV and initially launched it in 2005 to serve Ausar Auset Society, an international cultural organization.
The site went from distributing Ra Un Nefer Amen’s
Kamitic lifestyle videos to branching out to other content producers.
Golding says, “The idea of people watching such historians and health practioners as Dr. Sebi, Dr. John H. Clarke, and Dr. ben-Jochannan on an iPod was an exciting proposition.”
Rather than seek angel investors or venture capitalists, Golding and Promotions and Marketing Coordinator Amar Divine opted to make alliances with colleges, film festivals and individual video producers.
The corporation co-sponsored the 2007 African Film Festival in Edinborough, Scotland
. Angie LeMar, a popular radio host on England’s
Choice FM interviewed Golding on location.
These international links result in site visitors from Kenya, Belgium, Hawaii, Japan, India, the Netherlands, Canada and South Africa.
The latest promotion is the TBTV Dance Competition where dancers submit videos of their dance routines to totalblacktv.com/myview rather than travel to a geographic location.
The submission deadline is Saturday, June 7, 2008.
Amar Divine is driven to present positive images and ideas produced by people of color.
Divine compares TotalBlackTV.com to a cable station that promotes black media but “isn’t representative of positive black culture [nor] produced by black people.”
Rather, Divine aspires to experience similar success to that of cinemanow.com.
The corporate team is planning a launch party slated for September 2008.
Academicians, performers and emerging producers have been extended invitations.
While the team is keeping the details of the event under wraps, it is sure to be extraordinary to introduce such a well-conceived Web site.
Labels: black interest, media, social networking, society, streaming video, technology
That Immediate Response to a Crisis
It was good for
Continental Airlines at the
West Palm Beach, FL hub that folks on flight 1940 weren't digitally astute. This flight was due to leave for
Newark, NJ, Sunday, April 6, 2008, 8:00 PM. Due to mechanical problems, the plane wasn't approved for flying until Monday, April 7 at 2:00 PM. A tech adept would've fired up the laptop or handheld and blogged about it, moment by moment.
It took the airline hours to explain that a part needed to be replaced. This part had to be flown in from
Newark. However, the part flown in was the wrong one, so they had to fly back to
Newark to get the right part.
These customers were just a bit miffed about waiting, about not knowing and about not getting to Newark on Sunday. They were lodged at a nearby hotel sometime after 12 midnight and came back around eight in the morning expecting to leave at 9:15 AM but the part and the wrong part and the exchange got in the way.
These customers wanted breakfast and clear information about when they'd get back to
Newark Liberty International Airport. They got soda, water and very patient customer service. When a customer got too testy, a security agent with a large German Shepherd and a pistol would come out to see the person off Gate B2.
As the morning expired,
Continental offered to refund credit card purchases, switch to
JetBlue and seating on
Continental flights to Houston to connect to Newark-bound planes.
Continental also offered $8 food vouchers, good at any eatery in the gate but, most people balked at "Just $8!" With $8 dollars, a burger, pizza, fries, drink, newspaper or pastry could have been had. One woman, once aware of the voucher, said she could get a cocktail.
One Spanish-speaking couple remained cool throughout. If they weren't reading magazines, they stared intently into a laptop. Maybe they knew to fire off messages to
Continental and the media. When a group of exasperated flyers got tipped about blogging about it, no one seemed to take the bait. The suggestion was carefully explained: get access to the Internet, find Continental Airline's Web site, go to the blog or find another blog that deals with airline mayhem. There were no takers in this small crowd.
Well that was one citizen journalism opportunity that may have gotten away. That Spanish-speaking couple wasn't queried.
Labels: blogging, Continental Airlines, crisis managment, flight delay, media, Newark, society, technology, West Palm Beach
the Grave Yard
The Grave Yard is the first computer game that I downloaded. It's very reflective rather than action packed or goal-oriented. The setting is a cemetery within a busy city. Everything is so grey. Just shades of gray in the grave yard. The street sounds are clear and the moving clouds really evoke a real world experience.
Auriea Harvey and
Michael Samyn must have overdosed on
Stephen King's novels when they dreamed this game. The game, based on the trial version, seems appropriate for an adult audience. Maybe some Goths would have the head for it. It may serve as a great lesson for a humanities or gerontology class. The class can ponder questions like, "Is life worth living after 50?" "What do you do when you're the only one left?" "Must old age be a time only for wrinkles, creaks, pains and memories?"
The long and short of it is that a player walks the old lady to a seat within the cemetery. She walks with a cane and needs many resting spells before she gets to the stone seat.
Once you seat her, a song comes on which reveals the thoughts in her mind. In fact, her face is superimposed over her seated self to suggest an introspective moment. She thinks of all the folks who've passed. She mentions the cause of death for each one. Once complete with her musing, it's time to walk her out of the cemetery. Remember, it takes time because she needs her rest spots.
The trial version is the one that I downloaded; I wasn't willing to get the the full blown edition. There are options in that play wherein the old lady can die.
Unfortunately, "death be not proud for so many of us" and aging graciously is rarely granted in the post industrial society.
Granny's face is craggy. Her back is bent and her gait is slanted. Does old age really have to be so depressing? After "playing," the Grave Yard, I got up to do exercises until I got warm and slightly winded.
The last time Granny and I were together, she decided she didn't want to be so morbid. She took several steps forward and then reeled herself around. She liked that so much, she reeled herself around in the other direction. Soon Granny was dancing. Yes, my Granny was dancing in the grave yard. Before she got to the gates, she noticed a pathway and wanted to take a look but animation has boundaries. So Granny, did an about face and headed to the gate. All the dancing and peering got her little dizzy. She nearly walked into the gate but, I got her straghtened out before any collision.
No, that particular day Granny chose to listen to the chirping birds and meet the busy city life. Maybe a little psyllium husk and gotu kola would get her going.
Labels: auriea harvey, cashless society, computer games, death, media, michael samyn, old age, technology, The Grave Yard
GossipGirl, Revealed
Last night was the first time I saw
GossipGirl. I got pulled into the mix of blogging, mobile life and decadence. It was quite by accident. When I do watch TV on Mondays, it seems that it's "How I Met Your Mother" that I'll get comfortable with. CBS has this irrestible folksy-charm formula that still works on me. CBS has been using it for decades.
I actually don't know what day "How I Met Your Mom" comes on. Last night's channel surfing ruled out "Gladiators," "Antique Roadshow" and 'Your Mother.'
About GossipGirl, it slipped through the radar. September 2007 was its first season and last night was a special episode called GossipGirl Revealed. The title is meant to draw regulars in because the big thing about the show is noone knows who's GossipGirl. The characters check into her blog throughout the day but can't figure out is she one of them or is she a terrific spy. She shoots candid closeups and her entries sound so familiar.
The January 28 airing of GossipGirl Revealed introduced me to Serena van der Woodsen, Chuck Bass, Blair Waldorf, Dan Humpfrey, Rufus Humpfrey and Lily van der Woodsen. While it's the usual night time soap escapades, the parents--Rufus and Lily--look great. They're examples of what it is to be glorious 40--give or take emotional depth. Blair, the brunette, has the usual insecurity around blonde Serena. When will media ever get off these stereotypes? Blondes don't have more fun than other hair colors.
Being the techhead that I am, I did a search on GossipGirl to find out there are a series of nine teen novels written by
Cecily von Ziegesar. Folks can't seem to get enough of these rich brats. A visit to CW 11-TV's Web site brought me to some great high tech fun. You can watch full episodes online by Saturday. 'Live the Life' let's your avatar experience the cushy, decadent life of the upper eastside. There are so many ways that CW 11 and series sponsors sell product. You learn what makeup is used and how to apply it; Old Navy has branded this entertainment and the featured music is downloaded from this Web site.
Keeping it real and concerned, global warming reduction tips are sponsored by
Free 2 Be Green and to counter all the sex in the show,
Stay Teen.org, a teen pregnancy prevention cause has a button and short video on the site.
Tip: Anyone who fancies herself a sho 'nuff videographer ought to log onto CW 11's site and craft a video using
CW Lab, using mash ups. Video duration is 30 minutes. Hey you never know; that's how careers get started.
Labels: cashless society, GossipGirl, media, technology, XLXO
What I Love About Wired Magazine
Wired is one of my favorite magazines. My peculiar way of reading is to scan through it as I tear out the pages of advertising. Don't get me wrong; we need advertising but sometimes it gets in the way of the great stories and shorts in Wired. The magazine goes down smooth and some of that advertising is smooth, too. Some of the ads are quite informational.
The February 2008 issue with Sarah Silverman on the front has this pictorial essay about blog posts--
The Secret Life Of A Blog Post. I usually pass on intricate flowcharts but I followed the colored dotted lines to see what made up the world between blogger and reader.
There are splogs or spam blogs that have "no one at home"; They're diversions that make money. Search engines, data miners, text scrapers and aggregators traverse your blog, looking for words and phrases that will be indexed and turned into key words. This makes it easy for other bloggers, readers, advertisers and corporations like Essence Communications to find out who is writing about them besides their staff and freelance writers.
After reading and studying
The Secret Life Of A Blog Post, I wondered whether my efforts to hypertext were necessary. It appears the bots, spiders, AIs and feed readers are doing this with or without me.
I love Wired magazine, it makes technology so excitingly commonplace.
Labels: bloggers, blogosphere, blogs, bots, Essence Communications, media, society, splogs, technology, Wired magazine
Film Review: Inside the Circle
Inside the Circle is a kinetically inspiring documentary about the world of b-boys and “breaking” as lived through three young Texans, Josh, Omar and Romeo. This film is a testament to the cultural staying power of break dancing, which originated in 1970’s The Bronx, New York. It screened during the 2008 Dance on Camera film festival at Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater, January 6 and 11.
Fast forward to present day Austin, Texas to find the dance form in the loving hands of Latinos, Euro-Americans and the world-at-large. Romeo Navaroo, past b-boy-turned-event promoter, says, “B-boying is an explosion of who you are.” Romeo plans and promotes semiannual dance competitions called
B-Boy City in Austin. Underfunded, Romeo consistently draws crowds of b-boys and b-girls, DJs spinning the latest sounds, graffiti artists, and rappers. The camera stays focused on the circle to document the physical and artistic prowess of young men. B-boying is quite strenuous where people spin on the their hands, knees, heads and elbows. Josh is a rare white American youth who’s been taken in by the Masterz of Mayhem crew. Josh remembers when people wouldn’t take him seriously because he was white. B-boys discounted his power and rhythm. When he proved he had both, he received and kept his props.
Josh’s best friend is Omar. The film shows the friendship in its bloom to high emotional competition to a level of reconciliation. While Omar experiences international fame, flying frequently to places like Singapore, Russia, Mexico and Europe, Josh deals with family tensions and the criminal justice system. It appears that Josh will be lost in the system until he connects with a counselor at
Youth Advocates. Romeo contends with such production issues as flyer distribution, t-shirts and quality flooring. Romeo considers ending the B-Boy City competition due to strong audience outrage at one event. He hangs in there, though.
The life of breaking is all consuming. Most don’t work because “the job will take up time.” Many hours are spent practicing. Many b-boys drop out of school. With low funds and shared love of dance, the crews are more so families. The crews put money together to eat, get dressed—maybe pay cell phone bills. Omar, respected internationally, deals with the angst of his father’s concern for him to “get a real job.”
Marcy Garriott produced and directed Inside the Circle. The filming was done over four years. Time lapse was depicted through the latest B Boy City sign. The last B Boy City this writer noticed was B Boy City 11. Garriott said, “Filming the intense break competitions were exhausting. How the people actually doing the dancing could withstand it is amazing.”
Labels: b-boy, breaking, dance, Inside The Circle, media, society, youth culture
I Am Legend Afterthought
A friend and I saw
I Am Legend recently. We were blown away by the film. We both were clutching our hearts and talking our way through the movie. "Talking our way through the movie" means in order to regain composure, we had to talk. In truth, I gave up watching horror films 15 years ago because I think it's crazy to build up tension in my body and digest all those images into my psyche. Seeing this film was pure whimsy.
The scenes were great. The one where people were being checked for contamination in order to fly off Manhattan Island was very telling. One, instead of planes, the government used helicopters to transport people. That greatly slows the evacuation process down. Then the device to detect contamination may be subject to error. So, there could have been many people left to face these mutant killing machines.
Other scenes I enjoyed were the bombed bridges, the boulevards clogged with abandoned cars and any scene with beautiful Sam--Samantha the dog. The mutants were spectacles that deserved to be night stalkers.
Towards the end, the character played by Alice Braga says something that resonates with me. She says that "It's easier to hear God now that there are fewer people." I've told my students that the ancient Egyptians believed the air was The Almighty's breath and meditation was the way to discern the messages in the air.
Looking back on I Am Legend, I see that so many elements of past films were used.
Night of the Living Dead,
The Last Man on Earth,
Castaway and
Omega Man are a few that come to mind. The scenes in the video store where the lonely doctor talks to the dummies reminded me of
Harry Bellafonte's conversations with Mr. Snodgress in "The World, The Flesh and The Devil." While Vincent Price's character in The Last Man on Earth spends his days hunting and killing the supposed infected during the day; Smith's Dr. Neville sporadically traps the mutants to test the latest version of his cure. Ben in Night of the Living Dead and I Am Legend's Dr. Neville face a similar end; however, a legend is developed around Dr. Neville's successful development of a cure for the disease. Poor Ben is shot as he sticks his head out to face the bright day.
For some horror lovers, there are wagging heads and thumbs down for I Am Legend. The fainted hearted, blown away by sweeping scenes, a loyal dog and the relentless search for a cure [and secure sleeping place] will enjoy I Am Legend.
Labels: film review, horror, I Am Legend, media, philosophy, plague, relentless, society, sole survivor genre, technology
Going Direct
Mike Moran , in his book
Do It Wrong Quickly, explains that
branding and brand recognition originated from the introduction of broadcast media. Before radio and TV, people would travel to Main Street and shop at the local stores. You purchased food, clothes and other staples without thought to who the manufacturers were. You wanted candy? You stuck your hand in a big glass jar and dug for your favorite.
For those who mail ordered because they lived in rural areas or wanted something from Europe, they got acquainted with Sears or another publisher of consumer catalogues. The brand still wasn't in the conscious of the average American. Radio and then, TV made people notice brands because manufacturers paid for advertising time that paid for broadcasting companies' salaries. Those advertisers now had to compete for your attention to buy their kind of soap or cigar.
In 2007, people are too brand conscious. Besides the shoplifting and fighting people do over name brands, folks are travels across oceans to be the first to own a pair of sneakers by Hubda Hubda, Inc. Maybe we need to go back to blind selection of quality merchandise. It's possible with Internet access and language translation tools. It's reality to purchase coffee and seasonings straight from a bazaar vendor in
Turkey,
Jordan or
Ethiopia--if you know her email or Web address. There's no language barriers. You can't read the Web site because it's in Mandarin, French, Yoruba? No problem: get the online language translation tool to switch everything in English.
There so many search engines to make it happen--vertical and horizontal. So, is it really
iPod you want or digital music and video coming from a light weight device.
YouTube?
MySpace? YourWorld!
Labels: boutique PR firm, brand recognition, branding, ecommerce, Ethiopia, iPod, Jordan, media, MySpace, radio, society, technology, translation tools, Turkey, TV ads, YouTube
Thanksgiving Is Feast or Famine for Retailers
Recent NYC news broadcasts indicate that retailers know Friday after Thanksgiving is the tipping point to the US economy. No one uses the words recession or depression but this downturn is a real drag.
Retailers want to know are US shoppers willing to buy the great products on the shelves. Are US shoppers able to pay the prices for the great prducts on the shelves?
One TV reporter, two days before Thanksgiving, back-handedly suggested to viewers to use their consumer power. She said that retailers and manufacturers may have to reduce prices and "people may forego a $4.00 Starbucks coffee for something cheaper." Imagine that. The product prices at market entry will be lower? That's basic economic theory: lower prices result in higher sales.
Has it really come to the "Consumer is King Era?" Has that day really come when the working stiffs--including stiffs who earn six digits--don't feel stiffed but sought after? Wow! This is a momentous occasion. The dollar is weaker than the Euro and other foreign currencies such that our European "cousins" are haveing great shopping sprees while on holiday here.
Manufacturers have to do something. They've tapped the global consumer market. They've tapped the global labor market. They've tapped the global financial market. Prices have to go down so more people can afford these truly great products.
Labels: consumerism, Eurodollar, media, news slanting, price slashing, prices, society, Starbucks, Thanksgiving, US economy
FOT: Future of Television
Digital Media Wire, New York University and Consumer Electronics Association co-hosted
Future of Television NYC conference at
Museum of Jewish Heritage, November 8 & 9. I had time for one panel and one keynote the last day. Did I get bang for my buck. Both were straight ahead and live & direct. In other words, all involved spoke in the affirmative that advertising dollars are to be earned. Warner Bros.' Television Group President
Bruce Rosenbloom suggested that the ad industry use the expression ETC (electronically transmitted content) to open minds to the vast opportunity. ETC included TV, iPod, mobile phones, cable TV, PCs and IPTV. Using "
Field of Dreams" thinking,
if you produce appealing content, the audience will come.
If there's an audience, the advertiser has a sales platform. For the advertiser it's wonderful; for the consumer, there's no way out of commercial-free content unless you're willing to donate.
Rosenbloom kept his cheerful ad game face and energy up 200 degrees for his one-hour keynote. He reminded the audience that Warner Bros' content broadcasts across the five TV networks. America's top shows on NBC, ABC and CBS are Warner Bros properties. The quick stream of show clips tacitly underscored Warner Bros win-win situation. You don't like WB or CW? Don't sweat it; we have shows on other networks you may want to buy time. He referred to branded channels, animation and music as advertising opportunities. Rosenbloom's game face didn't fade a bit when asked about the striking TV writers. He said, "There's enough script to go through February 2008...thereafter, they could show reruns."
The conference production was as informative as the speakers. Gone were the microphones in the aisles to amplify audience members' voices. Rather, people sent text messages that were queued and displayed on a smaller screen on the stage. The moderators periodically fielded the questions. This provided an immediate, interactive air to the proceedings. The big screen, center foreground, showed dazzling feats of advertising ingenuity. The panel for
The Future of Television Advertising included
Barry Frey, SVP for Cablevision Advanced Platforms, Rick Mandler, Digital Media Advertising VP for
Disney/ABC Media Networks,
Michael Yudin, managing director for Carat Entertainment & president of MY Entertainment, Scott Ferris, SVP & GM for
Microsoft, and Victor Siegel, CEO for
Blue Frog Media. The panelists used cable TV to produce branded entertainment or branded channels. What is a branded channel" It's a cable channel that airs content for a particular business-say SONY. Branded content are programs that include a company's product in the storyline or the business' name is part of the title. Case in point Carat Entertainment has a casino show whose title included razor blade manufacturer, Schick.
Panel members showed examples interactivity with content and product. Cablevision has stations such as SONY Bravia TV that engage in two-way conversations with the consumer. For example some shows ask viewers "to choose your ending." Rick Mandler, Scott Ferris and Barry Frey discussed measurement methods. Mandler said Disney/ABC Media Networks were investigating the means to gage influence in purchase within a person's social network. Imagine, advertisers figuring out the number of Friends one MySpace member has and determining the extent to which his enthusiasm or dislike of a product had his Friends buy or avoid that product. Cablevision's Frey discussed measuring viewer behavior from the fast forwards, rewinds, plays and zooms done from the cable set up box. If they're able to pull that off, it's good-bye to Neilson boxes.
Labels: ads, advertising, ETC, media, society, technology, TiVo, TV ads, TV writers strike
Is Cramping That Bad?
There are TV ads for a new contraceptive pill that reduces menstruation to four periods a year. This pill is called Seasonique. Maybe the name indicates that a consumer only bleeds with the change of the seasons. The ad features one woman who pleases both her emotional side, dressed in jeans and a gorgeous empire waist blouse, and her logical side, dressed in office attire.
The sides of this lady are satisfied in knowing that they have an effective contraceptive and fewer bleeding episodes. This is 2007, not 1977. There's a HIV/AIDS pandemic going around and this lady is dealing with a product that doesn't protect her from HIV/AIDS, vaginal infections and STDs. Sometimes this ad runs with another ad about a pill that counters a virus--papilloma?--that's presently associated with cervical cancer. Just what are advertisers and the pharmaceutical industry saying to women? I say it's a confused and lethal message. On one hand, you have something that allows unprotected sex. On the other, there's something that deals with the lethal affect of unprotected sex. Of course, the ads must include side effect information. The side effects are worse than the bloating and cramping that can occur with menstruation. Do you really want to deal with high or low blood pressure, dizziness, nausea or headaches for the sake of some moments of pleasure? Aren't there alternatives out there?
If you're willing to give up dairy, you'll soon notice that the cramping and backaches that you had during menstruation go away. If you're willing to drastically reduce your sugar and corn syrup intake, you'll notice that headaches and irritability go away. This is not just for "that time of the month" but everyday. Things that had your emotions run amok, don't trigger strong emotional reactions anymore. Isn't that terrific? Instead of dreading your monthly friend's visit, you'll be laughing with her. You'll be a
woman in her flowers, a
sister with ase.
About preventing pregnancy, women just have to get with the program. Men have to put on the condom or you put the condom on them. Men who balk about not getting "that sweet feeling" have to grow up to the responsibility of fatherhood.
Sex = Pregnacy. There's no getting around it. In this era of "friends with benefits", "associates", "jump-offs" and "hook-ups", eat your fruits and vegetables to cultivate a level head, slim body and regularity. Keep the condoms and love gloves around because, right now,
it's nothing but a passin' thang.
Labels: cashless society, casual sex, contraceptives, jump off, media, menstruation, Seasonique
Don’t Miss DigitalLife Ever Again
DigitalLife is a major consumer technology trade show. In its fourth year, technologists and consumers visit Jacob K. Javits Center the fourth weekend in September to watch, handle, sample, experience and click the latest HD TVs, cellphones, PCs, digital cameras and virtual life gaming products. This year it was open from September 27 – 30. Products were organized around five DigitalLife Lifestyle Zones: Digital Defense Zone, DigitalKidz Zone, Digital Memories Zone, Mobile Living Zone and Web 2.0 Zone. There is also the Tournament Area, meeting rooms and keynote address/conference center area. Great picks include M-Audio music recording products, Toshiba’s HD DVD player, Squawkers McCaw. The DigitalKidz Zone featured products for girls six years and up that would shame some women. Girl Tech’s IM-Me and Video Journal put young girls on the fast track for life planning and communication. IM-Me is a wireless messaging system that communicates with only other IM-Me devices. Video Journal is a digital camera and software combo that creates a calendar and digital journal. MediaFlo USA ‘s FLO TV puts live TV on cell phone. So remember: late September means DigitalLife at Jacob K. Javits Center.
Labels: consumer electronics, DigitalLife, interactive, media, society, Squawkers McCaw, technology, trade show
Advertising Week2007
In its fourth year, Advertising Week2007 ran from September 24 – 28 in various venues in New York City. The splashy event drew advertising and media leaders from the US and Canada. This year’s focus was social impact, talent and diversity. Advertising agencies recognize the Internet’s rise as an important media that supports do-it-yourself programming. More Americans turn from ads that sell but don’t show America’s diversity in race, style and expression. New blood from different veins is needed to maintain the talent bank and address diversity in the media and the agency work place.
During the New York Times CEO Summit I – Media, held September 26, Laura Desmond CEO of StarCom Media Vest Group – The Americas stated that “There was no right or wrong way to get on the superhighway of change…we just have to commit to changing media choices…include digital and mobile channels.” Emilio Estefan shared his thoughts on connecting with Latinos during Univision’s Connect Via the Cultural Beat. Estefan, media genius and Grammy Award winner, believes music is an essential element for ads and programming to cross national boundaries. North American agencies must get off the trap of simply adding a beat and translating an ad to Spanish language. Rather, “the message requires a cultural translation.” While Estefan stressed the many nations that comprise Hispanic America, he fell short by not mentioning the ethnic diversity. Hispanics range from the light tan and slightly wavy-haired people who populate Telemundo and Univision programming to the Asian, the brown indigenous and African types who live there, too.
The highlight for September 26 for this columnist was Chaka Khan and Emily King’s appearance at Tribeca Cinemas, after the Branded Music Entertainment: How Leading Brands Activate Through Music panel. It was as if Chaka Khan was performing in my living room. Chaka Khan sang two cuts from her latest CD Funk This and classic rocking anthem “I’m Every Woman.”
Labels: advertising, Advertising Week2007, boutique PR firm, branded music, Chaka Khan, Emilio Estefan, Emily King, Laura Desmond, media, society, technology
Crazy as a Fox 5
Fox News at 5 PM was dead set on showing a negative face to the 40th West Indian/Labor Day Parade. Although the broadcasters described it as New York City's largest parade, Fox never showed shots of the floats, dancers, stiltwalkers, or trucks. In fact, there was a party of christians asking people did they want to pray. The Brooklyn Catholic Archdiocese paraded on a truck. It was an event attended by people of various ethnicities, nationalities and personal interests. In fact, restaurateur Kathy Ewa set up one classy vending booth offering jumbo shrimp cocktail and Bourbon Chicken over rice pilaf.
No, Fox News, on September 3, during the 5 PM airing had reporter Robert Malcolm talk about an unidentified 26 year old black man getting shot in the leg two times. This shooting occurred in front of 935 Eastern Parkway during the latter part of the parade. Rather than the usual on-the-ground shots, the video was done from the helicopter. Why? there was plenty of crowd and traffic control to allow for a news van to get to the site. Robert Malcolm did his report away from the shooting site.
Interestingly, no one was arrested. There were police officers along the parkway and posted two blocks away from each intersection between Grand Army Plaza and Utica Avenue. To add to the sensationalism, Robert Malcolm, during his last of five reports on the shooting, said it was a double shooting, excused himself and said one shooting involving two shots.
Then Fox repeatedly showed a 5 second shot of men being jostled. It appeared that they were swinging at one another as if someone was walking through the crowd creating a disturbance. Once the disturbance moved along, the same crowd went back to dancing on the sidewalk. Just what is Fox news trying to depict? That a body of 1 million or 3.5 million people can't behave themselves? Is it too easy to believe that there must be a shooting when people of color come together?
A flick of the TV knobs to Channel 11 revealed the other side of the event. The preview of the 10 o'clock news spotlighted the gaily costumed dancers and stiltwalkers found on Eastern Parkway at the same event. What's a parade without colorful costumes, music and smiling street performers.
Labels: crowd, Labor Day, media, New York City, news slanting, parade, West Indian, West Indian/Labor Day Parade
Is it Marketing, Promotion or Advertising?
In the years I've been in business I realize that people are using words without understanding what they mean. In some instances, it's not understanding what they need. Case in point is what are marketing, promotion and advertising? If you're a business, it's different ways to communicate that you have something to sell. If you're a nonprofit, it's the means to let people know you offer a social service.
Advertising is a message placed in the media that you paid for. You know that people listen, read or watch a particular TV show, blog, radio station or website. So you pay to air an infomercial or buy the front inside page of a magazine. You say eveyone knows that but not true. Some people confuse advertsing with marketing. This may happen because there are elements of marketing in the bought space. Marketing is anything used to induce a sale or reward a sale.
Marketing is keeping your office clean; it's offering refreshments to your customer while she decides on a hairstyle and it's giving a rebate for buying a big-ticket item now rather than later. Marketing communication is the skillful use of words to conjure images and bring out emotions. Some marketing communication is worn from overuse. For example, "I'm not trying to rush you; it's just that I'm walking to the closet now and can bring the shoes back with me." I tried this trick at a bazaar. I kept asking this woman, "Put the dress in the bag?" She was pleased that the dresses were only twenty dollars. I had placed three dresses in the bag after the chief vendor had bagged the first dress.
Promotion, or public relations, is visibility and brand recognition through FREE message placement in the media. The key to placement is news worthiness or notoriety. Nonprofits have an easier time with placement than businesses because they are offering a free or low cost needed service. The trouble is many nonprofits don't submit press releases. Businesses are sweating for PR; it's free advertising. I was approached by a diamond jeweler to get a story in a newspaper about his beautiful rings. After some questioning to find a plausible news angle, I had to tell him that the newspaper in question would want the jeweler to buy advertising space. The jeweler was frustrated by this because he knew of another business that had a story in the newspaper. I pointed out that the other business did community service and held a free business class. These activities were seen as newsworthy. After all, the media stays in existence through advertising. Advertising is bought because many people like a type of story.
The ideal situation is finding the right balance between advertising, marketing and promotion to keep the sales coming. Advertising is necessary. There's no getting around it. If you can develop good will from marketing--offering a discount, doing free delivery--do it.
There are people who still say that what I've written is stale. I say that there are too many people who don't know or haven't got the terms straight in their minds.
Labels: advertising, marcom, marketing, media, promotion, radio, Web 2.0
