YouTube is a litÂtle more than two years old. It’s a mere todÂdler. But, it’s now owned by an overÂgrown, fulÂly-beardÂed nine year old. Yes, that would be Google, and that means that YouTube is ready to storm its way into the media mainÂstream, pamÂpers and all. You can be sure that GooTube has already cooked up sevÂerÂal strateÂgies that will lead the video unit to media domÂiÂnaÂtion. But, even to the untrained media observÂer, it’s fairÂly clear that Google’s video unit has choÂsen the 2008 elecÂtion as an areÂna in which it intends to comÂpete with othÂer major media outÂfits for eyeÂballs. In April, YouTube launched its politÂiÂcal chanÂnel CitÂiÂzenÂTube (get more info here) and, along with it, its first major line of video proÂgramÂming called You Choose ’08. The conÂcept here is simÂple and promisÂing: CitÂiÂzens ask quesÂtions to the ’08 canÂdiÂdates, and the canÂdiÂdates respond. The results, howÂevÂer, have been largeÂly disÂapÂpointÂing. When you strip everyÂthing away, what you get are politiÂcians speakÂing the same platÂiÂtudes that we’ve seen for decades on TV. (See a samÂple reply here.) The only difÂferÂence is that the video qualÂiÂty is worse, and they’re manÂagÂing to get their platÂiÂtudes in front of a young demoÂgraphÂic, which is no small feat. For betÂter or for worse, YouTube is to the ’08 elecÂtion what MTV (rememÂber Bill playÂing the sax?) was to the ’92 elecÂtion. While neiÂther CitÂiÂzenÂTube nor the politÂiÂcal camÂpaigns are using the video platÂform in revÂoÂluÂtionÂary ways, the milÂlions of averÂage users who make YouTube what it is are doing a betÂter job of it. Of parÂticÂuÂlar interÂest is the way in which videos are emergÂing on YouTube that counter images being careÂfulÂly proÂjectÂed by canÂdiÂdates and their camÂpaigns. Here are two quick examÂples. GOP canÂdiÂdate Mitt RomÂney has been preÂdictably workÂing to cast himÂself as a social conÂserÂvÂaÂtive. Twice in recent months, he has shown up at Pat RobertÂson’s Regent UniÂverÂsiÂty to delivÂer lines like this:
But then, howÂevÂer inconÂveÂnientÂly, videos from Mitt RomÂney’s past politÂiÂcal camÂpaigns show up on YouTube, ones which should make evanÂgelÂiÂcals think twice, and there is not much RomÂney can do about it. The past hurts, but it doesÂn’t lie: Then there is Hillary ClinÂton. She’s got the monÂey, the parÂty machine is backÂing her, tryÂing to wrap up the nomÂiÂnaÂtion with a bow. But then a damnÂing attack ad crops up on YouTube. This pitch for Barack ObaÂma remixÂes the “1984” TV ad that famousÂly introÂduced Apple comÂputÂers to AmerÂiÂca, and it casts Hillary as a politÂiÂcal automaÂton, an image that rings true for many. (The ObaÂma camÂpaign denies havÂing anyÂthing do with the video, and its creÂator remains unknown.) It is with videos like these that YouTube gets politÂiÂcalÂly interÂestÂing. Just as quickÂly as a politÂiÂcal camÂpaign projects an image for RomÂney or ClinÂton, your averÂage web user can scrounge up footage that calls that image into quesÂtion. A retort is always posÂsiÂble, which was nevÂer the case on TV. And the cost of delivering/countering a mesÂsage runs next to nothÂing. Again a first. YouTube equalÂizes, and it isn’t a terÂrain on which the rich can instantÂly claim vicÂtoÂry. Just ask RomÂney and his over $200 milÂlion in perÂsonÂal wealth. What good has it done him in YouTube land? |
YouTube’s Impact on the 2008 Election: The Hype and the Fact
The Skinny on Second Life
Ever wonÂdered what SecÂond Life is and if you should care about it? ImagÂine a 3‑D immerÂsive game where you conÂtrol an avatar and travÂel through conÂstructÂed environments–and now take away the game part. What’s left is a fairÂly wide-open creÂative space where users can creÂate and sell in-game stuff–houses, objects, clothÂing, etc–or engage in group activÂiÂties rangÂing from conÂcerts to politÂiÂcal activism to prosÂtiÂtuÂtion. It’s free to join but to own land (and receive a largÂer stipend of in-game cash) you have to sign up for a monthÂly subÂscripÂtion.
The online comÂmuÂniÂty has been growÂing fairÂly rapidÂly over the past year or two, now boastÂing over one milÂlion users who logged in durÂing the past month. Big busiÂness has takÂen notice of the trend, and comÂpaÂnies from ToyÂota, Microsoft and Sony BMG have all launched virÂtuÂal presÂences in SL.
The serÂvice has been receivÂing some of its most enthuÂsiÂasÂtic press from eduÂcaÂtors who hope to take advanÂtage of the free-for-all 3D spaces as tools for pedÂaÂgogy. You can find a lot of engiÂneerÂing schools, medÂical instiÂtuÂtions and, of course, the Star Trek MuseÂum of SciÂence on this list of sciÂence places in SL. The world’s creÂators activeÂly encourÂage eduÂcaÂtionÂal parÂticÂiÂpaÂtion and teachÂers from many uniÂverÂsiÂties (includÂing HarÂvard, ColumÂbia and more) have tried runÂning coursÂes or trainÂing sesÂsions in the simÂuÂlaÂtion. There is at least one skepÂtic out there, though: Clark Aldrich, a conÂsulÂtant for an e‑learning comÂpaÂny, offers up ten things he sees missÂing from SL as an eduÂcaÂtionÂal tool.
Whether or not SecÂond Life becomes a perÂmaÂnent fixÂture of the InterÂnet landÂscape, it’s cerÂtainÂly capÂtured a lot of peoÂples’ attenÂtion. To learn more about it check out the plethoÂra of podÂcasts availÂable on iTunes. At the very least this world does offer some zany opporÂtuÂniÂties for mulÂtiÂple layÂers of simÂuÂlaÂtion. Check out this video of a U2 “virÂtuÂal tribÂute band” perÂformÂing a conÂcert with lovÂingÂly renÂdered tribÂute avatars:
Vintage Radio Archive: The Lone Ranger, Abbott & Costello, and Bob Hope
This web page doesÂn’t look like much, but it housÂes a great deal. Put simÂply, the page plugs you into an archive of 135
vinÂtage AmerÂiÂcan radio shows, spanÂning from the 1930s to the 1950s. This was the height of AmerÂiÂca’s radio days. And when you lisÂten to the recordÂings, it won’t take long to realÂize that AmerÂiÂca was a very difÂferÂent counÂtry then (politÂiÂcalÂly, socialÂly and culÂturÂalÂly) than what it is today. The list feaÂtures some well-known clasÂsics. Take for examÂple, the Abbott and CostelÂlo Show, Bob and Ray Show, Bob Hope Show, Burns and Allen Show, Mel Blanc Show and MilÂton Berle Show (detect a patÂtern yet?). Then, you can also lisÂten in on episodes of GunÂsmoke, Jack BenÂny, The Lone Ranger, The CisÂco Kid, Father Knows Best and the AdvenÂtures Of Philip MarÂlowe. For those who want to expeÂriÂence the clasÂsics of old-time AmerÂiÂcan radio, or what mainÂstream AmerÂiÂcan enterÂtainÂment used to be, this audio archive should keep you busy for a good long while.
RelatÂed WebÂsite: AnothÂer colÂlecÂtion of vinÂtage radio audio clips can be found here.
RelatÂed ArtiÂcle: Radio fans should look back at our artiÂcle on the famous Orson Welles radio broadÂcast from 1938 — The War of the Worlds. ReadÂers can access here an audio file of the origÂiÂnal broadÂcast that sent the US into hysÂterÂics. It’s well worth a lisÂten if you haven’t heard it before.
David Halberstam’s Last Speech and Supper
 As many know by now, David HalÂberÂstam, the Pulitzer Prize-winÂning jourÂnalÂist, was killed in a car acciÂdenÂton MonÂday just a few short miles from the StanÂford camÂpus. As the obits were all quick to point out, HalÂberÂstam made his name durÂing an era that parÂalÂleled our own, durÂing the VietÂnam War. And he did it by reportÂing facts and truths about the war that inconÂveÂnientÂly conÂtraÂdictÂed the rosy, disinÂgenÂuÂous claims that were offiÂcialÂly comÂing out of WashÂingÂton. As The New York Times said about its forÂmer corÂreÂsponÂdent, “His disÂpatchÂes infuÂriÂatÂed AmerÂiÂcan milÂiÂtary comÂmanÂders and polÂiÂcyÂmakÂers in WashÂingÂton, but they accuÂrateÂly reflectÂed the realÂiÂties on the ground.” HalÂberÂstam’s account of how AmerÂiÂca got it wrong in VietÂnam were all famousÂly recountÂed in 1972 bestÂseller The Best and the BrightÂest.
HalÂberÂstam spent this past SatÂurÂday night dinÂning in the comÂpaÂny of felÂlow jourÂnalÂists from UC BerkeÂley, just after givÂing a speech (mp3 — tranÂscript) at the uniÂverÂsiÂty (see origÂiÂnal event page here). On WednesÂday, Radio Open Source (mp3) talked with HalÂberÂstam’s supÂper guests — Orville Schell, dean of the BerkeÂley gradÂuÂate proÂgram in jourÂnalÂism; Mark DanÂner of The New York Review of Books; and Sandy Tolan of NPR — and they reconÂstructÂed their dinÂner conÂverÂsaÂtions, which touched on the Iraq war, the comÂparÂaÂtive state of jourÂnalÂism durÂing VietÂnam and Iraq, and HalÂberÂstam’s sense of morÂtalÂiÂty folÂlowÂing his heart attack last year. They also recalled HalÂberÂstam’s dogged approach to jourÂnalÂism and how he resistÂed the tempÂtaÂtion to line up behind the govÂernÂment posiÂtion durÂing times of war, even when faced with the threat of being called unpaÂtriÂotÂic. Of course, if you watched Bill MoyÂer’s PBS expose on WednesÂday, you’ll know that we’re not seeÂing enough of this these days. Give this segÂment a lisÂten (get mp3 here), and also spend some time watchÂing the video clip below. Here, you get HalÂberÂstam reflectÂing on his days as a 28-year old reporter in VietÂnam and the sigÂnifÂiÂcant presÂsures that the AmerÂiÂcan govÂernÂment brought to bear against him, all of which leaves you thinkÂing — plus ça change, plus c’est la mĂŞme chose. |
The Pirates of Silicon Valley Courtesy (?) of Google Video
One of the most bookÂmarked items this weekÂend on del.icio.us was a streamed verÂsion of The Pirates of SilÂiÂcon ValÂley. It’s a well-regardÂed teleÂviÂsion movie, based on the book Fire in the ValÂley, which looks at the earÂly days of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, the respecÂtive founders of Microsoft and Apple ComÂputÂer. The video proÂmotÂed by del.icio.us is itself hostÂed by Google Video, a fact that has a couÂple of layÂers of irony to it.
Irony #1. Back when the film was made in 1999, Google was bareÂly on anyÂone’s radar screen. NowaÂdays, it’s the 800 lb gorilÂla in the tech secÂtor. In a few short years, it has elbowed Yahoo out of its leadÂerÂship posiÂtion on the web, and you can bet it will soon be eatÂing MicrosoftÂ’s lunch. If any comÂpaÂny is domÂiÂnatÂing SilÂiÂcon ValÂley right now, it’s Google, although a re-inventÂed Apple is cerÂtainÂly havÂing a nice run.
Irony #2. The Pirates of SilÂiÂcon ValÂley makes a point of underÂscorÂing how Microsoft built its busiÂness by “borÂrowÂing” from Apple. MeanÂwhile, Google, which now owns YouTube, has been locked in a lawÂsuit with HolÂlyÂwood stuÂdios (most notably ViaÂcom) for letÂting its video serÂvices disÂtribÂute, yes, piratÂed conÂtent. It stands to reaÂson that the Google-hostÂed verÂsion of The Pirates of SilÂiÂcon ValÂley falls in that catÂeÂgoÂry, though we could be wrong. But givÂen how long the video has been postÂed on Google Video (since last NovemÂber) and how many times it has been viewed (352,988 at last count), you have to wonÂder how much the stuÂdio (TurnÂer Home EnterÂtainÂment) parÂticÂuÂlarÂly cares. This is all entireÂly specÂuÂlaÂtive, but perÂhaps their logÂic is simÂply this: The resÂoÂluÂtion of Youtubesque video is so poor that few viewÂers will see the movie as a real subÂstiÂtute for the origÂiÂnal film, and perÂhaps users will be motiÂvatÂed to buy the film in DVD once they get a taste of the plot. (This is essenÂtialÂly the same logÂic, by the way, put forÂward by those who argue for releasÂing books in free e‑book verÂsions and fee-based paper verÂsions.) To get a sense of what I’m talkÂing about, you can watch the video below, but you’ll pretÂty quickÂly see that it’s worth ponyÂing up a litÂtle cash and watchÂing a watchÂable verÂsion. (You can buy one here.)
Long-term some of this thinkÂing may figÂure into any deal that Google works out with HolÂlyÂwood. A deal could look like this: HolÂlyÂwood agrees to upload low resÂoÂluÂtion conÂtent that Google gets to monÂeÂtize. In turn, Google agrees to let users make conÂtexÂtuÂal purÂchasÂes of DVDs, or at least downÂload high resÂoÂluÂtion verÂsions of videos for a fee. And then everyÂone can go home hapÂpy.
The Sucking Sound at The Wall Street Journal
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at the Yale School of ManÂageÂment, which he titled “Can NewsÂpaÂper JourÂnalÂism SurÂvive Blogs, Fox News and Karl Rove?” (LisÂten here on iTunes.) SpeakÂing canÂdidÂly, WesÂsel readÂiÂly acknowlÂedged that the print newsÂpaÂper busiÂness is in trouÂble, and even hintÂed that some of our major newsÂpaÂpers, the JourÂnal perÂhaps includÂed, may not ultiÂmateÂly be long for the world. The probÂlem, as he describes it, is twofold: First, readÂers and adverÂtisÂers conÂtinÂue to move from print to the interÂnet, a mediÂum that old school papers can’t monÂeÂtize very well. SecÂond — and this is the crux of his arguÂment — he sees the major papers also sufÂferÂing because they face comÂpeÂtiÂtion from more overtÂly politiÂcized media playÂers, such as Fox, Drudge and varÂiÂous blogs that don’t adhere to traÂdiÂtionÂal stanÂdards of jourÂnalÂism. While The Wall Street JourÂnal strives to be “fair and balÂanced,” Fox News (rather ironÂiÂcalÂly) and many right and left-wing blogs readÂiÂly embrace bias and manÂage to capÂiÂtalÂize on it fairÂly well. This leaves the midÂdle of the road media in trouÂble. Now, there is sureÂly some merÂit to this arguÂment. But it realÂly doesÂn’t seem to get to the root of the probÂlem. WesÂsel paints the WSJ’s woes as being essenÂtialÂly politÂiÂcal when they realÂly are not. It’s more about busiÂness and culÂture than anyÂthing else. When the interÂnet took off in the late 90s, we heard about how it lowÂered barÂriÂers to entry and allowed playÂers with litÂtle capÂiÂtal to get online and comÂpete. Now, ten years latÂer, we’re seeÂing the results. EstabÂlished conÂtent playÂers have found themÂselves comÂpetÂing with an infiÂnite numÂber of speÂcialÂized conÂtent providers, some of which are damn good, and some not. (PerÂhaps we can lump the unabashedÂly politÂiÂcal blogs in the latÂter group.) Put simÂply, the inforÂmaÂtion world is being splinÂtered much like the teleÂviÂsion world was with the advent of cable, except even more so, and this leaves readÂers with many viable choicÂes. For betÂter or worse, the genÂerÂalÂist press seems almost doomed to give way to speÂcialÂized blogs and web sites that readÂers can aggreÂgate into an organÂic whole with the help of bookÂmarks and newÂfanÂgled “feed readÂers.” (See, for examÂple, Google ReadÂer, MyYaÂhoo, or BlogÂlines.) This probÂaÂbly includes The Wall Street JourÂnal. And would David WesÂsel be surÂprised to see AmerÂiÂca’s leadÂing finanÂcial paper evenÂtuÂalÂly supÂplantÂed by a changÂing conÂstelÂlaÂtion of alterÂnaÂtives? ProbÂaÂbly not. You can already hear the doubt in his voice … and very faintÂly the suckÂing sound in the halls of Dow Jones. |
The First Episode of This American Life: A Sneak Peek
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This is just a quick heads up. You can now watch online the first episode of This AmerÂiÂcan Life. ShowÂtime just startÂed airÂing a teleÂvised verÂsion of the long-runÂning and very popÂuÂlar radio proÂgram (which is also availÂable as a podÂcast iTunes Feed Web Site). If you’re wonÂderÂing how the show’s disÂtincÂtive feel comes off in video, here’s your chance to take a quick, easy and free look.
See our comÂplete lists of Arts & CulÂture PodÂcasts, or our largÂer PodÂcast Library. Email a friend and let them know about Open CulÂture.
The Problem with GooTube (and Inside Iran)
| With YouTube and Google Video now sitÂting under the same hapÂpy corÂpoÂrate umbrelÂla, you can rest assured that the world will receive only a steadÂier stream of home-brewed videos of guiÂtar riffs, treadÂmill dances, dorm room antics, and pet playÂtimes, the very stuff that makes up YouTube’s all-time list of favorites. Lucky us. But someÂwhere withÂin these vast troves of videos reside some valuÂable culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal conÂtent. And although it will assuredÂly lose the popÂuÂlarÂiÂty conÂtest that deterÂmines relÂeÂvance withÂin the world of Web 2.0, it’s there nonetheÂless, and we’re hapÂpy to point it out, espeÂcialÂly since GooTube doesÂn’t do much to help on that front. Here’s a good examÂple of what we’re talkÂing about.If you take seriÂousÂly the recent politÂiÂcal talk, the Bush AdminÂisÂtraÂtion looks to be on a colÂliÂsion course with Iran. And should things come to a head, you can guarÂanÂtee that AmerÂiÂcans will have next to no sense of what Iran is realÂly like as a counÂtry, othÂer than what the adminÂisÂtraÂtion has to say about it. The GooTube video below is a good corÂrecÂtive to that. This 90-minute liveÂly proÂgram proÂduced by the BBC takes an inside look at “one of the most misÂunÂderÂstood counÂtries in the world, lookÂing at the counÂtry through the eyes of peoÂple rarely heard — ordiÂnary IraÂniÂans.” And as it goes on to explain things, “it took a year of wranÂgling to get perÂmisÂsion to film inside Iran but the result is an amazÂing porÂtrayÂal of an enerÂgetic and vibrant counÂtry that is comÂpleteÂly difÂferÂent to the usuÂal images seen in the media.” Take a look: |
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