Broadcast Paradox

TV Should Create Its Own Online Store

techmanager — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:54:33 +0000

On BNET, Catharine Taylor gives four good reasons why the TV networks should bypass iTunes and create their own online store. (The main point being that it would allow the nets to set the price of a show.)

READ THE COMPLETE POST HERE.

The Future of News

techmanager — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:17:31 +0000

You would think that having worked in the news business that I would have known sooner about this ten show series produced by the Newseum and currently running on some PBS stations. Unfortunately I just discovered it a few days ago.

You can find the show synopsis here and the Future of News blog here.

(Shown: John King of CNN and Steve Grove of YouTube from Episode 10.)

Local TV for Devices on the Move

techmanager — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:09:16 +0000

The New York Times today printed an article on mobile DTV.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK TO THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE.

FCC Report Backs Claims of Digital Divide

techmanager — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:36:13 +0000

READ THE ORIGINAL B&C ARTICLE HERE.

(I always said there was a digital divide…)

Bowl Numbers Up: Nets Last Hope ?

techmanager — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:43:34 +0000

Nothing new here. The overnights merely confirm what the pundits have been saying: that DVR-proof live TV events will be the only savior of the once “big three” nets.

The game had the best fast overnight numbers since the 1987 game between the New York Giants and Denver Broncos.

Skype Journalism

techmanager — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:12:45 +0000

Is Skype as good as shoe-leather on the ground? Andrew Tyndall, in his Tyndall Report blog raised an interesting point in his commentary on Diane Sawyer’s Journalistic Ethos.

Tyndall comments on ABC’s recent reliance on the high-tech but dirt cheap alternative to utilizing stringers or sending producers in the field to report a story. Tyndall says: “The visuals viewers see consist of reporters working the telephone; interviewing sources via speakerphone and Skype; quoting from e-mails and chatrooms and social networking sites; performing Google searches and showing Website screen grabs.”

There’s nothing wrong with using social media to help report the news, but there is still nothing better than an on the scene presence at a breaking news story. And it becomes almost laughable when a network does a Skype interview with someone who is just a ten dollar cab ride away from their headquarters. Yes, times are tough for the networks, but penny wise and pound foolish will come back to bite them again. (Just remember the Atlanta park bombing and Space Shuttle Columbia stories.)

HDMI Consortium Pubs Part of Spec

techmanager — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:11:41 +0000

HDMI Licensing, the agent that represents the HDMI founding members (Hitachi, Panasonic, Philips, Silicon Image, Sony, Technicolor, and Toshiba) is making available the part of the HDMI® 4.1 specification that deals with 3D display formats.

This will provide production companies, networks and transmission companies with the information they need to determine if their 3D programming will display on HDMI® equipped sets.

OTA B’casters Won’t Waive Big Sticks

techmanager — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:09:46 +0000

In comments filed with the FCC’s Broadband Task Force on January 27th, the NAB and the Association For Maximum Service Television (MSTV) said that a proposal from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the wireless trade industry association (CTIA) to free-up additional spectrum was unacceptable.

The proposal calls for over-the-air broadcasters to transition from today’s high power single transmitter DTV infrastructure to one based on multiple DTS single-frequency network transmitters. The NAB and MSTV filing said the plan would create loss of service to viewers resulting from increased coverage gaps and interference.

READ THE ENTIRE BROADCAST ENGINEERING ARTICLE HERE

News Orgs Tap into Twitter to Make Ad $

techmanager — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:37:34 +0000

Mallary Jean Tenore blogs in Poynter Online on how The Austin American-Statesman, The Huffington Post and The New York Times are experimenting with ways to generate ad dollars using Twitter and Facebook.

FOR THE COMPLETE POYNTER ONLINE BLOG POST CLICK HERE

Will the iPad Save the News Business?

techmanager — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:35:54 +0000

The roundup blog post I was meaning to write:

FOR THE COMPLETE CYBERJOURNALIST.NET POST CLICK HERE