unmediated

Everything old is new again: Facebook and AOL - aiaio - the Alexander Interactive blog

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:04:56 -0500

Everything old is new again: Facebook and AOL - aiaio - the Alexander Interactive blog:

What makes Facebook interesting these days? Basically the same things that made AOL a star a decade earlier.

private messaging without an external email client: just like AOL!

live chat: just like AOL!

integrated games and shopping: just like AOL!

every company feels a need to be there: just like AOL!

And here we are again, with consumers converging on a single site and companies clamoring to capture their attention.

AOL was eventually done in by a lack of openness and charging for options that were free elsewhere. So far, Facebook has avoided those mistakes. It will be interesting to see what social and economic forces drive its future—and whether it ultimately becomes something other than The Next AOL.

"The core of the issue is this: the TV buyers have 50+ years of econometric modeling history that..."

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:33:20 -0500

“

The core of the issue is this: the TV buyers have 50+ years of econometric modeling history that tells them if they buy X amount of GRPs or TRPs (Target Rating Points), it will generate Y in return. Everyone acknowledges that there are major flaws with this methodology, but are, for the most part, resigned to it; accepting it as the best we’ve got.

As video expands to other platforms, including online, digital out-of-home, and mobile, there’s a natural desire to take that same metric and apply. But doing so fails to account for the unique attributes of these new digital delivery channels — things like interactivity, ratio of ad clutter to content, dynamic ad serving, and so forth.

”

- Are All Screens Created Equal? - ClickZ

I’ve already talked about how online GRPs are not the answer. Not only are all screens not created equal, but there is a big difference between seeing an ad inserted into Lost on Hulu and an ad on a monkey video on YouTube.

(via everythingismedia)

Or the powerful custom integration and white label content executions that sites like blip.tv can produce. We’re seeing record interaction rates as we get better and better at figuring out how to make awesome digital video ads that WORK.

(via evangotlib) (via mikehudack)

Losing Net Neutrality, Worst Case Scenario :...

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:56:41 -0400

Losing Net Neutrality, Worst Case Scenario : Gizmodo

This is John McCain’s wet dream.

via: soupsoup: atomische

FCC Backs Net Neutrality — And Then Some.

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:41:24 -0400

FCC Backs Net Neutrality — And Then Some.:

Ryan Singel at Wired News

FCC chairman Julius Genachowski delivered Monday on President Obama’s promise to back “net neutrality.” But he went much further than merely seeking to expand rules that prohibit ISPs from filtering or blocking net traffic — he proposed that they cover all broadband connections, including data connections for smartphones.

Genachowski, Obama’s law school classmate, announced in a speech Monday at the Brookings Institution his intent to codify and expand the four current broadband principles (.pdf) known as the Four Freedoms and extend them to all broadband connections. He said that an open internet is necessary for economic growth and democratic participation. The rules were originally applied only to wireline broadband services, and the FCC kept postponing any ruling on whether they also applied to wireless services.

via soupsoup

"The NFL said Monday it will allow players to use social media networks this season, but not during..."

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:34:27 -0400

“The NFL said Monday it will allow players to use social media networks this season, but not during games. Players, coaches and football operations personnel can use Twitter, Facebook and other social media up to 90 minutes before kickoff, and after the game following traditional media interviews.

During games, no updates will be permitted by the individual himself or anyone representing him on his personal Twitter, Facebook or any other social media account, the league said.

The use of social media by NFL game officials and officiating department personnel will be prohibited at all times. The league, which has always barred play-by-play descriptions of games in progress, also extended that ban to social media platforms.

Earlier this summer, Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie was fined $2,500 by the team for criticizing the food service at training camp on Twitter.”

- Tweet delete: NFL bans social media in games - ESPN

via Deadspin

I don’t think refs would benefit from being on the internet much.

(via peterwknox)

Publishers Are Killing Web Advertising’s Potential With Misguided Pricing | paidContent

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:53:36 -0400

Publishers Are Killing Web Advertising’s Potential With Misguided Pricing | paidContent:

rafer sez:
Nice, all online ad pricing is wrong. This concrete measurement crap is misleading. The “truth” is contained in offline ad pricing. We should apply that methodology to the Internet.

Who, really, is The Associated Press accusing of copyright infringement? » Nieman Journalism Lab

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:04:20 -0400

Who, really, is The Associated Press accusing of copyright infringement? » Nieman Journalism Lab:

If, say, Newser were to balk at a pricier contract and begin treating AP content the way it deals with other news organizations — headlines, excerpts, links — I get the impression that the AP would take action. “There’s no question that we see value in headlines,” Kasi told me, “and that value in the headlines is that we’d rather that it point to our publishers’ sites than some other site, for example, if all the other site is doing is simply cutting and pasting our content.”

Hackers Use Twitter to Control Botnet : Wired.com

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:56:32 -0400

Hackers Use Twitter to Control Botnet : Wired.com:

Hackers are now using Twitter to send coded update messages to computers they’ve previously infected with rogue code, according to a report from net-monitoring firm Arbor Networks.

This looks to be the first reported case of hackers using the popular micro-messaging company to control botnets, which are assemblages of infected PCs that can be directed to spy on their users, send spam, or attack web sites with fake traffic.

Arbor Network’s Jose Nazario, an expert on botnets, discovered the so-called command-and-control structure. Infected computers were following the Twitter feed “Upd4t3″ (now suspended) through its RSS feed.

“Basically, what it does is use the status messages to send out new links to contact, then these contain new commands or executables to download and run,” Nazario wrote. “It’s an info-stealer operation.”

The tweets turned out to be obfuscated links to sites where further malicious code and instructions could be downloaded.

Hackers have long used IRC chat rooms to control botnets, and have continually used clever technologies, such as peer-to-peer strategies, to counter efforts to track, disrupt and sometimes decapitate the bots.

Perhaps what’s surprising then is that it’s taken so long for hackers to take Twitter to the dark side.

There’s something ironic about this finding, given that Russian hackers allegedly used a botnet to take Twitter down for two days last week.

Movie aims to rein in China’s online mob - msnbc.com

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:57:16 -0400

Movie aims to rein in China’s online mob - msnbc.com:

In the past few years, China’s Internet vigilantes have mobilized to root out, expose and shame people they perceive to be exhibiting corrupt or immoral behavior. Marked for their unfettered zeal, the literal translation of the Chinese term for this ad hoc group of sleuthing online activists is: “human flesh search engine.” Nevertheless, while the stature of this group of online watchmen continues to grow, a new Chinese movie may force the Internet phenomenon out of the online sphere and into the country’s public dialogue. “Invisible Killer,” produced and co-written by Xie Xiaodong, is the first movie to broach the subject of Internet vigilantism and dramatize the pitfalls of having a mobilized and motivated online mob administering its own brand of justice.

Amateur Photographer soupsoup: nevver: 1953 Apparently not a...

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:07:55 -0400

Amateur Photographer

soupsoup:

nevver:

1953

Apparently not a new phenomenon.

Evolution of a Revolution: Visualizing Millions of Iran...

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:42:32 -0400

Evolution of a Revolution: Visualizing Millions of Iran Tweets

via jamiew

Company Receives Patent for Podcasting

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:13:10 -0400

Company Receives Patent for Podcasting:

VoloMedia, a podcast analytics, advertising, and distribution company, just received a patent for “providing episodic media,” including podcasts. According to the company, which filed for the patent in November 2003, U.S. Patent 7,568,213 covers all episodic media downloads, not just the RSS-dependent downloads that power today’s podcasts. VoloMedia CEO Murgesh Navar says that the company doesn’t plan to go after individual podcasters, but that the company plans to “work collaboratively with key participants in the industry.” We do wonder, however, if VoloMedia can really claim to have invented podcasting in 2003, given that the concept was already under development by Dave Winer and others in late 2000 and early 2001.

The only company mentioned specifically in the announcement is Hulu (as an example for a content platform that might one day offer episodic, downloadable content), but in an interview with NewTeeVee’s Chris Albrecht, Navar also revealed that the company is already in talks with Apple and a number of TV networks.

CollegeHumor’s New Production Spinoff: Notional; Van Veen’s Heading It | paidContent

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 01:38:28 -0400

CollegeHumor’s New Production Spinoff: Notional; Van Veen’s Heading It | paidContent:

innonate:

rickyv:

In December of 1999, Josh and I created CollegeHumor.com on a laptop while DJ’ing an office Christmas party in Baltimore. In December of this year, I will have been running the editorial side of the business for ten years. According to Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, that makes me an expert in dick jokes.

So, with that valuable wisdom in my head, I will be transitioning out of my role at CollegeHumor at the end of the year. Per the above link, I’ll be heading up a new production company for IAC called Notional. I’ll still be involved in CH at a high level, just not the day-to-day. To be honest, the whole team at CH is so amazing right now that I doubt they’ll even notice I left. Notional will produce content for all platforms, but initially specialize in TV shows.

Anyway, more info to come. I’m expecting this to be really challenging – I’ve got a ton to learn. But hopefully it’ll be super fun as well.

Meeting for those interested in applying for local NYC Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) funding: 7/28/09 at DCTV

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:59:01 -0400

The NYC City Council is having a meeting to encourage the tech community to apply for local BTOP funds to create programs that address CTCs and digital divide issues. Problem is they didn’t put the information about the meeting on the web. (Sigh.)

Here it is for anyone interested:

On Tuesday, July 28, 2009 from 6-8 PM at DCTV’s Third Floor Conference Room (located at 87 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10013) Council Member Gale A. Brewer invites all members of the New York City technology community to discuss the recently released Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) funding that has been made available through the federal stimulus package which passed in February 2009. The purpose of this event is to help galvanize interested applicants around common goals. Please distribute this invitation widely and invite all pertinent stakeholders to attend.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was enacted by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama on February 17, 2009, to stimulate the national economy and invigorate neglected industries that directly affect the nation’s competitive edge. Included in this stimulus package is the $7.2 billion Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, also known as BTOP. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) released rules (also known as notice of funds availability, NOFA) for the BTOP governing process on July 1, 2009.

In an effort to involve the entire technology and not-for-profit community, I would like to encourage your participation in a meeting on Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 6 PM – 8 PM at DCTV’s Third Floor Conference Room (located at 87 Lafayette Street, NY, NY 10013). This meeting will bring together organizations and institutions and provide an opportunity to connect and collaborate on a comprehensive plan for New York City’s BTOP application. These grants are all competitive. The goal of this meeting
is to foster partnerships and maximize the possibility of bringing projects to the five boroughs through BTOP funds.

The BTOP grant application was released on July 9, 2009, and is due by 5 PM on August 14, 2009. After a thorough review, the NTIA will announce the finalists in September 2009 and will allocate the funds in November 2009. The NTIA expects projects to be completed within two to three years of the award date. The first of three funding rounds will provide about $1.6 billion in competitive grants to all fifty states.

The breakdown for NTIA’s $1.6 billion BTOP [NOFA 527-545] grant is as follows:
• $1.2 billion allocated to provide last- and middle-mile services to unserved and underserved areas;
• $50 million for computer centers;
• $150 million to drive broadband demand; and
• $200 million in discretionary funding to spread among the aforementionedcategories, when in need.

For “last mile” funding purposes in New York City, an underserved area can be designated by meeting one of three criteria:

• No more than 50 percent of households have access to facilities-based terrestrial broad-band;
• No fixed or mobile provider advertises speeds of at least 3 megabits per second (Mbps);
• The rate of subscribership is 40 percent or less.

The application process is ranked on a 100-point system. The rubric is outlined in the following way:
1. Project Purpose (30 points)
2. Project Benefits (25 points)
3. Project Viability (25 points)
4. Project Budget and Sustainability (20 points)

For more information on this breakdown, please log on to www.broadbandusa.gov and click on the “Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Broadband Initiatives Program and Broadband Technology Opportunities Program”. Of particular interest to New York City applicants are lines 1410 through 1593.

Contact Kunal Malhotra, Budget and Legislation Director, or Samuel Wong, Legislative Aide on Technology, at (212) 788-6975 or at kmalhotra@council.nyc.gov / samwong.nycc@gmail.com if you have questions and would like to attend the NYC BTOP meeting on July 28, 2009.

Don't dismiss journalism schools just because newspapers are in trouble

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:21:50 -0400

Don't dismiss journalism schools just because newspapers are in trouble:

larachelak:

According to Inside Higher Ed, applications to Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism have gone up around 40 percent higher than last year. Applications to Temple University’s Department of Journalism have remained steady over the last few years. In March, the Daily Pennsylvanian reported that due to student interest and potential demand, the University of Pennsylvania is working to propose a journalism minor.

Journalism isn’t dying; it’s being revolutionized. What better time to make a mark at a top-tier school then?

Ad Agency BooneOakley Uses Annotated YouTube Video As Their Main Website

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:20:59 -0400

laughingsquid:

Ad Agency BooneOakley Uses Annotated YouTube Video As Their Main Website

Howard Rheingold on essential media literacies JD...

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:55:41 -0400

Howard Rheingold on essential media literacies

JD Lasica’s video interview of Howard Rheingold speaking in front of King’s College, Cambridge. “Increasingly I think the digital divide is less about access to technology and more about the difference between those who know how and those who don’t know how,”

Causes Facebook App Raises $10M in two years

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:22:33 -0400

Causes Facebook App Raises $10M in two years:

via randomwalks/dj via waxy.org

When You Put Data In, You Should Be Able to Get It Out | Smarterware

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:10:14 -0400

When You Put Data In, You Should Be Able to Get It Out | Smarterware:

One of the most basic features a good software application offers is a way for users to get the data they put into the system out. Sounds reasonable, no? But that isn’t the way it works, especially for a a few notable webapps.

For example, Twitter only lets its users retrieve the last 3,200 updates they’ve entered into the system. If you’ve tweeted over 3,200 times? The status updates starting with number 3,201 are simply lost to you. Poof! Gone. You can’t retrieve them using Twitter’s API or search engine. And yeah, I know, Twitter’s supposed to be ephemeral, represent the NOW, be the current “pulse of the planet” or whatever. But for its most loyal users, who log their lives and thoughts and links on Twitter, that update back in early 2007 matters. The cap can feel like someone has burned your diary. Most likely this is a scaling issue, but let’s get serious here: if I’ve been kind enough to enter data into your system over 3,200 times, the least you can do is let me export, backup, page back through all my status updates always.

Flickr does a similar thing with non-Pro accounts: you lose access to sets you’ve created beyond a certain number. At least Flickr gives you the option to upgrade to a Pro account in order to still get them (and I have), but it still wigs me out that I would create something on a system and then get denied access to it without paying. I could see denying me access to other people’s data, but my own? Really?

Most software works pretty simply: you enter data into it, and it outputs something useful. But at the most base level, you should be able to get back out what you’ve put in.

If your Twitter update count is nearing or over 3,200, and you want to save a copy to your computer, this simple (but geeky/XML) method using cURL will work. Photo by mary.w.e.

A snapshot of venture funding for online video start ups in...

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:39:44 -0400

A snapshot of venture funding for online video start ups in this this Ad Age Article. Crazy to see how much money has been raised in our space. blip.tv’s own funding does not even approach these numbers, even after four years. It’s good to be scrappy! Thanks @taniayuki for the link. -johnfitzpatrick

mikehudack: These numbers are absolutely insane.