Partner Director, Internet Broadcasting

Mendota Heights, MN

Read the full post November 25th, 2006

Celebrate embedded Comedy Central vids with a ’sigh’

Lost Remote has encouraged the media sites to allow their videos to be shared easily on other blogs. The best way to do that is to follow the YouTube model by allowing bloggers to embed video, right on the page. So, to celebrate the ability to embed Comedy Central video, here’s a “Word” from the Colbert Report (and his highlight of the month): “Sigh.”

We have written before that we will embed video directly from the source when the source makes it as easy to share as YouTube. We’re happy to see Comedy Central jumping in to the pool.

5 comments November 25th, 2006

Figuring out what to look for in a digital CEO

The New York Times looks at all the recent internet exec shuffling at big media companies and asks whether there is an ideal profile yet for a candidate. (If there is nobody has figured it out, argues reporter Richard Siklos.) Funny lead to the article includes fictional “JOB DESCRIPTION: To take all the stuff we produce for other formats, like TV or print or film, and figure out how to shovel it onto the Internet in a way that makes money.”

1 comment November 25th, 2006

Zune DRM WiFi hack: stealing songs is hard work!

Via Gizmodo, a guide on how to hack the Microsoft Zune so that songs shared over WiFi don’t share their DRM, too. It ain’t easy, though, and involves the always-dangerous regedit. And if you ask me, it looks like a very clunky process. As one user points out: “Rename-upload-share-download-rename requiring 2 computers and 2 zunes is nothing more than an experiment without practical use. Just like somebody said, share a flashdrive already, ok? There are easier ways to share whatever files.”

1 comment November 25th, 2006

Do you finish your emails with a sign-off?

I have never given this much thought, but that’s why I’m not in the manners business. (Cory’s the polite one at One LR Plaza.) Apparently there is a whole lot of thought going in to how we should end our emails. Generally speaking, I don’t bother with a “Love, Steve” or “Sincerely, Steve” or even “Bugger Off, Steve.” Emails are informal. But when they call for a certain formality, I tend to fall back on “Best” or “Sincerely.” Apparently, those are too cold. How do you end your emails? Love, With All Sincerity, Steve.

12 comments November 25th, 2006

Broadcasting’s spiraling vortex of ruin

Quite the quote from Bob Garfield, editor at large of Advertising Age, in a story he wrote for Wired Magazine about online video:

Without being overly simplistic or melodramatic, the state of the Old Commercial Broadcasting Model can be summarized like this: a spiraling vortex of ruin. Fragmentation has decimated audiences, viewers who do watch are skipping commercials, advertisers are therefore fleeing, the revenue for underwriting new content is therefore flatlining, program quality is therefore suffering (Dancing With the Stars. QED), which will lead to ever more viewer defection, which will lead to ever more advertiser defection, and so on.

Perhaps a little melodramatic, but he does a nice job summarizing the challenges of monetizing online video in the story.

Add comment November 25th, 2006

New Wii controllers causing aches and pains

Nintendo’s new Wii system uses motion-sensing controllers that require gamers to act out movements that correspond with the game, like swinging a tennis racket. But now gamers are waking up the next morning with aches and pains and a “Wii elbow.” Worse yet, all that flailing around is resulting in mid-air collisions. For example, one guy accidently whacked his fiancée while playing tennis and then tagged his dog while bowling. Nintendo says it hasn’t received any compaints, yet, and offers this advice: “It was not meant to be a Jenny Craig supplement. If people are finding themselves sore, they may need to exercise more.” (WSJ sub. req.)

8 comments November 25th, 2006