Comments on: The wussification of the TIME ‘Person of the Year’ http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/ Where TV Finds the Future Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:46:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Sam http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-698894 Sam Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:43:37 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-698894 Wow, thanks for the excellent information! Wow, thanks for the excellent information!

]]> By: directtv http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-257584 directtv Tue, 27 Mar 2007 10:52:01 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-257584 Blog of directtv Blog of directtv

]]> By: Missy Blankenship http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-119694 Missy Blankenship Fri, 05 Jan 2007 05:11:56 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-119694 Thank you. I sincerely appreciate the honor. I thoroughly plan to add this award to my resume! >>} (tongue-in-cheek) Thank you. I sincerely appreciate the honor. I thoroughly plan to add this award to my resume!

>>} (tongue-in-cheek)

]]> By: Richard Davies http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-100985 Richard Davies Mon, 18 Dec 2006 18:46:22 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-100985 Ever wonder why the news media pay less and less attention to Time's Person of the Year? The magazine's choice is another example of a cop out. Person of the year should have been Time's runner up Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. But he wouldn't have been a sexy choice, would he? The rise of Shi-ite Islam (Al Sadr in Iraq, Nasrallah in Lebanon) is a huge story. But with Time trying desperately to be "hot", this one rates an inside page. Too bad. Ever wonder why the news media pay less and less attention to Time’s Person of the Year? The magazine’s choice is another example of a cop out.

Person of the year should have been Time’s runner up Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. But he wouldn’t have been a sexy choice, would he? The rise of Shi-ite Islam (Al Sadr in Iraq, Nasrallah in Lebanon) is a huge story. But with Time trying desperately to be “hot”, this one rates an inside page. Too bad.

]]> By: themofo http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-100932 themofo Mon, 18 Dec 2006 17:29:38 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-100932 After much thought, I've decided to decline accepting this award. After much thought, I’ve decided to decline accepting this award.

]]> By: aimes2 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-100804 aimes2 Mon, 18 Dec 2006 15:17:17 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-100804 Good post. All this POTY is simply about sanitized PR and corporate synergies... how many times are we going to have to hear about how cool this is on CNN? It is American-centric wussiness 100%. Is there going to be a discussion about the digital divide across economic classes in this POTY story? I like the internet as much as the next person and I am not doubting the power of user created content, but let's get over ourselves. This choice tells me that people who work in the corporate media industries are living in a bubble when it comes to what really impacts people around the world. What percentage of the global population reads blogs? hahaha. All this "You-ness" is just about finding the next My Space so these media-types can pretend they are "with it" in order to pump out more ads... and sanitize Youtube. Here's a tip: SecondLife is for chumps. Good post. All this POTY is simply about sanitized PR and corporate synergies… how many times are we going to have to hear about how cool this is on CNN?

It is American-centric wussiness 100%. Is there going to be a discussion about the digital divide across economic classes in this POTY story?

I like the internet as much as the next person and I am not doubting the power of user created content, but let’s get over ourselves.

This choice tells me that people who work in the corporate media industries are living in a bubble when it comes to what really impacts people around the world. What percentage of the global population reads blogs? hahaha.

All this “You-ness” is just about finding the next My Space so these media-types can pretend they are “with it” in order to pump out more ads… and sanitize Youtube.

Here’s a tip: SecondLife is for chumps.

]]> By: Rocker http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-100780 Rocker Mon, 18 Dec 2006 14:57:52 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-100780 TIME? What's that? I vaguely remember some dead-tree news vehicle a long time ago...or was that LIFE? Is it something that matters? Someone help me out here... TIME? What’s that? I vaguely remember some dead-tree news vehicle a long time ago…or was that LIFE? Is it something that matters? Someone help me out here…

]]> By: Safran http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-100589 Safran Mon, 18 Dec 2006 12:15:30 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-100589 And I can say one of the People of the Year comments on my blog. And I disagree with him sometimes. But that's why I like him. :) And I can say one of the People of the Year comments on my blog. And I disagree with him sometimes. But that’s why I like him. :)

]]> By: Charles http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-100153 Charles Mon, 18 Dec 2006 04:20:18 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-100153 Oh... I'm sure I meant "One LR Plaza"... But hey, you guys definately have offices at 30 LR anyway, so, the expression still fits. In 1988, Earth itself was named "_____ of the Year". Naming the planet itself I think is one of the FEW things you could do to be more broad and general than "You". And there have been several groups and "abstracts", as Wikipedia refers to them as, throughout the century. I can agree on the fact that it has become more "U.S.-centric" in the past decade. (1996 was the last year that featured a foreign-born individual living outside of the United States.) Now, I *HATE* always disagreeing with you guys, because that seems to be all I do here, and I LOVE this site with serious affection and adoration. (And yet, I'm always giving a counterpoint!) But, this year's selection is less "wussification" as it is very, very clever. Especially since this year saw more focus on online video, embedded video clips, buying out of huge media companies (YouTube, MySpace), and the continued explosion of blogs and social networking sites. Even news sites vastly expanded their online offerings versus a year ago. You can get a version of each nightly newscast online (albeit a afternoon edition, a live simulcast or a late-night stream.). We also saw iTunes adding video, which further expanded podcasting and vodcast offerings, from both individuals and from companies. On the surface, "You" does sound kind of cheap and kind of a cop-out, and when compared with the cover choices over the past decade or so, yeah, it doesn't look the *best*. But on it's own merits, it's still a very clever, unique idea. And now I can say "Yeah, you know Steve Safran? One of the guys behind Lost Remote? One of TIME's people of the year? Yeah, I comment on his blog." ;) Oh… I’m sure I meant “One LR Plaza”… But hey, you guys definately have offices at 30 LR anyway, so, the expression still fits.

In 1988, Earth itself was named “_____ of the Year”. Naming the planet itself I think is one of the FEW things you could do to be more broad and general than “You”. And there have been several groups and “abstracts”, as Wikipedia refers to them as, throughout the century.

I can agree on the fact that it has become more “U.S.-centric” in the past decade. (1996 was the last year that featured a foreign-born individual living outside of the United States.)

Now, I *HATE* always disagreeing with you guys, because that seems to be all I do here, and I LOVE this site with serious affection and adoration. (And yet, I’m always giving a counterpoint!) But, this year’s selection is less “wussification” as it is very, very clever. Especially since this year saw more focus on online video, embedded video clips, buying out of huge media companies (YouTube, MySpace), and the continued explosion of blogs and social networking sites. Even news sites vastly expanded their online offerings versus a year ago. You can get a version of each nightly newscast online (albeit a afternoon edition, a live simulcast or a late-night stream.). We also saw iTunes adding video, which further expanded podcasting and vodcast offerings, from both individuals and from companies.

On the surface, “You” does sound kind of cheap and kind of a cop-out, and when compared with the cover choices over the past decade or so, yeah, it doesn’t look the *best*. But on it’s own merits, it’s still a very clever, unique idea. And now I can say “Yeah, you know Steve Safran? One of the guys behind Lost Remote? One of TIME’s people of the year? Yeah, I comment on his blog.” ;)

]]> By: Steve Safran http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-99985 Steve Safran Sun, 17 Dec 2006 22:42:09 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-99985 I think I'm being misunderstood somewhat. We LOVE all that happened with participatory journalism in '06. It was a breakout time for all of us. YouTube was a huge game-changer. 2006 may have turned out to be the most significant year in convergence history. Indeed, Charles, we have many things to celebrate 'round the Festivus Pole at 30 LR, across the scenic campus from One LR Plaza. What I don't like is the overall trend toward safe, comfortable, U.S.-centric, U.S.-happy choices. The choices used to be truly editorial. Now they are transparently calculated to sell magazines (or, at least, not lose sales and advertising). "You" may have been a meme of the year. A concept of the year. A change of the year. But the Person of the Year? "Someone/group who for better or worse, has most influenced events in the preceding year?" Can't you really say this about us every year? And doesn't it take all the fun out of the parlor game of guessing "who will it be?" now that it - literally - can be everyone and everything? I think I’m being misunderstood somewhat. We LOVE all that happened with participatory journalism in ‘06. It was a breakout time for all of us. YouTube was a huge game-changer. 2006 may have turned out to be the most significant year in convergence history. Indeed, Charles, we have many things to celebrate ’round the Festivus Pole at 30 LR, across the scenic campus from One LR Plaza.

What I don’t like is the overall trend toward safe, comfortable, U.S.-centric, U.S.-happy choices. The choices used to be truly editorial. Now they are transparently calculated to sell magazines (or, at least, not lose sales and advertising).

“You” may have been a meme of the year. A concept of the year. A change of the year. But the Person of the Year? “Someone/group who for better or worse, has most influenced events in the preceding year?” Can’t you really say this about us every year? And doesn’t it take all the fun out of the parlor game of guessing “who will it be?” now that it - literally - can be everyone and everything?

]]> By: Charles http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-99952 Charles Sun, 17 Dec 2006 21:53:28 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-99952 I'm very surprised. For a website that preaches the gospel of user-friendly websites and interactivity, I would have thought that this cover story would have made "30 LR" happy. We've just seen the internet surpass newspapers as a source for news. We blog about it. YouTube played a big role in the elections. Nowdays, it's not just Bob Woodward who can bring down politicians... It's any group of bloggers who are angry and organized. Expecting to see Tomkat, Couric or Rosie being named person of the year, this was a VERY pleasant surprise. In a free speech society, this WAS a very big year in internet expansion and pioneering. In 2006, the world got a whole lot smaller, and the web got a whole lot smarter. I’m very surprised. For a website that preaches the gospel of user-friendly websites and interactivity, I would have thought that this cover story would have made “30 LR” happy.

We’ve just seen the internet surpass newspapers as a source for news. We blog about it. YouTube played a big role in the elections. Nowdays, it’s not just Bob Woodward who can bring down politicians… It’s any group of bloggers who are angry and organized.

Expecting to see Tomkat, Couric or Rosie being named person of the year, this was a VERY pleasant surprise. In a free speech society, this WAS a very big year in internet expansion and pioneering. In 2006, the world got a whole lot smaller, and the web got a whole lot smarter.

]]> By: discreet_chaos http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-99945 discreet_chaos Sun, 17 Dec 2006 21:39:10 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-99945 I don't know. Whenever I've seen a poll on the question, I've voted for "citizen journalists" and I include YouTubers and bloggers into that category. Both had impacts, but you can't really say that one had any more influence than the other. YouTube may have given us "macaca", but the bloggers did something remarkable in Connecticut. It may be a wussification and part of a "TIME" trend, perhaps the "you" also includes the electorate, but no matter what kind of reverence you hold for a couple of guys and a single website; 2006 was much bigger than just them. It included all of us. I don’t know. Whenever I’ve seen a poll on the question, I’ve voted for “citizen journalists” and I include YouTubers and bloggers into that category. Both had impacts, but you can’t really say that one had any more influence than the other. YouTube may have given us “macaca”, but the bloggers did something remarkable in Connecticut. It may be a wussification and part of a “TIME” trend, perhaps the “you” also includes the electorate, but no matter what kind of reverence you hold for a couple of guys and a single website; 2006 was much bigger than just them. It included all of us.

]]> By: David Westin http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-99907 David Westin Sun, 17 Dec 2006 20:09:24 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-99907 Why not Warren Buffett? Who else has given away more than $30 billion at once? What is wrong with the news, which is now really the entertainment business, is doling out hundreds of millions in contracts to Couric, Vieira, et al. News is all about resources and sources. NBC swung the axe, eliminating many jobs, but they pay Meredith over $10 MIL a year. At the local level, it's all about "reporting" on Paris, Nicole, Lindsay, Brad and Angelina, and yawn, yawn, yawn. That, and the breaking news 2-alarm fire at a vacant house. The cable news biz also runs on cycles. Sorry to say, but the Oregon hikers are being covered because James Kim got lost on a family trip. It does seem ironic that a guy so consumed with tech gadgets didn't have a GPS device; something that apparently has never been reported. Sadly, his widow will be rolled out come ratings' season. Why not Warren Buffett? Who else has given away more than $30 billion at once?

What is wrong with the news, which is now really the entertainment business, is doling out hundreds of millions in contracts to Couric, Vieira, et al.

News is all about resources and sources. NBC swung the axe, eliminating many jobs, but they pay Meredith over $10 MIL a year.

At the local level, it’s all about “reporting” on Paris, Nicole, Lindsay, Brad and Angelina, and yawn, yawn, yawn. That, and the breaking news 2-alarm fire at a vacant house.

The cable news biz also runs on cycles. Sorry to say, but the Oregon hikers are being covered because James Kim got lost on a family trip. It does seem ironic that a guy so consumed with tech gadgets didn’t have a GPS device; something that apparently has never been reported. Sadly, his widow will be rolled out come ratings’ season.

]]> By: Michael Rosenblum http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-99901 Michael Rosenblum Sun, 17 Dec 2006 20:01:24 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-99901 there is a reason there are more staples in Time Magazine than ads. They should change the name to Oatmeal. there is a reason there are more staples in Time Magazine than ads. They should change the name to Oatmeal.

]]> By: Chris http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-99885 Chris Sun, 17 Dec 2006 19:16:25 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/17/the-wussification-of-the-time-person-of-the-year/#comment-99885 they should make a separate category for "Issue" or "Trend" of the year. It's lame to see these group choices year after year. Takes away ALL of the anticipation and excitement. they should make a separate category for “Issue” or “Trend” of the year. It’s lame to see these group choices year after year. Takes away ALL of the anticipation and excitement.

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