Sports Producer, GameDay Productions
Dallas-Ft. Worth
Read the full post 1 comment June 1st, 2007
Archive for June 1st, 2007
CNN’s debate video not under Creative Commons
There has been word spread around the blogs that video from CNN’s upcoming televised debates will be made free to the web under the Creative Commons license. This is not true, at least according to their own release. CNN put out a release at the beginning of May, following the discussion over the web use of video from the MSNBC debates (sites could use up to 10 minutes from those debates). In it, CNN wrote: “CNN debate coverage will be made available without restrictions at the conclusion of each live debate.” This is absolutely to be lauded. But, bloggers note: there is nothing in this about being shared under the Creative Commons licenses. Nitpicking? Not really. CNN can still argue it retains full copyright in this case. The several different Creative Commons licenses would clarify exactly what you could and could not do with the video. There are Creative Commons licenses that would let you make money off a derivative work, for example. I doubt that’s what CNN has in mind here. If anyone has information that suggests otherwise, please let us know.
UPDATE: An industry source emailed LR with a memo CNN has sent around reminding stations and networks “As previously announced, CNN’s debate coverage will be made available upon the conclusion of the live telecast and may be used without restriction throughout the 2008 election cycle (emphasis added).” The emailer rightly wonders if this means everyone will have to take down their video after the election. Already this is different from the original memo which said “without restriction.”
1 comment June 1st, 2007
New RealPlayer allows downloads of other formats
RealPlayer 11 is going to be a major departure for the longtime streaming video software maker. Announced this week, RealPlayer 11 will support WindowsMedia, QuickTime, Flash, and - obviously - Real. No biggie there. What’s sure to turn more heads when it comes out next month is that it will also support downloads of those videos. So if you have the RP11 software and you’re watching an embedded Flash video, RP11 will have a “Download This Video” button. (Yes, there are other programs that do this, but that’s still a pretty controversial trick for a mainstream product.) For $29.99, RealPlayer 11 Plus will support burning that file to a DVD. Still, there have been plenty of gripes over the years about Real: difficult-to-find free players, spyware, popups and other annoyances. Many of these have been corrected, but there is still a huge perception problem. Also, the online video movement has been, inescapably, toward Flash. Can Real and Windows Media pull things out with their latest upgrades?
4 comments June 1st, 2007
‘Battlestar’ to end after this season
The popular and wonderfully-written show Battlestar Galactica will end its run on Sci Fi after just four seasons. So is it because the show is dying in the ratings? Because the storylines are tapped out? Nope. “This show was always meant to have a beginning, a middle and finally, an end,” said executive producers Ronald D. Moore and David Eik, explaining their decision. “Over the course of the last year, the story and the characters have been moving strongly toward that end and we’ve decided to listen to those internal voices and conclude the show on our own terms.” Novel concept, huh?
Adds Rob in comments: “While I hate to see one of the few shows I watch on TV end - and I watch Lost and ‘used to watch’ Jericho so that kinda frakkin’ sucks with their recent news - I like the fact that they’ll reach a conclusion on their terms and not strain to stretch the inevitable even longer and risk jumping the shark.”
9 comments June 1st, 2007
Take a look at the new CNN.com in beta
CNN.com is preparing to launch a new design, and here’s the beta site with a features tour. Among the new features: a bigger video player, improved weather section, local news section (powered by Topix), “All About” pages with in-depth resources, and recommended stories based on browsing history. (Thanks, Don!)
CNN.com is sticking to its major themes, with the main story on the left and a list of headlines in the center. It’s still unclear how the new Internet Broadcasting deal will fit in. What’s your reaction to the beta new design?
Update: They’ve added a link to a KCRA story in the “More stories” section beneath the fold on the home page. Also, when you click through to the U.S. news page, there’s a link to a WKMG story in the main story block (see below).
Both of these stations are IB affiliates, and both links are just that: straight links to the local sites’ stories (they pop new windows.) I would imagine a compelling local story could generate a big influx of unique visitors for the local site (although some argue that’s an artificial increase since nearly all of these visitors would be out-of-market.)
13 comments June 1st, 2007
Random TV show pitch generator
You have to wonder with some of the shows coming out of the networks recently if they’ve been using this site to come up with ideas. (Thanks Michael for the link!)
Add comment June 1st, 2007
