Clearcast Digital Media

Mobile video and iPhones

I try to keep these posts short, mostly because I don't like to read long blog posts online. In that spirit, this might be a two or three-part post.

Lost in all the iPhone hype, in my opinion, has been AppleTV. For content producers, I think this is the real killer app. The mobile research firm Telephia released a report that states 8.4 million people in the US subscribed to mobile video services in the first quarter. That is a 155% increase over 2006, but it only represents 3.6% of all mobile subscribers.

Watching any video that lasts more than 60 seconds becomes less about the content, however, and more about the experience. Is watching an iPod screen or telephone screen for 10, 30 or 60 minutes really the best experience? While there are certain circumstances where we make concessions (plane flights, commuting to work via bus or train, etc.), if you really want to dig in and enjoy some video, obviously this experience leaves a lot to be desired. This, I think, is where AppleTV comes in. While the major networks are continuing to lose their primacy in favor of podcasters, at the end of the day (literally), we all want to watch this stuff on the couch on our TVs. AppleTV makes this possible at a very high quality.

THAT is the killer app.

Our take on the iPhone

We get lots of questions about the iPhone: what do we think of it? Are going to buy one? What does it mean for cell phones in this country?

While 99% of the discussion is pure speculation until the phone hits the street on June 29, there is certainly tremendous POTENTIAL in the iPhone as a device. In the first place, the ability to have a great three-in-one device will certainly free up a lot of pocket or purse space. Everyone who has an iPod knows how great they are. Everyone who already has a Treo or Blackberry knows that the web surfing experience is not analogous to that of your computer. A phone, video iPod and powerful browser and e-mail tool could certainly be a welcome addition to those of us who wish all these things could be joined as one. The real proof will be in how well Safari works and whether it really does replicate the experience we all have when we're online from our desktops or laptops.

Apple has a history of getting people very excited about products and, while there have been a few letdowns over the years, their track record has been pretty good. I heard one pundit refer to this as the "largest consumer product launch in history." Apple and AT&T certainly have a lot riding on its success, and naysayers will jump on the smallest glitch to say "I told you so."

Our attitude is basically "wait and see." I seldom jump on the first version of anything, but if it even lives up to half of what they are claiming, I think we might witness a real sea change in mobile communication. And why not? Are any of us REALLY in love with our phones?

If you're dying for more iPhone news, we suggest giving a listen to our friends over at ApplePhoneShow.com.

Intention

Many people fail in life, not for the lack of ability or brains or even courage, but simply because they have never organized their energies around a goal.
Elbert Hubbard

It is critical to act deliberately within the field of feelings, thoughts, words and deeds. The clearer we are about our purpose, or where we want to go, the easier it is to get there and to actually know when we have arrived.
 

Technology let us down...but we're back!

If you live by the new media sword...

Thanks to all of our subscribers who wrote in wondering why they had not received any e-mail from us lately. Seems as if there was a slight problem with our feed which prevented e-mails from going out. All is well now, but the problem came about at the worst time, so let's recap:

We are proud to announce the launch of the Clearcast Digital Media blog en Español. Responding to the dearth of solid technology and new media communications information on the web, Fernando has taken matters into his own hands and is the author of a fantastically written, compelling and informative blog for those who prefer to get their info in Spanish. Please check it out and forward the link.

Also, we released another podcast episode featuring an absorbing interview with producer and webby award winner Chi Chi Pierce. She now teaches television production at a Turner Technical High School, and we spend some time talking about the role of new media across the generational divide.

Lastly, but not leastly, we have redesigned the blog to make it a bit more eye-catching. We hope you like it.

Please check in on the blog if you don't hear from us for awhile. We try and post at least twice a week. And if you are not already an e-mail subscriber, go ahead and sign up. Same goes for our podcast- you can subscribe via iTunes. It's all about staying in touch, and thanks again to those of you who wondered where we were. We haven't gone anywhere, but sometimes the wires get crossed.

New media and education

On this week's podcast, we are joined by producer and educator Chi Chi Pierce. Winner of a Webby award and an Emmy, Chi Chi now teaches television production to high school students. It is a  fascinating discussion about the different roles new media plays across generations.

We are also very proud to announce the launch of the Clearcast Digital Media blog en espanol! For those of you who wish to follow new media trends in Spanish, sign up here.

Better than a 30-second spot?

So, by now you have probably all seen the latest YouTube entry from Hillary Clinton spoofing the final scene of the final episode of The Sopranos. The point of it was to announce the winner of an internet vote sponsored by the Clinton campaign to choose the theme song for her presidential run. This might be a turning point in her campaign in terms of the use of technology to soften her image and present her in a more playful light.

Bill Richardson created an online ad campaign that was humorous and helped him to maximize an ad budget that is probably a fraction of the Clinton campaign.

The presidential candidates are beginning to tap the power of the internet to reach a broader audience. Could it be that they are realizing that maybe the medium is not the message, but perhaps the message is the message.

Well, they're getting closer...

It was announced that CNN and YouTube will be sponsoring a Democratic debate on July 23 and a Republican debate on September 17 where all the questions will be taken from the YouTube submissions. While CNN will decide which videos get picked, the ancillary benefit to those interested in follow up is that the debate will no doubt continue for days afterwards online. Of course, the potential for mash up is there, too, since all the videos will remain on YouTube and can then be edited together with the candidates' responses, creating a new "1984" style phenomenon.

Most of the candidates are still missing the point of how to use internet video to their advantage. To use a sports metaphor, they are still letting the game come to them, instead of taking the game to the viewer. Podcasting allows you to talk about yourself before people start talking about you. This is true whether you are an individual, a company or a candidate for office.

"Candidates are starting to recognize that the only way to fight the potential tsunami of voter-generated video is to produce lots of video themselves, " says Andrew Rasiej, a co-founder of the non-partisan website techPresident, which tracks the candidates use of technology.

As we have previously noted, the hang up is financial, but not in the way you might think. Podcasting is so efficient in terms of both cost and as a communications tool, it will emerge as the most important message tool of our era.

"But there is both a component of habit and a component of financial self-interest here among consultants here in Washington, which is, you know, once they say well, you’re right, you know, these ads don’t really matter and people aren’t really watching them and they’re skipping over them on their Tivos, and they’re not especially well produced and they all sound the same, and everybody’s zoning them out, and maybe this isn’t the best way to get your message out there – once they say that, they’ve just thrown away a pretty significant [LAUGHS] meal ticket, right?

Essentially, consultants keep driving up the costs of a race by insisting that it has to be fought over the air at high expense. The networks keep raising the money to astronomical rates for these ads, ‘cause they know that the campaigns are raising it, and the ad guys are making out like bandits. And I don’t think they’re going to be quick to tell anybody that that business model no longer works, but I do think it’s going to become apparent."

Source: On the Media-April 27, 2007

The New Rules of Marketing and PR

Caught a great podcast recently featuring an interview with author David Meerman Scott. His new book is entitled The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly (whew! Quite a mouthful.)

ANYway, his premise is clear and well-delivered: "You are what you publish." In the old days, if you wanted to get your message out there you had two options: try and convince someone to write about you (and hope for the best), or buy expensive advertising, trade show floor real estate or spend a lot of money in some other way and hope your message sticks.

With the advent of blogging and podcasting, your business can now take control of the conversation and influence people based on your positive content. Think about the people you are trying to reach. Don't force your corporate message on them. We get enough of that everyday. As we have said before on this blog and in our podcast, it is not about hucksterism. Rather, write about a problem people are having, and then help them solve it. Once you establish that trust, people will stay with you and rely on you as a source.

The rules of marketing are changing for the better. This is allowing MORE people in and is making things LESS exclusionary. Take advantage. The time is now.

Commercials, and the viewers who skip them

A much-anticipated Nielsen report was released last week talking about DVR penetration, such as Tivo, what percentage of users skip over commercials. The conclusion...Nielsen wouldn't say. The OBVIOUS conclusion... a lot of us.

The takeaway for podcasters and other new media producers was this:
According to an analysis of Nielsen ratings data by Sanford C. Bernstein, live viewership among 18- to 49-year-olds of non-sports, prime-time programming at Fox, ABC, NBC and CBS was significantly down during the season, owing to more people using DVRs to watch their favorite shows at later dates.

In other words, the time-shifting habits are well-formed, meaning all we need to do is continue to provide more compelling content.

More on politics and podcasting

Today's podcast episode takes a more in depth look at the role of podcasting in politics. Whether you're running for dog catcher, city council or the White House, if you don't embrace technology, you're going to be left out in the cold.

You can listen live here on the blog or, better yet, subscribe for free in iTunes. New content will arrive to your computer automatically.
Click here to listen