Final Project: Presenting the “Week’s Worth Podcast” Pilot

Alright it is finally here. The first attempt at a podcast that I have actually seen all the way through to completion and posting… well sort of.  This is only half of what I recorded for the first ever “A Week’s Worth” Podcast, but because of the parameters of the project and what people would want to listen to, I am only posting the first half.

This half of the podcast, approx. 30 minutes in length covers the topics of News, Sports and Music.  There is an additional Part 2 that I will try to get up, as it contains 20 minutes or so of Technology and Media news as well as this week’s Movie releases and box office leaders.  There is some great stuff in that half of the show, but I figured that it should be broken up and now I am having technical difficulties with the second half.  So for now, consider this the pilot episode to what this podcast could be.  Enjoy.

As far as planning this as a new media enterprise, I think there is a lot of room for growth with this idea as I previously stated it came from a website idea I had.  I think that I definitely learned a lot about how podcasting works as well as my own strengths an weaknesses during this project.  I learned how much preparation goes into the content of a podcast, while it may seem easy to talk about things that interest you for 20 minutes, in order to be interesting and engaging you must be prepared with your content ahead of time.  I was sure to lay out all of my topics and research on a big whiteboard in front of me while recording and still found myself stumbling over myself.

While there are tons and tons of podcasts out there, I think that this one could stand apart in the way that it attempts to keep you informed not just on one person’s opinion or interests, but rather aims to keep listeners informed on a variety of topics with opinion only injected minimally.  This is not a very “new media” idea, but I think that just as there is a demand for niche content, there is also a demand for something that rises about all of these categories and provides a general sense of the world.

Of course there will be tons of competition, as the iTunes Store is home to thousands upon thousands of podcasts and entire categories filled with shows about topics I tried to cover in my own work.  But as a kid who has now finished seven years of jesuit education, I find it hard to believe that there isn’t a share of the podcasting market out there for “education of the whole person.”  My project serves to give people a quick way that they can feel connected to the world and up to date on many topics in just 20-50 minutes depending on the episode and week.  No one wants to be the uninformed person at the dinner table or cocktail party, so a quick roundup of news, culture and other talking points could be greatly enjoyed by those who do not always have time to keep up on such things.

Part of new media and success in enterprising new projects is making it work across different platforms and for those with different levels of interest.  Obviously there are many things that cannot be communicated in a podcast form, so I want to make this a multi-platform experience, by using the post itself as a linkroll for stories mentioned in the podcast, additional information on stories and further reading for those interested.  People who only want a base-level of information for the week can download the podcast and listen to the week’s biggest stories while around the house or working out at the gym.  Those more interested, however, can delve into the links, videos and photos posted as an accompaniment.

One flaw I started to recognize with my original idea was posting only once a week.  While it might ruin my fantastic name and logo design I have in mind, I think that for the sake of timeliness and recording length it would be better to do two podcasts per week.  I think that an early-week News, Sports and Music podcast like the pilot above could work well and then be followed by a thursday released part 2 so that no matter the other topics it can end with the weekend’s movie releases.  I think that splitting it up like this is a natural way to keep it from stretching into the 40 min – 1 hour range which can get unbearable for a podcast.  This setup would allow for shorter posting and more engaging content.

In the end, that engaging content and the execution of its delivery would be the make or break qualities of this as a media project.  The conflict of general interest against niche, hyper-local media is something I have thought about a lot recently and I truly believe that there is a place for someone to go against the current trend.  I think that being well-informed and well-versed is something that people care about as it gives a sense of knowledge and importance.  There is a market out there for people who do not have time to sift through all of the hyper-focused blogs and news sites, but still want to be informed on their content.  This podcast, with tweaks to the format and execution, could provide all of that information plus more in a form of content that people could download and take with them wherever they go.  That is a service that, while parts of it seem very slow for the new media landscape, could provide a happy medium for those with the desire for all the knowledge out there in the age of content (!) but not the time to find it and filter it themselves.

It’s been a great year and I hope you guys enjoy this.  Feedback always welcome.

John

Simmons stans’ wishes ‘grant’ed

I of course use the term “Stan” (hip-hop term for obsessive fans, derived from here; similar to fanboy) loosely because I myself am a huge worshiper follower of all things Bill Simmons.

With that being said, Sports Guy fans who were excited by the recent confirmation and updates on a Simmons-created side project that will sit independent of ESPN.com, should be even more pumped to see that the project has been given a name and preview posts have gone up.

The site will be called “Grantland” which is a tribute to famed sportswriter Grantland Rice.  Rice’s writing is said to have “helped elevate sports into American culture during the early 20^thCentury.”  He wrote is very elaborate and beautiful, often raising sports to a mythological or historical context.  Probably his most famous lines are “For when the One Great Scorer comes/To write against your name,/He marks – not that you won or lost -/But how you played the Game,” from the poem “Alumnus Football.”  This quote sits across the site’s current “coming soon!” page.

The site is said to be a combination of sports and popular culture, which Simmons has always been known for, even when the pop culture side of it got a little heavier than would have seemed to fit on ESPN.com.  They have nabbed plenty of big names aside from Simmons to do the writing and editing, you can see the list so far in an ESPN release here.  In the last 48 hours ESPN.com posted links to the first two preview posts, neither of them by Simmons, so that readers could get the feeling of what the site will feature.  The preview included one sports post about the wild season for the New York Knicks (Read it here) and one culture post about this summer’s movie lineup (Read it here) – neither of them by Simmons of course.

It seems funny that Simmons long awaited project takes the name of such a historic and celebrated sportswriter, when so many modern writers cannot stand his style and think that he is not a true sportswriter – ehhem TJ Simers.  It is fitting though in my opinion, since the site will reportedly feature longer pieces not so specifically about sports, but about the greater meaning of the games and fandom and the entire culture that fans love – certainly the grandiose  kind of topics Rice would have appreciated.

With that being said, I am certainly excited for this site to debut and I think it is the kind of content I will enjoy and the kind of project that is encouraging, bringing good long-form writing to the web.  Also from the brief previews, the design scheme, colors and fonts all look very clean and crisp, btu I’ve got to be one of the only people who care about that.

The site is set to launch in June so get excited.

All for now, look out for the podcast in the next couple days.

John

SBNation nabs Engadget-ers

Probably one of the most interesting new media business stories I saw in the last few weeks was the announcement that the original editors of the popular tech site Engadget will be leaving it behind and moving on to a new project in the network of SB Nation.

For those of you that don’t know, SB (sports blog) Nation is a community of hundreds of sports sites that are staffed with writers and editors while also providing tools for readers to produce their own content.  I know so much about them, because I happened to write my final report on them last semester, which you can read here if interested.

The initial question would seem to be why would a guy who is entrenched in the tech gadget field, chose a sports blog network as the platform for his new endeavor.  It appears that the decision comes as a combination of excitement about the platform, ideological similarities about journalism on the web and finally a degree of sickness with the control of AOL corporation which had bought Engadget.

The leader of the project, Joshua Topolsky wrote a post on his blog about the decision and his excitement about the project.  Here is his initial answer to why the move to SB Nation:

“The easy answer is that the people at SB Nation share my vision of what publishing looks like in the year 2011. They think that the technology used to create and distribute news on the web (and mobile) is as important as the people who are responsible for the content itself. … They’re building for the web as it is now. … In short, I was blown away when I saw what kind of technology they’re using to get news on their front page and engage audiences, and even more blown away when I started talking to them about what could come next.”

On the shared feelings about good journalism in this era of internet content:

“But beyond the technology (and possibly more important than the technology), there’s another factor here that’s driving my decision. It’s that SB Nation believes in real, independent journalism and the potential for new media to serve as an answer and antidote to big publishing houses and SEO spam — a point we couldn’t be more aligned on. This is a group of people that not only think independent media works, but are reaping the rewards of new publishing done right.”

Read the full post by Topolsky here.

The story was covered in the NY Times with an excellent piece by David Carr that analyzed the move and looked at all the factors going into this project and what it could mean.  I highly suggest reading Carr’s piece which can be found here.

I am extremely enthused about this project and what it could present for the future of quality content online.  I obviously am a fan of what SB Nation does and it is cool to see that they are gaining some traction and momentum in the industry for the excellent content and presentation that they offer their readers.  Reading Topolsky’s comments provide me a comfort that there are still people out there fighting for new and creative ways to bring good content to readers through the web without cheapening its integrity.

Tweet Me Your Resume… Your Twesume Perhaps

For once the title of my post is actually pretty much what the post really is about; who would have thought that worked, especially with a weird title like that.

But it is true, I came across an interesting story a couple days ago that I wanted to share in a quick post to break up some of the long-form posts I’ve had recently.  As we all know, summer internships are one of the best ways to get your foot in the door of the increasingly stingy job market.  With all the listings that are out there this time of year, sports gear company Under Armour has differentiated themselves with a unique application process that utilizes new media in a few ways.

In the spirit of twitter, applicants for the two marketing internship positions “can apply by submitting a 140-character cover letter and resume via Under Armour’s Facebook page through May 12.”

Oh yeah the finalists will be interviewed over Skype as well to add more forms of technology.

The description sounds pretty amazing from a Digital Journal article about the internship.

“The two interns will work with the digital marketing team assisting in various aspects of the business with an emphasis on social media engagement. Called “Ultimate Intern” for a reason, throughout their five-week internship, these students will learn first-hand how Under Armour has become a leader in sports innovation. They will work with some of Under Armour’s world-class athletes, get an up close look into technology that drives the brand’s innovation and will spend time with Founder and CEO Kevin Plank to discuss leadership, entrepreneurship and his vision for the future. Additionally, these students will serve as a bridge to the inside world of Under Armour through the world of social media with daily Facebook posts, Tweets and blog posts reporting on their experiences.”

Focused on social media and brand marketing, it sounds like a pretty sweet internship.  Cool to see a big company really making the intern role something fresh and exciting.

Read the full article here.

And no I’m not bitter at all that I don’t have a cool internship.

Have a good afternoon everyone,

John

If You Build it, They Will Come – The Long Tail

I don’t think you could have given me a reason not to post that clip once I though of this title.  One of my favorite movies ever and a place I will never forget visiting.  But that isn’t why were here.

This post is about the concept of the Long Tail and why I think it is a viable idea and one that is an integral part of our current content landscape.  The most common example of book or record sales hits even closer for me after being at home and hearing my Dad (a total book nut) talk sadly about the recent going out of business sale at our local Borders bookstore.  The store where we always have gone for books could not keep up with the demand that the long tail represents and was finally forced to shut down.

A traditional graph of the Long Tail

Of course it’s not like my Dad is some old fart stuck in his technology.  His Kindle has more than certainly provided him with an instant supply of books that his old faithful Borders store never would have had in stock.  Sure he loves to stay up on the best sellers, but when you read as much as he does you delve far deeper into the sea of what is out there and inevitably become a consumer of the long tail.

I do not mean to post entirely about my Dad, but I am just using this as an example of why I buy into the idea of the long tail and its place in modern internet culture.  The internet has enabled the long tail to thrive and grow.  As the internet and search technology continues to spread and become cheaper and more accessible to more people, the long tail will grow even more to accommodate them.

In the past, you might have thought of a favorite comic book from your past, checked the one local specialty-comics shop and then given up on your search for that piece of your childhood when they didn’t carry it.  Now, as a part of the long tail, you can search online for a specialty store that stocks that comic book and I bet you are willing to pay a good amount for it since you are so glad they have it.  You could come up with tons of similar examples that prove there is money in the long tail.  I would have no idea where to find a specific retro basketball jersey I wanted of my favorite childhood player, but a google search into the long tail could certainly match me up with someone else who shares a passion for such things.

The rarity of most items in the long tail make it so that sellers do not have to sell as many to make a profit or stay afloat, whereas a major bookstore needs to sell lots of bestsellers in the saturated market to keep themselves running in the more popular head area of the graph.

Not exactly the same usage of the Long Tail, but I thought it was a funny representation.

Certainly it is a different strategy of making money than those in the mainstream market use, but I do not see how it is any less serviceable if executed correctly.  The long tail shows how we are using the internet, especially its unlimited shelf life and wide-cast net, to enhance our lives and reach things, people and places that we weren’t able to reach before when only the most popular items could be stocked for a limited time.

While hearing that the Borders had closed certainly made me sad, it was more out of nostalgia than anything.  I know that I can access any book I wish to purchase in seconds online when a physical store might have let me down.  This is the beauty of the long tail, using our new age of technology to empower us with more choices.  Funny enough over the same break, my dad went on the computer and ordered two books be shipped to my house in LA before I even asked what he was doing in the other room. Funny how that works so well.

Thanks for reading and remember, even if it is only Iowa, it sure is close to Heaven.

John

Live Blogging the GRAMMYS

Hey I’m coming in late to the party, but I had a meeting starting at 8, so I will be coming out of the bullpen to cover the remainder of the GRAMMY ceremony.

Click the link below to launch my live blog.

LIVE BLOG HERE

See you guys there,

John

The most hilariously optimized Super Bowl article ever

Just a quick post about something funny I ran across while reading about the AOL-HuffPo deal…

Below is a link to a recent Huffington Post sports article about last Sunday’s Super Bowl XLV.  In preparation for the big game, Huffington decided it would be a good idea to scoop up some extra clicks and page views from all those poor saps who were trying to figure out their plans for the most watched game in america.

I don’t want to ruin the humor for you, so check out their SEO pandering hard-hitting article about when Super Bowl XLV was set to kick off.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/05/what-time-superbowl-start_n_819173.html

I believe the saying goes that if you think that is a real journalistic article, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

 

–John

Converging is second nature

On the surface, convergence culture seems like a complicated topic, especially when someone as intelligent as Henry Jenkins is talking about it.  However, the more I got through the reading and thought about what I would write, I came to the realization that in all honesty, convergence culture is second nature to myself and many others in our generation.  The amount that participatory culture has become embedded in my life is what made it so tough for me to quantify and wrap my head around it; almost everything I do exists on multiple platforms and is interactive.

When I am at home around my parents, the difference between my modern understanding of new media and their more old school views are often on display.  When we are sitting watching TV as a family, I always keep my computer by my side.  When any sort of question is raised, I am too curious not too google it and find the answer.  My parents constantly laugh at me for this and make fun of me being constantly “plugged in,” but what why is grabbing this knowledge a bad thing? Without the ability to reference across other resources, the question would have just hung in the air and died rhetorically.

Some people might say that such extra pieces of knowledge are only good for winning games like trivial pursuit or jeopardy, but if one has a good sense of filtering and importance, there shouldn’t be anything wrong with collecting as much information about the world around them as possible.

The idea of participatory culture is what I have grown up with.  While I was using a computer, listening to the radio and watching TV before this type of convergence developed fully, I spent my formative years converging and participating.  For years, my homepage has been azcentral.com, the web version of the newspaper we got delivered at home.  Just as important as reading the various sports articles, was reading the pages of comments and see which team’s fans were weighing in the strongest.  I was always obsessed with checking the insider message boards for my team and seeing what the latest news was, only adding my own input when I felt worthy.

That idea of being worthy of participating in the conversation about the things I loved the most was what eventually led my start writing this blog and record a podcast that never ended up being released.  When I was little, I thought breaking into the world of sports writing was impossible, but as I grew up into the society of convergence culture I realized that my voice had the chance to be just as important if I communicated in the proper ways.  Those different channels of communication always seem to be changing, and I certainly am not an expert at it despite growing up in its midst.

I believe that my lifestyle of convergence is what has led to my love for and constant use of twitter.  When used properly, twitter can answer my questions, keep me informed and keep me in touch with people across the country.  Twitter allows me to use the collective intelligence of the crowd, but only the crowd I chose to use at any specific time.

Even I was vehemently against twitter at first.  I didn’t see it’s power, but once I decided to give it a try I was swept up in what it could do.  Now as an avid user, this change shows another characteristic of those of us embedded with convergence culture: adaptability.  Despite not knowing anything about twitter, I fiddled around with it and since it was like facebook and other sites I had used, I quickly picked it up.  We are a hands-on generation, one that if given enough time to play with something will figure out how to use it and adapt our knowledge to it.

It is important that I keep reminding myself that with the idea of convergence culture; it is all around me, I just need to pry into my knowledge to really analyze it.  I have grown up so embedded with many of these concepts that I have to step back and pull myself away from them to truly see them from an academic point of view.

 

Just some stuff to think about…

–John

Help fund Hip-Hop’s Next Big Thing

** UPDATE**  The project got funded! Can’t wait for this to go live!  **UPDATE**

 

This is honestly the coolest idea ever.

A guy named Tahir Hemphill has been working on a program that tracks every imaginable metric of hip hop music. From word count, to reading level necessary to listen to specific MCs, to the history of individual words and their uses in different locations and times. IF this project goes live it would be the coolest thing to play with on the internet by far. Right now the project is in beta testing and needs more funding. They have put the project on kickstarter so that people can fund them and keep their work alive. They need $7,500 by Feb 13 to continue on with a feasible launch. They are about $1,000 away right now and anything from a dollar up is accepted.

Check out a video with the creator below and then go to their kickstarter page and read more and think about making a donation if you want to support the beautiful marriage of tradition-rich music and cutting-edge technology.

*Still working on getting the video up*

AOL wants to kill all real journalists

This is pretty much a follow up post to my last one about content farms and mass produced articles that are cooked specifically for search engines.  Instead of Demand Media, this time it is AOL.  The iconic internet company is apparently making a huge push to expand their presence.  They have executives going through all the departments and teaching their writers the “AOL way.”  NEedless to say stubborn writers don’t like this one bit, and some of the documents have leaked.  I haven’t even had time to read through all of it, but I thought it was important to post it, since this is the kind of mindless crap we will be competing against for the rest of our lives as writers. Found by the great people at the Shin Guardian.  They are mostly soccer, but always good for a tip on journalism and media stories.

Leaked: AOL’s Master Plan