Twenty-three year-old Philip DeFranco (AKA sxephil) has been doing his brand of online newscast since 2006...and it's led to a considerable bit of success.
Each newscast is honest, funny, fast-paced and entertaining: there's a little editorializing, a genuine request for viewer interaction, and review of the big stories of the day told mostly WITHOUT B-Roll!
Though these webcasts violate the gospel rules of TV news (speak slowly, avois bias, use pictures to tell the story) he's extremely popular. His newscasts have totalled over 11 million views (the 'cast embedded below had nearly 400K views in only 3 days) and he's the 9th most subscribed YouTube submitter of all time (and the leading news submitter, unless you count the What The Buck Show, which focuses mainly on celebrity news.)
The show has popular current stories, and includes links that allow viewers to go more in depth if they so choose. They cover some hard news, but mostly the talkers of the the day...and the format allows each show to be produced quickly...making them very topical. In addition to the YouTube platform, he has his own blog where content that compliments the show is posted.
Maybe this is the next iteration in the marriage of news, entertainment, and the internet? Take a look and tell me what you think:
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
Rides of State
It’s Friday again, which means it’s time for something fun and random from the web.
Not to worry, I’ve been delving deeper into the Nieman Reports, and I’ll have a lot more great content and notes from that in the coming days, but today I wanted to shine the spotlight onto the most original and
interesting thing I’ve found this week.
The author of the blog Tamerlane’s Thoughts, named only as “kashgar216” decided to compile a list of the vehicles driven by the heads of state of every nation in the United Nations…all 196 of them.
The project took him to obscure media outlets, propaganda videos, and a good amount of detective work. This wasn’t a quick, fly-by night project (as evidenced by sentences like “After examining the roofline, the shape of the rear view mirror, and the shape of the headrest, I have concluded that this is a Merc S-class.”)
The collection is pretty impressive, and just more evidence that if you’ve ever wondered about anything in the world, there’s some guy somewhere on the internet who has likely figured out the answer.
Not to worry, I’ve been delving deeper into the Nieman Reports, and I’ll have a lot more great content and notes from that in the coming days, but today I wanted to shine the spotlight onto the most original and
interesting thing I’ve found this week.The author of the blog Tamerlane’s Thoughts, named only as “kashgar216” decided to compile a list of the vehicles driven by the heads of state of every nation in the United Nations…all 196 of them.
The project took him to obscure media outlets, propaganda videos, and a good amount of detective work. This wasn’t a quick, fly-by night project (as evidenced by sentences like “After examining the roofline, the shape of the rear view mirror, and the shape of the headrest, I have concluded that this is a Merc S-class.”)
The collection is pretty impressive, and just more evidence that if you’ve ever wondered about anything in the world, there’s some guy somewhere on the internet who has likely figured out the answer.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Parents Just Don't Understand
A favorite segment of mine on Collegehumor.com is titled "Parents Just Don't Understand." It's authored by Susanna Wolff and outlines brief stories from college-aged submitters. The stories outline the fundamental differences in the understanding of technology between the baby-boomer generation, and the tech-savvy kids of today. Here are a few eye-opening entries:
I caught my father on Google the other day typing in "show me snow machines". I later found out that he starts any and all searches with the words "show me", or "I want to see".
Kayla-Rose Kirkland
My mom called me over because every time she plugged in her mp3 player the computer "froze" and when she unplugged it it worked again. I asked her to show me so she bent down, unplugged the mouse, plugged in her mp3, then when she moved the mouse and nothing happened said, "See?"
Nick Calenti, Arizona State
I made the mistake of trying to explain Wikipedia to my grandmother. She's now convinced that anybody can modify any website at will, and she won't use Weather.com
anymore because she's worried that vandals will change the temperature on her.
Jeff C.
My mom won't make a cell phone call unless her charger is plugged into it. She thinks that it changes to a land line and she gets 'way better reception'.
Aaron Thompson
My mom didn't want my younger brother to make a MySpace for fear of Child molesters, but finally she decided to let him make one. That same day she made him take it off because a man named "Tom" had hacked into his account and added himself as a friend. She made me e-mail MySpace to let them know of a possible child molester.
Alex J., Dickinson College
My sister got an iPod for Christmas. My dad said he wants an iPod so that he can listen to mp3s while he plays solitaire on the computer.
Shawn Cullen, U.M. Rolla
My mom asked to see my pictures on Facebook. I thought about all the drinking pictures that are on it and then I thought about my mom's computer skills. So I said, if you can find them by yourself, sure. I came back 5 minutes later and she had an empty Microsoft word document up. I think I'm safe.
C Murphy, Salisbury
When my mom tries calling my cell and I don't have it on, she'll send me text messages saying, "Turn on your phone."
Andrea Gutierrez
My mom won't scroll down on Youtube videos because she thinks then she won't be able to hear them.
Tim F, UConn
My high school Spanish teacher, on multiple occasions, has been known to photocopy blank pieces of paper in order to get more blank pieces of paper. She's completely oblivious to the fact that you can open the copier to take out the paper.
Jared Kent, Johnson & Wales University
My Mom became a fanatic about the cleanliness of our front yard at home. I couldn't even walk outside when I was at home in my pajamas. When I asked her why she, all of a sudden, cared about our front yard, she replied that the "Google Earth people" would see and post it on their web site.
Katie Phillips, Virginia Commonwealth University
I caught my father on Google the other day typing in "show me snow machines". I later found out that he starts any and all searches with the words "show me", or "I want to see".
Kayla-Rose Kirkland
My mom called me over because every time she plugged in her mp3 player the computer "froze" and when she unplugged it it worked again. I asked her to show me so she bent down, unplugged the mouse, plugged in her mp3, then when she moved the mouse and nothing happened said, "See?"
Nick Calenti, Arizona State
I made the mistake of trying to explain Wikipedia to my grandmother. She's now convinced that anybody can modify any website at will, and she won't use Weather.com
anymore because she's worried that vandals will change the temperature on her.Jeff C.
My mom won't make a cell phone call unless her charger is plugged into it. She thinks that it changes to a land line and she gets 'way better reception'.
Aaron Thompson
My mom didn't want my younger brother to make a MySpace for fear of Child molesters, but finally she decided to let him make one. That same day she made him take it off because a man named "Tom" had hacked into his account and added himself as a friend. She made me e-mail MySpace to let them know of a possible child molester.
Alex J., Dickinson College
My sister got an iPod for Christmas. My dad said he wants an iPod so that he can listen to mp3s while he plays solitaire on the computer.
Shawn Cullen, U.M. Rolla
My mom asked to see my pictures on Facebook. I thought about all the drinking pictures that are on it and then I thought about my mom's computer skills. So I said, if you can find them by yourself, sure. I came back 5 minutes later and she had an empty Microsoft word document up. I think I'm safe.
C Murphy, Salisbury
When my mom tries calling my cell and I don't have it on, she'll send me text messages saying, "Turn on your phone."
Andrea Gutierrez
My mom won't scroll down on Youtube videos because she thinks then she won't be able to hear them.
Tim F, UConn
My high school Spanish teacher, on multiple occasions, has been known to photocopy blank pieces of paper in order to get more blank pieces of paper. She's completely oblivious to the fact that you can open the copier to take out the paper.
Jared Kent, Johnson & Wales University
My Mom became a fanatic about the cleanliness of our front yard at home. I couldn't even walk outside when I was at home in my pajamas. When I asked her why she, all of a sudden, cared about our front yard, she replied that the "Google Earth people" would see and post it on their web site.
Katie Phillips, Virginia Commonwealth University
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Does Social Media Have a Place in Journalism?
TV has always been accepted as a tool for entertainment, so TV news adopting the tools of online media doesn't real
ly seem too big a stretch...but newspapers have always been a bastion of old-school journalism.
To TV people, newspapers have a reputation for being staid, slow-moving and slow to react. Newspapers have extensive planning operations, and TV news has to be able to move with the immediate changes to a story.
This piece, then, from a staff member of one of the largest newspapers (The Chicago Tribune) discussing the usefulness of social media is refreshing. Not only refreshing in that it shows a gr0wing acceptance of the usefulness of emerging online media...but especially so since that it outlines a plan they implemented to create an online social media identity for their operation.
So, how did this little foray into social media turn out? According to the author, Bill Adee, the "goal for [the project] was one million page views a month. By June, at its peak, it was doing more than six times that number."
The project continues with permanent funding.
There's an enormous opportunity for media outlets...and they can either buy-in now while the price is low, or be forced to play catch-up in the years to come.
ly seem too big a stretch...but newspapers have always been a bastion of old-school journalism.To TV people, newspapers have a reputation for being staid, slow-moving and slow to react. Newspapers have extensive planning operations, and TV news has to be able to move with the immediate changes to a story.
This piece, then, from a staff member of one of the largest newspapers (The Chicago Tribune) discussing the usefulness of social media is refreshing. Not only refreshing in that it shows a gr0wing acceptance of the usefulness of emerging online media...but especially so since that it outlines a plan they implemented to create an online social media identity for their operation.
So, how did this little foray into social media turn out? According to the author, Bill Adee, the "goal for [the project] was one million page views a month. By June, at its peak, it was doing more than six times that number."
The project continues with permanent funding.
There's an enormous opportunity for media outlets...and they can either buy-in now while the price is low, or be forced to play catch-up in the years to come.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
One BILLLLLion Dollars
With so much talk of financial bailouts, its hard to completely grasp exactly how much money $1 Billion really is. That's part of the point of this installation by Michael Marcovici. Check out this link from Geekologie for more...
Monday, February 2, 2009
The uses of Twitter
Twitter is being used in more inventive ways all the time. Amanda Congdon, formerly of Rocketboom.com has a Twitter feed that informs subscribers when she’s doing her next live online broadcast or has posted new content to her website. iJustine uses it in the same way…although iJustine extends the reach and content of her Twitter account by using assoc
iated applications (like Twitpic) that allow her to link to pictures she takes while out in the world. It's much more work than I'd ever do...though I too have a Twitter account I update from time to time.
Some uses are incredibly helpful for newsgathering: The Alaska Volcano Observatory is the scientific outpost currently monitoring the situation at Mt. Redoubt…a volcano that is likely to erupt over the next days or weeks. In addition, public safety agencies (like the Scottsdale, AZ Police Department or the LA Fire Department) have been getting on Twitter as a way to distribute small bits of vital information to several media outlets quickly and simultaneously.
However, other uses are not nearly as pragmatic…the Atlanta Journal-Constitution had a story this morning about Gen. Lee Beauregard’s Twitter page. General Beauregard is no military hero mind you…he’s Georgia’s groundhog answer to Punxsutawney Phil.
This is yet another example that the development of new technology and the uses for that technology often develop independently of each other.
iated applications (like Twitpic) that allow her to link to pictures she takes while out in the world. It's much more work than I'd ever do...though I too have a Twitter account I update from time to time.Some uses are incredibly helpful for newsgathering: The Alaska Volcano Observatory is the scientific outpost currently monitoring the situation at Mt. Redoubt…a volcano that is likely to erupt over the next days or weeks. In addition, public safety agencies (like the Scottsdale, AZ Police Department or the LA Fire Department) have been getting on Twitter as a way to distribute small bits of vital information to several media outlets quickly and simultaneously.
However, other uses are not nearly as pragmatic…the Atlanta Journal-Constitution had a story this morning about Gen. Lee Beauregard’s Twitter page. General Beauregard is no military hero mind you…he’s Georgia’s groundhog answer to Punxsutawney Phil.
This is yet another example that the development of new technology and the uses for that technology often develop independently of each other.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Super Bowl Ads
The story tomorrow, now that today's game is over, is more likely to be the super bowl ads.
I noticed a few of ads that were from solely online properties (cars.com; ETrade, GoDaddy, Priceline, Monster, Careerbuilder, and Cash4Gold on just a cursory inspection) and wonder whether that is likely to increase or decrease as our economy continues to develop.
I'm sure there were many more ads for online properties in some past super bowls (the year or two right before the dot-com bubble burst comes to mind) but the continued development and expansion into the community subconscious is a telling sign of things to come in the future.
That said...let's see the ads. The good people at fanhouse.com have already ensured that they are all visible online and broken down by quarters of the game.
(my personal favorite is this one)
http://superbowlads.fanhouse.com/
I noticed a few of ads that were from solely online properties (cars.com; ETrade, GoDaddy, Priceline, Monster, Careerbuilder, and Cash4Gold on just a cursory inspection) and wonder whether that is likely to increase or decrease as our economy continues to develop.
I'm sure there were many more ads for online properties in some past super bowls (the year or two right before the dot-com bubble burst comes to mind) but the continued development and expansion into the community subconscious is a telling sign of things to come in the future.
That said...let's see the ads. The good people at fanhouse.com have already ensured that they are all visible online and broken down by quarters of the game.
(my personal favorite is this one)
http://superbowlads.fanhouse.com/
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